The advent of low-cost, no-frill airlines has seen the demise of many an unappetising inflight meal. While most passengers are happy to go without food on a short-haul flight, some people’s bellies do start complaining on longer flights. It’s not a great idea to starve yourself during a longer journey, so you’ll probably need to eat at some point. However, instead of opting for the unhealthy snacks many airlines offer, why not pack your own healthy and delicious inflight meal instead? Here are some important points to keep in mind when packing your inflight picnic.

See-through containers - Pack your food in transparent plastic containers – like the kind you get from takeaways – so it’s much easier for security staff to see what you’ve brought with you. This way, you won’t need to spend much time opening up all the containers, then repacking them into your bags again.

No liquids – Bring an empty water-bottle with you, and fill it up once you’ve passed the security checkpoints, to save the hassle and expense of having to throw away a full bottle, and then buying a new one. Try to avoid bringing dips with you, as they may be thrown away too, and soups are a definite no-no!

Finger food – Bring along hassle-free food that can be easily eaten straight from the container. Baby carrots, pre-cut fruits (e.g apples or pears), grapes, rice crackers, nuts and granola bars are all healthy, yet fuss free, and you’re left with hardly any mess to clean up after the meal. Sandwiches are great too – cut them into halves or quarters to make it easier for little hands. Cutting your food into bite-sizes pieces also mean you won’t need any cutlery.

No smell – Be considerate to your fellow passengers – after all, you’ll need to share a very tight space with them for the next several hours. Try to refrain from packing foods that may smell strongly or linger in the air for ages. So, no garlic or blue cheese, and try to pop a couple of breath mints after your meal so you won’t smell like Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Do you have other tips on how to pack food for flights? If so, we’d love to hear from you, please leave a comment!

(Photo: theforestlight.com)

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