Al Roker has been charming Today show viewers on NBC for the better part of the last three decades, whether from its Rockefeller Center home base in New York City, or on location from Miami and Tulsa (like in recent segments), or even jet-setting across oceans, like when he covered the Olympics in Sochi, Tokyo, and London.
But it turns out, the most lovable thing about Roker may be a little habit he has developed en route to all of those fabulous destinations: a genius in-flight travel snack hack that Travel + Leisure learned about exclusively while chatting with the 71-year-old personality ahead of his 30th time hosting the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
When we asked about his favorite in-flight snack, he told us, “If I’m on Delta, it’s the Biscoff,” referring to the beloved biscuits that have been one of the Atlanta-based airline’s complimentary snacks since 1988. Despite being served on flights around the globe, the caramelized cookies crafted with all-natural ingredients are still made by Lotus Bakeries, a family-operated company based in Lebbeke, Belgium.
Peter Garritano/Delta Airlines
The Biscoff cookies.
His cohost, Savannah Guthrie, who was also on the call with us, replied, “You can buy those in stores now.” Without missing a beat, Roker retorted, “But I think it tastes better on the plane.”
Then the New Yorker let us in on his true secret. “Here’s a little tip for you: Take a couple of Biscoff crackers, cut a lime in half, and squeeze it onto the Biscoff,” he said of the citrus fruit, which is also stocked on many flights’ beverage carts. “It’s like you’re having the crust of a key lime pie.”
As it turns out, Roker has long been a connoisseur of the sweet and tart dessert pie, having called Red Hook, Brooklyn-based Steve’s Authentic Key Lime Pie “one of the last genuine key lime pies in the U.S.,” on his Food Network series, Roker on the Road.
Roker impressed us even further with another clever hack to ensure he can always enjoy this treat on board with his favorite drink, Blue Bottle Coffee’s iced coffee. “I fill up a jug of the coffee and freeze it,” he explained. “Then I can take it with me through TSA because it’s a solid.”
Most recently having done it on a flight from Los Angeles, he said that “Halfway through the flight, it’s defrosted, and I have ice-cold iced coffee on the plane.”
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
A cup with Blue Bottle Iced Coffee.
Roker said he thought of the trick about four years ago and first tried it with a bottle of water. “I took it out when we got to the baggage check, just to see,” he said. While the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officer did question it, he told them, “It’s a solid!”
The dutiful officer put the query up the ranks. “But the supervisor said this is absolutely allowable,” Roker declared proudly.
Indeed, according to the TSA site, “frozen liquid items are allowed through the checkpoint as long as they are frozen solid when presented for screening.” That said, if any part of the liquid is partially melted, or even just slushy, the liquid portion counts toward the normal 3-1-1 restrictions on liquids.
Just as impressed as we were by his innovative flight habits, Guthrie said, “I would like to nominate Al Roker for a Nobel Prize for travel hacks!” We second that.
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