Watching Your Waistline During Holiday Travel

It's bad enough that the high sugar and carb holiday treats can reek havoc on our diets, but throw in the stress of traveling this time of year with nearly zero healthy food options in airports and on flights, and we might as well give up now. (That's what New Year's resolutions are for, right?) There is some good news for those eager to stay on track with their weight this year. An Airline Food Survey from DietDetective.com rated 8 of the top airlines on their food and snack selections. This year, United came out on top with a rating of four stars for their healthy snack options, including the Tapas snack box which offers almonds, olives, hummus and bruschetta. JetBlue came in second with their inflight options of nuts, animal crackers and a meal box appropriately called Shape Up. Delta and U.S. Airways did not perform particularly well, and Continental fell from its first place position to third.

Even with these airlines offering some decent food options, it is important for travelers to still be conscious of what they're consuming. Also, just because it's food and it's healthy does not mean that you have to eat it. In fact, the biggest problem that JetBlue has is that their snacks are unlimited, so passengers can easily over do it on the nuts.

The bottom line is that the holiday season paired with hectic travel schedules is going to cause many to falter, so it is good to know that airlines are making an effort to provide healthy alternatives to the cookies, candies and salty snacks that many of us are used to eating while on in the air. I don't intend on getting any airline snacks this holiday season, mostly because I refuse to pay, but it is good to know I have some healthy options waiting for me if I change my mind. In all honesty though, I like being a little naughty with my food choices this time of year, so...bring on the cookies!