Food suggestions for coach passengers

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susanlindsey

Train Attendant
Joined
Jan 18, 2023
Messages
32
Location
Laytonsville, Maryland
I’m hatching ideas to be the Coach Class Gourmet 😂 My favorite idea so far is beet salad; packaged beets, cut up apple, chopped walnuts, and apple cider dressing. I just had this brainstorm today so I’ll be developing other recipes with ingredients that don’t require refrigeration and are healthful. I may even write a book or start a vlog 😮
 

Maglev

Conductor
Joined
Sep 4, 2016
Messages
1,423
Location
Orcas Island, Washington
Next time I travel overnight in coach, I am going to try to make a "smoothie" for lunch. No, I'm not bringing a blender nor do I plan on adding frozen blueberries and cauliflower. But I could have coconut milk mixed with protein powder and the other powders we use (including glorious fiber! Oh, yes, lots of fiber!).
 

oregon pioneer

Engineer
Joined
Feb 15, 2011
Messages
2,743
Location
near Seneca, Oregon
A friend I visited on one of my trips gave me quail eggs from his flock. My train lunch next day was hard-boiled quail eggs, crusty French bread, Mandarin oranges, and dark chocolate. The repast required many paper towels on my tray table, and a trip to the restroom to wash my hands afterwards. That's about as much prep work as I am willing to do in a tray table.
 

Devil's Advocate

⠀⠀⠀
Joined
May 24, 2010
Messages
13,838
Location
⠀⠀⠀TX
Unless one is allergic to peanut butter or can only eat crackers from wheat harvested under the light of a full moon.
The number of travel bloggers who expect every dietary fad to be catered for worldwide surprises me. If their cyberchondria allergy was as serious as they imply in their videos/articles they'd be carrying known-safe food with them instead of just complaining about being "othered."
 
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susanlindsey

Train Attendant
Joined
Jan 18, 2023
Messages
32
Location
Laytonsville, Maryland
Next time I travel overnight in coach, I am going to try to make a "smoothie" for lunch. No, I'm not bringing a blender nor do I plan on adding frozen blueberries and cauliflower. But I could have coconut milk mixed with protein powder and the other powders we use (including glorious fiber! Oh, yes, lots of fiber!).
That’s what I’m talking about!
 

danasgoodstuff

OBS Chief
Joined
Jun 23, 2021
Messages
531
Location
PDX
When I buy cheese (like cheddar or swiss) at the market, it's in the refrigerated case, and the package says to keep it refrigerated. Is that because it's sliced?
Small amounts of cheese, properly stored in a ziplock bag should be fine for an overnight or even two day trip. People ate cheese before refrigeration.
 
Joined
Apr 5, 2011
Messages
5,576
Location
Baltimore. MD
The number of travel bloggers who expect every dietary fad to be catered for worldwide surprises me. If their cyberchondria allergy was as serious as they imply in their videos/articles they'd be carrying known-safe food with them instead of just complaining about being "othered."
In fact, this is exactly what traveling Orthodox Jews do. Sure, airlines and Amtrak offer kosher food options, but there's no guarantee that the kosher food will be on the plane or train. (It's not just Amtrak that can screw things up.) Then there was an incident that was recounted in a Jewish discussion group some years ago about someone traveling over Passover who got their kosher meal, all right, but it was not kosher for Passover! Though people complain a bit, they also are smart enough to just suck it up and always bring some of their own food with them when they travel. It's also true when they make road trips. They just pack a picnic and a cooler, and don't claim antisemitism because there are no kosher restaurants in, say, Podunkville, Kansas where they're passing through at meal time.

Small amounts of cheese, properly stored in a ziplock bag should be fine for an overnight or even two day trip. People ate cheese before refrigeration.
I bought a couple of chunks of hard cheese for snacks during the 2019 Gathering. I finished them up about a week after I bought them, and they were unrefrigerated, except for the three nights I was in the hotel in Dallas, which had a little fridge in the room..
 

Rambling Robert

Lead Service Attendant
Joined
May 30, 2021
Messages
310
Location
Boston
The Caffè offers an Asian salad and blue corn tamales that are vegan but I think everyone would like them. I know that these tamales are vegan and I would guess the Asian salad is too. The caffé has plenty more good items to offer but those two are the best. Maybe there’s some sour cream to go with the tamale.

I always bring small juice boxes 125 mL and maybe some YooHoo drink boxes. A smoked Gouda pairs well with some tasty grapes. At least one box of Nutri-Grain bars.

If you’re planning to do a lot of train travel, having the electric outlets handy, you might want to invest in a thermos that boils water and/or a cooler that can be plugged in that cools up to six cans. Available online for between $40 and $60, maybe less.

It would be nice to have chilled RC to go with a heavenly moonpie!
 
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TaseMeBro

Service Attendant
AU Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 6, 2021
Messages
124
Location
Surfliner Territory
I've got an upcoming trip on the EB. There will be three of us, all going by sleeper (each with our own room). Even with the diner available, I suspect we'll want to do some late night hanging out and snacking, so here's what we have planned:

A softsided cooler with ice will be stashed in one of the rooms with bottled water, soft drinks, and probably a bottle of port for before bed.

For snacks, we'll have dried fruit and nuts (pistachios and cashews were the Costco winner). Fresh baked cookies. And the best part, I think, will be supplies to make at least a couple of charcuterie boards (some meats, a variety of cheese, mustard, and hopefully some cold smoked salmon).

Packing list also includes hand wipes and clorox wipes to make things easier, as well as decent quality but disposable plastic plates, plastic cups, zip locs, and some trashbags for cleanup.
 
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