Eating “En route”

Part I

My husband and I just returned from a trip to the U.S. We travel fairly often for family, business and pleasure.

It’s challenging enough for us to find kosher food away from home. But healthy kosher food is even more difficult.

On the Plane

Most airlines have eliminated hot meals on all but overseas flights. And those meals leave something to be desired.

Here’s what Air Canada served us last week:

Dinner: Garbanzo bean salad, two rolls, mini-hot dogs, beans, rice, green beans and a chocolate-filled hamentashen (no kidding – this was in May!)

Breakfast: Three white-flour pastries (muffin, cookie, roll), canned fruit cocktail, a spongy baked egg dish with a teaspoon of tomato sauce and fried potatoes.

Add in margarine, non-dairy creamer and water – all kosher, of course.

It’s easy to see what’s going on here – low cost food high in carbohydrates, fat and sugar. O.K., I’ll give them credit for serving low-fat, high-protein legumes. But three types of beans in one meal?

So what did I eat? Garbanzo bean salad and green beans for dinner, supplemented with almonds and dried cherries brought from home. And for breakfast, a granola bar and fresh fruit, packed away in my carry-on bag.

To reduce jet lag, long-distance travelers should eat lightly and drink lots of water. So let’s not complain too much about poor airline food. After all, you shouldn’t be eating so much anyway. And all of that water should have you feeling rather full. But most of us get just a little hungry on these long flights. And what are you supposed to do on flights when no food is available?

Carry food from home with you!

I’m a firm believer in traveling with food. Whenever I spot small sample boxes of cereal, I grab a few for the next trip. Throw in a few paper bowls and plastic spoons, buy a small carton of milk and fruit at the airport and you’re set for breakfast.

When in the U.S., I buy single-serve peanut butter. And I always travel with whole-grain grain crackers and a plastic knife.

Dry-packed tuna and salmon in flat foil pouches are perfect for traveling. My local fast-food restaurant is more than happy to give me a few packets of mayonnaise or Thousand Island dressing to mix in with it. Packed in a zip lock bag with a few forks and napkins, they take up very little space in your carry-on bag.

Nuts are also a good source of protein that travel easily. Choose almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts or peanuts and look for unsalted or low-salt varieties.

And don’t forget fruits and vegetables. Bring along already washed cherry tomatoes, carrot and celery sticks and cucumbers to eat on the plane. Firm summer fruit like plums and cherries travel well in the summer. Choose easily peeled citrus, grapes and apples in cooler months.

Traveling to a country that doesn’t allow in fresh produce? Eat your fresh fruit and vegetables on the plane and take along dried fruit for later. Dried apricots, pears, cherries, peaches and prunes all travel well.

I travel with fruits and nuts that I mix at home in a zip-lock bag. My current favorite is walnuts and dried cherries. In the winter, chocolate chips might find their way into the mix too.

After a long flight, our plane landed and we looked forward to an overnight rest in Toronto before heading to Milwaukee and then California.

More eating challenges ahead!