Pack a Picnic for Your Next Flight

But as anyone who has flown in coach recently knows, that usually means a selection of bland sandwiches and snack boxes filled with a mismatched medley of junk foods. (Mini pretzels, hard salami and jelly beans anyone?) And when there is something you might actually consider eating — like the coveted fruit and cheese plate — it inevitably sells out right before the flight attendants get to your row.

While choices at some airports are getting better — San Francisco International, for example, has outposts of local favorites like Boudin Bakery, Just Desserts and Firewood Café — most food courts still consist mainly of fast-food chains. The practical thing to do is to pack your own meal.

For tips on food that travel well, taste good at room temperature and meet security standards, I consulted several top chefs on what they bring onboard to eat. Below, tips for easy meals to take on a plane.

Freeze It

That’s how the chef Josh Capon of Lure Fishbar manages to bring shrimp cocktail onboard. He freezes the shrimp and packs them in a plastic container, along with separate two-ounce to-go cups of sauce that can clear security. “By the time you get to the airport and go through security,” he said, they will be ready to eat.

Freezing your food the night before can also make perishable items like cheese and meats last longer. Just be sure to season the food more heavily than you normally would, recommends Melissa d’Arabian, the host of Food Network’s “Ten Dollar Dinners,” since your taste buds are duller at 30,000 feet. (The roar of the engines can affect the intensity of flavor, according to research reported last year in the journal Food Quality and Preference.)

For her four children (all under the age of 5) Ms. d’Arabian packs Go-Gurt, YoPlait yogurt that comes in 2.2-ounce tubes made to freeze and thaw by lunchtime. “I’ve had no problem getting them through security,” she pointed out, noting that they can fit in the required one-quart zip-top plastic bag for security.

Heat With Hot Water

For a hot meal, Ms. d’Arabian recommends packing cooked whole grain pasta, which tends to hold its shape better than softer pastas under the duress of travel, Parmesan cheese in a separate plastic bag and some chopped cherry tomatoes or other vegetables. “And then here’s my trick,” she said, “I ask the flight attendant for half a cup of tea water. I pour it over my pasta, close it up and let it sit for a minute or two and drain it back into the cup. Now my pasta is warm.” Add the veggies and cheese and you’ve got a real meal in coach.

At room temperature, she said, she likes “whole grain salads” like quinoa or tabbouleh, as an alternative to leafy green salads, which tend to wilt. Pack them in plastic containers with a little bit of olive oil or dressing at the bottom so that the grain soaks it up. Once onboard you can shake it all up.

In general, she added, she tries to stick to a formula of “protein plus complex carbs” for in-flight meals. “I carry raw unsalted almonds with me in my travel bag at all times,” she said, which can be combined with a fruit cup for a healthy snack. “Traveling is so stressful as it is,” she said, “When you don’t eat well, it exacerbates that.”

Pack a Picnic

Sandwiches made with crusty bread, charcuterie and a little olive oil are always a good option. That’s what Marco Porceddu, executive chef for Asellina, the Italian restaurant brand for ONE Group, which operates restaurants and bars in various cities, does when he flies. His favorite: focaccia sandwiches with prosciutto, mozzarella, tomato, extra virgin olive oil and fresh basil.

To save space and seal in any sandwich juices, wrap your sandwich in plastic wrap first, followed by aluminum foil, recommends Mr. Capon of Lure Fishbar. When traveling with his two children, ages 2 and 5, he likes to take a French baguette, soppressata or another dry-cured spicy sausage, a selection of cheeses and a little mustard, which can be packed in two-ounce to-go containers or take-out packets. He takes crackers so the kids can make mini sandwiches out of the cheese and charcuterie, which can also help keep them entertained. Grapes, carrot sticks with hummus, and vegetable-based sushi like California rolls are also a staple.

Eat Before You Board

Eric Ripert, the executive chef and an owner of Le Bernardin in New York, avoids airline food (“disgusting,” he said in a thick French accent) altogether by eating before he gets to the airport. If he’s pressed for time, he said, he seeks out the best option at the airport. “I know where Wolfgang Puck Express is in L.A.,” he said, referring to Mr. Puck’s restaurant outpost at Los Angeles International Airport. At Caviar House & Prunier in Heathrow, he added, “you can have a plate of smoked fish, oysters and a nice glass of wine.” Being in the air about once a month, he added, “I kind of know my way through the airports.”

As a frequent flier he is often upgraded to business or first class. “Still, I don’t eat in the plane. The way they clean the planes, your table is disgusting,” he said, quickly adding, “I’m not a germaphobe but it still freaks me out when you find things from a previous passenger.”

Grab and Go

Cesare Casella, the executive chef and a partner at Salumeria Rosi Parmacotto on the Upper West Side, who flies within the United States about once every 10 days and internationally about once a month, likes to take burrata, an Italian cheese made from mozzarella and cream, onboard. “By the time I start to eat it, the burrata is the perfect temperature, especially on skinny Tuscan bread, toasted,” he said. And if he doesn’t have time to make a sandwich? “I bring a Slim-Fast bar. It’s fantastic with Champagne. Have you tried?”

How could I not? The salty sweetness of a chocolate peanut caramel Slim-Fast bar was surprisingly satisfying with a cold glass of bubbly. I know what I’m bringing onboard for my next flight.