Vegetarians might find it more difficult to find something good to eat during a flight or even at the airport, but they also have the advantage of having eating habits that work well with flying. When a vegetarian eats before a flight, they won’t have to worry about the processed foods and high protein meats that can make you feel bloated once you’re in the sky.
When it comes to choosing the right food to eat before a flight, vegetarians have plenty of good choices. For those traveling with a flight nurse, run any ideas you have by them before committing to making them your pre-flight meal.
Choices For Vegetarians to Eat Before a Flight
Vegetarians focus on eating healthy food, so they are already ahead of the game when it comes to choosing the right food for their flight. Keep in mind that before and during the flight, you want to keep your portions small. Air pressure in the cabin can cause food to expand – you want to avoid that bloated feeling! A smart strategy is to stop eating before you are completely full.
As with most things in life, moderation is the key. Too much of a good thing, including the food suggestions, can lead to discomfort on a flight.
Stay Hydrated
Before reaching for any food, make sure you have plenty of water. The air inside a plane at high altitudes is dry, so you want to hydrate before getting on a flight. A general rule of thumb is to drink about one liter of water for every four hours of your flight. Putting a slice of lemon in the water can give you an extra boost of vitamin C.
Some Helpful Fruits
Fruits can provide just the right thing to make a flight more pleasant. Oranges, guava, cantaloupe, strawberries – they all come loaded with high amounts of vitamin C. A potassium-rich banana can also help prevent cramping of your legs during a long flight, and also is an excellent anti-bloating food.
Nuts
Eating nuts (unsalted to avoid dehydration) is one of the best ways to get protein without eating meat. Some of the healthiest nuts include almonds, cashews, chestnuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, and walnuts.
Crackers and Dips
As long as you eat moderate amounts, a bit of nut butter spread or hummus with crackers or bites of vegetables can give you a bit of needed protein before the flight, keeping you feeling full during your journey.
Think Carbohydrates
While you want some protein to give you energy and stave off hunger, you also want to focus on slow-burning carbohydrates, especially for a long flight. They will keep you feeling fuller for longer. Again, moderation is key – don’t overeat any of those fruits and vegetables with slow-burning carbohydrates.
Apples
Berries
Oranges
Carrots
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Red Peppers
Onions
Green Beans
Grains also provide carbohydrates and some protein, including brown rice, rolled oats and quinoa.
Foods to Avoid
Avoid salty foods that can increase dehydration, caffeine, sugar, or big helpings of vegetables that can be hard to digest during a flight. Avoid any type of beans or spices that might upset your stomach. Also, the hours before a flight are not the time to try a new food that your body is not used to processing.
Keep these ideas in mind for what a vegetarian can eat before a flight. It will make the trip much more pleasant, and also leave you feeling healthy and ready to go once you reach your destination.
10 tips for staying properly hydrated on your next flight, according to expertsMarch 30, 2022 Between the routine disruption, free-flowing drinks, overuse of hand sanitizer and dry airplane cabins, staying hydrated while flying is no small feat. But it’s one of the...
An RN flight coordinator oversees all the planning and booking involved in assisted flight travel. They handle travel arrangements, special accommodations and all other issues involved with preparing to fly with a flight nurse.
RN flight coordinators are licensed nurses with advanced critical care knowledge and years of experience working in the assisted flight travel field. They are familiar with all the details of flying on commercial airlines with medical assistance, from how to get medical equipment through security to the best practices for having a safe and comfortable flight.
For most people who use Non-Emergency Medical Transport (NEMT), an RN flight coordinator is the first person they have contact with when inquiring about assisted flight travel.
NEMT involves providing medical care during travel and assistance with all trip arrangements. Flight nurses travel with clients on commercial flights, helping them through the airport and providing medical assistance as needed during the flight.
Flight coordinators manage all the arrangements for the trip and monitor it to ensure that everything goes smoothly. Like flight nurses, they have emergency and critical care experience. They also have special training in flight physiology.
When you contact an NEMT company, an RN flight coordinator will talk you through what they do to make your planned trip both convenient and safe. They oversee all the arrangements involved with assisted flight travel. This includes:
Arranging all reservations
Handling all travel-related paperwork
Arranging for special accommodations if needed
Anticipating any challenges for the trip and managing them efficiently
Quickly addressing any travel delays, flight changes and cancellations
RN flight coordinators work directly with flight nurses who travel with clients on commercial flights. They quickly provide any support that the flight nurse might need and handle any issues that might come during the trip, such as flight delays or cancellations.
Once the travel day arrives, flight nurses will have reviewed the travel plans with the RN flight coordinator. They also will review procedures for every airport involved with the trip and contact airport officials as needed to make special arrangements.
Working with flight coordinators, flight nurses ensure they meet all pre-planned points on the trip, such as checking in, navigating security and reaching the gate on schedule. Flight coordinators also line up any ground transportation clients need.
Flight nurses pack a medical kit, bringing all the medical equipment they may need as well as reviewing with the client what medications they need during the trip.
A wide variety of people use NEMT medical services, working with RN flight coordinators and flight nurses to make sure they arrive safely at their destination. They include people with medical conditions who are traveling to meet family or go on vacation.
In other cases, older travelers might be relocating for retirement or to move closer to family. Flight coordinators and nurses also work with people of all ages who have chronic medical conditions that require special accommodations during a flight, or those who have a debilitating injury. An RN flight coordinator works to make a client’s trip go as smoothly as possible. Along with a flight nurse, they take the stress and worry out of travel for those who need assistance for their upcoming trip.
