Apr 24 2008
How To Eat Well At 30,000 Feet
Airline food is disappearing as quickly as the cheap ticket. If you find it, and can stand the taste, you’ll be eating food high in fat, salt, and sugar. Airline food is hard to digest due to the effect of low air pressure on your gut. Studies show that people feel better when they eat the opposite, with more carbohydrates and less fat.
To have tasty and nutritious food on board, and be the envy of your fellow passengers, you need to bring your own. With advance planning, you can eat like a King or Queen on the plane. Another advantage is that food is served on your schedule.
Here are four time saving tips to make it easier.
1. Choose your food: Casseroles, salads and sandwiches work best.
Another option is to freeze your favorite leftovers in the week before travel. Most any food that tastes good cold will do, and that way there is virtually no extra work. I also choose snacks I like to eat onboard, like protein bars, raisins, pretzels, and nuts.
2. Pick your food containers: I use inexpensive ones made of recyclable plastic.
Once the food is in containers, I’ll keep it in the freezer until defrosting prior to departure.
3. Get ready the night before to avoid last minute stress.
I make sandwiches and bring the casseroles from freezer to refrigerator to thaw. If the casserole I’m bringing is very perishable (which I don’t recommend), I only partially thaw it before packing. It can then finish thawing as I travel.
Each container (plus plastic cutlery and paper towels) goes in a plastic gallon bag to avoid leaks in my carry-on. Salad dressing (if not a one serving package) goes into a small container which I put inside the one quart TSA “liquids” bag. I put all the food and snacks into a reusable zippered insulated bag then stuff that into my carry-on.
If I’m not starting from home, or something goes terribly awry, I’ll stop at a grocery store and hit the salad and deli/sandwich bar. But from that point, I package it just the same as if I made it.
Do you have any favorite airline food tips? Be sure to post them here.
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