Tips for Eating Healthy on the Plane

It can be really tricky to eat mindfully when you’re tens of thousands of feet in the air, but it is possible! Depending on which airline you take and where you’re going, you may actually have some healthy options! A recent survey compiled a list of which airlines have the healthiest food, and some of them seem pretty tasty. So if you’re considering taking a flight somewhere, see if you can get on board with these airlines and their scrumptious menus. And if you can’t, never fear--you can always pack your own!

The survey was conducted by Charles Platkin, a nutrition professor at Hunter College and City University of New York. Platkin investigated 12 of the major airlines in the U.S. with 10 criteria in mind, like whether the airline offers low-calorie meals or items that are actually nutritionally redemptive. He looked primarily at meals available for domestic economy-class passengers.

So which airlines came out on top with the healthiest in-flight options? Virgin America claims the top spot on the list, as they were the first airline to offer nutritional information about the food they serve. Virgin America’s meals are also all low-calorie: the average calorie count for a meal is a happy 408, and many options are also high in protein.

Just behind Virgin America is Delta Airlines, which has really turned its food game around recently. Delta also provides nutritional information for some of its choices (though not all), with plans to expand the release of that information next year. Some of its food options are made by Luvo, a company that makes healthy frozen meals.

The following three places are assumed by Jet Blue, Air Canada, and United Airlines. However, the two losers in the health category don’t offer anything Platkin would even recommend eating: neither Hawaiian Airlines or Frontier Airlines offer nutritional info or anything good to eat at all. "The worst offender [on Hawaiian] is the Island Princess Mele Macs, which are candied macadamia nuts that contain a staggering 1,120 calories," says CNN.

Happily, you’re not out of luck if you’re flying on one of the airlines whose food isn’t as good. Platkin expects that airline food will continue to change and improve as companies seek to respond to consumer interest--and demand--for healthier food choices. Until then, you can always pack plenty of healthy snacks for the flight, like fruit and nuts, sandwiches, or crispy veggies with a nice dressing!

Do you have a favorite in-flight snack? I’d love to hear all about it in the comments below!

4 Healthy Travel Snacks

A no-frills latte and a banana is a good travel snack.
Image: Shutterstock

When I was in college, I often used to drive home for the weekend or for a holiday. It wasn’t a short drive—five and a half hours or so—and no matter what, I’d always end up getting hungry sometime during the trip. There’s nothing worse than stopping at a gas station when you’re starving—and trying to find something to snack on that will fill you up and won’t make you feel sick.

Now that I’m a little further from home, I usually take those trips on a plane—but even though the flight time isn’t very long, all that waiting around at the airport has a way of making me hungry.

The fast food, Cinnabon shops, sweet espresso drinks, and pastries are the most tempting options when I’m looking for a snack. But (sigh) time has taught me that those things a) will give me a tummy ache and b) will fill me up for about thirty minutes until the sugar burns out. Luckily, though, I’ve also learned over time that there are several easy and healthy snacks that make great roadtrip and airport food. Next time you’ve got the travel munchies, snack on one of these:

Greek yogurt and a banana 

Don’t hesitate to get full-fat Greek yogurt—it’ll actually help keep you filled up longer. Just watch out for the amount of sugar in it. I recommend getting plain yogurt and adding a banana, as the banana will both sweeten the yogurt and will give you a helpful boost in potassium and other vitamins. You can usually find both items in convenience stores and airport kiosks.

Try a KIND bar to tide you over.

KIND bars (or other healthy snack bars)

Filled to the brim with nuts, grains, and bits of sweetness (chocolate, coconut, and more), this is a granola bar with some major POWER! Plus, it’s easy to pack ahead of time and stow in a carry-on bag or in your car’s center console.

Chocolate milk

Delicious and nutritious (but it doesn’t taste like chicken)! Snag a carton or bottle of chocolate milk to load up on calcium and protein. It’ll give you a good boost in energy but isn’t pure sugar—so you won’t just crash half an hour later.

Latte and a banana

Coffee contains caffeine, which is very effective at tiding you over until real food. Skip the sugary syrup and get a plain latte (12 oz), pairing it with a banana or other fruit.

What do you like to snack on when traveling? The holidays are approaching, and I’d love to hear some more ideas for how to keep energy up during long trips!

Chew On This: Post-Workout Eats

Not only is chocolate milk delicious,
it's also a great post-workout snack!
Image: Shutterstock

We’ve all been there: You’ve just completed an awesome (or grueling) workout. You may be feeling great, but chances are that you’re also feeling completely drained. There’s a reason for that—when we exercise, we exert insane amounts of energy, AKA calories. Workouts drain our bodies of energy, and it’s essential that you help your body recover afterwards. That means eating (or drinking) something that will give you back some of those calories and protein.

But you probably shouldn’t just go eat a doughnut, though it might be tempting. For those of us who have made that mistake, eating heavy or carb-heavy foods post workout can leave you feeling, well, not so great. To feel re-fueled, aim for up to 45 g of carbs and between 6-15 g of protein to help your body build up muscle.

So what foods would those be? Here are some suggestions for ideal noms after you’ve completed your workout:

1. Dates with peanut butter



Mix it up with some pistachios and raisins.
Image: Shutterstock

2. Deviled eggs with hummus & yolk filling and chives on top
3. Pistachios and raisins
4. Protein powder juice
5. Chocolate or Soy milk
6. Banana with nut butter
7. Chickpeas with lemon juice
8. Green smoothie
9. Pear and peanut/sunflower butter
10. Apple and string cheese
11. Avocado and lemon
12.  Sweet potato with black beans, greek yogurt, or salsa

My personal favorite after a workout is chocolate milk or a Naked juice (they sell mini-bottles of them at Costco now!). Both of these are easy on my stomach after a tough workout, and within just a few minutes of drinking them I can feel my body recovering. Instead of feeling drained and exhausted the rest of the day, instead I feel energized and strong.

What are your favorite post-workout eats? I’d love to hear some more suggestions!