Busy airport with large group of people, hong kong.
Getting to and through an airport can leave you plenty hungry. Fortunately, at many airports it’s easy to grab a healthy meal or snack. Here are some tips to help guide you toward the right choices:
Smart Sandwiches:
Stay away from sandwiches laden with fatty mayonnaise, like tuna, chicken salad and egg salad. Instead, opt for sandwiches made with fresh veggies and lean protein, such as turkey or chicken breast on whole wheat bread topped with lettuce, tomato and pickles.
Hearty, Healthy Salads:
Salads aren’t always as healthy as you think. A chicken Cobb salad with avocado for example can pack upwards of 700 calories and 50 grams of fat. However, a DIY salad from a salad bar can be light and delicious, loaded with good stuff like hearts of palm, roasted peppers, kidney beans, edamame, albacore tuna and beets. For an even heartier meal top your salad with some lean protein, such as grilled chicken or shrimp, and keep it light by ordering your dressing on the side.
Jerky:
Jerky is a surprisingly lean snack. Krave Jerky, a popular brand, has only 90 calories and 7 grams of protein per serving, and it comes in great gourmet flavors like Grilled Sweet Teriyaki, Pineapple Orange, Lemon Garlic and Black Cherry BBQ.
Pre-portioned Nuts:
While nuts in moderation are great sources of protein and heart-healthy fat, one serving can run 160 calories with 13 grams of fat. Big bags of nuts may contain as many as ten servings, so keep portions in check by buying your nuts in a single-serve pouch. Tip: Of all nuts, you get the biggest snack portion with pistachios– 49 nuts per serving.
Greek Yogurt:
Lots of airport stands sell yogurt. Go with Greek yogurt, which is creamier and generally lower in sugar than regular yogurt - with twice as much protein.
Fresh fruit:
Those fresh fruit cups in the deli cooler are a refreshing, low-fat choice. If you’re heading home from a trip, nab an apple or pear at your hotel breakfast buffet and pack it in your carry-on.
For delicious high fiber meal plans, recipes and tips on healthy eating, drinking and losing weight, check out my latest book, The Miracle Carb Diet: Make Calories and Fat Disappear – with Fiber!
Tanya Zuckerbrot MS, RD, is a registered dietitian in New York City and the author of two bestselling diet books: The Miracle Carb Diet: Make Calories and Fat Disappear – with fiber and The F-Factor Diet. Subscribe to Tanya’s free weekly newsletter and follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest,and LinkedIn
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