Food for Travel
why I don’t eat plane food!
I love to travel and enjoy food from different countries. But getting access to fresh, organic, clean food while en route is next to impossible. Most airports are filled with fast food , baked sweets and packaged food options. Airplane food is no better.
Why I Bring My Own Food
The meals served on planes are outsourced to huge catering companies who prep the food in huge vats in a giant warehouse near the airport. They are then portioned out and frozen. The frozen meals, which can actually be legally kept chilled for up to five days, are then rolled onto the plane and heated up by the cabin crew. So the meals you’re eating on a plane probably weren’t made close in time to when you consume.
Airline food tends to be high in sugar, salt, preservatives and transfats. The reason behind this is that at altitude, cabin humidity drops by 15% which affects the connection between taste and smell and our brain. It’s estimated that these senses are reduced by 20-50%, very much like having a bad cold. Airline food also has to meet health standards in respect to preservation of the food in high temperatures and low temperatures. This is another reason why preservatives are necessary.
What I Bring and How I Pack it
Depending on the length of the flight, I like to be prepared with breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack options. I always cook as close to the flight as possible so that my food is fresh. If i’m on a long international flight, I cook and freeze my dinner the night before, and let it thaw by dinner time on the flight. If i’m on a short flight, I microwave the meal before I leave to the airport so that it’s still warm by the time i’m ready to eat it. I use disposable tupperware and ziplock freezer bags and carry everything in my carry on. You’d be surprised how compact everything can be if organized properly. For breakfast I like to bring hared boiled eggs or egg muffins. For snacks, I like to bring peanut butter packets, nuts, berries, and some low carb cookies or muffins so that I don’t feel like I’m missing out when everyone gets there dessert on the plane.
Yes, this all takes preparation, but it’s so worth it. Who wants to get off the plane all bloated from the sodium and preservatives they’ve been eating?
Here’s what I brought with me on my current flight to Barcelona!
1) Breakfast: egg squares (https://www.instagram.com/p/BuH7EnoH7Dq/ ) + Coconut Chia Seed Pudding (recipe in my ebook) with low carb granola ( https://www.liketoknow.it/ltk/6vqrcjeyAenut8jBaU7WOS )
2) Lunch + Dinner: grass-fed beef meatballs with zoodles (recipe in my ebook)
3) Snacks: roasted seaweed, macadamia nuts and pecans, almond butter, berries, low carb cookies (https://www.liketoknow.it/ltk/rXRjqoik8kNqlgftkBZMS)