Some years ago, a Women’s Travel Group member ordered a vegetarian meal for her flight. Here is what she got: a snickers bar and an apple! Well the trip was to our favorite spa, Ixtapan Spa, and she joked the entire time about ‘selling her snickers’ bar to us dieters’. Joking aside, how to make the most of lousy airline food is not impossible.
Lets start with what NOT to eat. Airplanes make you gassy so avoid any foods like broccoli,onions,beans, carbonated drinks that already do that effectively. Avoid them for 24 hours ahead of traveling. Never carry on messy or easily spilled foods since you will live with the stains your whole trip. Beware of your neighbors’ foods since we practically sit on top of each other on planes.
What to eat if you are served a meal: bread and butter, chicken cleaned of its sauce, cheese, meats again scrape off sauces, salad with no dressing. (Sauces on airplanes are loaded with salt and sugar). Try making yourself a little sandwich from the roll and meat and salad for a more satisfying and healthy meal. We like pieces of cheese because it is usually branded and you cannot add salt/sugar. If you are not hungry, keep the bread and crackers for later on.
Drink water and lots of it but again, don’t make yourself crazy since you can drink again when you land. Some women take their own bottles and ask for them to be filled so they don’t have to hike back to galleys for replacement. Yes a glass of wine will not kill you and might make you more relaxed…. And a small bottle of wine which you do not want on the plane, might come in handy in your hotel room, so don’t turn it back to staff–keep it for your private cocktail party.
Food on our trips is local, carefully chosen and we usually serve wine and water at gala meals. In India like our Colors of India Nov 11-22, we serve water on the bus also so no need to drag your own. On other trips, like Paris for the Holidays where bottled water is ‘done’ we supply it also. Ask when you book by emailing us at Phyllis@thewomenstravelgroup.com or Phyllisnycity@gmail.com Look over our trips on www.thewomenstravelgroup.com
