BOSTON, MA – You had planned to be home for dinner. Instead, you find yourself facing yet another meal in the airport, courtesy of a weather-delayed flight. The lure of fast food is strong — a cheeseburger, fries, and a soda is cheap, filling, and fast. But it isn't so hot for your arteries or your waistline. Fortunately, healthier alternatives are now available in most airports, though it may take some sleuthing to find them. A do-it-yourself option is even better.

According to the latest Airport Revenue News Fact Book, Americans spent $3.2 billion on food and drink in the nation's airports in 2008 — much of it on choices that wouldn't rank high on anyone's healthy eating list. Here are some suggestions for making your contributions to this staggering sum do your health a favor without sacrificing your taste buds.

Pick the right port

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport tied for the top ranking in a survey on healthy meals at the nation's 15 busiest airports done by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. According to the survey, you can find at least one healthy meal (one low in fat and cholesterol and high in fiber) at 95% of these airports' restaurants. Others topping the list were O'Hare (Chicago), George Bush Intercontinental (Houston), Sky Harbor International (Phoenix), and Los Angeles International.

Slow food

If you have the time for a sit-down meal, restaurants like Legal Seafood (Boston), Figs (LaGuardia), and Ebisu (San Francisco International) offer numerous healthy choices, from egg-white omelets to roast chicken, salmon, sushi and tapas. Take a few minutes to scout the terminal — the walk will do you good and you never know what you might find.

Good to go

If you're in a hurry or want to carry your meal onto the plane, you still have plenty of healthy options. For breakfast, skip the donut or sugar-laden pastry in favor of a small egg sandwich (hold the sausage) or a whole-grain bagel with a thin schmear of cream cheese. For lunch or dinner, a growing number of quick-serve restaurants, such as Fresh Attractions Deli (Orlando), Riverfront Café (San Francisco), and French Meadow Bakery & Café (Minneapolis/St. Paul), offer healthy entreés or can make you a fresh sandwich.

The food court

Even the ubiquitous food court can serve up a healthy meal: oatmeal with nuts and berries at Starbucks, a grilled chicken Caesar salad at McDonald's, stir-fried vegetables and rice at Panda Express, a chicken or bean burrito (heavy on the lettuce, tomatoes, and salsa but hold the sour cream) at a Tex-Mex spot, or a slice of pizza with veggie topping. If it's a sandwich you're after, a turkey sandwich on a whole-grain roll with extra lettuce, tomatoes, and other greens is a good option.

Ask around

If you've discovered excellent venues for healthy airport dining, other travelers have, too. Ask around. You can also find information online, in places such as Travel to Wellness, a website for wellness-minded travelers.

BYO

The best option, if you can swing it, is to eat before arriving at the airport and pack your own food for the trip ahead. Transportation Security Administration regulations allow you to carry on a wrapped sandwich you made at home or bought on your way to the airport. (Hold the mayo, mustard, or other or gel-like condiments, though, and no peanut butter and jelly, says TSA spokesperson Ann Davis.) You can travel with a bag of nuts and dried fruits; packable fruits and vegetables like apples, oranges, and carrots; single-serve packages of peanut butter and crackers or rice cakes.

Copyright 2009 Harvard Business Publishing. All rights reserved. From http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org. By Patrick J. Skerrett.
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