The Diet Detective: Which Airline Food is Healthiest?

JetBlue Airways

800-538-2583, www.jetblue.com

Cooperation in Providing Nutritional Information: Very helpful.

Health Score: (**3/4)

Last year JetBlue started to offer more than just snacks, but only on longer flights. The problem is that they still need to add some healthier real meals and snack options. The individually packaged snacks are portion-controlled; however, most are lacking in any real nutritional value. And the worst part is that they no longer sell nuts—which were the most nutrient-dense offering they had.

Best Bets:

Not much in the snack area to eat other than the Quaker Multigrain Fiber Crisps. They are made with whole-grain oats—nice touch. Try to stick with no more than one snack. Just because they are free and they let you take more than one doesn't mean you have to take them, especially if you're not hungry.

In terms of the meal boxes, the Shape Up is the clear winner if you're thinking of this as a meal. It has 8 grams of fiber and only 2 grams of unhealthy saturated fat. While the Cheer Up is low in calories, I'm not sure it will do the trick as a meal. However, if you're just looking for a snack and you share it with someone, you're only at 130 calories.
 
Snacks (individual) (snacks are free)

  • Linden's Chocolate Chippers (135 calories, 29 minutes of walking).
  • Quaker Multigrain Fiber Crisps- Blackberry Pomegranate (90 calories, 19 minutes of walking).
  • PopCorners Popcorn Chips (140 calories, 30 minutes of walking).
  • Stauffer's Original Animal Crackers – 1-ounce bag (100 calories, 22 minutes of walking).
  • Terra Blues Potato Chips – 1-ounce bag (130 calories, 28 minutes of walking).

 
Meal Boxes (Available on flights over 3 hours and 45 minutes)
 
Beef Up $5.99

  • Old Wisconsin Salami (90 calories)
  • La Panzanella Rosemary Crackers (80 calories)
  • Oakfield Farms Cheddar Cheese Spread (70 calories)
  • Stacey's Bagel Chips (130 calories)
  • Belle Cr?me Gourmet Cheese Spread (70 calories)
  • Brothers All Natural Fuji Apple Fruit Crisps (28 calories)
  • Total = 468 calories, 101 minutes of walking

 
Shape Up $5.99

  • Wild Garden Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus (63 calories)
  • New York Style Pita Chips (130 calories)
  • Sheffa Zesty Snack Mix (118 calories)
  • Emerald Natural Almonds (100 calories)
  • Sun-Maid Raisins (45 calories)
  • Brothers All Natural Asian Pear Fruit Crisps (28 calories)
  • Total = 484 calories, 105 minutes of walking

 
Power Up $5.99

  • Frontera Roasted Tomato Salsa (10 calories)
  • Frontera Thick and Crunchy Tortilla Chips (140 calories)
  • pretzels (100 calories)
  • honey mustard pretzel dip (170 calories)
  • Jack Link's Beef Jerky (50 calories)
  • Emerald Dry Roasted Almonds (100 calories)
  • Total = 570 calories, 123 minutes of walking

 
Cheer Up $5.99

  • Trio of premium cheeses: Swiss, smoked cheddar and hot pepper, dried apples and cranberries, crackers.
  • 260 calories, 56 minutes of walking.