Bringing your own snacks onboard

[da40flyer]

In planning for this upcoming trip on the CS, am going to bring snacks, like small bags of chips and stuff for the kids. Would I be allowed to bring a soft sided cooler with some drinks on dry ice as well or would I be pushing my luck with that? I'm trying to avoid the overpriced snacks in the cafe car as much as I can here.

 

[gswager]

In planning for this upcoming trip on the CS, am going to bring snacks, like small bags of chips and stuff for the kids. Would I be allowed to bring a soft sided cooler with some drinks on dry ice as well or would I be pushing my luck with that? I'm trying to avoid the overpriced snacks in the cafe car as much as I can here.

Yes, it is allowed and it's count as a luggage. However, those meals are confined to your seat due to health code.

 

[Cascadia]

I took a trip in March that was two full days and one night, and I brought all my own food. I froze fresh fruit juice in empty water bottles and brought that in a small soft sided cooler along with a few other things. I drank the fruit juice as it thawed, and it kept the other stuff cold too. Besides the fresh fruit juice that I made in my juicer, I didn't bring anything fancy, just some crackers, cut up cheese, carrot sticks, apples, and trail mix. It all worked out perfectly. You are smart to be thinking ahead.

I did it to save money but also because I wanted to eat something healthier than what I thought I could get on board too.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

But... don't miss out on the magic of the dining car, go atleast once, and please remember that, while you can consume said snacks in the Lounge, you can spend time in there without buying things!

 

[Crescent ATN & TCL]

I always bring a two-liter drink in my carry-on and take advantage of the free ice. I'm not that much of a snacker but i usually bring a little something. To me the drinks are more over-priced than anything else, plus I hate Pepsi!

How Dare They Run A Train Through Atlanta With Out Offering Coke!!! Its an abomination!, You can't buy a coke on Amtrak while traveling through Coke's birthplace!!!

 

[da40flyer]

But... don't miss out on the magic of the dining car, go atleast once, and please remember that, while you can consume said snacks in the Lounge, you can spend time in there without buying things!

My plan is to have breakfast in the dining car. There's no way I'll miss out on that one.

 

[the_traveler]

But... don't miss out on the magic of the dining car, go atleast once, and please remember that, while you can consume said snacks in the Lounge, you can spend time in there without buying things!

My plan is to have breakfast in the dining car. There's no way I'll miss out on that one.

I spend most of the day in the lounge car, and to same money on meals, just have breakfast and maybe dinner. And I do also bring some food on the train.

As an example, one time I took the CZ from GJT-RNO (after my 5 hour layover). I walked to the supermarket (~1 block from the station) and bought some food for dinner that night and snacks!

 

[ourlouisiana]

Last year - July 2007, we took our daughter, her husband and their 5 children (aged 5 - 15) on the Crescent from NOL to PHL. We had a backpack full of beef jerkey, and fruit roll ups, boxed raisins, and other stuff, as well as a fold up cooler with sandwiches, and boxed fruit drinks.

With the party of 8 the 2 bag limit was no problem.

The only problem we had was when the kids saw people carrying pizza back from the lounge, the stuff we brought became "I don't like that", but they eat it all the time at home. We did the evening meal in the diner northbound and everyone enjoyed that. There are a few meals for kids. I wanted to do the breakfast southbound, but our daughter thought the kids wouldn't like anything on the menu.

One thing I will add, 15 year olds get bored quickly, even though they have nintendo, and the boredom in contagious to younger siblings.

It was a long trip.

Donna n Paul Scott, La. BNSF mp149.1 Lafayette Subdivision

Operation Lifesaver Louisiana

 

[da40flyer]

Last year - July 2007, we took our daughter, her husband and their 5 children (aged 5 - 15) on the Crescent from NOL to PHL. We had a backpack full of beef jerkey, and fruit roll ups, boxed raisins, and other stuff, as well as a fold up cooler with sandwiches, and boxed fruit drinks.With the party of 8 the 2 bag limit was no problem.

The only problem we had was when the kids saw people carrying pizza back from the lounge, the stuff we brought became "I don't like that", but they eat it all the time at home. We did the evening meal in the diner northbound and everyone enjoyed that. There are a few meals for kids. I wanted to do the breakfast southbound, but our daughter thought the kids wouldn't like anything on the menu.

One thing I will add, 15 year olds get bored quickly, even though they have nintendo, and the boredom in contagious to younger siblings.

It was a long trip.

Donna n Paul Scott, La. BNSF mp149.1 Lafayette Subdivision

Operation Lifesaver Louisiana

Mine are 9 and 7. I'm hoping that I've got enough games/activities for them to keep them occupied, since electrical outlets seem to be questionable at the seats DVD players become a challenge.

 

[sweet tea]

i like to bring hard boiled eggs and a little twist of salt. the eggs are fine without refrigeration for a day or so, and they make me feel like i've really eaten something.

 

[ourlouisiana]

Electrical outlets were no problem.... but then we had a total of 8 seats, two sets on each side of the train.

Donna n Paul Scott, La. BNSF mp1491. Lafayette Subdivision

Operation Lifesaver Louisiana

 

[RRrich]

We got on the train in CHI (Lincoln Service??) with sandwich's from Giardano's. The train was Snack Car Only. We may have been the only folks on board who ate well.