GoingAway

No garlic that I noticed, or not strong if it was there - definitely no cloves to be seen. Maybe you got the garlic 'dressing' and I got the red sauce : ... Once I put the salt & pepper on the non-pasta, who knows what it really is, stuff - I liked it.

Dunbar

The standard meals have such small portions I think they would already be considered low-calorie. If you want low-fat than order the chicken dish and avoid any cheese or salad dressing.

GoingAway

I have a new meal request that I'll continue to use. On my return from SAN yesterday, I got the lunch version of the low cal meal. Not sure who is determining that these are "low cal" since this lunch included rice. The tray included salmon, rice, lots of cooked vegetables (broccolli, carrot type mix), a side salad and the cookie. The salmon could've been of better quality and cooked a bit more but since there wasn't much left, I guess it was okay as served.

SEA1K4EVR

Well I completed my travels last night. I requested low calorie meals on all flights. The meals are definitely low calorie when compared to the regular meals however the portions are no smaller so if you're really trying to restrict calories you will not want to eat everything. I was pretty satisfied overall.

SEA-DEN, F class, non-Sh*ttle 737 with oven, 7:30am departure:
4 medium sized pancakes with a warm orange flavored syrup (very lite, not thick high calorie syrup..it was very tasty). I only ate 2 of the pancakes. I think some of the syrup may have spilled out prior to being served to me because there was not nearly enough in the container. Small fruit plate on the side and it came with a small raisin bagel (prepackaged) and some fat free cream cheese. Everyone else was offered a hot breakfast sandwich or a fruit plate... my breakfast looked better!

DEN-EWR, F class, 757, noonish departure: as described in a previous posting by someone else... a warm chicken breast with a side container of a chunky tomato sauce served over a HUGE bed of "orzo" pasta...but I actually think it was cous cous, not orzo. There were mushrooms in it (no garlic). Also a side of warm spinach. Came with a side salad and a prepackaged roll and vegan chocolate chip cookie. Pretty tasty meal...chicken was tender and moist.

JFK-LHR, C class, 777, 6:18pm departure: Appetizer course was a cold marinated veggie plate with a variety of veggies (portobello, asparagus, etc). The standard appetizer was shrimp & parma ham so I had the shrimp along with some of my veggies. If you're a big veggie fan you'd probably like the plate... but I'm not so it was just OK for me. The main course was again a chicken breast with the red sauce but it was served with white rice and a different vegetable (dont remember what kind). The salad did not come with any salad dressing so I had the asian viniagrette being offered standard. Dessert was a package of 4 Snackwells chocolate cookies (200 calories in the dessert). Also a pretty tasty meal. There was no special meal for the pre-arrival snack (continental breakfast).

LHR-IAD, C class, 777, 11:50am departure: Appetizer course again was a cold marrinated veggie plate though slightly different vegetables...lots of peppers in this one...it was tastier than the one on the previous flight. Main course was again chicken breast with white rice but it had some kind of onion sauce on it that was really good. Came with a side salad and packets of light dressing (only flight I saw special salad dressing), rye crackers instead of bread..a good low calorie alternative to the rolls. Low calorie butter flavored spread too. The pre-arrival snack was nice... a piece of cold salmon with lemon and vegetables and some more rye crackers.

IAD-SEA, C Class, 767, 5:05pm departure: Salmon on rice with vegetables and a vegan chocolate chip cookie. Side salad with no dressing offered (I would have asked for some but I wasn't in a salad mood at that point).

dcutcher

I just used the (live, non- East Indian) 1K agent to create an $800 early morning upgraded LAX-YYZ itinerary ---by some standards thereby international ---and was told I could not reliably request a special meal. Rather specious argument: "they" are providing BOB for domestic flights and, anyway, I can't guarantee the first outbound segment will upgrade (though the flight is now wide open.)
H'mmmm

GoingAway

I'm confused ... if the upgrade hasn't cleared, I agree you can't request a special meal or at least they wont' guarantee it. I also wouldn't trust that a request pre-upgrade would stick once the upgrade cleared ... just wait it out and if it clears over 24 hours in advance (i think that's the food cut-off, might be longer) then make your call in for the special meal.

bneoma

I wonder if that's the case for low-cal or low-fat meals in coach too?

I've never ordered a special meal on an eastbound to LHR, but I always pack a protein bar for breakfast in Y because those greasy little hot croissants seem like they'd turn into instant love handles. (And by that stage of the flight, if I didn't have an alternative I'd probably cave and eat it anyway. Not a good way to start a jet-lagged day..)

kevanyalowitz

Anyone ever tried low cal/low fat meals on 'snack' transcon flights in F? I am fling ORD-SEA this week leaving at 8:30p and it says 'snack'. Thanks!

ajthegreat

I personally have not but I would imagine you will get something very similar if not the same!

goalie

yes ^, yes ^^ and yes ^^^!. for those of us on flyertalk-one (aka ua16 on feb 3rd) not only were there a lot of other pax going "awwww" but the f/a's were amazed as to how many "health conscious" folks there were on board

drjhwang

After 2 failed attempts to get UA to board a low-fat meal for me, I finally got a taste of success on my latest redeye. Got the same chicken breast with garlicky orzoish substance described above. I thought it was great -- way better than eating blocks of cheese before going to sleep.

I'd be curious what else is available if one orders low-cal, Hindu, etc for these "snack" flights.

xj47

So, um, what airline were you on?

zrudeboyz

I'm guessing it was UA as UA only discontinued their JFK-LHR service in the fall (or late summer) of 2006 and the OP dates back to March 2006 for travel in April 2006.

ksandness

Has anyone had the high fiber meals?

cepheid

High carb does not by itself imply high calorie (especially since a gram of carb and a gram of protein both have 4 calories, so high protein doesn't make it any lower calorie).

You sure that isn't just getting a BoB meal and eating the cardboard box instead of the contents? (And to answer the question, no, but I haven't ever tried ordering a special meal on those flights where I actually get one. I might try it since it seems they're better, though...)