INTRODUCTION
Whether for business or leisure, travelling by plane is usually fun and a comfortable way to get to your next destination. Finding healthy foods at the airport is often a challenge if you like to eat well and stick to your plans.
Nowadays, more and more people are aware of the demand for healthy options, but still, airports aren’t typically places to find refined dining spots. After passing through security, fast food restaurants, coffee shops, and convenience stores continue to make up most food providers. It is tempting to grab sugary snacks and unhealthy bites, even for the shortest flight, as if we will not survive without having something to eat.
We have listed a few tips to help you stick to your health plan while waiting at the airport.
- SHOP BEFORE GETTING TO THE AIRPORT;
If you are not running late and you’re not on a last-minute deal, you should have time to plan and prepare before heading to the airport. Shopping at your local grocery store instead of the airport outlets will save you a lot of money because airport outlets are always more expensive. Preparing your own food will result in more satisfying and flavorsome dishes, compared to the tasteless snacks that are available while waiting for your flight. Keep your prepped food in your carry-on or in a small cooler box for longer flights, but also keep in mind to take only the allowed volumes when it comes to liquid-like foods such as dressings, dips, and sauces.
- KEEP IT TRAVEL-FRIENDLY;
Travelling usually means you do not want to add much extra luggage to the load you already carry. Your choice of healthy foods should be travel-friendly. Nutritious snacks do not have to be bulky, but they can still be diverse and well balanced. There are some healthy meal prep containers on the market, and Ziploc bags are also a good option to pack your prepared meals.
- ORDER FOOD WISELY;
There are always restaurants if you do not have time to prepare food but choose them well and order food wisely! Try to avoid fast food chains and aim for healthy options. Avoid fried foods and opt for lots of fibre, proteins, healthy carbs, and healthy fats instead. If food is prepacked, check that there is only one serving, as most of them have multiple servings in one pack.
- TAKE YOUR TIME;
Nowadays, we need to be well ahead of take-off time at the airport. Once through security, there is still plenty of time before boarding a flight, which means you can take your time relaxing and eating your food slowly, whether in a restaurant or making your own snacks. Just like at home, the feeling of being full comes about 15 minutes after you finish your meal. Eating slowly, especially when you have time, is an effective way to exercise to learn how to eat less. If you happen to be in a rush, just bring the food on the plane and enjoy it during the flight.
- DO NOT FORGET TO DRINK;
Having a water bottle at hand is great in many ways. Most airports let you fill it for free, and it is eco-friendly compared to buying the plastic ones. Water is not only good against unhealthy cravings, but it will also avoid dehydration while being at high altitudes. Drinking water before and during flights will give you more energy and make you feel less hungry, a win-win.
- TAKE HEALTHY FOODS WHEN TRAVELLING;
You can be creative in many ways, but since we have a passion for cooking, we’d like to share a few easy recipes to inspire you for your next take-away travel snacks.
- Hummus is a healthy snack with plenty of protein and fibre. Add red peppers to a basic recipe to avoid it being bland and add some “kick” with cayenne pepper. Cut some vegetable sticks with it and you are good to go!
- There is nothing easier than making a pasta salad! Add some tomatoes and olives to keep it vegetarian, but chicken can also be added to make it a full meal.
- Fresh spring rolls can surely be ordered from any takeaway shop, but why should you spend a fortune if you can make them yourself?
- You can always pimp a fruit salad with some minted goat cheese. It’s not only delicious, but also recommended in certain diets because of the good fatty acids it contains.
- Nuts and dried fruits in moderation are always an excellent choice, and these are easy to carry along.
This is a guest post from long-term expat chefs Yannick and Ilse, who just launched Culinary Ambition to share their passion for food and travel. They recently joined our community and will share a monthly column “Healthy Treats” on how entrepreneurs can live a healthy lifestyle.
Want to share something unique with our audience as well? Send an email to nichole@getfundedafrica.com and ugochi@getfundedafrica.com
