There are things in life that you never want to put in your mouth: the foot, the dirt, the electrical cables and the airplane food, for example. The latter, airline food, is something some people no longer have to worry about: Many flights no longer serve full meals and instead dole out a bag of crackers and a shot glass-sized soda. Still, this lack of food might be better than dishing out an entire airline meal: Unless you’re sitting in first class, an airline meal is sure to settle in your stomach like a stone.

With a lack of food, or at least edible food, airplanes are often things that allow hunger to take flight. This leaves people helpless: getting up and going to a restaurant or a coffee shop is not exactly feasible. For this reason, it’s important to bring snacks on your flight—snacks that will keep you satisfied without contributing to jet lag or motion sickness.

candy: Yes, candy may go against everything you’ve read in your doctor’s and dentist’s office brochures, but candy is a great airline food. Not only is it easy to carry, but it helps support you as you get from point A to point B. The chewing motion most candy requires can also help prevent your ears from becoming uncomfortably clogged as the temperature rises. altitude.

Trail mix or dried fruit: It’s healthy, it’s easy to carry and it’s satisfying. Carrying a bag of trail mix or dried fruit on a plane is a great way to snack without feeling guilty. It’s also a great thing to take with you if you have kids; It will keep them busy while forcing them to eat well. However, because salt can contribute to jet lag, it’s a good idea to buy a salt-free or low-sodium trail mix.

pretzels: Sure, the stewards and flight attendants will probably give you a bag of cookies during the flight, but those bags contain about three cookies and a lot of air. Instead of depending on them to feed you, just feed yourself and pack a box of cookies in your carry-on. These can hold him back until he eats a decent meal, and they can also help ward off things like motion sickness.

Water bottleTip: No one wants to be that person who has to get up to go to the bathroom, but drinking enough water on a flight will help keep you from feeling lethargic when the flight is over. Instead of relying on airline staff to give you a bottle of water, as their bottles are generally as small as possible, bring your own bottle and drink liberally during the flight. If you’re so worried about the bathroom, just ask for an aisle seat.

bagels: Skipping breakfast and catching a morning flight is a great way to find yourself hungry at 30,000 feet. Instead of not eating, or eating something laden with grease and condoms, get on the plane with a bagel. Many airports are full of bakeries, so if you don’t bring one from home, it should be relatively easy to find one before your flight takes off.

There are a million and eight things that make flying uncomfortable… but being hungry will aggravate the discomfort dramatically. Plan ahead and pack food that’s easy to pack and easy to eat (boarding a plane with a plate of crab legs probably isn’t the best idea). Staying full during the flight is the first step in making your trip as smooth as possible.