Air travel is one of the most efficient alternative since it brings safety and comfort you need for travel. However, there are many factors during the flight that can cause you or other travelers experience discomforts. One of the most common factors is food. Whether you are packing your own foods or buying a gate-side meal to-go, it is best to know which foods that you can eat or avoid for more comfortable flight.
Foods to avoid for comfortable flight
Even during a short flight, sometimes you feel hungry and it is fine to eat something whether it is light foods or full-course meal. However, some foods might cause you problems during the flight. Here are few of foods you better avoid during a flight:
Instant soups such as cup noodles. During a flight, it is not uncommon to see passengers bring their own cup noodles and ask the flight attendant for some boiling water. However, it is best to not having a hot liquid near your lap when you are thousands feet above the ground. The turbulence can happen unexpectedly and you don’t want the hot liquid to spill into your body. Also, instant soup like that has high sodium level which can worsen your jet lag.
Smelly foods such as tuna fish or hard-boiled eggs are better to avoid during a flight. They may taste heavenly but the strong smell can disturb the other passengers. The cabin itself is closed area so when smell foods are served, the smell might stay for a long time and it can cause discomfort for many people even if you feel just fine yourself.
Messy foods are better to avoid when you are flying. Messy foods such as those that leave crumbs or any leftovers can cause problems later on. Even though the airline may provide cleaning service, deep cleaning is not very often especially when the flights schedule is tight. You might leave crumbs later that will cause the next passengers feel uncomfortable.
It is also advised to avoid eating noisy foods such as chips especially if you tend to chew loudly. Your seatmate might not appreciate it. If you have options for the foods you can enjoy, save the crunchy ones later for when you have landed.
Greasy foods are also best to avoid not only during but also before the flight. They might be the fastest and cheapest option but they tend to be messy and smelly which are double-kills to make the other passengers feel uncomfortable. Also, those foods can contribute to jet bloat that can bring discomfort to your body as well.
It is also advised to avoid eating foods you can’t even finish. A long-haul flight might give you more time to finish any foods you have. However, it can cause problem if you have short flight and cannot finish your foods. Some foods are usually not allowed in some countries so if you’re unsure if you can finish or throw the leftover before land, choose light food in small portion instead.
Gary Holmes