Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said he'd like airlines to start serving something other than pretzels and buttery cookies.
“I would love some better snacks,” Duffy told the conservative news site Blaze Media on Tuesday. “I would love a little healthier snack on the airplane.”
MORE: More women are using weight-loss drugs after giving birth, study says
Most airlines no longer serve free meals, but they do still hand out snack food and juice, soda and coffee to passengers. American Airlines, the biggest airline operating out of Philadelphia International Airport, gives people a choice between small bags of pretzels and packages of Biscoff cookies — or both.
Pretzels may be convenient, but they are generally low in nutrients, high in sodium and are made with refined carbs that leave people unsated and ready to snack again soon.
Biscoff cookies are high in added sugars and saturated fat – although they do not contain trans fats and have lower calorie and saturated fat contents compared with Oreos and Chips Ahoy! cookies.
Duffy made his complaint as a passing comment, not as part of an official policy change, according to the New York Times. But his remarks spark the question: How can people eat healthier when flying?
Here are some tips:
Go nuts
Many airlines no longer serve peanuts or peanut products due to allergies, but some carriers still offer other types of nuts. While salted varieties present sodium concerns for people with high blood pressure and other medical issues, nuts are high in protein. If available and allergies are not a concern, choose the nuts.
Drink up
Due to low humidity levels in airline cabins, people are at risk of getting dehydrated during flights, so drinking lots of water before, during and after flying is key, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Hydrating well can also help mitigate jet lag and fatigue. The general rule of thumb is 8 ounces of water for every hour of flight, according to AARP.
Stay away from alcoholic and caffeinated drinks because they can disrupt sleep, which may already be hard to come by on flights. Also, caffeine is a stimulant, so anxious travelers should avoid it, Condé Nast Traveler advises.
Carbonated drinks may also cause burping and flatulence, unpleasant for the consumer and fellow travelers, AARP warns.
BYO
The best and least expensive bet for eating healthy in the airport and on the plane is to bring your own food.
Registered dietitian Andy De Santis recently told the Healthy that he packs chicken sandwiches on whole-grain bread — a fiber-protein combo — when he flies.
Other high-protein foods, such as greek yogurt, flaxseed crackers and seeds, are also handy and healthy.
Health editor Ally Head recently shared her home-packed travel snack selections with Marie Claire: a Tupperware container full of carrot, celery and other vegetable sticks, olives, cheese cubes, a spinach side salad and whole-grain carbs, such as pumpernickel bread.
Condé Nast Traveler offers these tips for how to pack food for the plane:
• Airlines generally allow people to bring solid food, such as snacks, dried fruit and sandwiches, in their carry-on luggage.
• Don't bring ice packs or frozen food.
• Avoid wrapping food in aluminum foil because it can set off security alarms.
• Liquids of 3.4-ounces or less are allowed through security.
• Otherwise, pack an empty water bottle to drink from while waiting at the gate and to fill before a flight.