Vegan airplane food

[Mystic]

Hey guys...I am going to Hawaii in 4 days (YAY!!!!!). I have pre-ordered vegan meals for the plane ride, and am wondering what on earth I will be getting???? What have you guys gotten? Should I bring something myself in case????

[Cloudy]

I've had varying degrees of success with airplane food. Sometimes I've been given the vegetarian option (a cheese sandwich, THANKS for that), whilst other times I've had a proper cooked meal (luckily that was on a long haul flight).

My advice would be take a backup, flapjack or a sandwich or something, especially if it's a long flight.

Don't forget to show us the photos of you in the grass skirt when you get back.

[Mystic]

A cheese sandwich? Thats pretty harsh... It is about a 10 hour flight so I'd probably be best to bring my own sandwich! Can they heat stuff up for you if I brought a TV dinner or something?

[eve]

hi banana, I've done a fair bit of travel, various airlines, and had decent vegan meals. Taking a sandwich is ok for a local flight interstate, but not overseas. I'm going to the US in August and for the first time I'm flying Air NewZealand to LA, then a domestic flight, NorthWest. Hopefully they'll come good. On my flight from Brisbane to Sydney next week, I'm going Virgin, but they don't supply meals, so in that case I'm definitely taking a sandwich and a small carton of soymilk.

Have a wonderful time in Hawaii, and doubtless there will be plenty of fruit when you arrive. :)

[Mystic]

Thanks Eve. I will have a great time!!! I will also be sure to post everything vegan friendly in Hawaii when I get back. I here there is a vegan fast food place called Mr Goodburger...apparently the burgers are soy based and taste like beef...not my ideal....ewww

[negavert]

I've traveled mainily within the US, and obviously the trick is to order ahead of time, and various airlines have different meal plans. I forget which airlines it was, but some do have the vegan option, while another didn't but had a meal plan called "Buddhist" which served the same function. While they generally aren't anything to rave about, it is a fair bit better than the white bread/overcooked meat/mystery sauce that everyone else gets. I've had people sitting next to me compare my meal with theirs, and ask the attendants if they could have what I was having. Plus, when you get a special meal, you get served first! I somethimes am done with my meal by the time my seat-mate(s) gets served.
Unfortunately, meals have been cut out of many domestic flights nowadays, so bringing a sandwich is the only option left anymore.

[cast_the_flames]

i've had them try to give me cheesey pasta, which was the normal vegetarian deal. i've also had pancakes served to me, which i didn't trust to be vegan, so didn't eat. the actual vegan meals i've had were a sesame noodle dish, pasta with tomato sauce and pita (random combo), and a rice and bean sort of thing.

[Mystic]

I have just finished packing and I have packed for the plane:

- little individual packets of vegemite
- a packet of mountain bread
- V8 vegetable juice box
- calcium fortified OJ box
- can of 4 bean mix
- a box of rice milk
- instant miso soup
- instant oats
- iron-enriched dried fruit bars
- canned peaches

i know i took alot but I figure I will have choice!!! Also, something for my hotel room if I get lazy/run out of money!!!!

Anyway, I will let you know...at least I am well prepared!!!!
oh yeah, I took chewy as well!!!

[tsunami]

Good luck! Hope you have a good time ^_^

Just call them before and makes sure they have and let you take food on the plane.

[gertvegan]

In an article from www.mirror.co.uk


ON THE FLIGHT
Eat little and often. Avoid having a big meal as it could tighten your clothes, increasing your risk for DVT. "Avoid fatty or sugary foods, which make your blood thicker for a while immediately after you've eaten," advises Olivier. For the healthiest inflight meal, pre-order a vegan dish.

Full article (http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/allnews/tm_objectid=14449456&method=full&siteid=50143&headline=air-fare-name_page.html)

[gertvegan]

PETA Honors Airline for Taking Veggie Options to New Heights

September 7, 2004
Matt Rice

Phoenix — For being one of the few airlines in the world to offer vegetarian meal options that don’t have to be specially ordered in advance, America West is being presented with a plaque from pro-vegetarian group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). America West has already begun offering its delicious Veggie Wrap in four markets and will soon expand the option to all flights through its "Buy on Board" program.

Why is PETA flying high over America West’s new policy? Addiction to meat-eating causes suffering and death for the billions of animals raised and killed for food and for millions of Americans. Animals on modern factory farms are abused in ways that would warrant felony cruelty-to-animals convictions if dogs or cats were the victims. And consumption of meat and other animal products has been conclusively linked to heart disease, strokes, diabetes, obesity, several types of cancer, and even Alzheimer’s disease.

Offering vegan options is also good business. More and more Americans are requesting meat- and dairy-free meals when dining out, and mock meats and other vegetarian foods are among the fastest-growing segments of the retail food business.

"Everyone is happy with tasty veggie fare, and we commend America West for meeting the growing demand from vegetarian flyers," says PETA’s Director of Vegan Campaigns Bruce Friedrich. "We’ll be alerting our members and vegetarians everywhere that America West is the airline for health-conscious and compassionate frequent flyers." :)

Peta (http://www.peta.org/mc/NewsItem.asp?id=5014)

[slinkyvagabond]

The last two flights I took (domestic round trip from St Louis to LA), small meals were served, and though booking through Travelocity took me to a page where I could preorder a meal type, the airline still asked what I wanted, so I guess it didn't go through. Breakfast of bagels and spreads on the first one; on the way back, a wrap sandwich. I chose the vegetarian, as I wasn't vegan then and lacked options anyway, and it was very good, some sort of mushroom spinach thing (with an obviously dairy sauce). There was some anorexic, prissy, uppity thing and her rude boyfriend beside me, and she ordered the chicken wrap, decided she didn't want it, and then declined the vegetarian wrap she was offered! My gosh, they were such jerks..but that's another story. I flew Frontier, and I bet if I'd called ahead they might've been able to set aside a sauceless veganized wrap. The flight attendant told me that when you fly to Mexico, all you get is the vegetarian because the govt. won't allow meat taken across the border. :confused:

[eve]

I had excellent vegan meals recently on Air New Zealand - booked ahead.

[cast_the_flames]

i wish i could remember the name of the airline, but i just flew on one that no longer offers special meals. i'll get back to you on that one. it was frustrating, because i flew first class and they couldn't even feed me. :(

[gertvegan]

HERES (http://www.pcrm.org/health/reports/airline_food_report.html) an "Airline Food Report" , a review by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in Fall 2003.

[cowpie]

Have a good time, Banana.....It's a beautiful place. I can still remember the smell of flowers when I walked through the airport. You're smart, taking food on the plane. At least you won't starve....Byeeeeeeee....

[gertvegan]

Song, Delta Air Lines' low-fare, high-style air service, has announced its adding Grilled Teriyaki Portobello Mushroom Sandwich with Tofu, Spinach and Roasted Pepper on a multi-seeded roll, as well as a Mediterranean Vegetable and Toasted Lavash Vegan Sandwich with Organic Brown Rice and Tofu Cream Cheese to the on-board menu.

MORE INFO (http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/041018/nym029_1.html)

[mophoto]

this sounds weird but tell your travel agent or airline that you can't eat dairy or eggs for religious reasons.. that's how i got my gel-caps switched to tablets at the pharmacy ( i said i was a vegan and couldn't eat anything made with animals) she changed my drug and when she was ringing me up she asked if i couldn't eat gelatin for religious reason, i just said YES.

who can fight with religious reasons??

[Jacqui]

Cant we just have a vegan religion so no one can screw with us???

I asked for vegetarian food on a flight before I was vegan and the meal was marked vegan, and was. I think they just cover their bases that way. That was Qantas or Air New Zealand though.

[kriz]

Thanks for your input. The conversation went like this:

- "I would like vegan food"
- "You mean vegetarian"?
- "No, VEGAN"...
- "Yes, we we have vegetarian"
- "No, I mean V-e-g-a-n...NO dairy, NO eggs"...
- "I'll put vegeterian, then."

She didn't know what vegan meant and she was a rather rude and impatient lady. I needed to go with the ticket offer (available only today), so I said, "Ok, put vegetarian"... :mad: Maybe I should call the Airline (Lufthansa) directly and ask if they have vegan options. I'm exhausted already! :(

[Kiran]

Maybe I should call the Airline (Lufthansa) directly and ask if they have vegan options. I'm exhausted already! :(

I have flown by Lufthansa quite a few times. What I do is I order AVML (Asian Vegetarian Mean), which is mostly vegan. There are no eggs in there. The dessert contains milk though. Just avoid the dessert. The rest will be a curry, salad etc.

I always order AVML (that is an international code applicable for all airlines). I have flown by emirates, BMI, British Airways, lufthansa - and I never had a problem with AVML. Only avoid the dessert.

[abrennan]

I have taken my own food on occasion.

[Kumem]

I have booked a flight for December and the meal is vegan - Virgin Airways. They said they have three veggie options and one is always vegan. Hopefully it won't be vile, but they said it's usually veggie curry, which suits me.

[DianeVegan]

Lufthansa supposedly has a "Western Vegan" selection. The asian is listed as "Asian vegetarian, Indian seasonings, with diary." You must call 48 hours ahead to confirm your meal selection. I would also confirm 24 hours in advance AND in the airport. I would also ask for a printout from the ticketing person at the desk stating that you get the vegan meal. And bring an emergency back-up meal.

I'm flying Swiss and American intercontinental flights next week. I'll be surprised if everything runs smoothly.

[kriz]

Thanks everyone. I already purchased the tickets yesterday...can I still "re-order" a vegan meal, though? maybe call the airline? :(