This post is sponsored by Chocolove.
A checklist of what are the best foods to bring on an Amtrak train trip. Learn what food travel well. Also find out what food you can buy aboard the train.
Train travel.
It something many people talk about doing overseas, but rarely do you hear people talk about doing in the United States.
Some people I have talked to didn't realize we even had trains that run across our country.
Whenever people are taking their first train trip it comes as a very foreign experience. They don't know what to expect. And they really don't know what they are going to eat.
Having recently completed my 10th cross country train trip, I have had plenty of experience with life aboard the train and have eaten a lot of food on the train.
Can You Bring Food on Amtrak Trains?
The first question you might have is can you bring food on Amtrak trains? Absolutely. That is allowed.
Now you aren't allowed to eat your own food in certain areas due to food health code restrictions. That would include bringing your own food into the dinning car or the tables right next to the cafe (on a 2 level train car that only means the bottom level).
Challenges of Eating on the Train
Let's first talk about what food is available for you to buy aboard the train.
One of the challenges of traveling long distance by train is the food. You can buy food in their dining car, but you are going to pay through the roof for it. The quality while not terrible is not worth the cost. On a 2-night journey, I try to limit myself to one meal in the dinning car on the day I am on the train the entire day.
Amtrak Dining Car Menu
What I have eaten in the dinning car, I usually go for lunch and get a pretty decent hamburger with kettle chips (sorry no fries, deep frying on a train, not a good idea!). And i order a side salad to go with it.
Here is a link to an example of a dining car menu .It many vary depending on what train you are on.
There is talk about getting rid off the dining car so soon that may not be an option or it may look quite different.
Amtrak Cafe Car Menu
You can also eat in their cafe car, but one of my goals in life is avoiding paying $5 for a microwaved hot dog. Your best bet is to try and pack as much food as you possibly can.
Those that need coffee, do not worry you can get it aboard the train.
Here is a link to an example of a cafe car menu .It many vary depending on what train you are on.
How do I eat on the train while still keeping My "Eat Like No One Else" mindset. I have worked on it over the years and think I have come up with a pretty good system.
Amtrak Train Trip Snacks
Here is a list of the food I packed. In creating this list I wanted foods that traveled well on a train as well as including the best snacks.
- Quality Chocolate
- Cheese & Crackers
- Beef/Pork Jerky or Sticks
- Canned Tuna
- Bagels
- Nut/Seed Butters
- Dried Fruit
- Fresh Fruit That Travels Well
- Nuts/Seeds
- Cereal
- Pickles/Olives
Quality Chocolate
My first suggestion is to not go the cheap way out. Yes I am trying to avoid paying too much for food on the train but I also don't want to buy food that is not satisfying just because it's cheap. Cheap food doesn't satisfy. I end up just eating more of it, and that's not a way to save money on food on the train.
Chocolate is the best example. Sure I could "save money" by buying cheap chocolate. But you know what I am going to do then? Eat all of it at once. Then really how cheap is it?
For the trip I choose to bring along Chocolove chocolate. These bars are a higher quality chocolate that you don't have to take out a loan to buy. I find when I get Chocolove I don't have to eat the whole bar at once. I savor it more. Typically I find their bars going for $2-3 a piece in the store in my area.
Apply these same quality principles to the rest of the food on this list and you will be satisfied with the food you bring. Think about the brands that you like the best. That is what you are going to want to bring.
Cheese & Crackers
To me there is no better snack. I have no issues with bringing cheese with me as it will be ok outside the fridge for a few days. I wouldn't do that with fresh cheeses like cream cheese or cottage cheese. Perfectly good for cheddar, jack, colby, etc.
I pack the crackers in my suitcase that I will access on the trip. Don't put them in the front of your suitcase where it could get crushed.
Beef Jerky or Sticks
Beef jerk or sticks is always a good option to give that protein fix without the need to keep something cold.
On my last trip I took with my some dried pork belly bites. I put them into a Cup of Noodles that I got from the cafe car. I made it more of a meal.
Canned Tuna
For even more protein, bring along some tuna. Look for tuna that comes in a can with a ring, so that you aren't bringing a can opener with you.
I know some people don't like the smell of canned tuna, so just be conscience of that and take care of your trash after your done eating.
Bagels
Instead of bringing bread on the trip, bring bagels. They have a tougher exterior, so they are less likely to get smashed.
I once brought croissants on a trip. They work too as they are so airy, that even if they do get smashed then tend to pop back.
Nut/Seed Butters
Nut or seed butters like sunflower butter, peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, etc. are a great way to fill your belly. You can buy single serving pouches or bring along a jar. Don't worry if you forget a spoon or knife they have plastic ones in the cafe car.
While I am not going to say don't bring peanut butter, if you can bring an alternative I recommend just in case you run into someone with a peanut allergy. Trains can be tight quarters.
If you do bring peanut butter, try to just enjoy it as your seat and do a through job of cleaning up.
One trip we had some small jars of jam that we had made. They were the perfect sized for a single meal, so we brought them along and made PB&J with bagels.
Dried Fruit
Dried fruit is a great snack on the trip.
I recommend choosing dried fruit that doesn't have a bunch of added sugar. Last trip I brought along some dried white peaches, with no added sugar. Read the labels before you buy.
Look for fruit chips, like apple chips, they can be a yummy snack to bring.
Fresh Fruit That Travels Well
Some fresh fruit is also great to have on the trip. Some fruit doesn't travel all the well like bananas and berries. I would never bring berries.
Oranges or mandarins are a wonderful choice. They can be packed without being bruised up like apples or peaches.
I do have to say on my way home from my last trip, I had a leftover apple and peach from that I had gotten for the hotel. I gave them a lot of padding with a couple paper bags and put them inside a pouch that was inside my suitcase.
When I pulled them out of the pouch they were in great shape still. So it can be done if you pack carefully.
Nuts
Nuts are very durable and filling snack and although I don't really like them, they are good choice for someone who does. Sunflower seeds are a cheaper option that you can bring along. I like flavored pumpkin seeds.
Cereal
You can bring cereal and buy milk for it in the cafe car for breakfast in the morning.
A Few Other Tips
Here are a few other tips I can think of for eating and drinking on a train trip.
Do I Need to Bring Water?
No, they do have water on board the train that you can use for free. And you can buy bottled water.
I bring a water bottle with me and fill it up on the train. It usually takes a while to fill from the water spouts they have, so you need to practice patience.
Take Your Opportunities to Eat Before Hand
One additional tip about eating while traveling by train, is to get on the train with a full stomach.
Our train left Chicago at 2:45pm. So we ate an early lunch of sandwiches and yogurt, then we also ate at the train station before we had to leave.
Since we had full stomaches we just did some snacking for our dinner.
Also look to see if your train will be making an extended stop at a station. Our train stopped for over a half hour at the station. This gave us a chance to get off the station and find a little cafe, so that became our dinner. But don't count on these as train delays can change everything. and you cant' say for sure you will have enough time.
Bring Ginger or Mint
Ginger is a great for an upset stomach. It can help out when you have motion sickness something I haven't experienced on the train but people more sensitive to that could.
I also like to have something minty. It just helps freshen the breath and makes me feel cleaner even thought I may not have showered that day.
This is why I chose to bring along Chocolove Ginger Crystallized in Dark Chocolate and Peppermint in Dark Chocolate on my last trip.
Let's Hear From You
We would love to hear about the food that you like to pack for an Amtrak trip.
Leave a comment below sharing what food you have brought on your train trip.
If you have any questions about what food to take, you can also ask them in the comments below.
Sis
Thank you for this rundown. Beef jerky is always something I forget and there are other canned items with ring tops from fruit to those mini hotdog things! (Thanks for that reminder.) I like to mix the nuts, dried fruit and some M&M's or chocolate chips together in a kind of "trail mix". Individual yogurts (or gogurts) could be handy.
I plan to pack our foods from the top down - fresh foods like fresh fruit and hard boiled eggs, veggie sticks with some Ranch and hummus and mini cereal boxes with a small bottle of milk(or maybe carton of vanilla oatmilk?) for that first day. (Our trip starts at 2AM!)
It seems to me there was a microwave available on the train? And/or a toaster? My first ever train trip was in a roomette and I got spoiled! You kind of have a "servant" that brings you things!
Eric Samuelson
They do have a microwave available in the snack car however they won't allow you to use it for your own food, they can only use it for something you buy.
Karen Carrara
Thats totally retarded!#! So they have a microwave but you cant use it for your food????? Unless you bought it from the cafe even tho they encourage you to bring your own food? So I cant microwave my popcorn?? Stupid!! And I leave on the 24th from Sacramento to Indianapolis
Eric Samuelson
Yeah I agree with ya. Would make life so much easier if we could. But it's not a public use microwave, it's only used by an Amtrak employee to heat up food you buy from them. They won't even allow you to bring any food into their lower section where they serve their snacks. They don't want to be liable if someone brings something in and gets sick because of it or something. People are always worried about being sued.
Sheri Pitcher
I appreciated your comments about food while traveling on Amtrak. I just don't understand why the food is so bad. It could be so much better especially for the price. I will try your suggestion of using bagels instead of bread.
Melvin Mitchell
I just got off a Santa Barbra CA to Salem OR rail Amtrak journey.. We did the roomette because of a two for one sale Amtrak advertised. The dining car food is of low quality and if I was to go couch I would eat better If I would bring a jar of peanut butter, a small jam, dark rye bread in a plastic box, dried fruit and oranges be good , My own bottle water I love Perrier mineral water good grade dark chocolates for sweets. Hard boil eggs and cooked bacon for breakfast. Can tuna is a good idea and some crackers and cheese. I guess I would have to break down and buy one cup of overpriced coffee. Do they give you free refiles?
Ms Patricia Suhr
I have been on Amtrak and going again in May. I think the food in the dining car is great. I was in a sleeper before but this time going coach so I will pack my own food. Thanks for the tips
Ember
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Rick Bauer
I wouldn't trust tap water out of a spigot on a train. And you can buy single serving tuna in pouches, already seasoned.
Eric Samuelson
We have brought that kind of tuna with us before.
I can understand about being concerned about the water out of a spigot on the train. You can bring water with you. On the longer trips that can be more of a challenge to bring enough, so then you can choose between buying water on the train or taking your chances with the water on board.
When we had a baby with us on the train that needed formula we brought bottled water.
Cheryl Maxson
Since I am on a very crazy nutritional regimen I will always bring enough for me to eat protein every 2-3 hours and drink 1-2 gallons fluid/day. My meals consist mostly of my yummy (predominently chocolate) weight loss desserts. When my desserts meet post gastric bypass nutritional requirements and are healthier then chicken or fish, I'LL STICK TO MY DESSERTS!!!!
HEY! I HAVE TO DO SOMETHING TO MAINTAIN MY 130-150 LB WEIGHT LOSS!
Eric Samuelson
Congrats on the weight loss.
Brandi
Im getting ready to do a 30 hr train trip next week. I was wondering why noone suggest protein shakes. I dont think theyre that bad and they always give me energy when Im on long train rides and I also take powdered gatorade and my own bottled water with me. I would NEVER trust drinking water from the train!!
Augur Flaneur
They don't "encourage" you to bring your own food, they tolerate it.
Eric Samuelson
Protein shakes are a good idea. Thanks for the suggestion.
Eric Samuelson
You are correct. Tolerate is probably the better word to use.
Danuta Bujak
Just came back from FL on auto train. The food is available to “sleepers” only. “Recliners” or coach can purchase hamburgers, hot dogs etc., with chips for $16. Made an egg salad in an empty container from Talenti ice cream.
Recipe: 4 hard boiled eggs, few pockets of mayo and a few mustard pockets salt+ pepper to taste. You can pick these up from any food stand, needs no refrigeration.
Directions: shell and cut up eggs with plastic knife. into a container.
Add mayo and mustard, salt and pepper to taste. Mix and enjoy on a slice of bread.
Eric Samuelson
That's a great idea. Thanks for sharing.
Robert
I just took the capital limited from DC to Chicago..... i packed flavored waters cheezit snacks and pre packaged fruit bowls that satisfied me for my 17 hr plus journey. You're ABSOLUTELY right when it comes to the inconvenience or absence of options at rhe dining car.
Best advice BE PREPARED SO YOU WON'T BE UNPREPARED!!!!!!
Eric Samuelson
Thanks for sharing your experience. Definitely need to come ready for it.
Angela Sklar
Are you allowed to bring a bottle of wine on the train ?
Eric Samuelson
This is Amtrak's official policy:
"You may bring aboard your own private stock of alcoholic beverages subject to the following limitations:
You may consume private stock alcoholic beverages only in Sleeping Car accommodations for which you have a valid ticket.
You may not consume private stock alcoholic beverages in any public areas."
Robin Belesky
I just traveled from Sacramento to Chicago on Amtrak. The food and prices in the Dining Car matched any mid-ranged $$ restaurant, at least in my area. On my first day I had the Caesar salad with chicken for lunch, so large that I ate 1/2 and finished rest for dinner. The 2nd day the breakfast scramble, again so much food, too full so skipped lunch (ate my snack crackers).
For dinner I ate the Amtrak Signature Steak ($25). 8 oz flat iron, baked potato, fresh green beans. Steak cooked perfectly as ordered, slightly over med rare with a nice sear on outside Very tender. The service on par with any fine dining restaurant.
Sheilah Bowden
Thank you for all the suggestions! This will be my 1st long distance Amtrak ride and I've packed , nuts, chips, Crustables PB&J sandwiches, bottled ice coffee, fig Newton's and cut fruit. Masks, hand sanitizer and disenfective wipes.
Angel
I'm about to take an (about 8 hour) trio from Denver to grand junction in coach alone. I'm reading everyones tips while eating a small container of spreadable port wine cheese and club Crackers! I think I'll add that to my cure of boredom snack list! Thank you for all the suggestion!
Eric Samuelson
You are welcome. I hope you enjoy(ed) the trip.
Barbara
Taking my first auto train from VA to FL but driving from NJ first. I am thinking of bringing a cooler w the ice pack. In it will be cooked pasta that I had put in the freezer then packed right before I leave NJ. ground carrots and washed broccoli cut in small pieces, the veg. will be salted as a preservative. I will also bring a can of chick peas and jar of Trader Joe's bruschetta that was put in the fridge. make sure i can open both of these. I will need to drain the chick peas though before eating. I will mix it together but not all TJ bruschetta. Not sure in a plastic container or large zip lock bag and serve it. Not sure this will be lunch or dinner due to trying to keep things cold & not spoiling. This is for 2 adults. I will bring fabric napkins over clothes due to sauce. also disposable bowls & utensils, or mix each portion into zip lock bag & mix - eat right out of bag. Peanut butter small jar jelly bagels for dinner or lunch. snacks & water but 1 water will be frozen to help keep others cold also. Cereal and applesauce for breakfast. Will buy hot drinks as wanted. If coffee is not good I might see if i could buy hot water and add my caffe d'vitta mocha cappucc.