If you’ve ever stepped foot inside an airport, you probably know that the food choices are not exactly healthy. Most of what you can find on the fly (pun definitely intended) is something like vending machine snacks, maybe a pre-made sandwich, and all the sodas you can possibly imagine. If you have the misfortune of traveling through a small airport, you can pretty much forget about finding a whole meal, let alone something healthy.
Even in a sea of unhealthy food options at airports, Sharita Jennings, founder of Get Fit Like That, is here to help. She’s put together this list of healthy, or at least kind of healthy food, that you can find at most airports when you’re starving and short on time.
When eating during long travel days, keep in mind that light meals are typically best, especially if you’ll be seated for multiple hours. In the air, your body shuts down the digestive process making your food sit in your stomach for hours, and resulting in discomfort and other digestive issues when you land.
Try to avoid big heavy meals full of starches, opting instead to snack on something small when you need to. If you don’t have time for a sit-down meal at the airport where you can get a good serving of protein and veggies, keep reading to find the healthiest food options in any airport.
1. Fresh Fruit or Fresh Anything
Just about every airport terminal has a cafe or newsstand with some apples or bananas available for you to indulge in. This is one of the simplest ways to stay healthy and curb your appetite on your travel days. If you have the choice between a pastry and fruit, go with the fruit!
The same goes for pretty much any fresh item you can find at the airport from a salad to a sandwich as it will have fewer artificial ingredients that might upset your stomach on a long flight.
2. Nuts and Seeds
Amidst all the sweets and bags of chips, most airport markets have bags of mixed nuts and/or seeds. This is a great option to curb your craving while you wait around and pack in some protein in the process. The only thing to watch out for when snacking on peanuts, almonds, and other varieties of nuts is the calories.
Typically, even a small snack bag contains more than 1 serving of calories and fat. So if you can find a small bag to go with that fruit, that’s a safe bet.
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3. Protein Snack Packs
Starbucks and some airport food stands usually have a refrigerated section with lunch boxes or snack packs full of boiled eggs, a salad, and/or a small sandwich. This might not be the best tasting option available, but it is a great option to have everything you need in a meal and keep you full for hours.
4. Oatmeal
You can usually find oatmeal packs at even the smallest of airports. Oatmeal is a simple and quick meal that can help keep you