All so often we find ourselves traveling at mealtimes and unless we score an upgrade, we know that the complementary food offered on a US domestic flight will be limited to say the best.  Our favorite is the Chocolate Quinoa cookie offered by United Airlines, it’s healthy, gluten-free and tastes great.  That and a cup of coffee works well for us if we are on a breakfast time flight. 

But let’s face it, the in-flight options, if they even exist, are usually limited, expensive and unhealthy.  We also loathe paying crazy prices for airport food and refuse to be tempted by the concourse fast-food outlets that can be a convenient option if you know you won’t get food on the flight.

So we always have a few snacks in our bag, things that will sustain us and pass through airport security with ease.  You can read our full post on airline snack recommendations here, but in the interest of brevity (you should read one of our favorite books “Smart Brevity”, it really is quite amazing how powerful short and concise writing is) these are 3 airplane snacks that we never travel without:

First, Almonds.  For us, the humble almond is a super-food that combines health benefits with nourishment and enjoyment.  There is something very satisfying about grazing, one-by-one on a bag of almonds.  The crunch, the salty flavor, the feeling of feeding your brain as well as your stomach – it all makes us feel really good.  We buy almonds in bulk from Yupik and pack in resealable snack-sized bags. 

Second, Dried Blueberries.  Just like fresh blueberries, dried ones are loaded with antioxidants, especially anthocyanins, which help reduce inflammation and protect against cell damage. This is a great choice for anyone who suffers an inflammatory response from flying.  A handful of dried blueberries and a big bottle of water can help prevent a lot of puffy hands and feet.  We always buy the sugar-free dried blueberries from “I’m A Nut” that come in a 2lb bag and are, just like Almonds, easy to pack in a snack-sized bag.  Just remember that dried blueberries are more calorie dense than fresh, so keep that in consideration when packing into resealable bags.

Third, Meat Free Jerky.  When you need some protein and are craving something with some chew and umami flavor, meat free jerky is a great choice.  Meat free typically has less saturated fat than meat versions and are often easier to digest on longer-flights.  We have written before how we love the rich flavors and textures of Louisville Vegan Jerky Co but recently we have also been buying Pan’s Mushroom Jerky which is gluten free, very high in fiber and tastes great (we like the BBQ flavor).

So, these are the 3 things that you will always find in our carry on. Buying in bulk saves money, they are all easy to pack do not require refrigeration.  We also always have a foldable water bottle that we fill before boarding, we review our favorites here.  And in all honesty, if the snack cart does happen to pass by a bag of pretzels and a Coke Zero are always appreciated!

For your convenience we have curated these items in an Amazon Shopping List so you can try them.  Enjoy and please do share what your favorite airplane snacks are!