In Preparation for Lift-Off

Well folks, Saturday evening I was scheduled for a flight up to Wisconsin to visit my grandparents for an extended 4th of July weekend. As my grandfather is in an assisted living facility, and my grandmother didn’t use the internet when she had it, I will be spending the next few days in a non-wired home…but don’t you worry, as I’ve scheduled posts for every day. [I'm way to competitive with myself: since this blog began, I've never missed a day of posting something, and I don't intend to start now.] I’ll have to catch you up on my flight, and my adventures in the land of cheese when I get back to Austin, but since I have shown you many times the absurdity that surrounds my “survival snacks” when traveling, I thought I’d let you see what happens pre-flight.

After having witnessed the preparation of travel snacks on a number of occasions, my stepmom declared on my most recent visit home that “the people sitting next to [me] on the plane must be so jealous.” Jealous? Perhaps. Strange? More than likely. Smart? Obviously.Yes, I did purchase a pack of 4 oz. (1/2 cup) containers in which to pack such items as yogurt and hummus. This is how you get questionable—as in, are they liquid or not?–substances through TSA checkpoints.Note to those of you unwilling to go through the process of measuring out ‘legal’ amounts of yogurt into smaller containers, but not willing to travel without yogurt: Chobani Champions are less than 4 oz. and pass through security just fine.It might seem crazy but trust me. When hummus is this good……you should do anything you have to do so that it doesn’t to go to waste.Speaking of going to waste, hopefully you will be cognizant enough to stop purchasing non-travel related food more than a few days before leaving. However, if you are like me, the trip will sneak up on you, and you’ll be forced to consume an excess of fruit in a very short time prior to leaving.Last time it was cantaloupe and honeydew.This time it’s watermelon.[Please note that I had two days to consume this. And there was definitely some eaten while cutting, and another three cup container eaten late-night.]I might try to freeze some, with mixed results.Some fruit will get packed for the flight.And the rest will be used up creatively (or eaten in excess).
From fruits, we’ll move on to vegetables. I always like to travel with a few Ziplocs full of healthy munchies.However, once my backpack and carry-ons are starting to fill up—and I recognize that I should probably pack some clothes or a book to read, too–I’ll start eating VERY large and VERY random salads.

I promise, there was more than just lettuce in that one!

See?

It’s all about consuming the perishables so nothing goes to waste.

If that means you end up topping a spinach salad with sliced deli ham, an assortment of veggies…

…pickle relish (!) and Green Goddess Dressing, well…that’s just what happens.
I never said flight preparations were pretty.
Once I’ve taken care of the produce, it’s time to take stock of the cereal cabinet.Some things, like All-Bran, last forever it seems, and will be fine when I get back (depending on the length of the trip), so I don’t worry as much about them…or the puffed wheat, rice, and millet of which I am so fond. They don’t have much flavor to begin with, so “getting stale” doesn’t really mean anything.The rest of the cereal finds it’s way into my bowl the day of travel (or the night before, depending on what else I’ve got to clear out), and into plastic baggies stashed into the sides of my backpack……or in my beloved Goldie.And of course, for THIS trip Goldie has a new boyfriend. If you thought the food I carried on was the only thing I had to stash for travel, well, you would be wrong. When I visit a new place (or even an old place, like home) I buy food the way other people might by novelty mugs or T-shirts. Food is my souvenir. And when I fly Southwest and can check bags, well it is likely they will be full of food.Yes, I did manage to bring home to Austin four jars of assorted nut butters. [And of course, I had to pack a little for my flight. ]Also making it back to Texas safely in my checked bags? Some of my favorite Mrs. Renfro’s Pomegranate Salsa—which I was shocked to find in a grocery store in Pennsylvania, considering it is made in Texas. Why then, did I buy it, if I can clearly get it in Austin? It was on sale. And I will save a buck whenever I can.
I also came home with some freeze-dried fruit from Trader Joe’s, which my dad was going to mail me after I bought them AT CHRISTMAS…but clearly he forgot.He also forgot to ship me these treasures….no worries, as packing them in my checked luggage almost certainly means they’ve turned into chiplets and crumblies without me having to eat my way through the box or bag first. Oh, and I also managed to squeeze this in my duffel.
I doubt after this trip I’ll be smuggling cheese curds or my Grammie’s coffee cake home in my very tiny carry-on. But one never knows. Clearly, I’m crazy.

Ladies and gentleman, we have been cleared for take-off.