How to be calorie-wise with Airport / Airplane Food:
1. Remember to fill upon water, coffee, tea, and other calorie-free beverages. The air on planes is extremely dry and dehydrating, and you may think that you're hungry when what you need most is something to drink.
2. Pack your meal carefully if you're bringing food from home. Many a traveler has been forced to give up yogurt, salad dressing, even peanut butter and other semisoft or liquid foods to the security screeners.
3. Put in extra effort to choose foods with fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as whole grains. They can be harder to find and harder to eat enough of—4¼ cups of fruits and veggies and at least three daily servings of whole grain foods—when you're traveling.
4. Pack your own snacks in right-size portions, and tuck them into your carry-on. Airport mini-marts like Cibo Express offer a lot of options that are the right size and calories for one person.
5. Avoid buying salty snacks like chips that are sold on the plane, unless you're traveling with a friend. The package is too big for just one person, and it's easy to keep on eating.
Changes in airport and airline security dealt a double whammy to travelers—no more free meals on most flights and much more time to kill in the airport terminal. So use the extra time to your advantage, and pick up food for the plane after you've cleared security. You might even want to burn off a few calories by walking from one end of the terminal to the other to check out your dining options before you buy. Depending on how long you're in the air, you may need to plan ahead for two meals rather than just one.
Sandwiches And Salads:
QUIZNOS TURKEY CLUB SUB WITH CHEESE AND DRESSING
1 sandwich: 815 calories
½ sandwich: 410 calories
¼ sandwich: 205 calories
CIBO EXPRESS HARVEST GRILLED VEGGIE WRAP
1 wrap: 410 calories
1 wrap: 410 calories
½ wrap: 205 calories
MCDONALD'S HONEY MUSTARD SNACK WRAP
1 wrap with crispy chicken: 330 calories
1½ wraps with grilled chicken: 390 calories
1 wrap with grilled chicken: 260 calories
COBB SALAD WITH LIGHT RANCH DRESSING
1 salad + 4 Tbsp light ranch dressing: 270 calories
1½ salads + 6 Tbsp light ranch dressing: 400 calories
1 salad + 4 Tbsp light ranch dressing: 270 calories
UNO'S CHICKEN CAESAR SALAD
1 salad + 4 Tbsp Caesar dressing: 870 calories
½ salad + 2 Tbsp Caesar dressing: 435 calories
½ salad + 2 Tbsp fat-free vinaigrette: 305 calories
QUIZNOS RASPBERRY CHIPOTLE CHICKEN SALAD SERVED WITH FLATBREAD (7″): 1 salad + 3 Tbsp cheese + 4 Tbsp raspberry chipotle dressing + flatbread: 710 calories
1 salad + 1 Tbsp cheese + 1 Tbsp raspberry chipotle dressing + ¼ flatbread: 420 calories
½ salad + 1½ Tbsp cheese + 2 Tbsp raspberry chipotle dressing + ½ flatbread: 355 calories
Cobb Salad
Cobb salad with 4 Tbsp light ranch dressing: 270 + 1 glass wine
120 = 390 calories
- fruits/veggies
Flatbread Pizza
2 slices Uno's Roasted Eggplant, Spinach, and Feta Multigrain Thin Crust Pizza
280 + 3/4 cup iced cafe mocha, with fat-free milk: 130 = 410 calories
- protein
- fiber
PIZZAS
UNO'S ROASTED EGGPLANT, SPINACH, AND FETA MULTIGRAIN THIN CRUST PIZZA (10", CUT INTO
6 SLICES)
6 slices: 840 calories
3 slices: 420 calories
2 slices: 280 calories
CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN GOURMET CHEESE PIZZA ON A REGULAR CRUST (9″, CUT INTO 6 SLICES)
6 slices: 1,000 calories
2½ slices: 420 calories
2 slices: 330 calories
CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN GOURMET BUFFALO CHICKEN PIZZA ON A THIN CRUST (9",CUT INTO 6 SLICES)
6 slices: 1,070 calories
2 slices: 360 calories
2 slices: 360 calories
Save some calories for a milky coffee drink like a latte or cappuccino. They're great for satisfying hunger and supplying calcium to keep your bones healthy.
Airplane Food
The food served on domestic flights is unpredictable at best. Freebies, if any, on short flights are limited to a very small packet of peanuts or pretzels. You may be served a snack on longer flights, and all airlines offer food to purchase, although much of it is too high in calories for one person. Planning ahead and bringing food is often a better option to the types of choices listed here:
8 oz tomato juice 40 calories
½ oz packet of pretzels 45 calories
½ oz packet of peanuts 80 calories
8 oz orange juice 120 calories
Terra Blues Potato Chips (1 oz) 130 calories
Doritos Munchies Mix (1 oz) 140 calories
Small turkey sandwich with light mayo, baby carrots, fun-size candy 265 calories
Yogurt parfait 310 calories
Ham and cheese croissant with Dijon mayo 340 calories
Cheese and cracker snack tray with nuts, raisins 430 calories
Pringles (4 oz) 480 calories
Mini Oreos (3 3/4 oz bag) 530 calories
Snack box (combination of chips, nuts, cheese, sausage, dessert, and/or other items) 600-800 calories
SNACKS
MEDIUM BANANA (7½″): 1 banana: 110 calories
4 bananas: 440 calories
1 banana: 110 calories
FLAT PRETZEL CHIPS (6 OZ BAG)
66 chips (1 bag): 660 calories
40 chips (3/5 bag): 400 calories
11 chips (1/6 bag): 110 calories
RAISIN, NUT, AND YOGURT TRAIL MIX (8 OZ BAG)
1 bag: 1,000 calories
3/8 bag: 375 calories
1/8 bag: 125 calories
ROASTED CASHEWS (3.25 OZ BAG)
58 cashews (1 bag): 550 calories
44 cashews (3/4 bag): 420 calories
14 cashews (¼ bag): 140 calories
SNACK BOX WITH TRAIL MIX, GRANOLA BAR, APPLE SLICES, GRAPES
1 Tbsp trail mix + 1 granola bar + 2 apple slices + ¼ cup grapes
170 calories
2 1/3 boxes: 400 calories
1 box: 170 calories
BROWN RICE CRISPS (5 OZ BAG)
50 crisps (1 bag): 700 calories
25 crisps (½ bag): 350 calories
12 crisps (¼ bag): 175 calories
SNACK BOX WITH APPLE SLICES, GRAPES, PRETZELS, SWISS CHEESE
4 apple slices + ½ cup grapes + 5 pretzel twists + ½ oz Swiss cheese: 195 calories
2 boxes: 390 calories
1 box: 195 calories
HUMMUS CUP WITH PRETZEL CRISPS (3.5 OZ)
1 container
260 calories
1½ containers
390 calories
1 container
260 calories
Veggie Wrap
½ grilled veggie wrap: 205 + 1 medium banana: 110 + ½ oz packet of peanuts: 80 = 395 calories
- good fats
- fiber
- fruits/veggies
Frozen Yogurt and Snacks
1 small soft-serve frozen yogurt
240 + 1 snack box with trail mix, granola bar, apple slices, grapes
170 = 410 calories
- good fats
The fat, protein, and fiber combo in peanuts makes them extremely filling and perfect for a long foodless flight.
Desserts:
FRESH FRUIT CUP
1 cup: 100 calories
4 cups: 400 calories
1 cup: 100 calories
CHOCOLATE CHIP SCONE (4″): 1 scone: 480 calories
3/4 scone: 360 calories
½ scone: 240 calories
SOFT-SERVE FROZEN YOGURT
1 large: 370 calories
1 large: 370 calories
1 small: 240 calories
YOGURT PARFAIT WITH GRANOLA AND BLUEBERRIES (1 CUP)
1 parfait: 380 calories
1 parfait: 380 calories
1 parfait: 380 calories
Beverages:
WINE (5 OZ GLASS)
1 glass: 120 calories
3½ glasses: 420 calories
1 glass: 120 calories
ICED CAFE MOCHA (16 OZ GLASS)
1 glass, made with 2% milk: 200 calories
2 glasses, made with 2% milk: 400 calories
3/4 glass, made with fat-fee milk: 130 calories
Scone: ½ chocolate chip scone: 240 + 1 cup fresh fruit
100 + 4 oz orange juice
60 = 400 calories
- fruits/veggies
For better portion control, put sauce or dressing on your sandwich or salad in the terminal rather than during a cramped and bumpy ride.