Flight attendant explains why you should 'never eat' food served on the plane

What's your favourite part about plane journeys? The movies? The drinks?

For me, it's probably the food. Not because it's the tastiest food out there, or the most filling. Mainly just because I love food in general and it passes the time.

Apparently, though, plane food is exactly what you don't want to eat while travelling. At least, that's according to flight attendant Celina Bedding, who spoke to the Express about what to avoid on planes.

She started by advising passengers to avoid drinking tap water from the plane, even if you might think it's a good idea to save money on flights where you have to pay for drinks.

"For any passengers out there, whether you are a frequent flyer, an occasional flyer, seasonal flyer or will be a first-time flyer soon, I would like to say to you: NEVER drink tap water from the plane bathroom," Bedding said.

"Many studies have shown it's not sanitary for drinking. You may have seen the sign already as most planes have it by the tap.

"You may have thought it's just a way to get you to buy a drink. But it's actually for your own health. So definitely do not drink tap water on a plane."

Most airports have free water bottle filling stations, so make sure to make use of those if you're planning to rely on your own bottle on the plane.

When it comes to the food, Bedding claimed passengers should 'avoid plane food as much as you can'.

Juan Silva/Getty

The reason for this, the flight attendant explained, is because the meals contain high quantities of salt - "higher than most ready meals we buy in supermarkets," she said.

The high salt content in meals served on planes comes down to the fact that our senses become less sensitive on planes.

In 2010, a study tested people's sense of taste inside and outside a simulated plane cabin and found that sensitivity to sweet and salty food was reduced by 30 percent while in the cabin.

Bedding continued: "The companies that prepare food for the airlines add much more salt to it in order to have a nice flavour at 40,000 feet."

However, if you've made the mistake of scoffing all your snacks before take-off and you find your stomach rumbling, there are some potential options on board that would be better than others.

"You could choose a salad or fruit salad, for example," Bedding said, adding: "Make sure you drink plenty of water before, during and after a flight to hydrate yourself."

Topics: Travel, Food and Drink, Life

Emily Brown

Emily Brown is the Community Desk Lead at LADbible Group. Emily first began delivering news when she was just 11 years old - with a paper route. She went on to graduate with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University before contributing to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems. She joined UNILAD in 2018 to cover breaking news, trending stories and longer form features, and now works as Community Desk Lead to commission and write human interest stories from across the globe.