We’re just going to say it: airplane food sucks. Other than the fact that the meals are frozen days in advance and are heated on-flight, airplane food is high in sugar, salt, preservatives and transfats. As such, we always recommend that you pack your own food for a long flight. Below are our top 5 tips for packing your food on a flight:
- Avoid food that might get soggy: use thick bread and non-liquid spreads to avoid your sandwiches getting soggy on the flight. Avoid olive oil and salad dressings, and substitute them with thick like spreads such as peanut butter, and hummus.
- Pack crunchy items, not crumbly items: Carrots, celery, and cereal are some items that don’t crumble up easily. Crackers on the other hand can be quite messy. Pack items that don’t cause a trail of crumbs around your seat and on the floor.
- Avoid food that might be easily smashed: Bananas, avocados, or plums might not be in the same state you packed them in when you decide to eat them. Easily smashed items are bound to make a mess.
- Wrap it in plastic, not foil: place your items in ziplock bags or some cling film, versus foil. Foil will not go through the x-ray machines and you’ll get held up at security.
- Spread it before you pack it: Make sure to prepare your sandwiches prior to your flight, especially if any of your spreads might be qualified as liquid. If you’re packing a salad, make sure to place the dressing on before your fly, or else you’ll have to add it to your liquid allowance.