7 Foods You Should Never Buy at the Airport

If you're heading out on a vacation, odds are, making sure you have a snack for the airport is the last thing on your mind. Ensuring you've packed the right clothes, completed the proper travel forms, and checked into your flight are usually the top priorities. And that's OK because airport dining has actually gotten pretty sophisticated, with some even boasting Michelin-starred restaurants.

However, there are foods you should avoid both purchasing and eating at an airport. Some have poor nutritional value, but others could even make you ill during your flight. These are the seven foods you should never buy at the airport.

Salad

A nice green salad may sound like the ideal healthy choice while traveling through the airport. However, the salad bar may also be a hotbed of germs, including the kind that can lead to food poisoning. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) classifies leafy vegetables as a risky choice. They can sometimes be contaminated with harmful bacteria that can't be eliminated by simply washing them. According to the CDC, "germs on produce eaten raw cause a large percentage of U.S. foodborne illnesses" and are a "major source of E. coli O157 infections."

A Massive Coffee

A hot coffee may be exactly what you're craving before an early morning flight, but hold off if you can. Drinking too much coffee can cause the jitters and send you to the bathroom in a rush, which won't be convenient when you're flying.

The Mayo Clinic reports, "As a chemical, caffeine increases production of urine, which means caffeine is a diuretic." Furthermore, it notes that "the more common issues people have reported after drinking caffeinated drinks are trouble sleeping, loose stools, and upset stomach." In summary, if you're hoping to catch a few Zs on your flight, skip the caffeine.

Salty Foods

Salty foods like French fries and pretzels sure sound tasty, but even on the ground, these are a recipe for bloat. Add 35,000 feet of altitude and you'll be a swollen mess during your flight.

As the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) explains, "The gastrointestinal tract normally contains variable amounts of gas with pressure approximately equivalent to that of the ambient atmosphere." Gas formed during digestion plays a minor role, but it's still good to avoid salty treats and carbonated beverages to avoid needing to relieve that pressure in ways that may not be so polite toward your fellow passengers.

High-sugar Yogurt

If you're in a rush and need a quick grab-and-go bite, those tiny yogurts might seem like a healthy choice—but beware because they could be hiding a ton of sugar. According to USDA data, even a low-fat fruit yogurt can contain more than 30 grams of sugar, which is a bit more than an average milk chocolate bar and twice the amount in three chocolate sandwich cream cookies. So if you’re craving something sweet at the airport but trying to be “good,” you might as well indulge in what you really want. However, to avoid a sugar crash in transit, it’s advisable to skip a sweet snack during your journey.

Alcohol

Many people look forward to grabbing their pre-flight beer or cocktail as a way to celebrate the start of a vacation, but consuming alcohol before flying can sometimes be a big mistake, especially if you're hoping to sleep once you're in the air.

"Drinking on airplanes is not usually a good idea. It sets the stage for poor sleep and cardiac events by lowering oxygen saturation and increasing heart rate," said Lindsay Malone, a nutritionist and professor at the School of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University, in an article for T+L. This is backed up by a study published by the DLR Institute of Aerospace Medicine, which states that drinking on planes can pose health risks. "The combination of consuming alcohol and sleeping under hypobaric conditions places a significant strain on the heart, even in young and healthy individuals."

Deli Meats

A deli sandwich might seem like the perfect filling pre-flight lunch, but you have to be careful. Cured meats can also be unsuspecting sources of listeria, especially if they've been sitting out.

The CDC warns, "Avoid eating hot dogs, lunch meats, cold cuts, other deli meats (such as bologna), or fermented or dry sausages unless they are heated to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit or until steaming hot just before serving." If you are hungry for a sandwich, avoid the grab-and-go places and see if you can get one toasted from a cafe or restaurant.

Sushi

Sushi is delicious, but the airport is not the place to enjoy it. According to the CDC, it's generally best to avoid "raw or undercooked fish or shellfish, including sashimi, sushi, and ceviche," because it is more often associated with foodborne illnesses, especially when left out for long periods. Sushi can also pack a double whammy if you tend to drown it in soy sauce, which, according to WebMD, can have nearly 40% of your day's worth of salt in a single tablespoon.