Flight meals?

I have ordered diabetic meals on long haul flights once and never again. It was awful, tasteless and not fit for human consumption. All I had was dried fruits for snacks. Main meal was stale and cold.


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amalia said:

You would think airlines would cater properly for an ever increasing diabetes or pre diabetes population!
It would make commercial sense!

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That's what I thought. I've been to restaurants that catered to diabetics. Actually they were very good! You would airlines would be aware of the fact that you can't just drop off a diabetic at the nearest first aid station in mid flight!

Haven't flown since diagnosis, so haven't had a chance to try this out. However, I attended an awards dinner last week and, before the event, was asked for my dietary preferences. I asked for a low-carb meal, rather than a diabetic one, and was pleasantly surprised. A fish starter (the same as everyone else's), extra green veg with my meat instead of spuds for the main course and dessert was spiced rhubarb and fruit and my own little pot of pouring cream.

Given what others have said here about the diabetic options on flights, I may opt for low-carb if that option is available. Is it?

You can get low fat, low calorie, low salt and low lactose with BA. Not low carb though.

Why would an airline know any more about diabetic meals than the NHS?

Some airlines, particularly those based in the USA did offer low carb meals around 10 years ago when such things as Atkins were more generally 'fashionable'. I guess they were never taken up or more likely were eliminated as cutting the range of meals offered would cut costs. What is more remarkable is that the 'diabetic' meals have never been updated and should be abolished along with the other 'suitable for diabetic' foods. The only benefit that I know of these is that the nutritional information is made available which may be of some help to those using insulin.

I accidentally got a diabetic meal on my last long haul flight - I'd been to have a look what they consisted of on the webpage and had somehow not moved the cursor off that choice when I left the page and as a frequent flyer it got put on my 'preferences'. I didn't actually even look at it as they were happy to swap it for a real meal as I'd read that it was basically low fat high carb. On the return leg, although I'd changed my preferences it obviously hadn't got through as i was given a 'diabetic' snack meal while I was sleeping. This was orange juice, low fat yoghurt and a cake! also no milk for the coffee. I put it under the seat and when the next steward came round I got a real snack which was much lower carb! I would say if you want low carb then buy something and take it with you. I had a very nice crayfish salad from Pret a manger which was much nicer than airline food.

Ultimately I think the 'take your own with you' option is needed - and increasingly so for people without particular dietary needs as well.

Think these days I would just fast for the journey .... airplane food always seems bad

I'm going to Australia after Christmas with only a stop to refuel, so might be a long time to fast! I just tend to have 'normal' meals but only eat bits of it - salad cheese possibly the meat/chicken. Might try booking low carb and see what happens.

Concordjan said:

I'm going to Australia after Christmas with only a stop to refuel, so might be a long time to fast! I just tend to have 'normal' meals but only eat bits of it - salad cheese possibly the meat/chicken. Might try booking low carb and see what happens.

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Have a lovely time

As I say having now adjusted to the LCHF diet I now find fasting for 24 hrs comes quite naturally. If I have small snack-like meal I get much more hungry but that is just me

Fasting is good and plenty of water. I tried Singapore Airlines diabetic meal, that is fine but they still give you orange drink, although they have green tea which is better than sugar drinks and their yoghurt are not the natural Greek kind. Definitely difficult when travelling.