There are certain social codes that most people abide by during a flight, like using their headphones, not starting any unnecessary conversations, and allowing the unlucky person in the middle seat to have both armrests.
Yet there’s one element to being on a plane that warrants serious debate: What foods are okay to eat?
A woman shared the 4 foods that should be banned from planes:
Kit Keenan, an influencer and former “Bachelor” contestant, outlined her guidelines for bringing food on planes as she wrapped up “her gorgeous plane sandwich” in preparation for a trip.
“There are foods that I think should be legitimately banned from airplanes,” she declared, then showed her humanity by admitting there have been times she’s broken her own plane food rules.
1. Beef jerky
“I’m actually so guilty of this, and I feel bad every time,” she said, listing off beef or turkey jerky as the number one snack to avoid bringing on a flight.
“Sorry, but it smells,” she said, standing firm in her belief that any kind of dried and dehydrated meat snack shouldn’t be allowed on planes.
2. Hard-boiled eggs
Mona Sabha Cabrera | Pexels
Next on Keenan’s no-fly list were hard-boiled eggs.
She noted that hard-boiled eggs are “a good source of protein, not for the plane.”
Hard-boiled eggs contain 6 grams of protein, along with other crucial nutrients and healthy fats, but they do give off a faint sulfurous odor, which might make them better suited to enjoy in the privacy of your own home than on a crowded plane.
3. Tuna sandwiches
Keenan pointed to the sandwich she made as an example of an appropriate choice for a flight, declaring turkey a safe and smell-free choice.
Topping her list of sandwiches that should never be brought on planes were tuna salad sandwiches and egg salad sandwiches.
She believed that “Even soppressata or ham is testing the limits” as far as plane-approved sandwich meats are concerned.
She later shared her sandwich-wrapping technique, guaranteed to keep a plane sandwich from turning soggy, saying, “I always wrap my sandwiches in parchment first, then aluminum foil; it really helps them stay intact.”
In a separate post, Keenan shared her process for making the perfect plane sandwich.
She started by buttering her bread of choice, a loaf of ciabatta that she declared was “The size of my torso.” Next, she toasted the slices of ciabatta, tossed some arugula in dressing, and finished it off with a sprinkle of black pepper.
“If you’re not adding jelly to your sandwiches, you’re majorly missing out,” Keenan said.
She layered her sandwich with cheddar cheese and slices of turkey, which she declared as “One of the plane-safe cold cuts.”
“Let’s make this clear: No tuna, no egg salad, ham is questionable,” she said, doubling down on the food choices she believed to be too smelly for planes.
4. Barbecue-flavored chips
This is one snack that even Keenan has been guilty of eating on a plane. She recalled, “One time, I brought those Frito-Lay twists barbecue chips on a plane. I deserved jail; my entire row smelled like barbecue for the entire flight.”
“I’m sure we’ve all experienced smelly plane snacks,” she said.
Keenan showed off the rest of the meal she planned to go with her turkey sandwich: “Plain salted pretzels, no garlic, no sour cream and onion, plain.”
She also brought chocolate-flavored quinoa crisps and strawberry licorice as a sweet treat to cap off her plane feast.
People in the comments section shared their stories of smelly plane food, highlighting how the experience is a true unifier.
Bongkarn Graphic | Shutterstock
“I watched a woman eat barbecue ribs on a flight once,” one person said.
“There’s a hot bar with Brussels sprouts in the Houston airport,” another user wrote. “Longest flight ever.”
Yet there were some dissenting opinions about Keenan’s list of no-go plane foods.
“I will never stop eating jerky on the plane,” one brave woman declared.
“Happy to announce on my last flight, I brought the Trader Joe’s bag of hard-boiled eggs,” said another person.
“I have been guilty of this,” Keenan responded, proving that some rules are made to be broken.
Bringing neutral-smelling food on planes is one way to show respect and care for other passengers, making you a conscientious global citizen, no matter where your travels take you.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango’s news and entertainment team. She covers social issues, pop culture, and all things to do with the entertainment industry.
