No matter how fancy they make the packaging, there is nothing appetising about the food on offer at 30,000ft. And it certainly doesn’t represent good nutritional value. So why do we eat it?

I guess there are several reasons for peeling back the tinfoil cover and digging in.

First is that you don’t have a lot of options. I mean, really, you can’t go to a different restaurant or store. They truly do have a captive audience.

Secondly is habit – someone offers you food, you eat it! But you don’t have to eat it just because it’s free. I actually think the airlines where you have to pay extra for food is a good thing. Most people won’t pay Ä5 for a soggy sandwich on a low-cost airline, because they know it’s not worth it. But they would eat it if it was free, even though it’s still poor quality & unappetising.

Third is boredom. Long-haul flights are boring, especially if you can’t sleep. Even if you can sleep for a while, long-haul flights are boring! And what do a lot of us do when we’re bored? Yep, we eat.

So is there a way out of eating the bad plane food?

Yes, and it’s simple! Remember, you have a choice….. just say No! It can be tough. Especially when they start handing out chocolate ice cream, but it is possible.

But you’re gonna get hungry, right?

One of the cornerstones of the nutritional program I follow is simple – Be Prepared!

For a recent flight I prepared some snacks the night before, which fitted easily into my hand bag, in individual zip-loc bags. I had a bag of dried mango, a bag of mixed nuts, one with spicy roast chick peas, and a roast chicken breast cut into pieces. Oh, and some home made apple chips. Plenty to keep me going through the flight, as well as check in, transfers and waiting for baggage.

So, here are my 5 tips to eating better on long haul flights…..

1. Be prepared and take snacks!

2. Get an aisle seat. (why?)

3. Drink water. All through the flight, drink water. (Reason for #2 since you are going to need to pee!)

4. Don’t get bored! Take a book or whatever you need. It may be better to avoid the in-flight movie (which you will probably have seen anyway) if it’s gonna make you crave popcorn!

5. Just say no! You are responsible for the decisions you make. It’s all up to you!

Happy flying!

Tim Goodwin follows a new program called Nutritional Responsibility, which is about freedom to make better choices, rather than denial. Get your free guide from http://nutritionalresponsibility.com

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/good-nutrition-at-30000-feet-1527867.html

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