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Ever get really excited for your in-flight meal? Do you anticipate with childlike wonder what gourmet cuisine you’ll find beneath the foil wrapped tray? Yeah, me neither. I’m past the point of hoping that the meal will be edible enough to sustain me on a long flight. Instead, I now pack my own healthy plane snacks – a much more delicious and nutritious alternative. And cheaper than buying airport food – at least in Vancouver.
Why bring your own healthy plane snacks?
Unless you’re on a superior airline, or seated in First Class or Business Class, it’s a safe assumption that your in-flight meal will be less than desirable. That’s if you even get a meal – many airlines don’t offer an in-flight meal if you’re in Economy. So how can you make sure you don’t go hungry your next big travel adventure?
While you can pay for a snack if you want them, it’s better to bring your own. Firstly, it’s much cheaper than buying something in the terminal, or worse, on the plane itself. Secondly, bringing your own healthy plane snacks is way better for you – and a heck of a lot tastier.
In-flight meals are loaded with salt which dehydrates you while simultaneously making you more bloated when you can’t easily move around. We’ve all been through that uncomfortable feeling on a plane, or gotten a headache you can’t get rid of (that’ll be the dehydration). Healthy plan snacks are a way to combat both of these issues.
Important things to note about bringing food on a plane
There are a few considerations to think about when bringing your own food from home for a flight. Some are practical, some around restrictions and some are around your fellow passengers.
Can you get it through security? No liquids over 100ml means you can wave goodbye to your soup, smoothie, pudding and basically anything “spreadable”. It’ll be fine on a sandwich but you can’t bring a jar of Nutella or jam with you.
Is it allowed in the country you’re visiting? In case you have leftovers it’s worth noting restrictions around meat, dairy, fresh fruits and vegetables and even honey products at your destination. You may have to be willing to throw something away should it not be allowed.
Will it affect someone with allergies? Just because you can bring it, doesn’t mean you should. It’s probably best to forego peanut-based snacks to avoid causing unnecessary discomfort to a fellow passenger.
Will it stink up the entire plane? For the sake of everyone on the plane, don’t pack overly smelly foods. Maybe leave the tuna sandwiches at home, as well as anything else that could be an assault to the senses of those around you.
Do you need cutlery to eat it? Since you can’t bring a knife on a plane think about how you will eat your food. I never travel without my plane approved travel cutlery (also great for camping), but anything you can eat with your hands or a spoon/fork is best.
How will you pack your food? Reusable seal bags or compressible containers are easier to store once you’ve finished your food – and great for keeping snacks in on your trip. They don’t take up much room in your hand luggage so are great to use.
How will I keep my food chilled? Since you can’t bring an ice pack you might have to rely on an insulated lunch bag to help. Remember to store food in the fridge until you leave. Top Tip: Some cold gel packs fall under the 100ml liquid limit. So if they’re small enough you can take them through security.
Bringing your own food on a plane is not like sneaking snacks into the movies – yes, we’ve all done it. If you’ve done your checks around legal restrictions you’ll be able to take something to eat with you.
Healthy plane snacks for your next trip
The dos and don’ts have been covered, now for the fun part – talking about food. You can have some really good healthy plane snacks with just a little bit of effort and creativity. Here are some I recommend.
Veggies and dip
Choose vegetables with a high water content like celery, cucumber and cherry tomatoes. Mix with some nutrient-rich vegetables like broccoli, carrots and green peas. Pair with some hummus or tzatziki dip (just keep it under 100ml).
Make your own charcuterie plate
Bring your favorite cured meats and individually portioned cheeses. Pair with some bread or crackers, maybe a few grapes and you’ve got yourself a party.
Pre-slice your cheese to make things easier and pack a trial-size jar of fig jam or grainy mustard to add to the flavors.
Homemade granola bars
Use up any dried fruit, nuts and other items in your pantry to make quick and easy healthy plane snacks like these granola bars.
I adapted the recipe a bit to suit what I had in the cupboard. Adding in some dried currants, shredded coconut and even added a little maple syrup in place of some of the honey gave some extra flavor. They’re easily packable and will last for a few days.
Dried fruits
Get some of your five-a-day without worrying about your fruit getting bruised (or confiscated). Dried apricots or dates will even go great with your charcuterie plate.
Little boxes of raisins are super packable, or why not get some dried apple slices, mango or pineapple to really turn things up a notch.
Sandwiches
A cheaper and better alternative than a Subway sandwich from the terminal, make your own at home. You can opt for healthy toppings, and fresh ingredients.
Choose low sodium condiments that won’t do you any favors – and maybe keep away from the mayo or items that will soak into bread. No-one wants a soggy sandwich three hours into a flight – if you did, you’d take the airline’s offering.
Trail mix
Mix some of your favorite nuts (maybe leaving out the peanuts for those around you who might have allergies), with dried fruits and chocolate chips to make an easy on-the-go snack. You can add a few M&Ms or some popcorn for something a little different.
Not a nut fan? I love a good Chex mix. This is my go-to recipe right now – maybe just lower the salt content for your in-flight snack.
Top Snack Travel Tip: I like to leave out the nuts and add in some Honey Nut Chex instead. The sweet/savory mix is so good!
Coconut chips
Ditch the salty potato chips and instead choose much more healthy plane snacks like coconut chips. These lower carb chips will make you less bloated and dehydrated than regular potato chips.
They’re really tasty and sometimes even come in various flavors. I take them hiking with me, but they’re also great on a plane.
Popcorn
Lower in calories than potato chips, and more filling too. Make some popcorn at home before you leave, adding your favorite flavors or just eat it plain.
Remember to keep salt content low to avoid dehydration and jetlag. Make a fancy popcorn flavor using some truffle oil, parmesan or dust in a little cinnamon or cocoa powder.
Fresh fruit
Bring your own fruit salad for a delicious healthy plane snack. High water content fruits like watermelon, apple slices and grapes will keep you hydrated. Blueberries are a great superfood filled with antioxidants plus a delicious treat. And for a great source of magnesium, pack a banana – use a plastic banana holder so it doesn’t get squashed.
Kiwi fruit and sour cherries are really good at combatting jetlag – their high levels of melatonin (and serotonin that converts to melatonin) help induce and regulate your sleep quicker.
Salad
Fresh veggies are way better than over-processed foods you usually eat on an airplane. Instead of a salad of greens (which may wilt), go with couscous, quinoa or some other grain.
Mix with some chickpeas, crunchy vegetables, maybe a little feta cheese, then pre-dress the salad to avoid any additional liquids.
Home-made pasta or rice bowl
Pre-make some fresh pasta or rice at home before you travel and bring it with you. Add your favorite vegetables and a light dressing/sauce that still works with the liquid guidelines.
My go to? Add broccoli, peppers and onions to pasta and dress in a lemon pesto mix which isn’t at all liquid-y. It’s just as delicious cold, but if you prefer it hot, bring an insulated travel container to keep it warm.
Dehydrated soup
I discovered dehydrated soup when looking for camping meals. Bulk Barn or your nearest whole food store will likely have some good ones (I like a hearty corn chowder).
When you get on the flight just ask for some hot water and voila – delicious healthy plane meal. Bring some crusty bread or saltine crackers to make it a meal.
Top Travel Tip: Some water filling stations or food kiosks in the airport may also have hot water if you don’t want to bug your flight attendant.
Muffin/banana bread
Traveling with the family? Make your healthy plane snacks in bulk using some of your fresh fruit at home if you won’t eat it before you leave.
Some overly ripe bananas will make a great banana bread – add a few dark chocolate chips for something even more yummy. Or how about a batch of blueberry muffins?
Making your own is much cheaper than paying $4-6 per item at Starbucks in the airport. Plus any leftovers make great day trip snacks for your first couple days of vacation.
Green smoothie shots
Get all your daily veggies in one quick shot. They’re easily packable and can be made to be under 100ml so they’re allowed through security.
Wellness shots can often be found in your local supermarket, as well as through online retailers. Veggies, ginger or turmeric make a good base for these shots – make some at home before you leave.
Veggie sushi
Eliminate concern about well traveled meats, and stick to some crisp, fresh vegetables wrapped in seaweed or rice paper. You can add any vegetable – or fruit – you like, and can even bring a small amount of dip or a packet of soy sauce to dip them into.
Quick to make, no cooking time, healthy plane snacks that are easy to pack in a little Tupperware box.
Bonus Travel Tip: Drink plenty of water
Stay away from the carbonated drinks while flying. Drinking soda will just fill you up and make you all gassy. The high altitude only makes this worse because of the cabin pressure. It’s much better to stick to water.
With most airports now equipped with water filling stations you don’t have an excuse anymore. Bring your reusable water bottle to fill up – it’s free and you’ll feel better in the long run. Read more tips for staying healthy while traveling here.
Opt for healthy plane snacks instead
There’s nothing like getting to your destination feeling full, bloated and just not great after munching through bags of chips and other carb/sugar loaded snacks on a plane. As someone who now lives in Canada but regularly travels to the UK to visit my family, I’m used to the long haul flights.
On your next travel adventure, pack some of these healthy plane snacks and see if it makes a difference for you.
I know for me it has, and being comfortable both on and after a flight is more important than being able to grab a quick and convenient snack just before boarding. Not to mention how cheaper it is, and we all love some good travel saving tips.
If the airline isn’t going to look out for your health, make sure you do. And trust me when I say these snacks are way more tasty than anything you can get in a foil-wrapped plastic tray.
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