View From The Wing argues that it may be time for airlines to retire hot mixed nuts in first class. Respectfully Gary, hands off my (mixed) nuts!
Hands Off My Mixed Nuts: First Class Needs More Warm Nuts, Not Fewer
View From The Wing argues that hot mixed nuts in first class feel stale and that airlines should replace them with something more creative. Mini antipasto skewers, spiced seeds, crackers with spreads, small canapés, chocolates, savory shortbread, and other more “interesting” options are floated as possibilities.
I’m going the other way.
Hands off my mixed nuts.
I love mixed nuts. I eat them constantly at home. Our monthly mixed nut budget is embarrassingly high, easily hundreds of dollars, and I am not talking about sad little peanut-heavy blends either. I like the Trader Joe’s premium nut mix, though the Aldi mix is not terrible. Pecans, pistachios, cashews, almonds, and macadamias are exactly the sort of snack I want, both on the ground and in the air…nuts are part of my daily diet.
They are filling, delicious, have healthy fat, pair beautifully with a drink, and feel premium when served warm in a ramekin. That last part matters. Dumping a bag of almonds on a tray is not the same thing as a warm mixed nut service with a proper glass of sparkling water with ice and lime.
That is one of my favorite little onboard rituals. I settle in, the flight attendant brings a drink, the nuts arrive warm, and I find myself smiling.
Why would we want to get rid of that?
Mixed Nuts Are Not Boring, They Are Classic!
I understand the point that mixed nuts have become predictable. No one is going to write a breathless press release announcing a revolutionary new ramekin of almonds. But not everything in first class has to be reinvented.
Some things work because they are simple. A hot towel works, as does a properly poured drink. Warm mixed nuts work too. They are not stale to me, they are classic.
As I see it, the problem is not that airlines serve nuts but that they do not serve them often enough, and when they do, the quality varies too much.
I would love to see warm mixed nuts become a first class staple on all flights, even those without meal service. On a short flight from Los Angeles to San Francisco, a meal would be great, but this isn’t Europe or Asia. But a drink and a small ramekin of warm mixed nuts? That would be lovely and something that could really separate one carrier from another.
It would also feel far more premium than the usual snack basket roulette, where the choices often include a tiny bag of chips, a packaged cookie, a banana, or a highly-processed protein stick full of nitrates.
Keep the snack basket for people who want it, but add warm mixed nuts as an option. That would be a real improvement.
American And Delta Have The Better Nut Mix
United has added some savory spices to its nut mix this year. I do not mind it, actually preferring it to the standard cashew/almond mix.
American and Delta have the better nut mix, in my view, because they typically include pecans and pistachios. That makes a difference. A nut mix dominated by almonds and cashews can still be fine, but pecans and pistachios are not only more “premium” but are two of my favorites nuts.
American also offers olives with mixed nuts in first class, and I like that. KLM offers cheese or nuts. Virgin Atlantic has served potato chips. Alaska Airlines also has a savory mix with pretzel twists. Air France has cheese biscuits. These are all good options in their own way, and I am not opposed to variety.
But if given a choice, I am choosing the nuts.
The suggested alternatives do not sound terrible. I would happily try an antipasto skewer or savory shortbread bite…Aer Lingus did a great job with is savory biscuits and chutney. A small canapé can be great if it is done well. Cheese and crackers can also work. But all of those options introduce more complexity and therefore more chances for disappointment.
Mixed nuts are hard to mess up, relatively shelf-stable, easy to serve, and satisfying….it’s why they are a staple onboard.
CONCLUSION
View From The Wing thinks hot mixed nuts in first class may be stale. I think they are one of the better little rituals left in domestic premium cabins.
They are healthy, filling, delicious, easy to serve, and genuinely premium when warmed and presented properly. I would like to see more of them, not fewer, including on shorter first class flights that currently rely on mediocre snack baskets.
By all means, offer cheese, olives, chips, or other options too. But the warm mixed nuts should stay.
Hands off my nuts!
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