Healthy Airport Snacks Exist—Here’s How to Find Them

Summer is a season of far-flung getaways. But when zipping from home to vacation destination, nutrition tends to fall by the wayside in favor of quick, easy, and often salty snacks, as airports remain one of the last frontiers for the health food revolution. Thankfully, according to Manhattan-based nutritionist Maria Marlowe, there are plenty of healthy, energizing bites that can be easily packed for (and found during) your time in the terminal and on the plane—because there’s nothing better than starting your vacation feeling bright-eyed, nourished, and not the least bit bloated.

Long journeys find Marlowe prepping a pre-flight plate of cooked or raw veggies and plant protein—quinoa, tempeh, chickpeas—which are easy to digest, along with an assortment of fruit for between-meal munching. But, for shorter flights (less than three hours), the expert asserts that you probably don’t need to eat—it’s just a mode of distraction. “I have a meal before I leave for the airport, and then plan on having a nice meal when I arrive. If you need a little something to keep you going, add a shot of chia seeds—rich in protein, fiber, and anti-inflammatory Omega-3s to keep you glowing—to your water.”

If the thought of travel sans snacks leaves you feeling prematurely famished, there are also prepackaged on-the-go items that meet the criteria of both nutrient and fiber dense (aka filling), including sprouted or raw nuts and seeds, dried coconut, Artisana almond butter squeeze packs, and Go Raw Super Cookies.

Already at the airport? Marlowe suggests keeping an eye out for fruit—bananas, oranges, and fresh-cut melon are easily found—pistachios (one of the lowest calorie nuts), veggies and hummus (filling and hydrating), or fresh juice (if available, organic wheatgrass shots will offer an antioxidant boost, while fresh-pressed carrots and oranges are stocked with vitamins A and C to nourish skin from within).

But above all else, water is the most important resource to have with you. Marlowe recommends sipping eight to ten ounces of H2O per hour in the air and forgoing other accessible beverages like coffee, tea, and alcohol, as they will leave you—and your skin—feeling dehydrated and lackluster. After all, a fresh complexion is the first step to a bon voyage.

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