Recommend food travel box/suitcase

[William Seward]

Can anybody recommend a travel tool box or suit case. A tool box or suit case with wheels and handle that would be ideal for tranportating food on an airplace. The bor or suit case need to be under 50Lbs per the airline requirements. I have a cooler backpack for the frozen food and dry ice.

I'm looking for sonething strong but low in weight.

Thanks

Bill

 

[VacationForever]

I don't believe you are allowed to bring dry ice onto airplanes. Are you looking for a check-in luggage or a carry on? I don't see why a luggage for food is any different from a suitcase.

 

[William Seward]

According to American Airlines you are allowed 5.5 lbs. It has to be a labeled on the luggage. I got the ideas from a fellow owner while we were in the bahamas. He had a backpack with frozen food and dry ice. I agree luggage for food should be any different then a suitcase. I'm just curious if anybody had sny luck with a quality hard sided suit case or toolbox that they have had good luck with food. I think the bulky food vs clothing might put extra stress on the hinges. Interior needs to be fairly open like a toolbox not comparmental like some Travel Pro suite cases.

 

[VacationForever]

It's just me, it isn't worth to bring food that requires to be kept cold. I have flown on an hour flight and brought frozen cooked Greek sausages in my carry-on because they were not available where we live. Anything else where money can buy and needs extra effort to pack don't travel with me.

 

[dioxide45]

It's just me, it isn't worth to bring food that requires to be kept cold. I have flown on an hour flight and brought frozen cooked Greek sausages in my carry-on because they were not available where we live. Anything else where money can buy and needs extra effort to pack don't travel with me.

Food in the Bahamas can be very expensive. Even groceries and food at the restaurants at Atlantis is astronomical. There are a few more reasonable establishments nearby. Many people who go to Harborside Resort pack a whole suitcase full of food. Any frozen goods are froze and it is all packed with icepacks or dry ice. For us, we just packed a few snack items and granola bars and I did the grocery store run that the resort provides to a store downtown. Almost everything is an American brand since they don't really produce any items of their own except for booze which looked to be priced about the same as it is back in the USA. For us, we eat out one meal a day and can use the few groceries we buy or the items we bring for breakfast and snacks so we won't worry about trying to pack a suitcase full of food but I can understand why others might.

 

[VacationForever]

@dioxide45 When one wants to vacation at an expensive place, just budget for it. The hassle of packing frozen food is simply just not worth it. If I decide that I don't want to pay high prices at Bahamas, I would simply not go. There are lots of great places to visit and without the hassle or high price.

 

[dioxide45]

@dioxide45 When one wants to vacation at an expensive place, just budget for it. The hassle of packing frozen food is simply just not worth it. If I decide that I don't want to pay high prices at Bahamas, I would simply not go. There are lots of great places to visit and without the hassle or high price.

I would tend to agree. Just sharing what others do. It can be quite expensive for a big family. I recall @MichaelColey going to Atlantis back in 2012 and they packed a lot of groceries. He has three kids so I suspect it made more sense over eating every meal out or buying groceries in Nassau, some of which will just get unused and tossed at the end. You can plan meals a bit better and only bring what you need vs buying a box of whatever quantity at the grocery store.

For just a couple traveling, a couple hundred bucks extra won't make or break the budget. For a large family it might be different. For some the hassle is worth it. I don't tend to no longer worry too much about how other people spend their time or money.

 

[Hindsite]

@dioxide45 When one wants to vacation at an expensive place, just budget for it. The hassle of packing frozen food is simply just not worth it. If I decide that I don't want to pay high prices at Bahamas, I would simply not go. There are lots of great places to visit and without the hassle or high price.

If you have special dietary needs that is another reason to take your own foods, and there's just personal preference.

 

[VacationForever]

If you have special dietary needs that is another reason to take your own foods, and there's just personal preference.

Sure, small amounts but not things like frozen meat.

 

[Hindsite]

Sure, small amounts but not things like frozen meat.

If you have to live with dietary restrictions and are legally able to take products that enable you to live well, then you are absolutely going to stuff whatever it is in your luggage to avoid the alternative of being unwell on vacation.
There's a surprising number of people who have to be careful about what goes into their food without them being faddy. Many just medicate their way round the consequences of not doing so, but that comes with other problems.

 

[moonstone]

Our DS has a good sized Yeti hard sided cooler that he takes to Exuma. It closes securely and has holes on the lip to put padlocks in if you desire (he does). Last January he filled it at his home near Tampa, drove to Ft. Lauderdale, then checked it as luggage on his flight. He said when he got to the condo even the bacon was still frozen.


~Diane

 

[VacationForever]

If you have to live with dietary restrictions and are legally able to take products that enable you to live well, then you are absolutely going to stuff whatever it is in your luggage to avoid the alternative of being unwell on vacation.
There's a surprising number of people who have to be careful about what goes into their food without them being faddy. Many just medicate their way round the consequences of not doing so, but that comes with other problems.

I am gluten intolerant and certainly aware of dietary restrictions. I bring gluten-free bread but there is not a need to bring peanut butter or oatmeal.

 

[Passepartout]

If it was me and mine, I'd get a good, sturdy, double wall cardboard box, double tape the seams. Then line it with a couple layers of bubble wrap, then the morning of departure, put the pre-frozen/refrigerated food in it along with the also bubble-wrapped dry ice in it and tape and label it up really good and check it through to destination. Make sure it's packed FULL and the stuff inside won't move around when jostled.

Then as you eat your way through what you packed, you can pitch the leftover packing material and not have to mess with it going home.

Jim

 

[ljmiii]

Maybe I’m overly pessimistic but I consider it a win if an airline successfully delivers myself and my loved ones to their destination within four or so hours of the scheduled time. Checked luggage delivery on the same day is considered a bonus.

I can’t imagine planning a vacation that depended on the successful delivery of frozen foods. But obviously, YMMV.

 

[William Seward]

Since I originated this tread. I would like to add! One of the reason's wer're talking about takin food is based on having three grad children under four. Out last trip we tried the east out three times as a family. But only made it thru one meal. Thus is one of the main reason for bringing some food. I was thinking about bringing food for grilling and was wondering if their are bags designed for this purpose.

Diane thank you for your suggestion. I will deffinent look into the Yeti hard sided cooler.

 

[dioxide45]

Since I originated this tread. I would like to add! One of the reason's wer're talking about takin food is based on having three grad children under four. Out last trip we tried the east out three times as a family. But only made it thru one meal. Thus is one of the main reason for bringing some food. I was thinking about bringing food for grilling and was wondering if their are bags designed for this purpose.

Diane thank you for your suggestion. I will deffinent look into the Yeti hard sided cooler.

If you want it for Bahamas and specifically Harborside Resort, there are no grills. That said, you certainly don't need to justify the reason. Don't worry about others that are here to judge others.

 

[rcv82]

Silly or not, I frequently take some food on trips for a variety of reasons. There are good arguments as to why this isn't worth the bother, but here is how I do it:

I pack to food in a soft-sided cooler. I have a couple of sizes, including a back-pack cooler and one that is a little bigger but collapsible. I place everything that can possibly leak in a Zip-Lock bag. Anything that can be frozen, I freeze first and pack it frozen. If it can't be frozen, I at least have it refrigerated first. Then I just add some good ice packs--the kind in the white bags that are the same they ship food to you from same of the prepared food services. Things I sometimes take include frozen steak, frozen hamburger patties, condiments.

I place the cooler in a standard suitcase and check it. Depending upon the size of the cooler and suitcase, there may be room for other things, including food items not requiring refrigeration. I have never had an issue doing this, and even if on the road 12+ hours, the frozen food is still frozen on the other end. This is really pretty easy, and I like to have a cooler on the other end anyway. Of course, make sure there on no prohibitions at the other end on any of the type of food packed.

Note that because of my airline status, I get 3 free 70 lb checked bags per person. If I was paying to check every bag and limited to 50 lbs each, it would definitely change the calculation. In my situation, it would not be worth it.

 

[heckp]

Is the coffee maker still drip coffee or changed to Keurig?

 

[dioxide45]

Is the coffee maker still drip coffee or changed to Keurig?

Drip

 

[Pink_Warrior]

We head to Harborside soon. So I am going through prior posts about it (and watching YT videos.)

I upgraded my flights so that I could check two bags for free. I paid $190 RT upgrade to business. If I had paid to check two bags, it would have been $140. I'll take a $50 hit for business class RT.

I am traveling with three young adults, so yes, we are bringing food, and a lot of it. We have a Yeti Hopper flip cooler. We just used it for an 11 hour trip. Everything was still very cold and if it started frozen, it stayed frozen. I use a Travelpro 25" for checked luggage and this fits (without the zipper extending it) with maybe enough space for a case of protein drinks.

My wildcard question is whether or not I should bring an air mattress and pump. I have a 1 premium villa but this still parks my two 6ft plus sons sleeping on the sleeper sofa. That isn't a great plan. If by chance someone cancels the 2 bedroom last minute, I will happily grab it. But that is hoping for a lot.

 

[dioxide45]

We head to Harborside soon. So I am going through prior posts about it (and watching YT videos.)

I upgraded my flights so that I could check two bags for free. I paid $190 RT upgrade to business. If I had paid to check two bags, it would have been $140. I'll take a $50 hit for business class RT.

I am traveling with three young adults, so yes, we are bringing food, and a lot of it. We have a Yeti Hopper flip cooler. We just used it for an 11 hour trip. Everything was still very cold and if it started frozen, it stayed frozen. I use a Travelpro 25" for checked luggage and this fits (without the zipper extending it) with maybe enough space for a case of protein drinks.

My wildcard question is whether or not I should bring an air mattress and pump. I have a 1 premium villa but this still parks my two 6ft plus sons sleeping on the sleeper sofa. That isn't a great plan. If by chance someone cancels the 2 bedroom last minute, I will happily grab it. But that is hoping for a lot.

You'll certainly have more room in the Premium 1BR for an air mattress where the Deluxe probably wouldn't. I would bring it along. The sofa beds are only queen size and aren't all that big or comfortable. A 1BR for four adults is kinda on the cramped side.

 

[easyrider]

Can anybody recommend a travel tool box or suit case. A tool box or suit case with wheels and handle that would be ideal for tranportating food on an airplace. The bor or suit case need to be under 50Lbs per the airline requirements. I have a cooler backpack for the frozen food and dry ice.

I'm looking for sonething strong but low in weight.

Thanks

Bill

We use to fly salmon back from Canada and the rule is it has to be in a leak proof container. We used insulated dry bags with gel packs and all of the salmon was filleted, vacuum sealed and frozen solid.

We took frozen steaks and frozen salmon to Grand Cayman in our checked bag. This was wrapped with our clothing. It took about 16 hours to get to our timeshare in Grand Cayman and the everything was still semi-frozen when we arrived. Probably 25 pounds of really good meat. We also brought coffee and condiments. I bought the Whiskey at the duty free.

Bill

 

[Ixchel]

I am traveling with three young adults, so yes, we are bringing food, and a lot of it. We have a Yeti Hopper flip cooler. We just used it for an 11 hour trip. Everything was still very cold and if it started frozen, it stayed frozen. I use a Travelpro 25" for checked luggage and this fits (without the zipper extending it) with maybe enough space ..

We also travel with food due to dietary restrictions.

What size Yeti do you use for your 25" Travelpro?