7 Airport Foods Nutritionists Recommend

Airport terminals are like a giant impulse aisle, full of temptations you may usually resist. That can lead to regrets later in the day: Opting for unhealthy snacks can result in gastrointestinal upset or feeling hangry, points out Ginger Hultin, RDN, owner of Champagne Nutrition. Fortunately, there are plenty of good-for-you airport foods available these days. We spoke to nutrition experts to find out which foods they eat before a flight.

1. Snacks from home

“Even if I can’t pack a whole meal, I like to at least bring some snacks to tide me over. These often include snap peas (fresh and crunchy), mandarins (easy to peel and hydrating), raw nuts (good protein and healthy fats) or homemade trail mix with whole-grain popcorn, raw almonds and no-sugar-added dried fruit,” says Autumn Ehsaei, RDN.

2. Fruit and vegetables

Even at a small terminal, you’re likely to spot a mound of apples or a basket of bananas beside a cash register somewhere. “I always try to seek out fresh fruits or vegetables at the airport because it gives me a little boost of fiber, water content and helps me feel energized, not weighed down, before I board,” says Ehsaei.

3. Yogurt

“If I don’t have time for breakfast before the airport or if it is just too early I will grab a plain Greek yogurt from [an airport market] and have it with a banana. Ideally the yogurt will be full-fat for satiety and metabolism, but if nonfat is my only option, I will grab a small bag of raw nuts or a nut butter packet for some healthy fat,” says Sydney Greene, RD, at Greene Health.

4. Smoothies

If you’re both hungry and thirsty, opt for a smoothie, suggests Claire Martin, RD, co-founder of Being Healthfull. It’ll satisfy both needs without too many calories, and they’re usually easy enough to find at airports.

5. Nuts and seeds

Readily available in preportioned bags, nuts and seeds provide protein, healthy fat and fiber, making them a great option for airport eating—with a few caveats.

“Just be aware, if you are watching your sodium intake, to try unsalted,” says Amanda Markie, RDN, an outpatient dietitian at the University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center.

6. Salad

On the more meal-like side of the spectrum, salads are a strong contender for the healthiest airport option. Stop somewhere you can craft your own salad, if available. That can help you avoid the unexpected calories of prepackaged or restaurant salads drenched in creamy dressing or loaded with crunchy noodles, says Susan Weiner, RDN, owner of Susan Weiner Nutrition.

7. Water

Yes, we know — water isn’t a food. But every nutritionist we spoke to recommended guzzling it, since flying is dehydrating. “Start your day with a bunch of water, buy a water bottle (or bring a reusable one) once through security to fill up at fountains, and try to stick with water while on the plane,” says Ehsaei.

Health delivers relevant information in clear, jargon-free language that puts health into context in peoples’ lives. Online at www.health.com.

©2024 Dotdash Meredith. All rights reserved. Used with permission. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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