Why healthy snacks should be on your next flight

The holiday season is just around the corner. After a fairly irregular year, the majority of Americans will be boarding a flight in the coming month. Aside from the usual fear that air travel creates, the pandemic has made things worse, increasing waiting times, flight delays and passenger stress.

One thing that we are (somehow) under our control is the meals we feed our bodies. These should be an important part of our travel plans, reduce our stress levels and allow us to cope with flight inconvenience with a better attitude.

Photo by Karolina Grabowska via Kaboompics

The Huffington Post spoke to various health professionals about their opinions on meals and nutrition while traveling by air. While their advice varies, most agree on a few things: eating out during stressful times is important to keep the mood, and food bought at airports is bad and expensive. Here’s what they recommend.

Eat at home

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Eating at home before a flight solves a myriad of problems and allows you to eat something that you enjoy, that feels light on the stomach, and that isn’t insanely expensive. The problem with this is that time is usually short when we have a flight ahead of us. If you fly early in the morning, it is even more difficult to make time for meals.

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According to Jonathan Valdez, owner of Genki Nutrition, it’s best to eat an hour before departure if you can’t eat at home. “This can give your body some time to digest your food and use the toilet appropriately before getting in,” he said.

Prepare snacks

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Another aspect that can help you stay energized is to prepare snacks in advance. While eating on airplanes is a pain in the ass these days and you have to put your face mask on and off, packing snacks like fruits or nuts will clear up clutter and provide your body with the necessary nutrients it needs.

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If you want to avoid changing masks, before boarding the plane you should have a good meal made up of proteins like chicken or yogurt and digestible fruits like oranges or bananas. When it comes to water, there are no limits. Remember to stay hydrated and drink plenty of water before and during the flight.