I have already covered Secretary Sean Duffy’s new “family friendly airports” initiative and his not-so-subtle obsession with getting Americans to eat better while they travel, but one detail from the rollout is worth a closer look.
Sean Duffy Wants Healthier Airport Food And Is Spotlighting Farmer’s Fridge
When Duffy launched the Department of Transportation’s “Make Travel Family Friendly Again” campaign earlier this month, the headline was $1 billion in funding to incentivize airports to add family-oriented amenities like play areas, nursing pods, and even exercise spaces. But buried in the same announcement was something that may actually improve day-to-day travel faster than any of those amenities: a push for more nutritious food inside terminals.
Duffy has been consistent on this theme. After taking aim at junky airline snacks and watching him and RFK Jr. do pull-ups at DCA while talking about healthier airport environments, it is clear this is not just a throwaway talking point (as much as this seems like something that would have traditionally come from Michelle Obama rather than a GOP administration). The Trump administration is openly encouraging airports to work with private partners to expand access to “fresh, whole foods,” and Duffy is framing it as part of making travel less miserable for families. I don’t disagree!
A recent interview spotlights Farmer’s Fridge at Washington National Airport (DCA). Duffy publicly lauded Luke Saunders, the company’s founder and CEO, and singled out Farmer’s Fridge as an example of the sort of “grab-and-go” option airports should be adding. The concept is simple: refrigerated vending machines stocked with chef-prepared salads, grain bowls, protein-filled meals, and snacks that are replenished frequently and labeled clearly.
Farmer’s Fridge says it is already in dozens of airports (around 30), which helps explain why it is being used as the poster child here. These kiosks take up minimal real estate, operate around the clock, and work for travelers who do not have time to queue at a crowded food court. That convenience matters, especially during irregular operations, tight connections, and early-morning departures when options can be bleak.
I love Farmer’s Fridge and hope to see it at more airports across the nation, but it’s not DOT that is responsible for this…we’ve seen these machines spring up before Duffy’s latest initiative, leaving me wondering what the federal government has to do with Farmer’s Fridge…
Will a few vending machines fix airport dining in America? No. Airports still have concession contracts, pricing pressure, and a captive-audience mentality that routinely produces overpriced mediocrity. Plus, Americans just seem to prefer junk food. But if airports start competing on better food options instead of just more junk food, that is a tangible win for travelers.
CONCLUSION
Duffy’s $1 billion airport push is a mixed bag of policy, publicity, and priorities, but the healthy food angle is one of the few parts that feels immediately practical, even if Farmer’s Fridge was already present. If more airports respond by adding more fresh options like Farmer’s Fridge, that is progress. It will not make airport food cheap, and it will not make terminals pleasant, but it might at least make it easier to avoid turning a travel day into a junk food binge and I continue to see healthcare as the ticking time bomb that is truly the greatest existential threat to the USA.
While there are SOME airports that have really limited crap offerings, the reality is that most mid-size to large airports now offer healthy selections as well. In fact, I often see better offerings in U.S. airports compared to others overseas…certainly close to being on par with European airports. I agree, I like Farmers Fridge as well, especially in that it is fast and easily packable to jump on a flight. But they have been around for a bit now and shows that long before Duffy this was trending.
Even the airport they showcase, DCA, has plenty of options. Sure, you can get hot dogs or pizza. But you are not forced to. There has long been a decent Sushi place, many with salads, Med offerings, etc. Not to mention the best lounge for fresh healthy foods…Capital One.
To me, this is talking about “a problem” that honestly doesn’t really exist anymore in most airports. There are far bigger issues needing attention from Duffy.
The Farmer’s Fridge operation in Chicago was supplying O’Hare before they had any kind of food safety plans in place. I know this for a fact because a number of years ago, I was sent there to evaluate them for a pre-audit for a food safety certification. To quote a t-shirt I own, “Bourbon has never been recalled for E. coli. Take that, lettuce.”
I actually know someone who got E. Coli from farmers fridge. He was violently ill. I’ll never touch it
From the Donald McDonald administration another pie in the sky push towards something they cannot change. Nice words Duffy but avoiding the elephant in the room that could be changed. Get healthy food on the aircraft, and figure out how to reduce alcohol consumption.
High fat and salt is hard to avoid eating out.
Lawyers and bureaucrats ruin American health care. Also people don’t appreciate that the cancer survival rates in the US are far better than every big European country. Switzerland is kind of good but they lack government universal health care. People who know Medicare don’t want Medicare for All, which is really Medicaid for All.
Yeah but most of the big European countries fo have lower cancer rates overall than the US, no?
Anything that gives travelers an option is a good thing. Granted Duffy is jumping on the bandwagon with FF but it’s a start.
If there are better eating options at airports, I’m sure that will make passengers want to dress better when they travel and treat each other with kindness.
Thinking the most reasonable option for “healthy” food is cold, flavorless, pre-packaged salads and pastas might be the most American thing ever.
Until they place price controls in airports, travelers will find the cheapest thing to eat. A bottle of water is usually over $5 now. I saw the most pathetic tuna sandwich for $15. But it will never happen because they know once we get through security we have no options. Consumer protection is next to non-existent in America and airports are absolute cash cows. The fact Americans complain about everything with prices/consumer protections and then vote for the people who exacerbates the problem will never cease to amaze me. You will have no refund options from airlines and pay $20 for unhealthy airport food and you will like it because that’s what you voted for
However, let’s not forget that eating at airport restaurants is not mandatory!
Actually sometimes it can be, depending on route, status, time, lounge situation, etc.
Maybe he could do something about the antiquated air traffic controller technology or stop the FAA from allowing Boeing certifying for themselves when everything is good or go on a hiring spree for ATC’s. Instead he hectors us about food. If he wants America to eat healthy, he should start at the top with the Quarter-Pounder-In-Chief.
How many Americans eat more than two meals in an airport per year? This is a colossal waste of effort for expected results. It would be one thing if the Secretary of HHS did this, but the DOT? (Interestingly the latter maybe more qualified to make eating recommendations than the former.) The a horse-and-water thing here. If the traveling population was demanding healthier food, we’d see it. Think McLean, BK reduced fat fries, Taco Bell Fresco menu. And, to be clear, I loved those BK fries. Today, I tried a healthier fried chicken sandwich at a chain that was spectacular, better than any other chain in the area. It has good fat/sat fat/calorie numbers and uses olive oil. I fully expect it disappear, as there are those who will never try it, as they never eat “healthy” items.
I support this as well, but the extreme hypocrisy (which you hinted at) is disturbing. If a Democratic TransSec made the exact same proposal, Republicans would be screaming about nanny state policies.
It’s so true…and I hope GOP folks can realize that and work more across the aisle to make a meaningful push to promote preventative wellness in the USA. It’s something we should all be able to agree on.
Well, Matt, as you’ve said before that you are a Republican, please do push for better candidates in your primaries, who will not support demagogues, and will treat the opposing party and all Americans with decency. The rest of us should try and do the same. We can still come back from all this mess…
Can you imagine the snarky comments if Pete Buttigieg suggested these policies? Or Barack Obama? It’s a great idea but with all the problems and concerns we have in the USA related to transportation why is the secretary focused on how travelers dress and what they eat? How does that make us safer?
The bottom line is the Republican party has no new ideas and doesn’t want to spend the money to do anything that will improve the transportation systems in America. This is just another distraction from the real issues that America faces everyday.
Republicans are lazy and do not want to do the work and invest the time to come up with new ideas on how to fix the many problems America has. It’s much easier to make snarky comments and politicize everything than actually try to solve our problems.