Flight Advice-Meal Choices

Airline food doesn't usually make you think of gourmet dining, but many of today's leading airlines are showing some creativity with their meal choices and selections. Although flight ticket prices have steadily increased in most cases, you can enjoy the fact that some of the funds are going towards better meals and snacks. You can now find some tasty snacks and packed lunches on many carriers.

Quick service meals have slowly improved over the past five years, with many airlines offering gourmet, chef-prepared cuisine. Your basic chicken and mashed potatoes have been replaced with dishes such as Chicken Provencal. Traveling first class? You can look forward to cheese and cracker plates, decadent desserts, and fine cocktails and premium wines. Singapore Airlines makes use of a ‘Book the Cook' program, with gourmet plates including Lobster Thermidor, Roasted seabass, and Braised short ribs. Air Canada offers fast food menu items from Harvey's and Swiss Chalet. These are great opportunities to try something new, but you might need some basic sustenance to get you through that flight ahead.

When traveling for long periods of time, it's best to stay well hydrated and eat light-you never know when you'll hit a patch of turbulence, and the last thing you need is a case of an upset stomach! Here are some tips on what to eat on your next flight:

• Pick light, easily digestible meals. Hold on the steak or chicken dinners until you're on ground, since these can be hard to digest when you're sitting on a long flight and can lead to an upset stomach fairly quickly
• Drink plenty of water and juice. Limit high sugar, caffeinated, and alcoholic drinks while flying. You're likely to get nauseous at least twice as fast if it's in your system during an unsteady flight
• Don't eat anything right before boarding. Although it might seem like a good idea to fill up at the airport restaurant, choose a light snack instead.
• Eat a good breakfast. A hot breakfast of oatmeal, yogurt, fruit, and a small pastry are sure to keep you satisfied for at least 3-4 hours. Plan on eating small snacks the rest of the day, and you're sure to make it to your destination without hunger pangs.
• Drink some hot chocolate (instead of that glass of wine) to help you relax and reduce tension
• Pick a low sodium option if you tend to retain water easily; this can happen more frequently when you're flying, and you can avoid that bloated feeling when you don't take in excess salt/sodium
• Avoid high-fat meals. Along with protein-heavy combinations, these can make you very drowsy and tired. If you've got a long flight ahead of you, you'll want some healthy complex carbohydrates to sustain your energy

Enjoy your next flight and arrive at your destination with ease! Eating right while you're on your trip can help keep your energy levels in check. Eating well also means you'll be far less likely to deal with air sickness or indigestion while on board!