JetBlue Refreshes Free-Snack Menu

Do new free onboard snacks warrant a press release? JetBlue thinks they do.

The airline, which for the purpose at hand claims to have been “made famous by its unlimited free blue chips and live seatback televisions,” has added Cheez-It crackers and Ocean Spray Craisins to its menu of complimentary snack options.

“Tasty!” was my first thought, followed quickly by, “But healthy?”

While Craisins may indeed be free of artificial flavors or preservatives, as JetBlue claims, a single serving adds 130 calories to the day’s intake, but no protein or vitamins. And those addictive Cheez-It Crackers, at 150 calories per serving, also serve up 12 percent of the daily recommended fat intake, and 10 percent of the sodium.

The other three snack options are PopCorners popcorn chips, Skeeter Nut-Free chocolate chip cookies, and Terra Blues potato chips. Not much relief for the health-conscious there, either.

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As much a warning as a promise, the snack basket is bottomless: “When our onboard snack basket comes around you’re free to grab as much as you want. It’s like the comfort of your home – all the snacks you like, live television, and free Fly-Fi with streaming video while you relax in a comfortable seat with plenty of legroom.”

That sounds like a recipe for corpulence and heart disease. Sometimes less is more.

Reader Reality Check

Do you care whether airline snacks are healthy?

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After 20 years working in the travel industry, and 15 years writing about it, Tim Winship knows a thing or two about travel. Follow him on Twitter @twinship.

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