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5 Foods (and 1 Drink) You'll Rarely Find on a Flight

June 06, 2017
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4 min read
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Airline food has improved by leaps and bounds over the last couple decades, but there are still a few items that remain mostly off the menu, for various reasons. Here are some of the ones experts told TPG you'll rarely find on a flight.

1. Broccoli

Because they contain sulfur compounds, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli give off an unpleasant odor that tends to fill a cabin when they're heated. In addition, they (like beans) tend to give people gas and make them feel bloated.

Of course, some people will be happy to hear there won't be much broccoli on the flight. Image courtesy of PeopleImages via Getty Images.

2. Fried Foods

That toothsome crunch and crispiness that makes french fries, fried chicken and onion rings so fun and tasty? Don't expect any of that in the air. By the time they're ready to serve on a flight, these foods usually end up mushy and unpleasant.

Your best bet for crispy fries on a plane? Buy them in the concourse. Image courtesy of Martin Jordan / EyeEm via Getty Images.

3. Prunes

Think about it: four to 18 bathrooms on a flight full of as many as nearly 853 passengers. Add an infamous laxative to the mix, and you're just asking for disaster.

Even if they are on the menu, avoid the prunes unless you're in an aisle seat, please. Image courtesy of imagenavi via Getty Images.

4. Eggs

Notorious among airlines for how difficult they are to get right, you'll commonly see scrambled eggs or omelets on breakfast menus, but you'll never see eggs sunnyside up, easy, medium or basically anything short of fully cooked. "Anything that requires a runny egg just dries out," says Jamie Perry, Vice President of Marketing for JetBlue.

No matter how you slice it, eggs dishes are not easy to pull of at 35,000 feet. Image courtesy of AlexPro9500 via Getty Images.

5. Fresh Bread

Sure, flights always seem to have sandwiches or those Styrofoam-like rolls on hand, but you're not going to get a classic baguette, crusty sourdough boule or crackly-skinned fougasse with silky-tender interior. Breads like those are best straight out of the oven and the logistics of airline service mean only a lucky few will get their fresh, hot breads in time to enjoy properly.

Unless it's coming straight out of an oven, you will not see bread like this (great crust, fluffy inside) on any airline menu. Image courtesy of LauriPatterson via Getty Images.

On the Drink Menu: No Wines with Mineral Flavors

That taste of slate or stone may be delightful at sea level, but at altitude, wine with strong mineral notes tastes less like rock and more like plain old dirt.

Fans of mineral-forward wines should imbibe before or after their flight. Image courtesy of Corbis/VCG via Getty Images.

And the one item you're going to find on pretty much every flight in the world? Chicken, which is universally available, relatively inexpensive, healthy and lean and doesn't transgress common religious or cultural prohibitions (unlike pork or beef).

Yes, they already know: You'll have the chicken. Image courtesy of Assalve via Getty Images.

For more on the science behind airplane food, check out this in-depth report.

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What foods and drinks do you never see on flights? What do you wish they'd put on the menu? What would you ban? Sound off, below!

Featured image by Getty Images/iStockphoto

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Apply for American Express® Gold Card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
Best for dining at restaurants

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TPG Editor‘s Rating
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Rewards Rate

4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.