It seems obvious if you are heading out for the day — packing a lunch can be a lifesaver. No need to find a place that has food that your whole family will eat, no waiting in long lines and spending extra money on not so good food. If you do find that “perfect place,” then the lunch can be salvaged for snacks or for another meal. Bringing along a refillable water bottle can also be a lifesaver!
Packing a “lunch” also works great for longer trips. When headed someplace unfamiliar with unfamiliar foods, bringing along “nonperishable” favorite foods can really make a difference. Last summer on our trip to Japan, having a (plastic) jar of peanut butter and a box of crackers really got us through some “dry” days where we could not find anything for us non-seafood eating vegetarians to eat. And what a comfort for the kids (and me) to have something familiar to eat occasionally!
