The longest travel time I can think of from my door in northern Israel to my parents door in Los Angeles was 36 hours including a long lay over in some airport. (Saved me hundreds of dollars) It's three hours of travel to the airport from where I live, then three hours before the flight is six hours before I am even in the air!
I have several considerations about food. One is that I keep kosher, so if they don't have my special meals, I won't eat with the other passengers. Well that's happened. The other consideration is that I don't eat dairy, bread (gluten), or sugar. So even when food is "kosher" it's not always right for me. So here are my ideas for eating healthfully and comfortably as I travel.
Please note: when you are traveling into the US, you may not bring produce, dairy, or meats. You may get fined. They actually have dogs to sniff carryon bags. So when choosing your snacks, be sure you are very careful to toss what is forbidden before you get off the plane. My best advice is that if you pack any of those things, eat them first.
So, what to bring? Here's a complete list including the things I don't eat, so do choose what works for you and your travel companions. If you're traveling with kids, bringing some good protein snacks is important.
Beef or Turkey Jerky or other kobanos (salami type of snack)
Cheese sticks (individually wrapped will not go bad without refrigeration!)
Cream Cheese (from the US) in packets
Nuts, seeds, and dried fruit (sunflower or pistachio will give you more trash!)
Protein bars (store bought or home made)
Granola or granola bars
Fresh fruit, whole or cut up in zip lock baggies
sometimes I make a fruit salad and put in a disposable plastic container, pack a fork
Cut up veggies: carrot sticks, celery, kohlrabi, peppers, cucumbers, green beans, pea pods
Hummus: small container, this won't last a long time if it's homemade, commercial travels really well
Sandwiches: caution: if there is a sliced tomato, meat, or cheese coming into the US you could be fined. Peanut butter and jelly travels really well.
Burritos: you can get gluten free tortillas in the US health food stores
Veggie chopped salad, dressed with tahini dressing in disposable container (pack fork)
Bean salad (heavy and hearty, pack fork)
Carrot, rice, and garbanzo salad (recipe on this blog)
Tuna or egg salad stuffed half peppers (does not travel well, so eat this early!)
Sushi (vegetarian unless you're eating it right away)
Prepared foods:
Potato or tortilla chips
Cookies
Crackers (great with the hummus or cheeses)
Soup that you add hot water to in it's own container
Herbal or specialty tea bags
Soup that you add hot water to in it's own container
Herbal or specialty tea bags
**One more thing: I bring a personal sized water bottle on trips. You can fill it to have in your seat and if you've got a lay over, you can fill it before you get off the plane and have water to drink while you wait for your next flight.
Make sure it's empty going through security but even if you have to drink it up, you'll stay hydrated so that's good. There will be bathrooms on the plane and all over every airport so don't worry about that.
