All you need to know about carrying home food with when you are travelling for Umrah

Last Updated: 27 November 2022

All you need to know about carrying homefood with when you are travelling for Umrah

If you live in a country that has a weaker currency, then you know the struggle that buying food overseas comes with. Carrying home food with you can significantly lower the cost of your travels and might even make travelling to seemingly unaffordable destinations affordable and within your budget. Many people also choose to carry their own food with them for the health benefits that home cooked food inevitably has compared to buying take out frequently. Whatever your reason for choosing to carry with you home cooked meals, we hope this guide helps you. 

The best way to pack your food

Vacuum seal is best. (Lasts a week in the fridge.) Or pack flat in a ziplock and freeze. If you are using the foil containers, shrink wrap well. Wrap in newspaper. Label clearly, if keeping with storer makes it easier for storer to take out the required food parcels and bring it to you.

How to carry your home cooked meals 

Pack your food  in a cooler bag. Pack the food in thin polystyrene boards, or cut out cereal boxes can be used to line cooler bags, to keep the food frozen for longer.

Freeze your filled cooler bag with the zip open.

Shrink wrap the cooler bag tightly before checking it in as luggage, this helps to keep it cold/frozen for longer.

Fridge in hotel room

Hotels may have a small bar size fridge only or a fridge/freezer combo. The freezer compartment is small. It is best if you rotate your parcels between the fridge and freezer.

Depending on the type of room/suite you book, you may have a kitchenette. The stove may be disconnected, the microwave may be available.

Alternatively arrange with a storer to keep your cooler bag. You will be charged separately for storing and to bring a food parcel daily to your hotel. It is best for you to enquire about these charges from your storer.

How can you reheat your food?

Some people carry or buy an electric pot from bin Dawood. However, hotels may confiscate if detected in bags and only return it to you upon departing, so this option is not the best option even though it is done by some people. 

Alternatively pour boiling water in a container/tupperware and then place your sealed food parcel in to warm up.

If you have any other tips and tricks that you would like to share with the readers of Halaal Travels please comment below on this post or alternatively you can get in touch with a member of the Halaal Travels team here. Or via Instagram Dms. 

Disclaimer: This article has been compiled from advice shared on a group chat and shared to us via Dms from a very kind Halaal Travels reader. May Allah bless her for taking the time to share this with the readers of Halaal Travels. We hope this article helps you if you are planning on carrying home food with you when you are travelling for Umrah. Please note this post has only been grammatically edited.