Airport Food Rated for Healthy Options
Detroit Flies High with Perfect Score; Chicago Takes a Nosedive; and San Francisco is Most Improved
WASHINGTON—Holiday travelers with layovers in Detroit, San Francisco, Phoenix, and other busy hubs will easily find healthful, cholesterol-free vegetarian meals, according to a new report. The 2009 Airport Food Review, just released by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), also found that all three airports serving the nation’s capital—Dulles International, Washington National, and Baltimore/Washington International—are among the lowest-ranking airports for healthful options.
PCRM dietitians examined food served at 17 of the nation’s busiest airports and found that 79 percent of airport restaurants now offer at least one low-fat, high-fiber vegetarian entrée. In the nine-year history of the Airport Food Review, this is the first time an airport—Detroit’s Metropolitan Wayne County—has scored 100 percent.
"Greasy airport food is often as big a pain for travelers as long lines or baggage fees," says Susan Levin, M.S., R.D., director of nutrition education for PCRM. "Low-fat, high-fiber vegetarian meals can help prevent many common health problems, and healthy eating can even make passengers feel less frazzled." According to findings recently presented at the annual American Public Health Association conference, meatless meals can decrease tension and improve mood.
PCRM nutritionists gave each restaurant a point if its menu included at least one low-fat, cholesterol-free vegetarian entrée. The final percentage score was derived by dividing the airport’s number of restaurants serving health-conscious fare by its total number of restaurants.
Airport |
Score |
Healthful Restaurants/
Total Restaurants |
1. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport |
100% |
54/54 |
2. San Francisco International Airport |
94% |
60/64 |
3. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport |
87% |
54/62 |
4. Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport |
86% |
49/57 |
5. Newark Liberty International Airport |
85% |
58/68 |
6. (tie) Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport |
83% |
50/60 |
6. (tie) Orlando International Airport |
83% |
39/47 |
7. (tie) Denver International Airport |
80% |
45/56 |
7. (tie) Los Angeles International Airport |
80% |
45/56 |
8. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport |
77% |
75/97 |
9. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport |
76% |
65/86 |
10. Miami International Airport |
72% |
28/39 |
11. Baltimore/Washington International Airport |
71% |
27/38 |
12. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport |
70% |
23/33 |
13. (tie) Chicago O’Hare International Airport |
68% |
64/94 |
13. (tie) Washington Dulles International Airport |
68% |
23/34 |
14. Las Vegas McCarran International Airport |
66% |
38/58 |
Founded in 1985, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is a nonprofit health organization that promotes preventive medicine, conducts clinical research, and encourages higher standards for ethics and effectiveness in research.
