Survey by Diet Detective and Hunter College shows water safety an issue and recommends against coffee and tea >>
Alaska Airlines and Air Canada offer the healthiest food in the air, according to the 2019-2020 Airline Food Survey conducted by Diet Detective, a nonprofit, and the Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center.
Delta and JetBlue tied for second. The research was changed this year to include total levels of sodium, whether or not an airline serves meals during flights of two hours or more in the air, an Airline Water Study score and environmental initiatives such as replacing plastics. Among the findings: the average number of calories per menu item was about the same as last year at 375; Alaska was first to replace plastic straws with paper; full or “mini-meals” are better than snacks; and it’s important to serve a healthy meal even on shorter flights because of all the time spent getting to the airport and through security. The water study revealed that many carriers provide unhealthy water. In general, said the report, it’s best to avoid drinking coffee and tea on board.