This is a good idea, but make sure the park doesn’t prohibit frozen bottles. I went to a concert last week and bottles were allowed, but they could not be frozen.
Exactly, we volunteered selling beverages years ago at concerts to support a charity. One of the concerts was Jimmy Buffet and they specifically prohibited class bottles so they wouldn’t be thrown
Glass is prohibited in many venues, parks, and places. It totally makes sense to me with all of the people who have no concern about breaking glass and leaving it behind.
You could at the very least notify the nearest venue staff who would then contact a custodian / groundskeeper. Most people who break stuff simply walk away from the mess, whether the damage was accidental or otherwise.
I don't take glass, so no idea. First way to not have a problem. But I do frequent a dog park that was built on a landfill and daily I pick up pieces of glass of all sizes and shapes.
What was that movie where there was a band (country western?) on stage and there was a chain link cage protecting them from getting hit by the beer bottles??
This is awesome hack I learned during a Covid lockdown from Amazon Fresh Delivery. I do use this technique in combination with titan ice packs. The latter lasts hours, and it’s something magical lol. They are very flat, and barely take space. I use them to pack more food when water is not a problem.
Don’t underestimate how heavy water is. Refill at water fountains, most have those nice water filling stations nowadays. Pack a couple bags to use for trash, you won’t always be next to a receptacle. And bring baby wipes / sanitizer! Access to sinks and bathrooms can be spotty too.
Couple bandaids, couple ibuprofen, and some alcohol wipes to sniff if anyone is feeling sick. Hats and sunglasses.
I’ve done this a lot lol.
I agree w the people who suggest you leave most things in the car. You’ll feel like the walk to and from will be a drag, but sitting down in quiet will be a nice break mid day, giving the kids (and you!) a chance to work out their stress.
Yep. Something like the nausea receptors can only either feel nauseated or smell rubbing alcohol, not both at the same time (I’m sure I butchered that scientifically but you get the gist). Two or three slow, deep breaths gives a lot of relief.
Yes; can confirm. Works rapidly and approximately equal to IV nausea medicine, and even better than Sub Lingual Nausea medicine. The caveat is it is NOT recommended repeatedly over the course of multiple days, or in the instance of pregnancy.
Works fine for pregnancy induced nausea, just can’t be officially recommended because it must be studied first, and guess how easy / expensive it is to get studies rolling for pregnancy-safe meds?
It was a good first line and back up for me until Zofran kicked in for longer term relief.
Hyoeremic through every pregnancy and can confirm. Mine was so bad I ended up carrying a bottle of rubbing alcohol with me to get to Dr appts until they gave me a pump and had a nurse coming every other day.
Oranges also work if you dig your nail in when kids are struggling with nausea.
We did this when we went to the Disney parks. Frozen water in with some sandwiches etc in a cool bag. Kept the sandwiches nice and cool, and we had water to sip throughout the day.
When we’d go to McDonalds I’d ask for a set of the containers they put pancakes in. One kid got the top, the other kid got the bottom. They used them as a tray so there’d be less of a chance of making a mess. My son (now 34!) recently told me that when he eats in his car now, he still remembers the car picnics!
Everywhere else it's called tailgating... I mean I didn't know that this wasn't normal until I was in my twenties.
I also didn't know that it wasn't normal for people to bring a tea service, snacks like chips and charcuterie and cookies to a hotel room. If I'm going to stay anywhere for more than just an overnight, I bring practically a spread so I don't have to spend a lot of money when I'm on the road. I recently got a hotel room for friends for three concerts in a row and I brought cakes, cookies, crackers, cheese, liquor, caviar, fuck you name it, I brought it. And yeah, I brought extra decent coffee and creamers and everything. Cuz it sucks when you're hangry or just need a decent cup of coffee right this second and you've got to wait for a one or two more people to take a shower. I come off like I'm the hostess with the mostest but really, I'm just extremely cheap.
we sound like the same person.
I do the same as you. Many times I share bc I bought things on sale or it's cheaper to bring it than buy it there.
It's a double ended sword as allot of the ppl I share with assume I'm wealthy when I'm not.
I have this salvage grocery store I bought the caviar at.
Use by date was 5/31, the shows were 5/9-5/11.
We ate caviar and those jars were 4 for a dollar.
I eat fancy on the mutha fuckin' cheap.
But I learned, you dont get yourself taken advantage of.
The concert tickets were free. 3 pairs of $89 tickets for 3 nights. We were on the guest list, cuz a friend works at the club.
Guess who the other two people in the hotel room were? Yep. My pal who got the tickets and his gf.
They got me free concert tickets. Me AND Mr. Man. They ate caviar and drank booze and I wouldnt let them pay me a dime. You do that for me, I do that for you.
If they hadn't have gotten me the tickets, they would not have gotten invited to stay in the suite with us. Cuz life and friendship is about give and take, and if you're all take and no give, you dont get me and the rest of the package.
I know the local small ones near my old house only allowed outside food in the catering area and that food wasn’t allowed into the main park. My mom and I used to walk access the parking lot to the 7-11 across the street for a hotdog, chips, and soda or to the hotel next door for the Denny’s. Mom was never as organized as grandma who always packed a picnic and parked near the tables scattered in the parking lot.
Does the park allow re-entry? What is their carry in policy?
We usually do Six Flags since it is closest, but it has been awhile. At the time, we would just pack a cooler with a bunch of ice and leave it in the car with premade sandwiches, fruit, and beverages. We would get the hand stamp for re-entry and go eat lunch and come back in.
Without knowing which park, it will be tough to give good advice here. I would not recommend trying to 'sneak' things in against policy. At best, they take it away and you are out the money and food. At worst, they could deny entry and no refund for your tickets.
This!! Growing up we didn’t have a ton of money but every year my parents would scrounge around for discounted wonderland tickets, usually a deal from CAA (AAA but for Canadians) and we had an old cooler we’d stock up. Pretty solid day for a family of 4. Only thing we’d purchase inside was one of those giant cups you pay once that are refillable anywhere in the park and a funnel cake we’d all share.
We did this too. Kind of glad that other people experienced the exact same things I did as a kid. Looking back on it I really appreciate how much my parents did to make memories like that a possibility for us.
This is the way. You get a much nicer lunch if you don't have to pack it small but can instead include a whole watermelon and plenty of ice around the food. We are usually ready to sit down away from the crowds for a bit, too.
We would usually choose a parking spot at the edge of the lot near some trees to make for a better picnic. We would also do roller coasters in the morning, have lunch, then change clothes in the car to do the water park in the afternoon. Don't forget to reapply sunscreen during your mid-day break!
Bonus points if you also pack some frozen drinks and snacks to have when you finally get back to the car after you busy day and before the long ride home.
This is the way. My mom got us season tickets for the local park & we would bring in water then eat in the car. Bring chairs & an umbrella so you’re comfortable outside.
I used to work at Cedar Point and they don't allow a cooler into the park but they have an area just outside with picnic tables where you are allowed to leave a cooler (it is open to anyone so do this at your own risk) or you can just send someone to the car for it when you are ready for lunch. Other parks may have a similar area.
As to things you could pack in a bag or purse, think sandwich cracker packs or fruit or Jello/pudding cups, small compact sealed items that don't need cooled or heated, saw someone recommend frozen water bottles or juice pouches which would be great too, though look at policy of the park on what is allowed in the gates food and drink wise.
Look at a map before you start your day, plan a route that leads you back to near your car midway through the day or to a train that runs from the back of park to the entrance so you can retrieve lunch from the car. Also think about where you will be parked, getting there early gets you closer to the gates if you are going to be needing to get in the car.
I want to add for the PB&J if you/the kids don't like soggy sandwiches I recently found squeezable peanut butter and squeezable jelly. It makes the sandwich making process so easy and less messy.
I also have really fond memories of vacations with my family that always included PB&Js. Big cost saver, but what made it especially special for me is we only got them during vacations.
I would also recommend trail mix. You can either buy a premade one or make your own by buying your favorite nuts and mixing it with raisins. Just make sure to avoid chocolate chips. M&Ms are fine because the candy coating will stay intact, but straight up chocolate chips will melt all over the mix.
Trail mix is an excellent snack food because it has instant energy (raisins / M&Ms) for when people need a pick up right away and lasting energy (nuts) to keep people going all day.
Also peanut butter and honey is a great alternative to peanut butter and jelly if you don't want soggy bread. Honey doesn't absorb into the bread the way jelly does but still gives the nice sweet flavor. Again, notice this snack is a nice mix of instant energy (honey / jelly) and lasting energy (peanut butter).
So we always eat our “backpack food” while in line. Enough junk and healthy snacks to keep everyone full and it kills line time. I also budget for one meal a day in restaurants, so no one complains about sandwiches and animal crackers for the rest of the day
Sometimes the park will not allow "outside" food. But in my experience, they only stop people trying to bring in bags of McDonald's and things like that. I always pack a whole lunch box and have never once been questioned. Back in highschool, a friend of mine brought an entire cooler backpack into Disney and it was fine lol
My go-tos are sandwiches (PB+Nutella), fruit, granola bars, crackers, chips, cereal. A couple ice packs should do you just fine if you have space for them. If not, it won't be a big deal assuming you have a lunch bag inside a backpack.
Also, don't forget that children are perfectly capable of carrying a backpack with a few non heavy items. I always shove everything in my backpack and then realize once we get there that the kid could have taken some of the load haha
I'd phone the park and ask whats allowed. You might find out the food isn't allowed. And youll have to throw it out and buy expensive food in the park. And it's sometimes better to get the more expensive tickets, or youll be waiting in lines all day. The better tickets allow you to skip the lines.
Definitely call and ask for all the policies, for example at Disneyland in California you can bring in pretty much any food but you can only use plastic containers. They'll offer you plastic bags if you bring glass but then you either have to go back to the car or dump your container in the trash.
Disney knows people have allergies, diet restrictions, and medications to worry about. They would rather you come and pay hundreds on tickets and merch, and their restaurants are already always booked to the gills. Customers happy, Disney still happy.
Trail mix sans chocolate, apples, crackers. I think you’d have to bring some kind of cooler or ice packs to make it work for a full day with kids. The only things I can think of that don’t need cooling are snacks, and I wouldn’t want to go a whole day in that heat and so energetic without a real meal. Wear a backpack so it’s easy to carry, put ice packs all throughout it and bring some food that can be kept cold. The cold might feel good on your back, too!
Frozen gatorade has always been a good choice for us. It acts as a drink and as an ice pack.
I don't know how old your kids are, but for me, I always like to have individually packages dry snacks for kids to eat in lines (peanut butter crackers, goldfish, fruit snacks, etc.). It was just to fend of hangry-behavior and so we weren't spending time in long lines buying snacks. We will still go have lunch at a proper restaurant, but it's a much more enjoyable experience if your kids aren't cranky and starving and waiting in hot lines leading up to that.
I have also just packed PBJ and a bag of chips, since they keep relatively well, especially with the frozen gatorades acting as a cooler.
When my family took trips to amusement/theme parks in the 90s, we always took our own food. We took a cooler with stuff that needed to be refrigerated. Generally ate sandwiches, but also had what I'll call Black southern picnic type food: fried chicken, potato salad, chips, cookies, etc.
LOL. I was raised on taking white food…peanut butter sandwiches…just like childhood brown bag school lunches. No way my parents were walking back out to the vehicle for lunch or carrying anything more than necessary.
Growing up, my mom would pack a cooler of sandwiches and drinks with some chips and fruit. The park we went to allowed re-entry, so we’d go out to the car, get the cooler, and eat at a picnic table nearby (or, sitting in the back of the truck). I actually really enjoyed it— you got away from the noisy park and ate real food instead of deep-fried everything.
Just got back from Disney/universal florida!
If you have access to a freezer before hand it’s 100 times easier
We froze 2 1/2 filled water bottles overnight, in the morning add cold water they’ll slowly freeze while keeping everything else cool.
We also freeze koolaid jammers ( kids fav but regular juice boxes will also work just pull the tabs up) We tucked these under and on top of our sandwiches to keep them cool.
Yogurt tubes and freeze them also
Our daily lunch/snacks consisted of sandwiches (various meats), cheese buns, sugar cookies, grapes, oranges, water flavour packs, chips and anything else the kids wanted.
The trick is to keep the frozen items closer to the heat/outside and layer things that might go off or melt in the heat. (We also cut the koolaid box in half and tucked our sandwiches in there so they wouldn’t get crushed.
Check what you're allowed to bring in, but when we went to theme parks as a kid my mom would pack an insulated bag with normal lunch stuff and use frozen water bottles as ice packs so we could have cold water later in the day. If it's a place that does reentry, you could do this and leave it in the car even if they don't allow outside stuff in.
We have season passes to a park about an hour away. They allow no outside food and drink, however we packed food the last time for the water park and the security guy did not care when he saw and let us thru without a word. The only reason they even dug in our bag was because something made the metal detector go off. If you don't want to risk it, just pack a cooler and walk out for lunch. We have done the unlimited daily meal plan though before for about $35. We bought one meal plan between 4 of us (41M, 36F, 8M, 6M) and had more than enough to eat for the day so you may look into that. You can get a meal every 90 minutes, so we got a meal when we first arrived for the kids to split, 90 minutes later a meal for the adults to split, and so on. We definitely took advantage of food every 90 minutes because we like food and wanted to get our moneys worth. Without the unlimited daily plan, all the food would have cost about $100 for the day. This was also when the park was still closing at 7 so if we did it now that later hours have started we could have gotten about 2 more meals out of the plan.
I found out that my family was a little nuts when it came to theme park lunches and dinners. My father would always back into a spot as close to the bumper of the car behind us as possible or as close to being over the line as possible if there wasn't a car there yet. When it was time to eat he would pull the family van as far forward as he could usually giving us space behind the van. He would then set out chairs, an umbrella, set up a gas grill and would grill us food from the back of the van. After lunch I think he would stay there and take a nap. We would repeat it again for dinner.
Sometimes a very brave stranger would stop and hit him up for a burger. He never told them no though.
Fruit roll ups
Frozen gogurt
Lunchable type things
I don’t know why but my parents brought marshmallows to fairs, zoos, and parks. I think it was a fun treat that wasn’t cotton candy.
Also, I pop over to Dollar Tree and grab bubbles and glow necklaces. Amusement parks tend to sell tchotchke glowy things and I just hand out my Dollar Tree glow items. Bubbles amuse the kids while waiting on lines.
Have fun!!
Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
Cold drinks with ice in thermoses. Refill thermoses at water fountains after you’ve drunk up what you brought.
Homemade popcorn in bags.
Consider bringing some cash and splurging on ice cream at the end as a special treat
Honestly some of our fun as kids were taking a cooler. Pack a cooler with sandwiches. Some places have picnic areas. Not sure the type of theme park though whether you can bring food in. Find out if you can leave the park. And you could go back to your car and eat out of your cooler.
I can give you our experience of visiting Busch Gardens and Water Country, Williamsburg. Generally food is not allowed from outside. But water is welcome, and the fountains are available throughout the parks for free. We do pack own sandwiches and fruits in a small cooler with either ice packs or frozen water bottle, and leave it in the trunk (it’s awesome hack). They do allow re-entry. We eat quick lunch this way, refuel and go back. They stamp your arm so you can re-enter the park if it’s a single day ticket like I usually buy. For actual meal, there are a lot of awesome restaurants nearby. We just leave the park, and go eat good food, and go back home haha.
Freeze drink bottles and ice them as ice-packs. I like to do a 1/2th frozen bottle and a fully frozen bottle. You can then put a couple of sandwiches in a bag with them.
Pre-packaged trail mix, ideally the kind without chocolate. Give each kid a couple packs so they can snack between things. You could also do power bars if your kids prefer that.
A big breakfast before the park visit.
summer salami, or pepperoni, bread, mayo packets, can of food. can opener. Take black umbrellas for portable shade, even better buy solar fans for them carry spray bottles, Is it possible for you to take a rolling cart with you to carry everything?
I grew up in a family with 5 kids. We had this little pull-around wagon that had two seats in it for the littlest kids and enough space for a little cooler. We had drinks in the cooler (water) and small snacks (trail mix, chips, granola bars). For lunch, we went back to the car where the big cooler was full of ice, drinks, and the fixings for basic lunchmeat and cheese sandwiches. Of course, the pay-to-enter part of the park was outside the parking area so you could easily go to your vehicle any time.
That's when we eat in the parking lot before going in and again before leaving. Sandwiches, etc, store fine in a cooler with ice in a car for the day. And then get 1 refillable souvenir cup to share between the whole group.
That's all assuming they don't allow inside food or drink. If they do allow I second the idea of frozen water bottles or even popsicles to keep food cool. Pbjs will be edible even if they get hot. Applesauce or pudding cups. Hearty fruit like apples, oranges, bananas. Chips. Keep it simple and make sure the kids know and understand ahead of time that you can't afford to buy food there.
Find out what the kids like from their parents (i assume) or care givers before you get there. Home made lunchables are good. Deli meats, cheeses, and crackers can be stored seperately in zip bags.... fresh fruits are a plus. Watermelon can be chopped up and put in storage container/ice chest for storage.
I agree with the frozen water bottles for ice packs. I would also suggest wrapping the water bottles in paper towels or t-towels if putting in an ice chest. The paper towels or t-towels can be used to wipe you down/cool you off at lunch.
I also like the idea of a picnic outside the park if you can reenter. Gets you away from the lines!
Most of all, not everything has to be perfect, just go with the flow, and enjoy your time with the kids.
Some planning is good but dont over plan. (Ive done both!)
Ooh, I did this with my kid and nephews! We brought:
* Protein/granola bars (not with chocolate chips!)
* Sandwiches: PB\&Js; tomato-mozzarella-basil; BLTs (with well-done bacon); hummus and veggie wraps; Mexican black bean wraps.
* Frozen water bottles and those electrolyte mix-ins. First, they serve as a cooling method. When you refill them, they're even more hydrating with the electrolytes.
* Hard fruits (apples and pears, etc.)
* nuts and seeds (trail mix)
* What you will need more than you realize is protein. Little legs burn energy fast! So before you go to the parks, make sure everyone has eggs or something else high in protein. We like breakfast tacos/quesadillas with tortillas, eggs, spiced black/pinto/refried beans, cheese, salsa, chopped veggies. Leftover non-egg items can be reused the next morning.
* Also, they WILL want a hot meal at some point. Make room in the schedule for dinner somewhere familiar. They get tired and overwhelmed, and something as normal as a McDonald's Playplace can be a great end to an amazing day.
* We also kept boxes of cereal and crackers and bananas in the room for snacking. You know they wanted some pool time even after the parks, so it was necessary!
On our fourth day, we had a meltdown from my nephew, but I snagged corn dogs and grapes and sodas for us and he was fine. *You really will burn more calories than you think*, so bring enough to be able to say yes any time they ask for something from the backpack.
I took my nieces and nephews to six flags last year, I made them egg breakfast buritos to eat on the way. My brother in law made them all eat some granola, nut, dried fruit mix when we got there, it kept them all full for most of the day. The trail mix is pretty filling. Also look into Luna/Kind bars, they are pretty filing and don't take up much space.
I see people pulling PBJs and snack bars out of their backpacks at Disney world. I'd freeze the PBJs first, freeze a water bottle and pack them together. Apples hold up well. Fruit leather.
Flavor packets for water bottles you refill at water fountains.
Trail mix
Can you go out to your car and eat and go back into the park? My family had a season pass to Six Flags. We took a cooler with ice, food, drinks, etc. in the car. Went to the car and ate, then went back into the park. The only way it was affordable for us.
Wash and de-stem grapes - fill up ziplock bag - freeze them over night. Will act as coolant and last all day. Apple slices with peanut butter (shut up all you scared or peanuts freaks). Use a bag of frozen strawberries as ice and to eat once thawed.
#1 thing to keep in mind - Don't force the food - people don't eat much in the heat - be safe - have fun
When we would go to parks we would do it frugally food wise.
For parks that didn't allow food in we would take a break mid day and get our hand stamped and go back to the car where the ice chest of food was and eat lunch.
In places that would let you take food in we would splash out on one large locker for the whole group and keep soft insulated lunch boxes and valuables in there. We would come back for lunch and snacks etc .
Combined with coupons etc it made for a fun affordable day out at the water park.
You might have to leave your food in the car and leave the park to eat it. Some parks have picnic tables just outside the park. Also, I used to buy my kids theme park bling at garage sales and give it to them in the car ride to the park. It cuts down on begging for expensive stuff. (This is for young kids under 10)
Yep, this is what we did since we were kids and went with my uncle's family to six flags. Take a cooler packed with drinks and sandwiches, go back outside for lunch. Food for 10 becomes so much cheaper.
My parents used to have granola bars when we were in line and a cooler in the car with lots of water. The cooler had frozen yogurt that would thaw a little by the time it was lunch.
Granola bars have always been my go-to snack for on the go (even after kids were all grown up). They're portable and durable and stick with you better than crackers or cookies. Road trips, zoos, random events, hotels, I pretty much have a granola bar or two with me at almost all times.
Crackers, like cheez it and goldfish or popcorn. Granola/granola bars, any cured meat sandwich like peperoni or salami. Pop Tarts, or I've seen things like crepes on the go packs.
We buy the hot and ready pizza from little Caesars and put slices in ziploc bags.we either keep it in the cooler in the car or take it inside in our daypack.
Frozen water bottles work too,if your park allows it.
Pack a cooler full of anything you want and leave it in the car - when time to eat simply get whatever you need to re enter the park and you’re good to go
Works best if you have a large cooler you can fill with ice and then have some type of separate area for food to not get wet
If that’s not an option you’re pretty much stuck either eating park food or fruits, nuts, chips, beef jerky, etc. things that can’t spoil quick, melt, or need refrigeration
Does the park allow re-entry? My go-to is to pack a cooler with cold fried chicken and watermelon, plus drinks, and go out at some point during the day (or more times, if needed) to eat and re-up at the car.
Most theme park don't allow you to bring food or drink in (except baby food) but bring a cooler fill it with ice pack and ice put food and drink in it keep it in your car that way when ur ready for lunch if they allow u Leave and come back maybe u can sneak in uncrustables.
if you can i recommend getting some mini battery powered fans, itll keep you and your kids cool and you can use it after your trip on hot days. don't forget the sunscreen sun burns are no joke!
We go theme parks usually once a summer. We bring a cooler and leave it in the car with all our lunch fixings-usually PB&J, chips, cold soda, and fruit.
I live by Cedar Point and it’s no outside food/drink. We eat in the car. I got tired of trying to keep things cooled in a lunchbox. I got the Igloo 9 can cooler on sale at Walmart for 12.75 yesterday. It’s just me and my son so it’s the perfect size.
I second a car picnic.
As a child, we'd get passes to the local pool every summer which had a no food or drink policy, so we'd pack the ice box with frozen Popsicles, drinks, and premade snacks, like pbj sandwiches or fruit, that won't be a hazard to eat after sitting in an ice box for hours. My mom would take advantage of the time to slather us in another layer of sunscreen before doling out the food, so it would soak into our skin while we ate and we'd be ready to go back and play in sun for the rest of the day. (Depending on formula, you should reapply sunscreen every 1.5-3hours for optimal skin protection.)
If the park allows it (and I am pretty sure they have to) you can bring refillable bottles to use at water fountains. If adult size bottles aren't allowed, you could use a jumbo baby bottle/sippy cup and just twist off the nipple to drink from, or buy a single water bottle/refillable soda cup at the park and refill and share it. (My parents always bought the "free refills cup" and we'd just take turns downing drinks and refilling it. I know modern theme parks have scanners on the cups to limit the times now which sucks, but you can always use a water fountain, and most employees will be happy to refill a cup of water for a child.)
If they have lockers available, pack lunches with ice packs and leave them there. They’ll be out of the sun and kept fresh for lunch. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, trail mix, or even jerky keeps well that way.
I grew up with grandparents in Florida, so all the parks, heat, humidity, and hella overpriced concessions. Over all the snacks that worked best were Nature Valley granola bars, the crunchy ones in the green wrapper. As they are dry there is nothing to melt and they are quite sturdy, and yummy. They also could double as cereal for breakfast. We would just buy the milk cartons and crumble them in with raisins. We also took the little bags of raisins and other dried fruits, peanuts or mixed nuts(I know due to allergies these can be controversial, as can the next item), packs of crackers w/ peanut butter, and beef jerky. Always small sealed bags or wrapped in plastic(I know more controversy), not paper. Almost all parks provide oprotunities, voluntary or not, to be splashed or spilled upon. You also don't want to be toting empty containers around if you don't have to.
We also took our own FUN refillable water bottles. Back in the beginning we didn't have near as many choices, but we took single serve dry drink mixes as well. I so appreciate all the choices(white peach Liquid IV please) now available in this category and in the fun water bottle category. We also made sure the bottles had a way to be carried hands free and were sized to be comfortable to carry and easy to refill. There is absolutely NO reason to be carting around gallon bottles.
Another plus to these types of foods is they are small and light. They can for the most part be eaten directly from the package. We swapped in other items but these were the staples.
One of our big priorities is to travel as light as possible. Over my years I have taken my turns planning and excuting trips to parks all over. Travel lightly is one of my top three rules.
ps - Chewy/gooey granols bars melt, as do Nature Valley PB. Potato chips get so greasy, especially flavored ones. Chips also get crushed to crumbs. Seaweed also ends up powdered. I bet Belvita breakfast biscuits, single serve Biscoffs, or single serve dried soy/garbanzo beans would work.
edit - spelling, capitalization, and punctuation
I always have purse snacks, granola bars, assorted nuts and dried fruit are my usual, all of them stand up to heat because they also stand up to the fact that they're in my purse for any given length of time ;) The only thing to avoid with heat is candy/chocolate due to their melting factor.
If you do sandwiches, I'd suggest something that's more stable to the temps, despite using ice packs, lunch meat can just feel sketchy, even if it's not. Nobody wants to get sick at lunch, the day long theme park adventure! So go with safe foods that don't give tummy aches.
That's what along the lines of I was thinking, despite my personal utter disgust at peanut butter lol. So I'd be doing a jam sandwich in that regard.
And you could use hard meats too if you wanted to do a version of an "Italian sub" of some kind as well, now that I'm thinking on it. Hard salami isn't an issue for non refrigeration for awhile, especially in an ice chest.
Ah and going down a google trail, you could bring the pouches of tuna if you like tuna. Then mix them up with some mustard and use crackers or bring extra bread to make a sandwich with that. Then it's not tuna salad until it's ready to be eaten!
Check to see if the park allows reentry. We would go to Six Flags if we earned the free ticket for reading. My parents would pack a cooler and we’d take a break midday and go out and eat lunch. We’d also pack a refillable water bottle and a few snacks (whatever was on hand at home) in the bags we carried into the park so we didn’t need to buy anything in the park.
At Universal the soda machines have cold water for free. Disney has fountains but they’re hard to find and the water is hot. The frozen water bottles are heavy and gave me a back ache after carrying them for a while. They were also annoying to take on some rides. Sandwiches worked out great along with granola bars and other dry snacks. Save yourself the misery and do the free water or purchase a drink pass.
Edited to add: some rides do offer lockers to store your bag but if it’s really large it may not fit.
We always kept a cooler in our car with our lunches in it! That way we weren’t having to carry it around too. Find a tree and picnic under it and then head back in after.
Eat a good breakfast ahead of time with a bunch of protein. That will help everyone last longer during the day.
Bring easy snacks for standing in line. Candy that won't melt (like Skittles or Smarties). Cookies, goldfish, chips, Cheese-Its, etc.
For meals PBJ is a good option. Put peanut butter on both slices of bread so the jelly doesn't soak in, plus the extra protein will keep you full longer. Carrots are a great veggie to go with lunch.
Fruit is a little hit or miss. Go for something that won't squish easily. Maybe grapes, apples, possibly blueberries.
Like everyone else has commented, figure out what you can and can't bring into the park. If you're allowed food, see if they have a larger sized locker you can rent for the day. It might be worth it to rent the locker and leave your cooler there for ease of access rather than having to go out to the car. This is also a great option if you won't have a vehicle there.
Also look up ahead of time how easy it is to access water. I think most parks now have ready free access to fill up water bottles, but definitely check. I know Universal has soda machines around that you have to purchase a special cup to use, but the water is free. If you don't look that up in advance though you might not know.
Also make sure you're eating a "real meal" for dinner to make lunch seem like less of a sacrifice, and maybe see if you can budget in at least a small snack purchase at the park. I think it makes the kids feel less like they're missing out on something.
Have a good time, OP! Good luck!
Bring food that doesn’t need to be refrigerated, but treat it as though it needs to be refrigerated. Usually by midday in hot sun it will be just above room temperature.
A few tricks I’ve learned:
-Individually wrap as much as you can. Even a paper towel/napkin if you don’t have wax paper will help. Or just include the folded up napkin with the food (vs in a separate thing just for napkins) so it’s truly “grab and go”
-Use hard containers as much as possible. Yes, they’re heavier but no one, especially kids, likes warm crushed food. Especially important for chips & crackers.
-if needed, you can also add extra air to a ziploc to prevent crushing, but it’s kind of hit or miss.
-for sandwiches, toast the bread & let it cool before making the sandwich and it won’t get as soggy
-yes, you should bring healthy protein & fat packed snacks to keep the kids balanced. But this is also about survival. Don’t feel guilty for brining some junk that you know they’ll eat when they’re already overwhelmed. Walmart brand z bars are my go-to for this.
Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches that you put in sandwich bags and then freeze overnight. They will be thawed but still cool when you are ready to eat them.
You can freeze PB&J, which helps keep them tasty longer in heat.
Freeze water bottles (partially empty so they don't explode), and they will act as ice packs and be cold and drinkable when it's time to eat.
Fruit with its own peel holds up well (oranges, bananas)
Granola/protein bars have some heft, in the snack category.
Chips do r care about heat (but don't fill you up a lot).
Find out if the park allows coolers, or if they allow re-entry (if they do the latter, plan a tailgate with a real cooler in the car, with ice and sandwiches etc.)
Check your local laws, in some places parks HAVE to give you free water if you ask, its literally the law. I know this applies to Cedar point. But its something a lot of people don't know. So this can alleviate some of the carrying of stuff if the park allows you to bring in food.
When I used to go to parks we used to pack a lunch, walk to the car to eat it. Put lunch in a cooler. Most parks allow re-entry and I don't know of any that don't, and some parks have a picnic area in the parking lot. We saw many families doing the same.
With six flags charging $17 for a hot dog there's no way I would spend this kind of money on food at a park. Park food is also always the most awful, cheap food as well with the exception of very few parks in the USA.
Depending on how little your kids are, many theme parks will say you can’t bring in outside food but will allow parents to bring in food if the kids have dietary restrictions or are picky eaters. They just don’t want people bringing in MacDonald’s or other takeout food and also leaving food trash outside of the eating areas. It’s a liability for them if your kid has severe food allergies and they force you to eat their food. Just tell the security guards that your kid has a restricted diet, and they’ll usually let you through.
All that being said, pb&j, chips, fruit bars, nuts, grapes, apples, mandarin oranges, beef jerky, their favorite cereal, etc.
Are you allowed reentry if you exit the park? When i was a kid and we did things like this. My mom would pack a small cooler in the trunk, fill water bottles up halfway and lay them down to freeze them, then fill the rest of the way up with water. Pack a couple of peanut butter sandwhiches, pretzels, potato chips, apples and the ice would keep the cooler and food cold enough all day. When we were hungry we would go out to the car for a quick lunch, eat and head back into the park.
I'd do granola and or protein bars. They will keep, blast of carbs and sugar and wont require any younglings to sit still to eat them. If the place doesn't allow outside stuff they are easy to unbox and conceal and if for some reason if one of the staff cared enough to confront you easy enough to just scarf, put the wrapper in your pocket and say "what outside food?"
Frozen water bottles and half frozen water bottles with flavor packets, and sandwiches and chips are the best best, a few pieces of candies no chocolate and your golden!
If it is sea world just know they will throw your food away at the entrance. But apparently their meal option is unlimited every 90 min. A coworker told me this and said her family of four used it and would just keep the food if not hungry and kept getting food
Are you driving? I’ve kept a cooler with food and ice in the trunk. Went back to the car to eat lunch.
For snacks, I like bananas, oranges, and cliffs bars.
Peanut butter and jelly. Nuts, granola bars, little peanut butter/ritz crackers (not ritz brand). You could put a freezer thing in a backpack, or if you park very close, you could take stuff in a small ice chest and take a break and run out to the car to eat. Have a blast! We went to Disneyland Christmas 2019 with the entire family (we are grandparents). We stayed altogether in a large house not far from the park. I took little zip lock bags of mixed nuts and trail mix. Then I used an empty one to send my granddaughters over by the succulent beds where a gentleman was cleaning up and kept knocking succulents off, so they picked them up and I brought them home and planted them.
Are you allowed to go back and forth to your car? If he’s, pack a cooler and put your sandwiches and drinks in it.
Any sandwich types will work. Just make sure they are on top and not on the bottom.
You’ve gotten a lot of good advice about packing a cooler and leaving it in the car.
Depending on what park you’re at, it can also be a good plan to leave the park and have lunch somewhere before coming back. My husband and I would visit six flags from opening until around 2, leave the park for a late lunch at a nearby Cava, enjoy the air conditioning and a leisurely break, then head back to the park. It’s not as cheap as packing pb&j sandwiches, but it was still half the price of the crappy hamburgers that Six Flags sells. Healthier too. And it was nice to get out of the heat and hustle and bustle of the parks.
Dry foods don't go bad, but you'll want some insulated water bottles with cold water/juice to go with. Stuff like cheerios, goldfish, nuts, granola, popcorn, apple sauce, puree pouches, sandwiches with jams and nut butters, crackers, pretzels, tuna pouches, dried fruits. Onigri does well depending on what ingredients you use (fish floss is nice).
Cooler in the vehicle with sandwiches and frozen water bottles. Come back out for lunch, everyone gets food/cold drinks.
This is the only way I've ever visited an amusement park
I find that PB&J sandwiches, yogurts, and applesauce packets freeze nicely and defrost throughout the day. They're usually cool by lunchtime. Apples, trailmix, pretzels, packets of tuna salad (if the kiddos will eat those), popcorn/chips, dried fruit, fruit snacks.
Frozen Burritos! Really.
We have done this several times. Get cheap frozen bean & cheese burritos, less than $1 at the supermarket, the kind you microwave in the wrapper. Park in the sun. Put the frozen burrito on the front dashboard, still in its wrapper, absorbing all that heat. At lunchtime you will have warm burritos to eat!
Those purple berry flavored power bars are popular with kids. Probably loaded with sugar but they don’t go bad hardly ever and they’ll keep the belly full while giving you enough energy to get through the day.
The Korean pork jerky at Costco would be a nice addition to your snack lineup.
Eat a large breakfast and then have food in the car for end of the day. Simple peanut butter sandwiches should last in the park. I cut mine into pieces for a quick snack throughout the day as needed. No need for anything fancy. Maybe some granola bars too.
Freeze sandwiches. Keep the ingredients limited though. Like just meat and mustard. Or pb/j. And high protein lightweight snacks like nuts. And fruit like apples or oranges. If you have the budget granola bars, fruit snacks, bags/sandwich bags of chips, snack bags of cookies. I highly recommend budgeting for at least one treat item that can be easily shared that is bought at the park. As well as one souvenir each. Set a limit for both. This way the kids know what to expect. And you do as well. You’re also be less likely to spend impulsively. Or cave to pressures from the kids.
Your park most likely has a picnic area with tables you can leave a cooler at. So no need to drag one around. I’ve never seen a park without one. So check that 1st.
If you pack it correctly there’s no need for anything fancy. Sandwich’s and some kind of salad on the side will keep just fine. Whatever snacks and fruit your kids like, etc… Either use ice packs or keep the ice in the bag so it doesn’t get everything all wet. I recommend stainless steel reusable water bottles too. Brand or style doesn’t matter but it will keep your water cool all day and you don’t need to buy disposable water bottles.
Freeze water bottles so you can both have water and keep things cool.
This is a good idea, but make sure the park doesn’t prohibit frozen bottles. I went to a concert last week and bottles were allowed, but they could not be frozen.
Artists don't want to get hit with a frozen bottle mid set
Exactly, we volunteered selling beverages years ago at concerts to support a charity. One of the concerts was Jimmy Buffet and they specifically prohibited class bottles so they wouldn’t be thrown
Glass is prohibited in many venues, parks, and places. It totally makes sense to me with all of the people who have no concern about breaking glass and leaving it behind.
Even if you do care, if you break a bottle in a busy area what are you going to do? Stop a crowd and pick it up with your bare hands?
You could at the very least notify the nearest venue staff who would then contact a custodian / groundskeeper. Most people who break stuff simply walk away from the mess, whether the damage was accidental or otherwise.
I don't take glass, so no idea. First way to not have a problem. But I do frequent a dog park that was built on a landfill and daily I pick up pieces of glass of all sizes and shapes.
But they can use the frozen bottles to reduce the swelling caused so it kind of evens out.
What was that movie where there was a band (country western?) on stage and there was a chain link cage protecting them from getting hit by the beer bottles??
Blues Brothers has a scene like that, there's a few other movies too but that's the only one I can think of off the top of my head
YES!!! Thank you. I think k I’m going to have to watch that again:).
The Blues Brothers. "We got both types of music: Country AND Western!"
Road House
That’s on my list of “HOW IS IT YOU HABE NEVER SEEN THAT MOVIE?!!!” movies to watch.
Some don't allow cooler bags, either. Found out the hard way 😕
Next time, squeeze the bottle periodically while freezing so you have slush instead of ice crystals.
This is awesome hack I learned during a Covid lockdown from Amazon Fresh Delivery. I do use this technique in combination with titan ice packs. The latter lasts hours, and it’s something magical lol. They are very flat, and barely take space. I use them to pack more food when water is not a problem.
This is a good time for frozen Capri Suns, too.
I'm a nearly 29 year old woman but I'm so doing this for my next beach day.
When they are half thawed you can squish em up and have a slushy!
Don’t underestimate how heavy water is. Refill at water fountains, most have those nice water filling stations nowadays. Pack a couple bags to use for trash, you won’t always be next to a receptacle. And bring baby wipes / sanitizer! Access to sinks and bathrooms can be spotty too. Couple bandaids, couple ibuprofen, and some alcohol wipes to sniff if anyone is feeling sick. Hats and sunglasses. I’ve done this a lot lol. I agree w the people who suggest you leave most things in the car. You’ll feel like the walk to and from will be a drag, but sitting down in quiet will be a nice break mid day, giving the kids (and you!) a chance to work out their stress.
Sniff alcohol wipes?
It’s actually been tested. The smell of alcohol wipes settles queasy stomachs better than medication. Weird, I know!
Yep. Something like the nausea receptors can only either feel nauseated or smell rubbing alcohol, not both at the same time (I’m sure I butchered that scientifically but you get the gist). Two or three slow, deep breaths gives a lot of relief.
Thank you! Stealing that idea.
Hand sanitizer works too. When I’m nauseous during my intense workouts I huff some sani and back to work.
I don’t know how to do that linking to other subs thing but I really like this : “I huff some sani and back to work” 😜 Thank you for this sentence!
if only r/frugal let us have flair....
You are very welcome! It’s gotten us through more than a few rough spots, I keep them in the car and my bag now. Hope it helps!
Yes; can confirm. Works rapidly and approximately equal to IV nausea medicine, and even better than Sub Lingual Nausea medicine. The caveat is it is NOT recommended repeatedly over the course of multiple days, or in the instance of pregnancy.
Works fine for pregnancy induced nausea, just can’t be officially recommended because it must be studied first, and guess how easy / expensive it is to get studies rolling for pregnancy-safe meds? It was a good first line and back up for me until Zofran kicked in for longer term relief.
Hyoeremic through every pregnancy and can confirm. Mine was so bad I ended up carrying a bottle of rubbing alcohol with me to get to Dr appts until they gave me a pump and had a nurse coming every other day. Oranges also work if you dig your nail in when kids are struggling with nausea.
It depends on the park though. This is much easier with smaller parks like six flags vs behemoths like certain Disney parks or universal.
We did this when we went to the Disney parks. Frozen water in with some sandwiches etc in a cool bag. Kept the sandwiches nice and cool, and we had water to sip throughout the day.
Before you decide what good to bring, did u find out if you’re even allowed to bring in outside food/drinks? That’s something to consider
This ^ my parents would keep food in the car and we’d go eat lunch in the car haha
We called that a car picnic!!
That’s so cute! I’m going use that in the future!!
When we’d go to McDonalds I’d ask for a set of the containers they put pancakes in. One kid got the top, the other kid got the bottom. They used them as a tray so there’d be less of a chance of making a mess. My son (now 34!) recently told me that when he eats in his car now, he still remembers the car picnics!
That’s so wholesome I love that
Thank you! I miss those days.
Everywhere else it's called tailgating... I mean I didn't know that this wasn't normal until I was in my twenties. I also didn't know that it wasn't normal for people to bring a tea service, snacks like chips and charcuterie and cookies to a hotel room. If I'm going to stay anywhere for more than just an overnight, I bring practically a spread so I don't have to spend a lot of money when I'm on the road. I recently got a hotel room for friends for three concerts in a row and I brought cakes, cookies, crackers, cheese, liquor, caviar, fuck you name it, I brought it. And yeah, I brought extra decent coffee and creamers and everything. Cuz it sucks when you're hangry or just need a decent cup of coffee right this second and you've got to wait for a one or two more people to take a shower. I come off like I'm the hostess with the mostest but really, I'm just extremely cheap.
we sound like the same person. I do the same as you. Many times I share bc I bought things on sale or it's cheaper to bring it than buy it there. It's a double ended sword as allot of the ppl I share with assume I'm wealthy when I'm not.
I have this salvage grocery store I bought the caviar at. Use by date was 5/31, the shows were 5/9-5/11. We ate caviar and those jars were 4 for a dollar. I eat fancy on the mutha fuckin' cheap. But I learned, you dont get yourself taken advantage of. The concert tickets were free. 3 pairs of $89 tickets for 3 nights. We were on the guest list, cuz a friend works at the club. Guess who the other two people in the hotel room were? Yep. My pal who got the tickets and his gf. They got me free concert tickets. Me AND Mr. Man. They ate caviar and drank booze and I wouldnt let them pay me a dime. You do that for me, I do that for you. If they hadn't have gotten me the tickets, they would not have gotten invited to stay in the suite with us. Cuz life and friendship is about give and take, and if you're all take and no give, you dont get me and the rest of the package.
We did this all the time going to Six Flats for the summer
This is excellent advice. The park likely has restrictions and OP needs to be sure to look them up before packing.
Most theme parks you can. These days they understand diet restrictions and the difficulties of feeding picky kids
Really? I thought they usually don’t let you specifically so they can gouge you on their overpriced in-house food.
I think that’s outdated now, at least at the big ones. I’m going off of being at Disney, Universal Studios, and Seaworld in the last few years.
I know the local small ones near my old house only allowed outside food in the catering area and that food wasn’t allowed into the main park. My mom and I used to walk access the parking lot to the 7-11 across the street for a hotdog, chips, and soda or to the hotel next door for the Denny’s. Mom was never as organized as grandma who always packed a picnic and parked near the tables scattered in the parking lot.
Exactly what I came to say, many places go out of their way to make sure you spend as much as possibly even if it’s out of desperation.
In the UK you can since there’s a large amount of people with dietary restrictions
Does the park allow re-entry? What is their carry in policy? We usually do Six Flags since it is closest, but it has been awhile. At the time, we would just pack a cooler with a bunch of ice and leave it in the car with premade sandwiches, fruit, and beverages. We would get the hand stamp for re-entry and go eat lunch and come back in. Without knowing which park, it will be tough to give good advice here. I would not recommend trying to 'sneak' things in against policy. At best, they take it away and you are out the money and food. At worst, they could deny entry and no refund for your tickets.
This!! Growing up we didn’t have a ton of money but every year my parents would scrounge around for discounted wonderland tickets, usually a deal from CAA (AAA but for Canadians) and we had an old cooler we’d stock up. Pretty solid day for a family of 4. Only thing we’d purchase inside was one of those giant cups you pay once that are refillable anywhere in the park and a funnel cake we’d all share.
We did this too. Kind of glad that other people experienced the exact same things I did as a kid. Looking back on it I really appreciate how much my parents did to make memories like that a possibility for us.
This is the way. You get a much nicer lunch if you don't have to pack it small but can instead include a whole watermelon and plenty of ice around the food. We are usually ready to sit down away from the crowds for a bit, too. We would usually choose a parking spot at the edge of the lot near some trees to make for a better picnic. We would also do roller coasters in the morning, have lunch, then change clothes in the car to do the water park in the afternoon. Don't forget to reapply sunscreen during your mid-day break! Bonus points if you also pack some frozen drinks and snacks to have when you finally get back to the car after you busy day and before the long ride home.
That's what we do. Take a break midday and head out to the car for lunch. Definitely check the reentry situation before going this route though!
An insulated lunch bag with freezer packs can be very handy this way too
This is the way. My mom got us season tickets for the local park & we would bring in water then eat in the car. Bring chairs & an umbrella so you’re comfortable outside.
I used to work at Cedar Point and they don't allow a cooler into the park but they have an area just outside with picnic tables where you are allowed to leave a cooler (it is open to anyone so do this at your own risk) or you can just send someone to the car for it when you are ready for lunch. Other parks may have a similar area. As to things you could pack in a bag or purse, think sandwich cracker packs or fruit or Jello/pudding cups, small compact sealed items that don't need cooled or heated, saw someone recommend frozen water bottles or juice pouches which would be great too, though look at policy of the park on what is allowed in the gates food and drink wise. Look at a map before you start your day, plan a route that leads you back to near your car midway through the day or to a train that runs from the back of park to the entrance so you can retrieve lunch from the car. Also think about where you will be parked, getting there early gets you closer to the gates if you are going to be needing to get in the car.
Frozen grapes Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches Trail mix
I LOVE FROZEN GRAPES!
I want to add for the PB&J if you/the kids don't like soggy sandwiches I recently found squeezable peanut butter and squeezable jelly. It makes the sandwich making process so easy and less messy. I also have really fond memories of vacations with my family that always included PB&Js. Big cost saver, but what made it especially special for me is we only got them during vacations.
PB both pieces of bread so jelly doesn't soak in!
This guy PB&J's!
I would also recommend trail mix. You can either buy a premade one or make your own by buying your favorite nuts and mixing it with raisins. Just make sure to avoid chocolate chips. M&Ms are fine because the candy coating will stay intact, but straight up chocolate chips will melt all over the mix. Trail mix is an excellent snack food because it has instant energy (raisins / M&Ms) for when people need a pick up right away and lasting energy (nuts) to keep people going all day. Also peanut butter and honey is a great alternative to peanut butter and jelly if you don't want soggy bread. Honey doesn't absorb into the bread the way jelly does but still gives the nice sweet flavor. Again, notice this snack is a nice mix of instant energy (honey / jelly) and lasting energy (peanut butter).
Freeze the pb&j if you can't use a cooler.
If you do Peanut butter snacks I’d just recommend washing your hands really good before touching anything due to a lot of peanut allergies
So we always eat our “backpack food” while in line. Enough junk and healthy snacks to keep everyone full and it kills line time. I also budget for one meal a day in restaurants, so no one complains about sandwiches and animal crackers for the rest of the day
Backpacking food is a good idea! My go tos are the tuna and cracker packs, granola bars, and pepperoni sticks. They hold up decent in the heat.
Sometimes the park will not allow "outside" food. But in my experience, they only stop people trying to bring in bags of McDonald's and things like that. I always pack a whole lunch box and have never once been questioned. Back in highschool, a friend of mine brought an entire cooler backpack into Disney and it was fine lol My go-tos are sandwiches (PB+Nutella), fruit, granola bars, crackers, chips, cereal. A couple ice packs should do you just fine if you have space for them. If not, it won't be a big deal assuming you have a lunch bag inside a backpack. Also, don't forget that children are perfectly capable of carrying a backpack with a few non heavy items. I always shove everything in my backpack and then realize once we get there that the kid could have taken some of the load haha
You can bring sandwiches. Get a small ice pack and foldable bag with it.
Usually you can’t bring food into the theme park, so you can just pack a cooler and leave it in the car.
Freeze bottles of water and use them as ice packs for your sandwiches and then drink the water after you've had your lunch.
I'd phone the park and ask whats allowed. You might find out the food isn't allowed. And youll have to throw it out and buy expensive food in the park. And it's sometimes better to get the more expensive tickets, or youll be waiting in lines all day. The better tickets allow you to skip the lines.
Definitely call and ask for all the policies, for example at Disneyland in California you can bring in pretty much any food but you can only use plastic containers. They'll offer you plastic bags if you bring glass but then you either have to go back to the car or dump your container in the trash.
This is great. I assumed Disney would never allow such a thing. I haven’t been in years, though we would go to Disney World.
You can bring small coolers, food, water etc. Have been to Disney World, annually for past 5 years
Disney knows people have allergies, diet restrictions, and medications to worry about. They would rather you come and pay hundreds on tickets and merch, and their restaurants are already always booked to the gills. Customers happy, Disney still happy.
Nuts!
Trail mix sans chocolate, apples, crackers. I think you’d have to bring some kind of cooler or ice packs to make it work for a full day with kids. The only things I can think of that don’t need cooling are snacks, and I wouldn’t want to go a whole day in that heat and so energetic without a real meal. Wear a backpack so it’s easy to carry, put ice packs all throughout it and bring some food that can be kept cold. The cold might feel good on your back, too!
Apples, oranges, bananas, fruits that don’t need refrigerating and are protected in their peel. Pb&j sandwiches.
Frozen gatorade has always been a good choice for us. It acts as a drink and as an ice pack. I don't know how old your kids are, but for me, I always like to have individually packages dry snacks for kids to eat in lines (peanut butter crackers, goldfish, fruit snacks, etc.). It was just to fend of hangry-behavior and so we weren't spending time in long lines buying snacks. We will still go have lunch at a proper restaurant, but it's a much more enjoyable experience if your kids aren't cranky and starving and waiting in hot lines leading up to that. I have also just packed PBJ and a bag of chips, since they keep relatively well, especially with the frozen gatorades acting as a cooler.
When my family took trips to amusement/theme parks in the 90s, we always took our own food. We took a cooler with stuff that needed to be refrigerated. Generally ate sandwiches, but also had what I'll call Black southern picnic type food: fried chicken, potato salad, chips, cookies, etc.
LOL. I was raised on taking white food…peanut butter sandwiches…just like childhood brown bag school lunches. No way my parents were walking back out to the vehicle for lunch or carrying anything more than necessary.
Yeah, we would walk back to the car and eat lunch there.
Growing up, my mom would pack a cooler of sandwiches and drinks with some chips and fruit. The park we went to allowed re-entry, so we’d go out to the car, get the cooler, and eat at a picnic table nearby (or, sitting in the back of the truck). I actually really enjoyed it— you got away from the noisy park and ate real food instead of deep-fried everything.
Just got back from Disney/universal florida! If you have access to a freezer before hand it’s 100 times easier We froze 2 1/2 filled water bottles overnight, in the morning add cold water they’ll slowly freeze while keeping everything else cool. We also freeze koolaid jammers ( kids fav but regular juice boxes will also work just pull the tabs up) We tucked these under and on top of our sandwiches to keep them cool. Yogurt tubes and freeze them also Our daily lunch/snacks consisted of sandwiches (various meats), cheese buns, sugar cookies, grapes, oranges, water flavour packs, chips and anything else the kids wanted. The trick is to keep the frozen items closer to the heat/outside and layer things that might go off or melt in the heat. (We also cut the koolaid box in half and tucked our sandwiches in there so they wouldn’t get crushed.
Check what you're allowed to bring in, but when we went to theme parks as a kid my mom would pack an insulated bag with normal lunch stuff and use frozen water bottles as ice packs so we could have cold water later in the day. If it's a place that does reentry, you could do this and leave it in the car even if they don't allow outside stuff in.
We have season passes to a park about an hour away. They allow no outside food and drink, however we packed food the last time for the water park and the security guy did not care when he saw and let us thru without a word. The only reason they even dug in our bag was because something made the metal detector go off. If you don't want to risk it, just pack a cooler and walk out for lunch. We have done the unlimited daily meal plan though before for about $35. We bought one meal plan between 4 of us (41M, 36F, 8M, 6M) and had more than enough to eat for the day so you may look into that. You can get a meal every 90 minutes, so we got a meal when we first arrived for the kids to split, 90 minutes later a meal for the adults to split, and so on. We definitely took advantage of food every 90 minutes because we like food and wanted to get our moneys worth. Without the unlimited daily plan, all the food would have cost about $100 for the day. This was also when the park was still closing at 7 so if we did it now that later hours have started we could have gotten about 2 more meals out of the plan.
I found out that my family was a little nuts when it came to theme park lunches and dinners. My father would always back into a spot as close to the bumper of the car behind us as possible or as close to being over the line as possible if there wasn't a car there yet. When it was time to eat he would pull the family van as far forward as he could usually giving us space behind the van. He would then set out chairs, an umbrella, set up a gas grill and would grill us food from the back of the van. After lunch I think he would stay there and take a nap. We would repeat it again for dinner. Sometimes a very brave stranger would stop and hit him up for a burger. He never told them no though.
Fruit roll ups Frozen gogurt Lunchable type things I don’t know why but my parents brought marshmallows to fairs, zoos, and parks. I think it was a fun treat that wasn’t cotton candy. Also, I pop over to Dollar Tree and grab bubbles and glow necklaces. Amusement parks tend to sell tchotchke glowy things and I just hand out my Dollar Tree glow items. Bubbles amuse the kids while waiting on lines. Have fun!!
Apples & Oranges. The answer is always Apples & Oranges.
Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Cold drinks with ice in thermoses. Refill thermoses at water fountains after you’ve drunk up what you brought. Homemade popcorn in bags. Consider bringing some cash and splurging on ice cream at the end as a special treat
Honestly some of our fun as kids were taking a cooler. Pack a cooler with sandwiches. Some places have picnic areas. Not sure the type of theme park though whether you can bring food in. Find out if you can leave the park. And you could go back to your car and eat out of your cooler.
I can give you our experience of visiting Busch Gardens and Water Country, Williamsburg. Generally food is not allowed from outside. But water is welcome, and the fountains are available throughout the parks for free. We do pack own sandwiches and fruits in a small cooler with either ice packs or frozen water bottle, and leave it in the trunk (it’s awesome hack). They do allow re-entry. We eat quick lunch this way, refuel and go back. They stamp your arm so you can re-enter the park if it’s a single day ticket like I usually buy. For actual meal, there are a lot of awesome restaurants nearby. We just leave the park, and go eat good food, and go back home haha.
Pack a cooler with food and drinks. You can leave the park for lunch
Freeze drink bottles and ice them as ice-packs. I like to do a 1/2th frozen bottle and a fully frozen bottle. You can then put a couple of sandwiches in a bag with them. Pre-packaged trail mix, ideally the kind without chocolate. Give each kid a couple packs so they can snack between things. You could also do power bars if your kids prefer that. A big breakfast before the park visit.
summer salami, or pepperoni, bread, mayo packets, can of food. can opener. Take black umbrellas for portable shade, even better buy solar fans for them carry spray bottles, Is it possible for you to take a rolling cart with you to carry everything?
I grew up in a family with 5 kids. We had this little pull-around wagon that had two seats in it for the littlest kids and enough space for a little cooler. We had drinks in the cooler (water) and small snacks (trail mix, chips, granola bars). For lunch, we went back to the car where the big cooler was full of ice, drinks, and the fixings for basic lunchmeat and cheese sandwiches. Of course, the pay-to-enter part of the park was outside the parking area so you could easily go to your vehicle any time.
That's when we eat in the parking lot before going in and again before leaving. Sandwiches, etc, store fine in a cooler with ice in a car for the day. And then get 1 refillable souvenir cup to share between the whole group. That's all assuming they don't allow inside food or drink. If they do allow I second the idea of frozen water bottles or even popsicles to keep food cool. Pbjs will be edible even if they get hot. Applesauce or pudding cups. Hearty fruit like apples, oranges, bananas. Chips. Keep it simple and make sure the kids know and understand ahead of time that you can't afford to buy food there.
Subway sandwiches - footlong split in 3 different pieces and individually packed.
Find out what the kids like from their parents (i assume) or care givers before you get there. Home made lunchables are good. Deli meats, cheeses, and crackers can be stored seperately in zip bags.... fresh fruits are a plus. Watermelon can be chopped up and put in storage container/ice chest for storage. I agree with the frozen water bottles for ice packs. I would also suggest wrapping the water bottles in paper towels or t-towels if putting in an ice chest. The paper towels or t-towels can be used to wipe you down/cool you off at lunch. I also like the idea of a picnic outside the park if you can reenter. Gets you away from the lines! Most of all, not everything has to be perfect, just go with the flow, and enjoy your time with the kids. Some planning is good but dont over plan. (Ive done both!)
Ooh, I did this with my kid and nephews! We brought: * Protein/granola bars (not with chocolate chips!) * Sandwiches: PB\&Js; tomato-mozzarella-basil; BLTs (with well-done bacon); hummus and veggie wraps; Mexican black bean wraps. * Frozen water bottles and those electrolyte mix-ins. First, they serve as a cooling method. When you refill them, they're even more hydrating with the electrolytes. * Hard fruits (apples and pears, etc.) * nuts and seeds (trail mix) * What you will need more than you realize is protein. Little legs burn energy fast! So before you go to the parks, make sure everyone has eggs or something else high in protein. We like breakfast tacos/quesadillas with tortillas, eggs, spiced black/pinto/refried beans, cheese, salsa, chopped veggies. Leftover non-egg items can be reused the next morning. * Also, they WILL want a hot meal at some point. Make room in the schedule for dinner somewhere familiar. They get tired and overwhelmed, and something as normal as a McDonald's Playplace can be a great end to an amazing day. * We also kept boxes of cereal and crackers and bananas in the room for snacking. You know they wanted some pool time even after the parks, so it was necessary! On our fourth day, we had a meltdown from my nephew, but I snagged corn dogs and grapes and sodas for us and he was fine. *You really will burn more calories than you think*, so bring enough to be able to say yes any time they ask for something from the backpack.
I took my nieces and nephews to six flags last year, I made them egg breakfast buritos to eat on the way. My brother in law made them all eat some granola, nut, dried fruit mix when we got there, it kept them all full for most of the day. The trail mix is pretty filling. Also look into Luna/Kind bars, they are pretty filing and don't take up much space.
I see people pulling PBJs and snack bars out of their backpacks at Disney world. I'd freeze the PBJs first, freeze a water bottle and pack them together. Apples hold up well. Fruit leather. Flavor packets for water bottles you refill at water fountains. Trail mix
Can you go out to your car and eat and go back into the park? My family had a season pass to Six Flags. We took a cooler with ice, food, drinks, etc. in the car. Went to the car and ate, then went back into the park. The only way it was affordable for us.
Call first to find out if you can take food and liquids into the park.
Veggies cut into sticks like carrots, cucumbers, peppers. Fruits like blue berries or a nice peach. Shelf stable sandwich like pbj
Wash and de-stem grapes - fill up ziplock bag - freeze them over night. Will act as coolant and last all day. Apple slices with peanut butter (shut up all you scared or peanuts freaks). Use a bag of frozen strawberries as ice and to eat once thawed. #1 thing to keep in mind - Don't force the food - people don't eat much in the heat - be safe - have fun
When we would go to parks we would do it frugally food wise. For parks that didn't allow food in we would take a break mid day and get our hand stamped and go back to the car where the ice chest of food was and eat lunch. In places that would let you take food in we would splash out on one large locker for the whole group and keep soft insulated lunch boxes and valuables in there. We would come back for lunch and snacks etc . Combined with coupons etc it made for a fun affordable day out at the water park.
You might have to leave your food in the car and leave the park to eat it. Some parks have picnic tables just outside the park. Also, I used to buy my kids theme park bling at garage sales and give it to them in the car ride to the park. It cuts down on begging for expensive stuff. (This is for young kids under 10)
Yep, this is what we did since we were kids and went with my uncle's family to six flags. Take a cooler packed with drinks and sandwiches, go back outside for lunch. Food for 10 becomes so much cheaper.
My parents used to have granola bars when we were in line and a cooler in the car with lots of water. The cooler had frozen yogurt that would thaw a little by the time it was lunch.
Granola bars have always been my go-to snack for on the go (even after kids were all grown up). They're portable and durable and stick with you better than crackers or cookies. Road trips, zoos, random events, hotels, I pretty much have a granola bar or two with me at almost all times.
Frozen water bottles and protein bars that are not chocolate based. Something grain-based that isn't going to melt in the heat.
Trader Joe's as really handy cooler bags that work really well for keeping food in the car or carrying it with you.
Ham and cheese sandwiches in a cooler w/ ice/cold packs
Crackers, like cheez it and goldfish or popcorn. Granola/granola bars, any cured meat sandwich like peperoni or salami. Pop Tarts, or I've seen things like crepes on the go packs.
Beef jerky sticks Small and filling They have turkey ones now that are actually good.
Oatmeal raisin cookies.
We buy the hot and ready pizza from little Caesars and put slices in ziploc bags.we either keep it in the cooler in the car or take it inside in our daypack. Frozen water bottles work too,if your park allows it.
PB&J, nuts/trail mix/snack mix, cheese sticks should be ok in a cooler, applesauce, whole fruits like apples and bananas, fruit leather, crackers
Do theme parks still allow re-entry? We always left a cooler in the car and just went to the parking lot for lunch. Its been 25+ years though.
Pack a cooler full of anything you want and leave it in the car - when time to eat simply get whatever you need to re enter the park and you’re good to go Works best if you have a large cooler you can fill with ice and then have some type of separate area for food to not get wet If that’s not an option you’re pretty much stuck either eating park food or fruits, nuts, chips, beef jerky, etc. things that can’t spoil quick, melt, or need refrigeration
Pasta salad usually work great.
Does the park allow re-entry? My go-to is to pack a cooler with cold fried chicken and watermelon, plus drinks, and go out at some point during the day (or more times, if needed) to eat and re-up at the car.
Most theme park don't allow you to bring food or drink in (except baby food) but bring a cooler fill it with ice pack and ice put food and drink in it keep it in your car that way when ur ready for lunch if they allow u Leave and come back maybe u can sneak in uncrustables.
Sandwiches and chips. The ultimate struggle meal that’s actually delicious.
Cookies in a ziplock bag, crackers, or granola bars! All easy snacks that you can pop out of your bag and stay satiated
Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
if you can i recommend getting some mini battery powered fans, itll keep you and your kids cool and you can use it after your trip on hot days. don't forget the sunscreen sun burns are no joke!
Do you have a Stanley cup or anything of the sort? Keep it empty, store popsicles in there!
Pack a cooler and leave in the car
We go theme parks usually once a summer. We bring a cooler and leave it in the car with all our lunch fixings-usually PB&J, chips, cold soda, and fruit.
I live by Cedar Point and it’s no outside food/drink. We eat in the car. I got tired of trying to keep things cooled in a lunchbox. I got the Igloo 9 can cooler on sale at Walmart for 12.75 yesterday. It’s just me and my son so it’s the perfect size.
I second a car picnic. As a child, we'd get passes to the local pool every summer which had a no food or drink policy, so we'd pack the ice box with frozen Popsicles, drinks, and premade snacks, like pbj sandwiches or fruit, that won't be a hazard to eat after sitting in an ice box for hours. My mom would take advantage of the time to slather us in another layer of sunscreen before doling out the food, so it would soak into our skin while we ate and we'd be ready to go back and play in sun for the rest of the day. (Depending on formula, you should reapply sunscreen every 1.5-3hours for optimal skin protection.) If the park allows it (and I am pretty sure they have to) you can bring refillable bottles to use at water fountains. If adult size bottles aren't allowed, you could use a jumbo baby bottle/sippy cup and just twist off the nipple to drink from, or buy a single water bottle/refillable soda cup at the park and refill and share it. (My parents always bought the "free refills cup" and we'd just take turns downing drinks and refilling it. I know modern theme parks have scanners on the cups to limit the times now which sucks, but you can always use a water fountain, and most employees will be happy to refill a cup of water for a child.)
If they have lockers available, pack lunches with ice packs and leave them there. They’ll be out of the sun and kept fresh for lunch. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, trail mix, or even jerky keeps well that way.
I grew up with grandparents in Florida, so all the parks, heat, humidity, and hella overpriced concessions. Over all the snacks that worked best were Nature Valley granola bars, the crunchy ones in the green wrapper. As they are dry there is nothing to melt and they are quite sturdy, and yummy. They also could double as cereal for breakfast. We would just buy the milk cartons and crumble them in with raisins. We also took the little bags of raisins and other dried fruits, peanuts or mixed nuts(I know due to allergies these can be controversial, as can the next item), packs of crackers w/ peanut butter, and beef jerky. Always small sealed bags or wrapped in plastic(I know more controversy), not paper. Almost all parks provide oprotunities, voluntary or not, to be splashed or spilled upon. You also don't want to be toting empty containers around if you don't have to. We also took our own FUN refillable water bottles. Back in the beginning we didn't have near as many choices, but we took single serve dry drink mixes as well. I so appreciate all the choices(white peach Liquid IV please) now available in this category and in the fun water bottle category. We also made sure the bottles had a way to be carried hands free and were sized to be comfortable to carry and easy to refill. There is absolutely NO reason to be carting around gallon bottles. Another plus to these types of foods is they are small and light. They can for the most part be eaten directly from the package. We swapped in other items but these were the staples. One of our big priorities is to travel as light as possible. Over my years I have taken my turns planning and excuting trips to parks all over. Travel lightly is one of my top three rules. ps - Chewy/gooey granols bars melt, as do Nature Valley PB. Potato chips get so greasy, especially flavored ones. Chips also get crushed to crumbs. Seaweed also ends up powdered. I bet Belvita breakfast biscuits, single serve Biscoffs, or single serve dried soy/garbanzo beans would work. edit - spelling, capitalization, and punctuation
Snack bags of nuts and dried fruit.
I always have purse snacks, granola bars, assorted nuts and dried fruit are my usual, all of them stand up to heat because they also stand up to the fact that they're in my purse for any given length of time ;) The only thing to avoid with heat is candy/chocolate due to their melting factor. If you do sandwiches, I'd suggest something that's more stable to the temps, despite using ice packs, lunch meat can just feel sketchy, even if it's not. Nobody wants to get sick at lunch, the day long theme park adventure! So go with safe foods that don't give tummy aches.
there’s nothing a pb&j can’t handle, assuming their kids don’t have nut allergies!
That's what along the lines of I was thinking, despite my personal utter disgust at peanut butter lol. So I'd be doing a jam sandwich in that regard. And you could use hard meats too if you wanted to do a version of an "Italian sub" of some kind as well, now that I'm thinking on it. Hard salami isn't an issue for non refrigeration for awhile, especially in an ice chest. Ah and going down a google trail, you could bring the pouches of tuna if you like tuna. Then mix them up with some mustard and use crackers or bring extra bread to make a sandwich with that. Then it's not tuna salad until it's ready to be eaten!
Check to see if the park allows reentry. We would go to Six Flags if we earned the free ticket for reading. My parents would pack a cooler and we’d take a break midday and go out and eat lunch. We’d also pack a refillable water bottle and a few snacks (whatever was on hand at home) in the bags we carried into the park so we didn’t need to buy anything in the park.
Frozen unusable sandwhiches. Frozen water bottles turn into water. Act as ice packs. Chips like tortilla chips. Bean dip & salsa and such for snacks.
My dad will keep some canned soups or ravioli or spaghetti o's in his van on hot days at the flea market. Hot meal ready to eat right out of the can!
Is it allowed to bring a cooler?
PBJ all day.
At Universal the soda machines have cold water for free. Disney has fountains but they’re hard to find and the water is hot. The frozen water bottles are heavy and gave me a back ache after carrying them for a while. They were also annoying to take on some rides. Sandwiches worked out great along with granola bars and other dry snacks. Save yourself the misery and do the free water or purchase a drink pass. Edited to add: some rides do offer lockers to store your bag but if it’s really large it may not fit.
Disney will give you a free cup of water at any counter service restaurant that has a soda fountain
You’re right I forgot about that. Also, Universal I just kept a small pop up cup around my neck for the self serve machine.
We always kept a cooler in our car with our lunches in it! That way we weren’t having to carry it around too. Find a tree and picnic under it and then head back in after.
Eat a good breakfast ahead of time with a bunch of protein. That will help everyone last longer during the day. Bring easy snacks for standing in line. Candy that won't melt (like Skittles or Smarties). Cookies, goldfish, chips, Cheese-Its, etc. For meals PBJ is a good option. Put peanut butter on both slices of bread so the jelly doesn't soak in, plus the extra protein will keep you full longer. Carrots are a great veggie to go with lunch. Fruit is a little hit or miss. Go for something that won't squish easily. Maybe grapes, apples, possibly blueberries. Like everyone else has commented, figure out what you can and can't bring into the park. If you're allowed food, see if they have a larger sized locker you can rent for the day. It might be worth it to rent the locker and leave your cooler there for ease of access rather than having to go out to the car. This is also a great option if you won't have a vehicle there. Also look up ahead of time how easy it is to access water. I think most parks now have ready free access to fill up water bottles, but definitely check. I know Universal has soda machines around that you have to purchase a special cup to use, but the water is free. If you don't look that up in advance though you might not know. Also make sure you're eating a "real meal" for dinner to make lunch seem like less of a sacrifice, and maybe see if you can budget in at least a small snack purchase at the park. I think it makes the kids feel less like they're missing out on something. Have a good time, OP! Good luck!
Pbj’s and clementine oranges
Bring food that doesn’t need to be refrigerated, but treat it as though it needs to be refrigerated. Usually by midday in hot sun it will be just above room temperature. A few tricks I’ve learned: -Individually wrap as much as you can. Even a paper towel/napkin if you don’t have wax paper will help. Or just include the folded up napkin with the food (vs in a separate thing just for napkins) so it’s truly “grab and go” -Use hard containers as much as possible. Yes, they’re heavier but no one, especially kids, likes warm crushed food. Especially important for chips & crackers. -if needed, you can also add extra air to a ziploc to prevent crushing, but it’s kind of hit or miss. -for sandwiches, toast the bread & let it cool before making the sandwich and it won’t get as soggy -yes, you should bring healthy protein & fat packed snacks to keep the kids balanced. But this is also about survival. Don’t feel guilty for brining some junk that you know they’ll eat when they’re already overwhelmed. Walmart brand z bars are my go-to for this.
Get some uncrustables, freeze them and then take them on your trip with frozen water bottles.
Some parks have lockers near the entrance so you might be able to store your lunch there.
Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches that you put in sandwich bags and then freeze overnight. They will be thawed but still cool when you are ready to eat them.
You can freeze PB&J, which helps keep them tasty longer in heat. Freeze water bottles (partially empty so they don't explode), and they will act as ice packs and be cold and drinkable when it's time to eat. Fruit with its own peel holds up well (oranges, bananas) Granola/protein bars have some heft, in the snack category. Chips do r care about heat (but don't fill you up a lot). Find out if the park allows coolers, or if they allow re-entry (if they do the latter, plan a tailgate with a real cooler in the car, with ice and sandwiches etc.)
We usually take bread and peanut butter/jam separate and assemble on site. Much fresher that way. We just make them on napkins or paper towels.
Cooler with a block of ice in the trunk of your car
Popcorn
Check your local laws, in some places parks HAVE to give you free water if you ask, its literally the law. I know this applies to Cedar point. But its something a lot of people don't know. So this can alleviate some of the carrying of stuff if the park allows you to bring in food. When I used to go to parks we used to pack a lunch, walk to the car to eat it. Put lunch in a cooler. Most parks allow re-entry and I don't know of any that don't, and some parks have a picnic area in the parking lot. We saw many families doing the same. With six flags charging $17 for a hot dog there's no way I would spend this kind of money on food at a park. Park food is also always the most awful, cheap food as well with the exception of very few parks in the USA.
You need an esky and then you can pack whatever you like - pasta salad, fruit, sandwichs, quiche, cold meats (sausages, burgers), cold fried rice.
Depending on how little your kids are, many theme parks will say you can’t bring in outside food but will allow parents to bring in food if the kids have dietary restrictions or are picky eaters. They just don’t want people bringing in MacDonald’s or other takeout food and also leaving food trash outside of the eating areas. It’s a liability for them if your kid has severe food allergies and they force you to eat their food. Just tell the security guards that your kid has a restricted diet, and they’ll usually let you through. All that being said, pb&j, chips, fruit bars, nuts, grapes, apples, mandarin oranges, beef jerky, their favorite cereal, etc.
You can also freeze handy yogurt like gogurt or Danimals.
I often pack a cooler, then we leave the park to eat. This works for most parks, some let me bring the cooler in.
Nuts, apples, pretzels, peanut butter sandwiches
Peanut butter sandwiches, chips & Apples
Are you allowed reentry if you exit the park? When i was a kid and we did things like this. My mom would pack a small cooler in the trunk, fill water bottles up halfway and lay them down to freeze them, then fill the rest of the way up with water. Pack a couple of peanut butter sandwhiches, pretzels, potato chips, apples and the ice would keep the cooler and food cold enough all day. When we were hungry we would go out to the car for a quick lunch, eat and head back into the park.
I'd do granola and or protein bars. They will keep, blast of carbs and sugar and wont require any younglings to sit still to eat them. If the place doesn't allow outside stuff they are easy to unbox and conceal and if for some reason if one of the staff cared enough to confront you easy enough to just scarf, put the wrapper in your pocket and say "what outside food?"
Hummus and carrot sticks that you can keep in a cooler. Apples and tangerines / oranges that are easy to peel.
Frozen water bottles and half frozen water bottles with flavor packets, and sandwiches and chips are the best best, a few pieces of candies no chocolate and your golden!
If it is sea world just know they will throw your food away at the entrance. But apparently their meal option is unlimited every 90 min. A coworker told me this and said her family of four used it and would just keep the food if not hungry and kept getting food
Freeze some juice packs and applesauce packets or squeeze yogurt. Chips, carrots, trail mix that doesn’t have chocolate.
Uncrustables!
I used to leave a cooler with lunch in the car, they didn’t let you take food in.
Can you take in a cooler? Or are we talking only a backpack situation.
Are you driving? I’ve kept a cooler with food and ice in the trunk. Went back to the car to eat lunch. For snacks, I like bananas, oranges, and cliffs bars.
Are you even allowed to bring in food? I know theme parks with the exception of of Disney and universal prohibit outside food.
Nuts, jerky, chips/crisps, cookies without chocolate chips, apples, oranges, carrot sticks or celery with humus
Peanut butter and jelly. Nuts, granola bars, little peanut butter/ritz crackers (not ritz brand). You could put a freezer thing in a backpack, or if you park very close, you could take stuff in a small ice chest and take a break and run out to the car to eat. Have a blast! We went to Disneyland Christmas 2019 with the entire family (we are grandparents). We stayed altogether in a large house not far from the park. I took little zip lock bags of mixed nuts and trail mix. Then I used an empty one to send my granddaughters over by the succulent beds where a gentleman was cleaning up and kept knocking succulents off, so they picked them up and I brought them home and planted them.
Are you allowed to go back and forth to your car? If he’s, pack a cooler and put your sandwiches and drinks in it. Any sandwich types will work. Just make sure they are on top and not on the bottom.
Cooler bag + locker = lunch, drinks and snacks
You’ve gotten a lot of good advice about packing a cooler and leaving it in the car. Depending on what park you’re at, it can also be a good plan to leave the park and have lunch somewhere before coming back. My husband and I would visit six flags from opening until around 2, leave the park for a late lunch at a nearby Cava, enjoy the air conditioning and a leisurely break, then head back to the park. It’s not as cheap as packing pb&j sandwiches, but it was still half the price of the crappy hamburgers that Six Flags sells. Healthier too. And it was nice to get out of the heat and hustle and bustle of the parks.
Dry foods don't go bad, but you'll want some insulated water bottles with cold water/juice to go with. Stuff like cheerios, goldfish, nuts, granola, popcorn, apple sauce, puree pouches, sandwiches with jams and nut butters, crackers, pretzels, tuna pouches, dried fruits. Onigri does well depending on what ingredients you use (fish floss is nice).
Cooler in the vehicle with sandwiches and frozen water bottles. Come back out for lunch, everyone gets food/cold drinks. This is the only way I've ever visited an amusement park
I find that PB&J sandwiches, yogurts, and applesauce packets freeze nicely and defrost throughout the day. They're usually cool by lunchtime. Apples, trailmix, pretzels, packets of tuna salad (if the kiddos will eat those), popcorn/chips, dried fruit, fruit snacks.
Frozen Burritos! Really. We have done this several times. Get cheap frozen bean & cheese burritos, less than $1 at the supermarket, the kind you microwave in the wrapper. Park in the sun. Put the frozen burrito on the front dashboard, still in its wrapper, absorbing all that heat. At lunchtime you will have warm burritos to eat!
Those purple berry flavored power bars are popular with kids. Probably loaded with sugar but they don’t go bad hardly ever and they’ll keep the belly full while giving you enough energy to get through the day. The Korean pork jerky at Costco would be a nice addition to your snack lineup.
I made wraps with ham, cheese, romaine, mayo and mustard the last time I went to a park and they were so so good. They taste great lukewarm
Goldfish, 1/2 frozen water bottles, dried fruit, jerky, and nuts
Eat a large breakfast and then have food in the car for end of the day. Simple peanut butter sandwiches should last in the park. I cut mine into pieces for a quick snack throughout the day as needed. No need for anything fancy. Maybe some granola bars too.
Beef jerky
PBJ sammiches
Most likely cannot bring food into the park. But you can go back to your car yo eat.
Freeze sandwiches. Keep the ingredients limited though. Like just meat and mustard. Or pb/j. And high protein lightweight snacks like nuts. And fruit like apples or oranges. If you have the budget granola bars, fruit snacks, bags/sandwich bags of chips, snack bags of cookies. I highly recommend budgeting for at least one treat item that can be easily shared that is bought at the park. As well as one souvenir each. Set a limit for both. This way the kids know what to expect. And you do as well. You’re also be less likely to spend impulsively. Or cave to pressures from the kids.
Your park most likely has a picnic area with tables you can leave a cooler at. So no need to drag one around. I’ve never seen a park without one. So check that 1st. If you pack it correctly there’s no need for anything fancy. Sandwich’s and some kind of salad on the side will keep just fine. Whatever snacks and fruit your kids like, etc… Either use ice packs or keep the ice in the bag so it doesn’t get everything all wet. I recommend stainless steel reusable water bottles too. Brand or style doesn’t matter but it will keep your water cool all day and you don’t need to buy disposable water bottles.