- Jennifer Lawrence says she can’t resist Doritos while flying.
- Dietitians recommend high-protein, high-fiber snacks for travel.
- Doritos are fine in moderation, but drink water to offset the sodium.
Jennifer Lawrence has won an Oscar for her role in Silver Linings Playbook, played an almost-fearless heroine in The Hunger Games film series and been nominated for a Golden Globe for her work in Die My Love. But, at the end of the day, the 35-year-old mom of two asks the same questions we all do about which foods are most healthy and which ones she should steer clear of.
Lawrence appeared on the Good Hang With Amy Poehler podcast this week, where, in addition to dishing about the importance of women supporting other women, how she got started acting, and her enviable sense of style, she shared the airport snack she just can’t resist.
“Doritos? Your opinion?” Poehler asked Lawrence during the podcast interview.
“Love them,” Lawrence responded. “I mean, but now, I’m older and I think about like … what’s in it? I mean, not if I’m on a plane. If I’m on a plane and I see them, those Doritos gonna get ate. But I do think about it more.”
Same, Jen, same. But we can definitely see the appeal of a cheesy bag of Doritos, especially when searching for a quick energy boost on a long day of travel. And Lawrence isn’t alone: Celebrities like Andy Cohen and Reese Witherspoon have admitted to loving to reach for a bag of chips while filming or traveling. In fact, many grab-and-go bagged snacks are dietitian-approved, including Skinny Pop popcorn, Hippeas cheese puffs and Terra vegetable chips.
But what do dietitians grab to snack on during a long day of air travel? Some general rules for a healthy airport snack include choosing items with at least seven to 10 grams of protein, aiming for three or more grams of fiber and focusing on snacks that are low in sodium. After all, it’s a given that you’ll retain water from flying, so why add to the bloating?
If you’ve got time to pack your own airplane snacks before heading to the airport, our dietitians recommend packing things like nut butter sandwiches, dried fruit-and-nut trail mix and homemade protein bites. Or, if you’re shopping for flight snacks once you’ve made it through security, good options to purchase in the terminal include hummus-and-veggie packs, hard-boiled egg and fruit containers, milk and fruit, roasted nuts or beans and, if you’re craving something crunchy, lentil chips.
Still, it’s OK to nosh on a yummy bag of Doritos from time to time. And, if you want to enjoy some corn chip goodness on non-travel days, you can always incorporate them into a healthy at-home recipe. We recommend our Creamy Chicken, Corn & Poblano Skillet Casserole, which has a tortilla chip topping, or maybe our healthy Individual Seven-Layer Dip in Jars recipe, which you can serve with that tasty bag of Doritos.
And, if you do crunch on a bag of Doritos mid-flight, be sure to stay hydrated, too, so the sodium in the chips doesn’t leave you with a headache or feeling a bit puffy. Beyond that, crunch away, and know there are No Hard Feelings on our part.
