Airline Menus Are Lightening Up

Often criticized as greasy, fat-laden, salty and, in general, not particularly healthy, airline food is evolving. In a random poll, most airline officials said their carriers had made menu changes recently . . . changes aimed at improving the nutritional character of meals aloft.

The beverage cart is changing, too, as passengers order fewer hard liquors and turn instead to wine, beer and nonalcoholic beverages, officials report.

“The passenger wants healthier, lighter fare,” said Greg Witter of Alaska Airlines. That became evident, he said, from the comment cards, surveys and looking at what comes back on the meal trays.

One airline, American, has decided to make dieting easier by offering Weight Watchers entrees on lunch and dinner flights. Other airlines are offering more options for vegetarians and customers looking for reduced-fat alternatives, by carrying meatless meals as standard--not special-order--fare.

Here is a sampling of what’s new at mealtime for health-conscious passengers:

Recent menu changes at Alaska Airlines are the result of inspections conducted at the “Office of Garbology,” the unofficial name for the place meal trays land after a flight, Chairman Raymond J. Vecci told readers of the February issue of his airline’s in-flight magazine. Inspectors noticed that heavier foods were not being eaten, nor were the snacks served between traditional meals, he said. Menus and food serving schedules were changed accordingly.

“The result is main-cabin entrees such as tortellini in pesto with shrimp, and salmon grilled with tomatoes, onions and cilantro,” Vecci said. “In first class, new entrees include grilled turkey on a bed of cucumbers and boiled shrimp on marinated vegetables.” Breakfast choices now include low-fat cereal and low-fat milk.

At America West, less beef and more fish is the trend and beginning next month, the airline is adding mahi mahi, swordfish and tuna to first-class meals while at the same time using fewer sauces, according to spokesman Mike Mitchell. To make room for the menu changes, entrees such as beef fajitas are being abandoned.

American Airlines is now offering on-demand Weight Watchers fat- and calorie-controlled entrees on lunch and dinner flights on about half of their domestic flights, as part of a several-month test, said spokesman Joe Crawley. (Advance special ordering isn’t necessary.) If this option proves popular, Crawley said, the meals will be available by summer on all domestic flights. Breakfast offerings already include cereal, fruit and other low-fat foods, Crawley said.

For travelers with special nutritional needs or preferences, Continental Airlines is offering a long list of meal options, including lacto-free and gluten-free menus, in addition to standard vegetarian meals emphasizing grains and beans. “Over the past eight months, we have also been providing meals with less fat and calories,” said spokeswoman Peggy Mahoney. For snacks, packages of carrots, a new choice, are popular.

At Northwest Airlines, main cabin “A La Carte” food service was introduced last year, allowing passengers to select foods buffet-style from a seat-side serving cart and, thus, to better control the amount they eat.

Not all the new options are low-fat, however. This means that passengers interested in cutting fat and calories must be nutrition-savvy enough to make the best selections. But for them, the options include salad with grilled chicken and no- or reduced-fat dressing.

In the last six months on Virgin Atlantic Airways, vegetarian entrees, such as spinach and cauliflower curry, have been served in first-class sections without advance ordering. “For other meals, we are trying to emphasize herb sauce instead of heavier gravies,” said spokeswoman Elizabeth Hlinko. “One choice is mixed leaf and artichoke salad with creamy yogurt or tomato-vinaigrette dressing. We also offer several vegetable choices with meals and more fish entrees.”

Bottled water consumption is up, partly due, she speculated, to passengers’ awareness that alcoholic beverages can worsen jet lag.