Collect boxes of different sizes as you have opportunity.
Save waxed paper from cracker boxes and other sources and have a
certain place for it so as to know just where to find it. Quite a large
roll can be bought in the stationery stores for five cents.
Keep small tin boxes for packing strong flavored sandwiches, and
vaseline bottles and cold cream jars for salad dressings, or for
sandwich fillings which must be spread upon the bread the last thing.
For a picnic or a long journey, be sure to take everything that may
be needed, corkscrew, can opener, nut picks, paring knives, spoons, a
case knife, a knife large enough and sharp enough to cut bread, cups
for drinking, and a small saucepan or large cup for heating drinks
or anything necessary. As far as possible, carry dishes that may be
thrown away, as wood or paper plates and cups. A spirit lamp is very
desirable.
Rich cakes, jellies and all sweets are especially objectionable for
travelling.
Be sure to take plenty of lemons and other fruits, as the trains will
not often stop long enough for one to buy them at the stations, and
they may not be at the proper stage of ripeness and the price will be
high.
Carry salt in a vaseline bottle, or if in a salt shake, screw a
piece of thick paper under the top and wrap well. Have sugar in a
wide-mouthed bottle or jar, also ripe olives. Rice or custard puddings
can be carried in cups.
Bottled fruit juices are invaluable. Lemon juice sufficient for one day
may be bottled.
A jar of cold cereal coffee or of tea-hygiene with cream would be
highly prized by many.
Trumese in Tomato or Sauce Imperial, well dried in the oven, is
excellent. Fruit buns retain their moisture nicely.
Wrap sandwiches, buns, cakes, eggs and nut foods in waxed paper, and if
there are different kinds of sandwiches mark them.
For a simple luncheon without a knife or spoon, pare oranges and break
them into sections, and pare, quarter and core apples, and wrap all in
waxed paper. These fruits with a trumese and egg sandwich (p. 472) make
an ideal midday luncheon when spending the day in the city on business.
One lady who has travelled a great deal tells me that she has found
a small white apron with a pocket a great convenience in serving and
eating lunches on trains, and a gentleman suggests that a short apron
with a bib and strap and a pocket for the napkin would be a great
convenience for those of his sex.
Some of the strong pasteboard boxes that package foods come in, make
good lunch boxes. We have one about 22 in. long, 9 in. wide and 6 in.
deep that we can carry in a shawl strap, which we prize.
The dining car has no attractions compared with the comforts of a nice
home luncheon for travelling.