Plane hunger pains?: Pack your own snacks and save

July 8, 2:32 PMLA Frugal Living ExaminerTheresa Ward

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Lunch © Barbara Helgason | Dreamstime.com

If there’s one thing that all plane trips have in common, it’s the lack of decent food.  So in order to save money and your delicate palate (not to mention, your stomach), plan ahead and pack a meal and plenty of snackage.  Here are some great tips from IdealBite.com:

1.)  Airlines use approximately 1 million disposable cups every 6 hours, not to mention all those plastic snack bags.  By foregoing their food and drinks, you’ll be doing your part to create less waste.  Bring an empty water bottle into the airport and fill up at the water fountain before your flight or bring your own cup and have the flight attendants fill it up with your drink of choice.  Also, be sure to refuse any snacks you won’t eat.  Those packs of peanuts aren’t doing you or the environment any good lying in your cupboard or at the bottom of your purse for the next year and a half.

2.)  When you pack your own snacks, you get to choose your own food.  Sounds obvious enough, but just think of how much better you’ll feel once you’ve landed and you don’t have a bloated belly full of junk.  As always, Trader Joes is a great, inexpensive place to stock up on pre-made meals, snacks and healthy ingredients to create your own feasts.  Or simply search through your cupboard and use everything that will go bad while you’re away (like a giant salad with everything in it).  Waste not; want not.  

3.)  Since most airlines now charge an arm and a leg for food (Jet Blue and Southwest, thanks for holding in there) bringing your own munchies equals more dollars to spend on your trip.  Why spend money on a chewy piece of unidentified meat when you can have a nice dinner full of seasonal and local ingredients once you land?  

4.)  If you must have an in-flight meal, request vegan or vegetarian.  They’re the lowest impact and better for you anyway.  Bon voyage and happy munching!