Catering Thanksgiving in the Sky, Easy as 1, 2, 3

Sometimes, the best day to travel ends up being on a holiday. When you’re 30,000 feet in the air in a private charter jet, make the most of the situation by arranging for Thanksgiving catering as part of the in-flight meal. Whether you’re traveling to get home, to visit family or for a work trip, ordering traditional fare is a great way to make your guests feel welcome and comfortable.

How to Order a Thanksgiving Meal for a Private Flight

1. Choose menu options from your favorite aviation catering company or restaurant. Tell your flight attendant what you want and let him or her take care of the details. If you’re on a chartered flight, tell the charter company what you’d like.
2. Arrange for special linens, flatware and beverage glasses. When on a chartered flight, the aircraft management company will provide the linens and serveware. If you want something different than the typical stock items, let the charter company know. Depending on the aviation catering service that you choose, the caterer may also provide linen service.
3. Board the plane and enjoy the Thanksgiving feast. Sit back and relax. Let the flight attendant take care of plating and serving the food.

Thanksgiving Meal Tips for Your Private Flight

• Food tastes different in the air because of the cabin pressure and dry air. While the ability to taste bitter, sour, spicy and umami flavors remain the same, sweet and savory foods taste more bland. A January 2011 study published in Food Quality and Preference found that individuals who ate in noisy environments (like the 85 decibels of engine noise that you hear on a private plane), thought foods tasted less salty and sweet than those who ate in silence. Good aviation catering companies know how to compensate for these environmental changes. If you want a restaurant cater the in-flight Thanksgiving meal, be sure it is aware that you plan to serve the food during a flight so the cooking staff can make the appropriate adjustments to the recipes.
• Graze instead of eat a large meal. Cabin pressure, high altitudes and dry environments are hard on the body. During a flight, it’s always best to eat small meals made up of foods that are easy to digest. Swap a green bean casserole in a thick, creamy mushroom sauce, for example, for crispy oven-baked parmesan green bean fries; serve them as hors d’oeuvres. Stick to gourmet bread rolls and leave the cornbread for later, or have cornbread be part of the stuffing. Since the crust on a pie may not taste as delectable in the air, serve pumpkin pie custard and crumbled pecan pralines on shortbread cookies. If you’re more of an apple pie person, consider serving a double apple crisp a la mode.
• Provide plenty of beverages, but cut back on the spirits. The relative humidity inside a private jet during a flight is drier than most deserts on Earth. Keep your guests healthy and hydrated with plenty of water and beverages. Since alcohol has a dehydrating effect, keep it to a minimum. When serving wine, keep in mind that fruity wines tend to taste more acidic, thinner and tannic in the air. In general, it’s best to serve wine toward the beginning of the flight than at the end.  Cheers!