Which airlines serve the most (and least) healthful meals and snacks?

Virgin America and Air Canada share top honors for serving the healthiest food in the air while budget carriers Southwest and Allegiant Air come in last place. The findings come from DietDetective.com, which ranked meals and snacks served on domestic flights this year on 12 carriers. The average food item contains 360 calories, a slight drop from last year.

In the comparison guide, Diet Detective, a.k.a. Dr. Charles Platkin, provides calorie comparisons between meals, snack boxes and individual snacks among airlines -- and some suggestions for those who care about what they eat. For example, the website recommends sharing a “snack box” that contains as many calories as a full meal.

Here’s how the airlines stacked up based on a five-star scale (five being the best):

Virgin America received 4 1/2 stars for its Travel Light meals, which include Roasted Pear and Arugula Salad with Almonds and the Chicken Protein Platter, as well as its Protein Meal snack box of hummus, nuts and tuna. What you should skip are the individual snacks like Chex Mix (420 calories) or Hail Merry Seasoned Nut Blend (450 calories), the website says.

Air Canada also received 4 1/2 stars for its in-flight food. Diet Detective recommends the Nissin Chicken Ramen Noodle Soup that’s more meal than snack, the Roasted Chicken Wrap and a salad made with quinoa. For breakfast, pick the Greek yogurt or fruit plate over a bagel.

Alaska Airlines received a four-star rating and a recommendation for the Mediterranean Tapas snack box, which comes with olives, hummus, almonds, dried fruit and a dark chocolate bar. It weighs in at a rather high 597 calories, so sharing is recommended.

JetBlue, United, American and US Airways each received at least three stars with Delta coming in a little lower than that. Basically, as the calorie count in the food goes up, the stars go down.

Southwest (two stars) rates low because of a lack of options. The airline serves only individual snacks of nuts (take them) or pretzels (don’t bother). “They need to add a few healthy items,” Diet Detective says. “How about an apple?”

Allegiant (1 1/2 stars) offers snack boxes that average about 500 calories each. The website recommends the turkey sandwich (without cheese), available on West Coast flights and hummus on East Coast flights but says “you’ll probably want to make sure you bring a sandwich for yourself.”

More calorie counts and content is available in the Annual Airline Snacking and Onboard Food Service Survey With Health Ratings for 2013.

Mary.Forgione@latimes.com
Follow us on Twitter @latimestravel, like us on Facebook @Los Angeles Times Travel.