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Airplane food

A

aris

Well-Known Member
Messages
126
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Does anyone have any experience with the "Diabetic" option on airplanes?

What do you get - is it low-carb?
 
Taken from this site, https://www.britishairways.com/content/information/food-and-drink/special-meals
Diabetic: This is a nutritionally balanced meal, prepared for diabetic customers. It contains minimal sugar content and a balance of proteins, fats, fibre and complex carbohydrates.
Diabetic on sun-air flights: Does not contain sugar and jams, cakes and chocolate, unless they're specific diabetic varieties. Contains only low fat products.
In other words they haven't yet caught on to what we (low carbers) actually want yet. It's few years since we've flown anywhere, I had hoped for better by now. Perhaps other airlines are better, but I won't hold my breath!
Sally
 
I tried the diabetic meal once on Air Canada. Was served rice, pasta, salad with beans and sweet corn, and sugar free oatmeal cookie. Im not sure if they still do “ fruit” special meal, it stopped during Covid but I found that the best option when available. The fresh fruit included berries which I ate , all of the other fresh fruit was given to a grateful seat mate, but also plenty of cheese. I always take my own food to eat on a flight.
 
Hmm, I may have to bring my own sustenance. What they really need is a Low Glycaemic meal. It would cover many bases.

It should not be hard to do - just meat, maybe some cheese or greek yoghurt, and non-starchy vegetables. Not withstanding "special" meals, airplane food has gone seriously downhill in general in recent years.
 
Depending on flight length I take my own .
Nuts etc in a carry on bag.

For longer flights I fill up at airport with a tasty fried breakfast.

Then try my best to pick the 'better' choice while on plane.

On flights to over 6 hours, I figured it took me ages to get T2D, one or two meals on a flight won't kill me, so eat as sensibly as I could given the menu.

Likely it's different if it's a daily weekly business flight but a once or twice holiday flight ?
Do your best but don't sweat it too much...life's way to short is my take now .
 
Even worse than food on the plane, is food options at the airports! Fast food chains everywhere. I've struggled and failed to find anything suitable. Occasionally there's somewhere that may do an omelette but rarely.
I now pack my own (cheese, cooked eggs, olives, nuts) and prepare to fast if its a long flight.
Just make sure you drink lots of water and take some salt
 
Some airlines are banning nuts because of the possibility of nut-allergic passengers. No more free packets of peanuts with the warning”May contain nuts” on them ;)
 
I've been curious about this as well.

Qantas says its diabetic meals are "Suitable for passengers requiring a nutritionally balanced meal that is low in sugar, fat and salts.
  • Can contain: Balanced complex carbohydrates, dietary fibre; low in fat; low in salt.
  • Does not contain: Fried foods, added sugar, peanuts, tree nuts or nut products.+
  • Also suitable for: Low-salt meals and low-fat meals."
So not (necessarily) low carb, more like what you'd expect for heart-friendly. I know people (non-diabetic) who ask for Kosher or Vegetarian meals when they fly Qantas, saying they are better than the regular meals.

This page has the different meals available on Qantas flights:
 
Last edited:
Also be aware that "diabetic" would mostly be taken to mean Type 1.
 
sally and james said:
Taken from this site, https://www.britishairways.com/content/information/food-and-drink/special-meals
Diabetic: This is a nutritionally balanced meal, prepared for diabetic customers. It contains minimal sugar content and a balance of proteins, fats, fibre and complex carbohydrates.
Diabetic on sun-air flights: Does not contain sugar and jams, cakes and chocolate, unless they're specific diabetic varieties. Contains only low fat products.
In other words they haven't yet caught on to what we (low carbers) actually want yet. It's few years since we've flown anywhere, I had hoped for better by now. Perhaps other airlines are better, but I won't hold my breath!
Sally
Click to expand...

No it isn’t any better. I flew this time last yr by BA and NOT in economy, barely anything I could eat as I’m low carb take only a pill to control BG.
No where caters for Low Carb diabetics. Just had serious op and very sore throat, only offered ‘sandwiches’ and probably cheap rubbish or salad. Nearly choked on a pill let alone THAT!
Same everywhere, no one caters
 
Outlier said:
Also be aware that "diabetic" would mostly be taken to mean Type 1.
Click to expand...
Why? Type 1 is not managed through diet - it is managed through matching insulin to carbs.
We can eat any airline meal. It would be nice if they told us how many carbs ... but that is the same as eating "out" anywhere.

I usually request an Asian Vegetarian meal. This is typically a vegetable curry and dhal with rice and naan that you can leave if you want lower carbs.
 
In Response said:
Why? Type 1 is not managed through diet - it is managed through matching insulin to carbs.
We can eat any airline meal. It would be nice if they told us how many carbs ... but that is the same as eating "out" anywhere.

I usually request an Asian Vegetarian meal. This is typically a vegetable curry and dhal with rice and naan that you can leave if you want lower carbs.
Click to expand...

I’m sure this is my problem, everyone thinks we all inject ‍♀️
 
I haven't made myself clear - apologies. I mean that airline and catering staff who make the decisions on what food should be available would follow guidance for Type 1, which as has been said, can be managed by insulin. Few people who are not directly involved with diabetes would even know there is more than one type, or that insulin may or may not be the medication of choice. And if they do look for that information, depending on where they research (time is money) they won't always be given the most up-to-date facts.
 
In Response said:
Why? Type 1 is not managed through diet - it is managed through matching insulin to carbs.
We can eat any airline meal. It would be nice if they told us how many carbs ... but that is the same as eating "out" anywhere.

I usually request an Asian Vegetarian meal. This is typically a vegetable curry and dhal with rice and naan that you can leave if you want lower carbs.
Click to expand...
My hubby is indirectly in this line of work and the spec for the airline meals they produce is based around T1 diabetes - compiled by dietitians (yes I know ;) )- not saying I don’t agree 100% with what you say but every meal has to have a spec and unfortunately that’s the spec they have
 
I don’t fly but I apply this to every meal I eat outside the home, choose the nearest meal I can work around and pick out the bits I can eat. It also pays to mention when being served because they may bring you extra of what you can have. Last time I was 1st class on a train I asked for the breakfast sandwich but without the bun, she asked was I GF and I said no just don’t eat carbs, she brought me about 10 slices of bacon!
 
In Response said:
Why? Type 1 is not managed through diet - it is managed through matching insulin to carbs.
We can eat any airline meal. It would be nice if they told us how many carbs ... but that is the same as eating "out" anywhere.

I usually request an Asian Vegetarian meal. This is typically a vegetable curry and dhal with rice and naan that you can leave if you want lower carbs.
Click to expand...

IF I don’t get enough protein my glucose gos low.
 
lovinglife said:
My hubby is indirectly in this line of work and the spec for the airline meals they produce is based around T1 diabetes - compiled by dietitians (yes I know ;) )- not saying I don’t agree 100% with what you say but every meal has to have a spec and unfortunately that’s the spec they have
Click to expand...

So they’d rather you go hyper ‍♀️
 
I stay away from diabectic meals after been given a diabectic meak back in the late 80's when on my flight out I mention to the flight crew I was diabectic in case something went wrong (was travelling alone). On my return journey given a special diabectic meal (becasue the crew on the flight out put it on for my flight home) couldn't eat a thing (as salmon - can't even get salmon to my lips even though my eyes say it looks good) Back then you were on fixed but mixed insulin injections and had to have a certain number of carbs for each meal adn they wasn't enough carbs. I decided just not to inject evening injection and not eat and go Hi. Then special breakfast arrived again nothing I liked so didn't eat and no injection. I did get a concerned passenger saying I must eat but just ignore them. So every since then I have refused to mention to the airline, log my condition on my account and all the standard meals that come out suit me fine (yes T1 and yes insulin know not mixed for me so csan eat what everyone else eats).

Someone on flyertalk tripreports recently - ordered lots of different meals (to get a change to the standard meal) of which one was diabectic and they said it was the worse meal - dry fish (with bones still in) there is a picture of it if you want to have a look.
 
Angela64 said:
So they’d rather you go hyper ‍♀️
Click to expand...
I’ve no idea - they’re caterers not doctors - there are a basic 14 food dangerous food allergens to take into account, some make you very ill and a few can kill you ver quickly then those like ours which won’t kill us on a plane but will maybe be a bit “not our best” if you’re on insulin and you go hyper you have your insulin with you on the plane, if your not on insulin then just make choices from your plate, what anyone of us does when we are away from the home, - it’s an absolute minefield in general for the catering industry even as a long time keto eater I still wouldn’t consider my way of eating anything other than a preference- one meal of too many carbs isn’t going to kill me - it may make me sleepy but I won’t die a horrible death from an allergy a mile up in the sky.
 
Perhaps someone (with a bit of influence) needs to petition the airlines to include a 'low glycaemic' meal. It isn't that hard - or necessarily more expensive to do. I don't even need a dessert, or a special bread roll. Just real food with low GI.
 
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