A 2.5 hour flight means 3.5 hours by the time you’re done waiting, queuing up to board, seating, etc, then waiting forever to deplane. I always take extra food in case of delays. My last flight in October was delayed on the plane for 2 hours due to 1) an unnamed part that needed replacement; had to wait for it to arrive and get installed, and then, 2) they were unable to latch shut the door and had to figger out a away to seal it. Then after landing in Dallas, it took an extra half hour to get a gate as they’d lost their place in line and had to wait for an opening. I can’t remember if this was United, American, or Delta, but it was one of those big three. Then, there’s waiting for a ride/taxi/Uber/etc, and the drive to the destination. I’m one of those people who needs to eat every few hours, and if I have leftover food, which I almost always do, it’ll be my nighttime snack for that night and sometimes the next. Oftentimes I get in so late that there’s nothing else easily available, and I don’t need to think about what I’m going to eat.
I usually take sandwiches, either made/bought ahead of time, or purchased at the terminal if I don’t have a chance to get some ahead of time (and pay the airport premium price for the convenience). Subway sandwiches seem to be fairly economical; I get a footlong “Thai Chicken” and get it cut in half and each half wrapped separately for ease in eating on the plane - a foot-long is bigger than the seat I’m in. Or a Vietnamese banh mi or two. And several Nature Valley nut & fruit trail mix granola bars stuffed in my pack for general munching. They’re pretty high protein and only 140 cals per bar. They’re tasty enough, but not too tasty, so I don’t tend to eat them unless I’m truly hungry.
Usually when I fly for up to 5 hour trips I take a cold sandwich or two, a snack pack of cheese and crackers, some nuts, a couple of muesli or protein bars and water with some flavour. What I don’t eat on the flight comes with me to the destination.
No matter how I’m traveling I always bring at least snacks because Stuff Happens. On top of that, having food allergies means that if I am stuck somewhere whatever the powers that be decide to issue as food may or may not be something I can eat safely.
My go to items are things like nuts, beef jerky, crackers, etc. - stuff that doesn’t require refrigeration or preparation. If bringing fruit is allowed (I’ve encountered situations where it isn’t) bananas are good, as are grapes.
Preferred fluids are plain water and tea. The Mio thing looks interesting - it’s basically just flavorings - but their website seems to be nothing but videos which is a real turn off to me. Just let me read some damn text about your product, m’kay? Anyhow…
If I’m driving or doing the flying myself for a trip there’s likely a genuine cooler in the back with a day’s worth of snacks. I prefer snacking to full meals on a long trip. For trains and commercial airplanes the choices are much reduced to things that don’t need temperature control, with money budgeted for buying things at stations/airports. I favor things with protein over sugar, so I’m not a big fan of candy bars or “meal replacement bars”, many of which aren’t than different from candy bars (read the labels, people!). I will, however, bring PopTarts or their cousins along. Go figger.
Depending on length and time of flight (my stomach doesn’t give a shit if we’re in the air, when it wants to eat it means now), either nothing or a sub.
I’m an obsessive light packer and I never pack food. If I get hungry, I’ll spring for one of the snack packs (which I think are kind of fun) or eat at the airport.
Not to mention I’ll probably be up for four hours before I even get to the airport. I’m taking my dogs to the kennel that morning* and then going back home for a friend to drive me to the airport. I’m not likely to eat much of a breakfast for the tummy reasons cited by others.
These are excellent suggestions. Thanks.
*Why not take them the day before? Because it’s Sunday, so I would have to take them Saturday (today) morning, 'cause the vet closes at noon on Saturday. Why the vet and not a kennel that lets you drop off on Sunday? Because this vet is treating one of the dogs for an ongoing issue. Why not take the dogs on the way to the airport? Because this friend has a brand new car, and I’m not going to ask him if my dogs can get in his car. Just answering potential questions preemptively.