When it comes to meals in domestic first class in the USA, life is like a box of chocolates: you never know what you’re going to get. That’s why salad, whatever the form, is usually the safest choice.
Order chicken and it might come out moist and flavorful…or it might come out rubbery and noxious. Order beef and it may come out medium-rare, but more than likely it will arrive overcooked and very dry. Even pasta is not a sure bet: sometimes airlines manage to serve it burned on the outside yet cold and uncooked on the inside.
That’s why I tend to order salads whenever offered. If you’re a carnivore, sometimes you receive the best of both worlds. Salads often come with a side of meat, providing optional protein without meat being the centerpiece of the meal.
This week’s Meal of the Week spotlights an ordinary domestic first class flight I recently had from Houston to Denver on United. Dinner was served after takeoff and the choices were chicken with Asian noodles or Chef salad. I opted for the salad.
Meals orders were taken before pushing back and the salad arrived promptly after takeoff. It included romaine lettuce, sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, olives, and hardboiled eggs. The portion size was large. On the side was sliced chicken breast, a pretzel roll, and a slice of chocolate cake.
The chicken was low-quality and I just skipped it, but the salad was fresh and served as a filling and satisfying meal.
There was one problem…just a personal preference. What do you notice about the picture below compared to the similar picture above?
That’s right, the difference is the salad dressing. I’m not a fan of ranch and asked the FA if she had any other dressing. I figured, especially on United, the answer would be no, but she came back with some balsamic vinaigrette. Perfect!
CONCLUSION
If you find yourself in first class and don’t know what to order, take the salad. It is usually the safest choice and also provides a healthier meal, especially if you don’t lather on the dressing.
What is your favorite airline salad?
Flew Toronto Pearson to DFW the other day. Guy across the aisle got a salad. Came with a FROZEN piece of chicken.
Salad isn’t always that safe.
(Though my sandwich was almost inedible)
I may also recommend if you’re flying on American to take advantage of the special meals. I am GF by choice, and I constantly find the quality of their domestic GF meals to be miles above what is offered otherwise, especially during lunch flights, and ESPECIALLY during short lunch flights (like DCA-ORD). I find the quality to be good, and the quantity to be much better than the other meals. I’ve had three entrees rotated domestically since they started offering the special meals:
-Chicken meatballs with polenta (I’ve also seen offered as a standard First Class meal choice)
-BBQ chicken with carrots, corn grits, and gravy (really this is my absolute favorite)
-Lemon chicken with asparagus and risotto (I’ve seen this most frequently on international flights, but I’ve also seen on a few domestic flights)
I’ve often seen the vegetarian special meal selection to simply be the same as the regular vegetarian meal option. I have not had the opportunity to see any of the other domestic special meals. But if you reserve and/or are upgraded more than 24 hours prior to departure, give them a try!
Asian vegetarian would be the safest bet in my experience.
I’m with you on ranch but usually nothing else available… the balsamic substitution was wow!!
Probably taken from the crew meal or the noodle salad (which is typically served with the sesame dressing).
Yes, Asian vegetarian is the way to go , and ,in fairness , the airlines have dramatically improved those meals over the past decade or so.
I thought of Matthew yesterday while reading some weird story about Democrats wanting to ban burgers ( given to appears to be Guinness Book of Records material in burger consumption).
One can only imagine the outrage.