What good foods do you take with you?

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caravanman said:
One slight issue that I find with buying food in most major U.S. cities is that it is quite hard to find real fresh fruit and healthy snacks. Drug stores and "kwicky marts" tend to have minimal fresh items, and that is often packaged , and supermarkets seem to be out of town, away from easy reach by pedestrians en route to the rail station!

Ed :cool:
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:hi: Howdy Ed! Hope your health is Better, will you be able to make it to Chicago for the Gathering??

This is True in most Cities Ed but the Good News is that its Changing! Even Chicago (as well as my City of Austin) has a Whole Foods(It is Expensive but Fresh/Healthy Stuff!) Close to Union Station (our Penny walks there every time shes in Chicago and doesnt even get Lost! :giggle: ) The "American Dream" from the 50s to build Sprawling Suburbs has had it's Day and more and more Cities have People with Disposable Income that are tired of "Rat Race" Commuting are moving back into the Cities!

Also in the Cities with "Ethnic" Communites like China Towns and International Disticts have lots of Mom and Pop Green Grocers which have better stuff than the Chain Convience Stores and Drug Stores! I shop @ CVS and Walgreens in Chicago but not for Food!
 
This thread looks fairly recent, forgive the necro, but I have reason to revive it.

Ok, this is what I'm bringing:

pudding cups

slim jims

licorice

energy drinks (like cigarettes for me)

chips of some sort

chocolate or Fannie May if I can manage to pick some up while in Chicago

nut mix

bananas

and something for breakfast since I don't know if the SWC will be on time

Course I'm open to suggestions too
 
For long trips, or any trip in the summer, I do bring some kind of insulated cooler, but in general I'm not super worried about things going bad - I use my nose and my judgement if there's a question. I just bought an eBags crew cooler, looking forward to breaking it in.

Also, the food from the cafe cars is really not the way I want to eat, even occasionally. So I bring my own food even if the trip is short.

My selections include:

  • Gallon Ziploc with freshly cut up carrot sticks, celery, and sliced raw red pepper. Fresh veg are a must.
  • Some nice saucisson and a knife to cut it with. Wrapped in plastic wrap and then in a small Ziploc. Keeps well with no refrigeration.
  • Vermont Sticks (better-made Slim Jims.)
  • A washed apple, wrapped in a paper towel or two because I hate when they get poked.
  • Baby bell cheese.
  • For my first big snack/meal, I bring a home-cooked, seasoned chicken breast, and eat it cold. Ditto with hard-boiled eggs.
  • Pistachios in the shell. I am careful not to make a mess, but shelling them is fun and gives you something to do with your hands.
 
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I forgot the crucial items:

  • flask
  • small bottles of tonic or other desired mixer
  • snack-sized Ziploc of lime slices
  • small bottles of Ketel One, Patron, etc
  • small tetra-pak of wine :)
 
Since it's almost impossible to find totally vegan food in the Dining Car OR the Snack Car, I bring a bag of cut veggies [don't care for fruit]. For short jaunts, that works fine. On the LD trains, I have to bite the bullet and become a temporary vegetarian. The Dining car offers at least something on the menu at every meal that I can eat. Mignyc....i'm like you, gotta have my mini bottles of merlot!!
 
pianocat said:
Since it's almost impossible to find totally vegan food in the Dining Car OR the Snack Car, I bring a bag of cut veggies [don't care for fruit]. For short jaunts, that works fine. On the LD trains, I have to bite the bullet and become a temporary vegetarian. The Dining car offers at least something on the menu at every meal that I can eat. Mignyc....i'm like you, gotta have my mini bottles of merlot!!
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The next time you travel LD, you can call Amtrak to request vegan meals for you. :) They need 72 hours notice.

From their website:

Special menu selections, including kosher and vegan are available on most trains with 72-hour advanced notice. 24-hour advanced notice is required for Acela Express First Class service. Vegetarian meals do not require advance notice.

To reserve your meal, call 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245). TTY service is available at 1-800-523-6590.

I noticed it says "most", so hopefully the agent will be able to tell you if your route has that option.
 
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I had NO IDEA! Thanks for that info., Sarah. I'll give them a call. It's the SWC at Christmas time, btw.
 
pianocat said:
I had NO IDEA! Thanks for that info., Sarah. I'll give them a call. It's the SWC at Christmas time, btw.
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We'll be on the SWC from CHI to ABQ on 12/21-12/22 and then coming back from ABQ to CHI on 12/27-12/28. :)
 
mignyc said:
For long trips, or any trip in the summer, I do bring some kind of insulated cooler, but in general I'm not super worried about things going bad - I use my nose and my judgement if there's a question. I just bought an eBags crew cooler, looking forward to breaking it in.

Also, the food from the cafe cars is really not the way I want to eat, even occasionally. So I bring my own food even if the trip is short.

My selections include:

  • Gallon Ziploc with freshly cut up carrot sticks, celery, and sliced raw red pepper. Fresh veg are a must.
  • Some nice saucisson and a knife to cut it with. Wrapped in plastic wrap and then in a small Ziploc. Keeps well with no refrigeration.
  • Vermont Sticks (better-made Slim Jims.)
  • A washed apple, wrapped in a paper towel or two because I hate when they get poked.
  • Baby bell cheese.
  • For my first big snack/meal, I bring a home-cooked, seasoned chicken breast, and eat it cold. Ditto with hard-boiled eggs.
  • Pistachios in the shell. I am careful not to make a mess, but shelling them is fun and gives you something to do with your hands.
Click to expand...
Those are really good ideas, I might use a few of them.
 
With the intent of merging 2 threads:

I've only traveled coach 3 times and because of my snoring I now only travel when I can afford to go sleeper.

I pack one suitcase to store downstairs and bring the brief case with all the external pockets and pouches for the room and I bring my cpap and food in one of the handled paper shopping bags.

Laptop with earphones / cell phone / scanner / cords etcc

1 bottle of Bombay Sapphire

1 small bottle of really good olives

2 bottles of Le Creme Pionot Noir

1 wheel of gouda and a large pack of black pepper crackers

1 bag of roasted pecans

As a retired band director I love to read symphonic scores while listening to great recordings of the material at night when I have the diner to myself.. Nothing like combining good drink, good food, great travel and great music into a 2 day trip. I just wish I could do it more often. If you ever see someone doing this, stop by for a drink I always love to talk trains :hi:
 
I'll probably stop by and talk symphony. :) I was in the color guard/flag corps during marching season and symphony band during winter/spring.
 
pianocat said:
Since it's almost impossible to find totally vegan food in the Dining Car OR the Snack Car, I bring a bag of cut veggies [don't care for fruit]. For short jaunts, that works fine. On the LD trains, I have to bite the bullet and become a temporary vegetarian. The Dining car offers at least something on the menu at every meal that I can eat. Mignyc....i'm like you, gotta have my mini bottles of merlot!!
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Do they still have the obligatory "vegetarian lasagna"? I seem to recall seeing that on every Amtrak menu back in the 80s/90s.
 
pianocat said:
Since it's almost impossible to find totally vegan food in the Dining Car OR the Snack Car, I bring a bag of cut veggies [don't care for fruit]. For short jaunts, that works fine. On the LD trains, I have to bite the bullet and become a temporary vegetarian. The Dining car offers at least something on the menu at every meal that I can eat. Mignyc....i'm like you, gotta have my mini bottles of merlot!!
Click to expand...
You're my new hero Piano Cat. Awesome post!
 
No vegetarian lasagna this past summer on EB, I would remember that! Sarah, we are traveling one day apart on the same line. I'm out of KCY-RIV on 12/23-24, returning 12/28-29. If I ever see someone on a train with a musical score in front of them, I'll become their new best friend in a heartbeat. Music is a large percentage of my 'life'..... Ted, is that a dead longhorn cow on your avatar? :)
 
pianocat said:
If I ever see someone on a train with a musical score in front of them, I'll become their new best friend in a heartbeat. Music is a large percentage of my 'life'..... :)
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I'm a little stuck on Holst, Von Williams, Geoff, Copeland and Gershwin, but sometimes I'm into big band scores ( buddy Rich's big band AND Kenton's versions of WSS ) Sorry I don't have a score to The Waltzing Cat...... :eek: but stop by for a drink ANYTIME
 
pianocat said:
No vegetarian lasagna this past summer on EB, I would remember that! Sarah, we are traveling one day apart on the same line. I'm out of KCY-RIV on 12/23-24, returning 12/28-29. If I ever see someone on a train with a musical score in front of them, I'll become their new best friend in a heartbeat. Music is a large percentage of my 'life'..... Ted, is that a dead longhorn cow on your avatar? :)
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Hey Piano Cat. Yes, it is a longhorn cow. But why do you assume it is dead?

By the way, I'm a very serious musician. Piano, organ, keyboard, bass. Choral, violin and harp accompanist. What about you?
 
the Other Mike said:
I'm a little stuck on Holst, Von Williams, Geoff, Copeland and Gershwin, but sometimes I'm into big band scores ( buddy Rich's big band AND Kenton's versions of WSS ) Sorry I don't have a score to The Waltzing Cat...... :eek: but stop by for a drink ANYTIME
Click to expand...
My ex's husband's name is Mike. So I'm very grateful that you are "the other Mike". I'd love to stop by for a drink.
 
the Other Mike said:
pianocat said:
If I ever see someone on a train with a musical score in front of them, I'll become their new best friend in a heartbeat. Music is a large percentage of my 'life'..... :)
Click to expand...
I'm a little stuck on Holst, Von Williams, Geoff, Copeland and Gershwin, but sometimes I'm into big band scores ( buddy Rich's big band AND Kenton's versions of WSS ) Sorry I don't have a score to The Waltzing Cat...... :eek: but stop by for a drink ANYTIME
Click to expand...
Vaughan Williams.... Copland...
 
Hey Ted, I meant no offense about the 'dead' cow.....I assume since it's an ad for a Steak House, it ends up dead somehow, and I'd just mentioned that I'm a vegan. What genre are you most involved with? I'd think with harp, choral and violin it'd be in the piano accompaniment field? ALL of us musicians definitely need to stop in the Dining Car for a bottle sometime! And thanks to _music lover_ for fixing Ralph and Aaron's last names. Personally, I'm partial to the piano music of Chopin and Liszt, and they accompany me on all Amtrak trips via the iPad. Happy Halloween everyone!! [And on that note.....I'll stop talking music on an Amtrak forum thread about food:)]
 
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My long distance staple coach or sleeper (geez, when was the last time I went coach for an LD trip?) is a box of those Little Debbie oatmeal sandwich cookies - the small[er] ones. It's more of a tradition thing than a food thing. Sometimes my wife will send me off with a bag of Recees. But it's Amfood for meals.
 
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