Specials meals on economy international long-haul

[drcam]

OK, time for me to start a thread!
Who has had experience with ordering a special meal on economy international long-haul?
Are they of better or worse quality than regular meals?
Any meal passes for "diabetic" or "low calorie" if you just get served a garden salad and no dressing!
Please post your experiences, and airlines. I have never, to this date, ordered a special meal.
I gather even "seafood meals" exist for what its worth (although a single piece of seaweed makes it technically correct)
I'd love to hear your memories!

 

[elanshin]

OK, time for me to start a thread!
Who has had experience with ordering a special meal on economy international long-haul?
Are they of better or worse quality than regular meals?
Any meal passes for "diabetic" or "low calorie" if you just get served a garden salad and no dressing!
Please post your experiences, and airlines. I have never, to this date, ordered a special meal.
I gather even "seafood meals" exist for what its worth (although a single piece of seaweed makes it technically correct)
I'd love to hear your memories!

I order low calorie on CX from time to time because they special deliver those meals first and I don't mind no brownie or something else like that.it means I'm usually done eating as they start their trolley rounds and i can be digesting and getting ready for sleep as soon as they clean up.

Food itself is up to the airline and their catering but generally not that different to regular economy.

 

[NickCorr]

I used to order the diabetic meal on EK, but found them boring. My goto on EK is always their Indian non-veg meal. Never disappoints, and usually comes with an early beer.

 

[Gladstone Tim]

I am a frequent companion to a good wife who orders by necessity’ gluten-intolerant’ meals. The majority of our recent international flights have been with SQ. I tend to be envious with the priority delivery service and quality provided. SQ catering seem to go out-of-their way to provide equivalent types of items to non-special diets e.g nice caramel slices. The main downside is that in Y, my wonderful woman has often finished dining before I am even served. Australian domestic flights are a whole other matter.

 

[serfty]

Until about 25 years ago, I would order low fat meals on my frequent Qantas economy travel. Served first and generally a better meal was provided.

I ceased doing this when someone at Qantas came up with the idea of one special meal fits all. Diabetic/low fat/vegetarian/gluten fee/etc. all rolled into one.

 

[n7of9]

I ceased doing this when someone at Qantas came up with the idea of one special meal fits all. Diabetic/low fat/vegetarian/gluten fee/etc. all rolled into one.

Sooo .. lettuce?

 

[drcam]

It is not beyond me to imagine Qantas serving a single lettuce leaf, sans dressing, as a special meal, without compunction or shame. Excuse my cynicism and sarcasm.

 

[aspro2]

It depends on airline and the catering station. My experience of Y vegetarian (ovo-lacto: VLML) on any US airline has been abysmal. (Gloopy cheese pastas, the same corn and lettuce and tomato salad replated multiply...)

The safest option on most airlines (and sometimes very good), as long as you like South Asian food, is to order Asian Vegetarian AVML (different from Oriental Vegetarian VOML).

 

[DejaBrew]

It is not beyond me to imagine Qantas serving a single lettuce leaf, sans dressing, as a special meal, without compunction or shame. Excuse my cynicism and sarcasm.

"Neil's Leaf"?

 

[dajop]

Travelling to FRA on SQ recently I requested the Hindu Non Veg (I’m not Hindu) and it was really quite tasty. (I enjoy Indian food so that helps). My partner had the non-seafood which doubles as the bland/gluten free/low carb etc etc. so was a bit disappointing.

 

[VPS]

Even in J it is now hard to get decent special meals. If you have an allergy it's a nightmare

 

[MelMel]

Best gluten free meal (necessary not choice) was EK out of FCO. Worst was QF out of SIN. QF was a single dried up chicken breast with no sauce at all, white rice and some limp bok choy. Ironically it was just what I needed as I was recovering from gastro.