Food on trains?

Seat61 website is all this things train and he often reviews meal options on certain lines. See if he has any comments.

the preferente ticket access to the lounges is sometimes worth it just to have a quiet spot to sit,
but the food is usually just packaged snacks like twinkies and trail mix.
The food on board in the preferente cabin is so-so.

AVE used to have quiet cars, if that matters. I appreciated them.

twinkies and trail mix.

Twinkies?

Twinkie - a yellow sponge cake with cream in the middle.

I was using twinkie like kleenex or hoover - not actual Twinkies but similar items.

I realize that twinkie means something else in American and British slang.

Seriously, though. You can get good food in most train stations to take on board, though you may want to get hot coffee on the train.

The food on that IRYO train is okay, not superb. But good enough to eat, for sure.

The Madrid IRYO club lounge in the OnlyYou hotel across the street does not open until 9:30am, otherwise you have to wait In the station or in the hotel lobby. The IRYO also provides assistance with luggage if you check that box when booking on their site. The assistance person will help you with your bags getting on the train and another will help you off and escort you to a taxi at your station of arrival. If you arrive at the station early, you can change your ticket with no charge at the IRYO booth inside Atocha.