Airline food facts for kids

Airline food is the food and drinks served to people traveling on an airplane. It's usually part of your ticket price. However, on many low-cost airlines, you might need to buy your food and drinks separately. Some airlines even offer a special buy-on-board menu where you can choose what you want to eat or drink. Sometimes, airlines just give out small snacks instead of full meals.

Eating on a Plane

Eating on an airplane is a unique experience! The food needs to be prepared carefully. It must stay fresh and safe for many hours. Airlines often work with special companies called caterers. These companies prepare thousands of meals every day. They then load the food onto the planes before each flight.

Why is Airline Food Different?

Airline food is different from what you might eat at home. This is because of several reasons:

• Altitude: At high altitudes, your sense of taste can change. Food might taste less flavorful. Airlines often add more seasoning to make sure the food still tastes good.
• Preparation: Meals are cooked on the ground. They are then chilled and reheated on the plane. This process helps keep the food safe.
• Space: Airplane kitchens, called galleys, are very small. The food must be easy to store and serve in a tight space.
• Safety: Food safety is extremely important. Meals are prepared under strict rules to prevent anyone from getting sick.

Types of Meals

Airlines offer many different kinds of meals. What you get often depends on:

• Flight Length: Short flights might only offer a drink and a small snack. Longer flights usually include a full meal.
• Time of Day: You might get breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
• Ticket Class: Passengers in first class or business class often get fancier meals. These can include multiple courses and special drinks. Economy class meals are usually simpler.

Special Meal Requests

Many airlines let you ask for special meals. You usually need to do this when you book your ticket. Some common special meals include:

• Vegetarian meals
• Vegan meals
• Gluten-free meals
• Kosher or Halal meals (following religious dietary laws)
• Meals for people with allergies
• Kid-friendly meals

These options make sure that almost everyone can find something safe and tasty to eat.

How Airline Food is Made

Airline catering companies are like huge restaurants. They have massive kitchens. Here's a simple look at how the food is prepared:

• Cooking: Chefs cook the food in large batches.
• Chilling: The cooked food is quickly cooled down. This stops bacteria from growing.
• Packaging: Meals are put into special trays. These trays are designed to fit perfectly in airplane ovens.
• Loading: The packaged meals are loaded onto special trucks. These trucks drive right up to the airplane. They lift the food up to the plane's doors.
• Reheating: On the plane, flight attendants use special ovens to reheat the meals. They serve them hot to passengers.

Images for kids

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  First class airline food on American Airlines.

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  A meal on Turkish Airlines.

• Economy class snack box on Garuda Indonesia.jpg

  Economy class snack box on Garuda Indonesia.

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  Snack onboard Thai Airways.

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  Loading food on a SWISS plane.

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  A Do & Co à la carte meal as served aboard Austrian Airlines flights.

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  Turkish Airlines Business class meal on an Istanbul to Cairo flight.

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  A United Airlines international economy meal from Washington, DC to Zürich.

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  Inflight kosher meal approved by the Beth din of Johannesburg.

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  Breakfast served on a short-haul Aeroflot flight.

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  Food being delivered to an American Airlines Boeing 767.

See also

In Spanish: Comida de avión para niños