USVI-On-Line

So after reading everyones "list" and thinking....I am wondering if I could pull off bringing food in a cooler as a carryon.

My problem.....we are leaving Boston Tuesday afternoon....and flying out of JFK Wed. Morning. I could pack it with ice and/or techni ice and either ditch the techni ice in the morning (lose it or leave it in the car)...and hope that the meat and food will stay frozen from then on out.

Do you think this is possible? I don't know why I want to try this...maybe it is the challenge of it all. We have a polar bear 24 pack cooler....

any thoughts...or am I insane...and it's time to drink some wine?
Holly

What time of the year are you going if it is in the winter you could leave it in your car or put the polar bear in another cooler with dry ice till wed and pull out when you leave for the airport or ask if the hotel will store in there freezer

we leave in 5 days.....from jfk tho'.....

If you freeze it well, and are doing carry on it should hold up just fine. Like I've said before-- we've got a solid 12 hour travel day and stuff is still frozen SOLID when we get there. Just take proper steps.

But to be honest, unless you plan on cooking a lot at the villa it may not be worth your while.

If you are, then consider it.

I assume you are staying in a hotel over night, right?

Maybe you could just throw some ice on it from the hotel and then make sure to keep the ice fresh? I like the idea of asking the hotel if they have any freezer room for you. That would be easiest.

You aren't insane but you could always have a glass of wine.

xoxo

ok....so I've had the glass of wine....I know I like a challenge....but my husband loves to save money...which is his challenge...LOL....

We have 2 kids ages 5 and 7...and we actually eat in more often than out. They are just spent by dinner time...so it would make "sense"...we tend to eat lunches out when we are down there..or after beachin' it. But breakfast and dinner are usually in the villa. That being said...when we were in Coral Bay last summer. I took a picture of the box of pasta that my husband got at the local grocery store down there.. 4.99 for pasta! Such a riot! With all the great food lists...it got me thinking.

I bet I could bring down meat and stuff for our dinners in...my thinking is that I keep it frozen with ice from the house...then hotel...until it is time to hit the airport....We have a direct flight from jfk...

hmmmmmmmmmm....maybe more wine is in store.

Well if that's the case, then it sounds like bringing a few things might be worth your while.

As you can see by the lists, your best bet is to stick to meats and cheeses as well as dry goods that don't weigh alot.

If you want to bring pasta, take it out of the box and put in a zip loc bag (u can always use the zip loc for something else later - like storing leftovers).

Just freeze everything really well and place in zip locs (in case they melt).

Give it a try!

you guys get me all pumped up! LOL...I have become the master packer for "only carryon" for a family of 4. We bring little clothes...and do laundry mid week...and we use the kids carryons for toys and food!

Now...to be the "master of all packers"...and use one carryon for food.

(get your mind out of the gutters forumites....yes, I typed...master of all packers.....you dirty birds!

Do the kids need clothes? Really?

Just let them wear their bathing suits all week and they will love you for it!

seriously....we are bringing like 3 sets of suits and not a whole lot else...couple shorts and tshirt and jammies...and that's it....totally streamlined it! LOL 7th time is a charm....right? lol

We bring stuff from Charlotte, pack in the am and arrive in St. John in the evening. Let's just say with our Polar Bear Cooler that we cannot cook at the villa when we arrive the first night because everything is rock solid.

lluvstjohn wrote
seriously....we are bringing like 3 sets of suits and not a whole lot else...couple shorts and tshirt and jammies...and that's it....totally streamlined it! LOL 7th time is a charm....right? lol
Yep you got the carryon thing down think this is our 7th also. Last trip I packed very lean and still didn't wear everything. Less cloths more food is what I say. Last trip we got all cloths and crap in one carryon. Dry food goods in the other and frozen in a backpack in just one of those cheapy hot cold bags ya get at the grocery store and all arrived frozen 14 hrs later. Your good to go I would say on the frozen stuff. We have the same deal. We have an overnighter in STT our first night then off to VG the next morning for this trip down. Going to try the freezer thing at the hotel, if they can't do that I would almost bet for sure the meat will be ok in the polarbear we just purchased until we arrive if there as good as everyone says they work. Have fun on your trip

thanks Capt! I love a good challenge...I think I can do it!

Our first trip also entailed an overnight stay. The hotel wouldn't let us keep the cooler or its contents in their freezer, citing health regulations.

We packed dry ice on top and never opened the cooler until right before we left the hotel, when we scooped out the remaining dry ice.

No problem!

oooh, good call....where can you get dry ice? I made a stop at our local OMaha Steaks store today....worked out great...vacuum sealed frozen packages of meat!