Not sure what to do about food on flights?

[mindy32]

Hi All,

Since you're all a wealth of travel knowledge I thought I'd ask something I've been wondering about! I'm intolerant to fructose, and have found out that airlines won't accommodate for this at all. They simply suggested I take my own food. I can go without eating on domestic flights, not bothered by that, but the international ones, not sure what to do there? This is something I've only developed in the last few years so it wasn't an issue last time we travelled. I assume I can't take my own food from home, I'd need to buy something at the airport? There's every chance I might be able to eat the food on the plane but since I won't know in advance I think I should take some food? Anyone had to take their own?

I could just stock up on chocolate but since we have a 10am flight I'm thinking I'll want real food at some stage!

 

[becpee]

Good question

I was thinking of taking a few protein bars which fill you up but are not heavy IYKWIM, some pretzels, some chocolate, some lollies (minus those pesky pineapples) and some water.

Should be enough to get me through 24 hours in transit

 

[alicia1506]

wow, i am sorry to hear about your fructose intolerance. i guess that makes eating in the usa pretty difficult at times

just having some thoughts re: items you may be able to buy in the airport - i know some fruits do not contain fructose, so are you maybe able to see if those fruits are available, as well as granola bars or some of those veggie packs (like celery and carrot sticks).

how about a prepared salad with no dressing? i know on the last flight we flew with VAustralia, and my partner is vegetarian. their vegetarian meal included a salad, a rice dish with mushrooms, tomato, onion and eggplant, and a fruit salad of mandarin, kiwi and strawberries...would something like that be acceptable for you?

 

[mindy32]

Protein bars are a great idea Bec, hadn't thought of that!

Thanks Alicia, it's no big deal but eating at restaurants can be difficult at times, almost everything contains onion! And I can't even stomach a small amount. Pasta sauce bases, risotto, soup, pies, etc etc all no good a lot if the time. And I don't really eat red meat except for mince so I make life hard on myself haha. I could perhaps try and get bananas, that might be a plan. It's so weird it developed in the last few years, doc thinks it might have to do with having my gall bladder out but it doesn't really matter why so I've never really looked into ot

 

[becpee]

Protein bars are a great idea Bec, hadn't thought of that!

Thanks Alicia, it's no big deal but eating at restaurants can be difficult at times, almost everything contains onion! And I can't even stomach a small amount. Pasta sauce bases, risotto, soup, pies, etc etc all no good a lot if the time. And I don't really eat red meat except for mince so I make life hard on myself haha. I could perhaps try and get bananas, that might be a plan. It's so weird it developed in the last few years, doc thinks it might have to do with having my gall bladder out but it doesn't really matter why so I've never really looked into ot

I know my sister has trouble with some foods since having her gall bladder out, is it definately a fructose intolerance? My mum also, food's can literally go straight through her

So far i'm lucky and don't have any issues, pretty sure I got most of me out of my Dad's gene's
Sometimes though, not a good thing

 

[mindy32]

Other things cause problems too but fructose always does, so doctors said to totally avoid it. Other things go through me but fructose causes intense cramps etc too.

 

[becpee]

Other things cause problems too but fructose always does, so doctors said to totally avoid it. Other things go through me but fructose causes intense cramps etc too.

I've seen my mum have to do the mad dash sometimes I know even in Australia now they put sugar in absolutely everything, and i'm sure it won't be long until they replace it with fructose

 

[BecBennett]

I have a fructose intolerance too, usually I'm fine if I stick to it in moderation, but if I'm already in a bad way I need to avoid it altogether. Having said that I've never really had much of an issue with airline food

Basically I know what I should be avoiding - onion, pear, HFCS etc. and I don't eat it, and usually you can look at the airline meals and know more or less what's in it.

I find it's more of a hassle finding snacks while over in the US, then finding something to eat on the plane.

 

[mindy32]

I have a fructose intolerance too, usually I'm fine if I stick to it in moderation, but if I'm already in a bad way I need to avoid it altogether. Having said that I've never really had much of an issue with airline food

Basically I know what I should be avoiding - onion, pear, HFCS etc. and I don't eat it, and usually you can look at the airline meals and know more or less what's in it.

I find it's more of a hassle finding snacks while over in the US, then finding something to eat on the plane.

I'm pretty bad with it unfortunately, I can't have anything with a slight amount of onion in it, so not even soup with a small amount through it, hopefully some of the airline food seems safe but honestly unless I'm sure I'd rather just avoid it, not worth it! Like I said I haven't actually had plane food since I found out so I may be fine but I want to be prepared. A few months ago I had three sips of apple juice to see how I went and felt ill within 5 minutes.

Oh I'll find snacks, chocolate, icecream, brownies lol.

 

[becpee]

I'm pretty bad with it unfortunately, I can't have anything with a slight amount of onion in it, so not even soup with a small amount through it, hopefully some of the airline food seems safe but honestly unless I'm sure I'd rather just avoid it, not worth it! Like I said I haven't actually had plane food since I found out so I may be fine but I want to be prepared. A few months ago I had three sips of apple juice to see how I went and felt ill within 5 minutes.

Oh I'll find snacks, chocolate, icecream, brownies lol.

 

[cola]

Have you tried saying it is a religious thingt? Jainism is no onion vegetarian, it might be an easy way to at least avoid onions.

It's odd you can eat bananas.

I think the biggest problem with America is HFCS is used soooooo much, even stuff in Australia that is made with sucrose will be made using HFCS there (eg Coca Cola) just becausse it is ok in Australia doesn't mean it is OK in USA.

 

[Beee]

from what I understand, you can bring food onto the plane from outside of the airport as long as it is sealed and certain things you will not be able to take off the plane. At least you can do this on flights to NZ and we are VERY strict about biosecurity so I'd imagine to US is fine. I am gluten free, actually try to avoid all grains and also sugar so eating out of the house is a bit of a pain. I am planning to take a couple of fruit & nut bars for the flight, hoping that they will just supplement the GF meal I've ordered but if not I can cope on a 12 hour flight with just those if need be. I am more concerned about what I am going to eat in the states to be honest!

 

[mindy32]

Have you tried saying it is a religious thingt? Jainism is no onion vegetarian, it might be an easy way to at least avoid onions.

It's odd you can eat bananas.

I think the biggest problem with America is HFCS is used soooooo much, even stuff in Australia that is made with sucrose will be made using HFCS there (eg Coca Cola) just becausse it is ok in Australia doesn't mean it is OK in USA.

I'll have to look into that, thanks !!!
Bananas are on the 'ok' list, and I've never had a problem with them thank goodness.

 

[BigDisneyOE]

Okay I have this issue too, it's too complicated for any airline to cater for my allergies. I'm allergic to pork, seafood, fish, melons and mangos. I now take my own food onboard flights, as an airline we recently flew with actually put fish sauce in with the chicken and the vegetarian meals are rife with melons and mangos. It's way easier to take my own snack food and I bring a pile of it onboard long haul just in case I strike a pork or chicken with fish sauce option again.

 

[australiankaren]

for me it lactose....so i always get the vegetarian lactose free meals.......better to be safe than sorry...I dont want to spend hours in the loo on the plane, and i dont want people to have to use the loo after i've been there for hours

good luck with whatever you come up with

 

[becpee]

for me it lactose....so i always get the vegetarian lactose free meals.......better to be safe than sorry...I dont want to spend hours in the loo on the plane, and i dont want people to have to use the loo after i've been there for hours:thumbsup:

Nothing worse than sitting close to the toilet
Oh I hope that's not going to be us...

 

[BecBennett]

Oh I'll find snacks, chocolate, icecream, brownies lol.

Are you sure? Most snacks over there have HFCS, which is why I come home from most trips to the US in a complete mess.

The last time I had to make 2 separate trips to the Dr., and the time before that I spent the last 24 hours of the trip huddled around the base of a toilet

There's a thread over on the disabilities board through that discusses going HFCS free, lots of good tips there

Nothing worse than sitting close to the toilet
Oh I hope that's not going to be us...

 

[australiankaren]

never, ever , ever chose a sit near the toots....

 

[mindy32]

Are you sure? Most snacks over there have HFCS, which is why I come home from most trips to the US in a complete mess.

The last time I had to make 2 separate trips to the Dr., and the time before that I spent the last 24 hours of the trip huddled around the base of a toilet

There's a thread over on the disabilities board through that discusses going HFCS free, lots of good tips there

Oh bugger, I guess I better look into it, thank you

 

[australiankaren]

Oh bugger, I guess I better look into it, thank you

that's why i love dis-ozzealand......if we don't know we direct you to someone who does...