Days 24-25: Finding healthy food at the airport
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Finding healthy food at the airport is getting just as hard as trying to find roundtrip tickets for less than $300 these days. In just the past 3 years, I’ve become quite the avid traveler, which has led me to consume a few too many high calorie, high sodium, low nutrient meals in the hustled atmosphere of the nation’s airports. However, through my years of experience I have gotten quite good at sniffing out the healthy options when my layover is too long or my stomach starts to grumble. Even if you find yourself at a smaller airport and all they seem to have are McDonald’s or Burger King, don’t fret, you can find healthy options there too!
McDonald’s
This fast food favorite has gotten it’s fair share of backlash for offering only fatty, deep friend food. However, they have revamped their entire menu and have introduced a great variety of healthy foods, ranging from salads and snack wraps to grilled chicken sandwiches. That big yellow M never looked so healthy! Here are my top choices from there along with the nutritional breakdown, courtesy of McDonald’s USA. [All of the nutritional information for the salads does not contain salad dressing. Truthfully, they are so flavorful you don’t need it!]
Premium southwest grilled chicken salad 320 cal.
Premium bacon ranch salad with grilled chicken 260 cal.
Honey mustard grilled snack wrap 260 cal.
Chipotle barbq grilled snack wrap 260 cal.
4 piece chicken mcnuggets 190 cal.
Hamburger 250 cal.
Ranch snack wrap [grilled] 270 cal.
For a complete list of nutritional facts for McDonald’s, visit http://nutrition.mcdonalds.com/nutritionexchange/nutrition_exchanges.html
Starbucks
This favorite coffee shop is a staple at just about every major US airport. Even though coffee seems harmless and calorie free, some of their concoctions contain up to 1000 calories and 20 grams of fat, which many people do not account for in their daily calorie counts. So if you have an early flight and need an instant pick me up, steer clear of the frappachinos and super mocha lattes, as those are often breeding grounds for fat and calories. Here is what I usually get when I’m dying for some caffeine.
Brewed coffee 5 cal. 0 gm. fat
Nonfat caramel machiato 140 cal. 1 gm. fat
Nonfat coffee mocha 170 cal. 2 gm. fat
Skinny vanilla latte 90 cal. 0 gm. fat
Blueberry oat bar 250 cal. 10 gm. fat
Starbucks perfect oatmeal 140 cal. 1.5 gm. fat.
Egg white spinach and feta wrap 280 cal. 10 gm. fat
Cinnabon
I know what you’re thinking, there is no healthy options at this place! Which I can’t blame you, I’ve thought the same thing. How can a place that distributes cinnamon rolls oozing in icing actually serve something that is relatively healthy? Well, surprise! There are a few low-fat, low-calorie options hiding behind that tantalizing smell. If this is one of my only choices, here’s what I go for when I’m flying.
Cinnabon cinnamon bread 120 cal. 3 gm. fat
Strawberry minibun 250 cal. 5 gm. fat
Cinnabon mocha latte 190 cal. 4.5 gm. fat
Cinnabon vanilla latte 190 cal. 4.5 gm. fat
Cinnamon crisps 130 ca. 6 gm. fat [per serving, 1.5 servings per container]
Panda Express
Chinese food can be very tricky. There are healthy options, however, sometimes even those are loaded up in salt and …GASP…msg, so you need to be super careful when you are ordering from any fast food chinese place. But I’m not going to pretend here friends, I’m a huge Chinese food fan, so when I see that adorable little panda sign I ussually bolt right there to get my fill on my oriental favorite. If you are like me and crave the chicken low-mein or general tso’s chicken, you are in luck because I have found some delicious, low sodium, low-fat and low-calorie dishes at our favorite Panda. So if you are stuck with a long layover and can’t stomach another cracker, try one of these for a healthy fill me up!
3 Cream cheese rangoons 190 cal. 8 gm. fat 180 mg. sodium
SweetFire chicken breast 440 cal. 10 gm. fat 370 mg. sodium
Sweet and sour chicken 400 cal. 17 gm. fat 370 mg. sodium
Mixed veggies entrée 35 cal 0 gm. fat 260 mg. sodium
Steamed rice 400 cal. 0 gm. fat 0 mg. sodium
One fortune cookie 70 cal. 2 gm. fat 0 mg. sodium
For a complete list of Panda Express’s nutrition information, visit http://www.pandaexpress.com/menu/nutrition.aspx
Sbarro
Who doesn’t love a nice, greasy piece of pizza that is the size of their head? I sure do! However, my waistline and size 6 jeans do not feel the same sense of longing. Although I’m a pizza phene and would much rather eat cheese and pepperoni than a salad, I know that, in the long run, the salad is the much better choice. However, Sbarro, which gets the bad rap for having really greasy, over-sized portions, actually has food other than salad that is satisfying and low in fat and calories [plus, a piece of pizza that won’t blow your calorie budget!]. So don’t let the name fool you, you can find some healthy options at this common Italian joint!
Pasta Primavera salad 190 cal. 10 gm. fat
Mixed vegetables [with butter sauce] 190 cal. 15 gm. fat
Low carb cheese pizza 310 cal. 14 gm. fat
String bean and tomato salad 100 cal. 7 gm. fat
Greek salad 60 cal. 5 gm. fat
Meatballs 139 cal. 9 gm. fat
Au Bon Pain
This is one of my favorite little deli’s and I’m really happy to see it has popped up in so many airports. What is great about this place is there are quite a few healthy options for the health conscious traveler and offer a wide variety of healthy snacks as well. Of course like any other restaurant, they also have their high fat and calorie nightmares, but with so many healthy choices, who needs them?
Garden vegetable soup 80 cal. 2 gm. fat
Chicken and dumpling soup 210 cal. 7 gm. fat
Tomato bisque 210 cal. 9 gm. fat
Demi ham sandwich on baguette 330 cal. 5 gm. fat
Demi tuna sanwich on baguette 320 cal. 7 gm. fat
Thai peanut chicken salad 240 cal. 8 gm. fat
Honey 9 grain bagel 350 cal. 4 gm. fat
Apple cinnamon oatmeal 280 cal. 4 gm. fat
Fruit cup 70 cal.
Dunkin Donuts
Donuts and health are never words that often share the same sentence. When one thinks of a donut, they think of deep fried, golden rings of fat, often drenched in sugar. [Which is making my mouth water, what about you?] Well when I’m up at ungodly hours trying to catch a flight, the last thing I need is a sugar filled fat ball that will make me crash 20 minutes later. Instead, I need something hearty, full of fiber and protein that will keep me full throughout my plane ride so I don’t find myself munching on candy or salty pretzels. Luckily Dunkin Donuts has really revamped their image by introducing healthy breakfast sandwiches, whole grain bagels and low-calorie speciality coffees. They even got nutritionists, professors of medicine, doctors and fitness experts on a panel they call DDSmarts Nutritional Advisory, which helps navigate Dunkin Donuts menu to include more healthy, whole grain products! You go Dunkin, you keep this up and I will certainly “run on you.”
Egg white veggie flatbread 290 cal. 9 gm fat. 11 gm. protein
Egg white turkey sausage flatbread 280 cal. 6 gm. fat 19 gm. protein
Egg white and cheese wake-up wrap 150 cal. 6 gm. fat 8 gm. protein
Egg white and cheese on an English muffin 270 cal. 5 gm. fat 16 gm. protein
Multi grain bagel 390 cal. 8 gm. fat 17 gm. protein
Latte light [small] 80 cal 0 gm. fat 7 gm. protein
Coffee with skim milk 15 cal. 0 gm. fat 2 gm. protein
For more information on DDSmart, visit https://www.dunkindonuts.com/aboutus/BreakfastChoices/
Although these are just a few of the most common eateries found in airports, there are hundreds of speciality food shops and sit down restaurants at most airports that also offer great, healthy eats for when you are stuck at the airport. The last thing you need to feel on a flight is starving, so happy eating!
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