The Diet Detective: Airline Snack Facts

Updated OnNovember 29, 2017
Written by
Charles Stuart Platkin

American Airlines

(817-963-1234, www.aa.com)
Cooperation in Providing Nutritional Information: Very helpful.
Health Score: (*** 1/8)
Best Bet: Your best bet is the Cheese & Cracker Snack Tray. Just skip the cracker packages. The Premium Nut Blend is a strong nutrition choice, but make sure to split it with at least two other people. If you're traveling alone and don't have a lot of willpower, take a third of the nuts and give the rest back to the flight attendant. Nuts are very high in calories, but the remaining choices don't offer much in terms of nutrition, and they're just too high in calories. If you're on a longer flight, the Boston Market Chicken Caesar Salad with chips and dressing is a pretty good meal choice. Also, it's nice that the dressing is on the side (use it sparingly). Make sure you split the Boston Market Deli Chicken Pesto and the Boston Market Turkey Carver -- they are way too many calories for one person. Skip the breakfast.
 
Snack and Meal Choices

Breakfast

Breakfast Caf? Snack Tray $5.29
Stacy's Simply Naked bagel chips (130 calories), Rondele original plain cheese spread (110 calories), Ocean Spray Craisins (100 calories), Emerald natural almonds (100 calories), Biscoff cookie (29.8 calories). Total = 469.8 calories, 112 minutes of walking.

 

Breakfast Caf? Croissant Sandwich $6.00
(320 calories, 83 minutes of walking). 

Snack Box

Cheese & Cracker Snack Tray $4.49
Two Pepperidge Farm two-cracker packs (95 calories), 0.75 ounces of cheese (75 calories), one 1-ounce box of raisins (90 calories), and one 1-ounce bag of mixed nuts (170 calories). Total = 430 calories, 112 minutes of walking.
 
A La Carte

  • Premium Nut Blend $4.49 (487 calories, 126 minutes of walking).
  • Megabite Chocolate Chip Cookie $3.29 (450 calories, 117 minutes of walking).
  • Lay's Stax Potato Crisps $3.29 (5.75 ounces, 900 calories, 234 minutes of walking).
  • Milk Chocolate M&Ms (440 calories, 114 minutes of walking).
  • Biscoff Snack Pack (576 calories, 150 minutes of walking).
Lunch/Dinner
 

Boston Market Chicken Carver with Chips $10.00
Chicken, Cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato and Dijon-mayonnaise served on an artisan roll with Miss Vickie's chips (630 calories, 163 minutes of walking).

Boston Market Deli Chicken Pesto $10.00
Chicken topped with pesto aioli, mesclun greens and tomato on sliced multigrain bread. Served with sweet garlic dressing on the side and Miss Vickie's chips(1,300 calories, 338 minutes of walking).

Boston Market Turkey Carver $10.00
Sliced oven-roasted turkey breast, Swiss cheese, creamy Parmesan spread, tomato and leaf lettuce on artisan-style bread with Miss Vickie's chips(1,060 calories, 275 minutes of walking).

Boston Market Chicken Caesar Salad with SunChips and Dressing $10.00
Romaine lettuce, chicken and Parmesan, Romano and Asiago cheeses. Served with creamy Caesar dressing and SunChips on the side. (470 calories, 122 minutes of walking).