I’ve been a flight attendant for almost 8 years now and I never had a passenger inform me that they have a sever nut allergy so I personally have not had this happen on any of my flights. However, if a passenger were to have a severe nut allergy, they can board the aircraft early so they can thoroughly wipe down their seat, tray table, etc and we would make that same announcement.
Some foods I would avoid bringing on the plane are those that have a very strong smell, like tuna salad for example.
Some of my go to foods for the plane are the salad kit bags that have everything you need in the bag, PB&J sandwich, Kind bars, trail mix, fruit, charcuterie kits with cheese/crackers/meat, veggies with hummus to dip them in, and if I want something hot I bring instant oatmeal and mix with a cup of hot water from the plane. I also bring my own tea bags so I can enjoy a nice cup of tea, my airline only serves black.
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I usually take a couple of protein bars or some trail mix, dried fruit or a muffin. I make sure I either eat everything before the flight lands or bin it on board to save any cross border issues (even flying domestically in Australia where you can’t take some fresh produce interstate)
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@Mslaura I’ve also had issues with my ears on flights in the past. A little trick I’ve used for years, carry some generic nose spray, and before boarding the flight, a couple quick squirts, and the nasal/ear canals stay open with no pressure issues.
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This is really interesting @Debbie and as I suspected, that airborne particles are all it needs to spark a reaction. That must be terrifying for anyone with that level of allergy.
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I’ve been pondering this for my hop in a few months time. To get to Canada, I have 2 earlyish nz domestic flights, a 5hr wait then the 1 longer hop from Auck-Van. I carry a 1.5l water bottle & concentrate on keeping hydrated.
Thankfully there’s a Countdown (Woollies in Aus) super close to Auck airport 
. Should you ever arrive in NZ needing bits n bobs as your luggage was lost, head there for The Wharehouse & Icebreaker 
.
I carry some rice cakes from home in a flat container then pick up some ham, mandarins,
& some other dried fruit as not to make a mess.
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That’s a great tip! Thanks @Joanne. I carry nasal spray but never thought of using it to help alleviate take off and landing ear issues. I will do that on my flight on Fri.
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Thanks for the tip about Countdown @TheMapleKiwi. Hopefully none of us will ever need to make use of it, but these days you just don’t know…
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Yes to nasal spray! I forgot about that but tis part of my wee travel health bag along w tissues or a hanky . Noise cancelling headphones as loathe anything in my ears.
Since your origin in Phoenix, I recommend a trip to Trader Joe’s and just grab granola or breakfast bars, some of their fruit leather strips, and either an apple (pre-slice and toss in a little lemon juice to keep fresh) or grapes. The key to airplane snacks is low/no smell and finger food style so no mess.
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The simple answer here is to always be able to ‘pop’ your ears before flying. If you can’t do this then you will have problems, particularly on decent. This is called the Valsalva Maneuver.
What is a Valsalva Maneuver?
The Valsalva maneuver is a breathing technique that can be used to unclog ears, restore heart rhythm or diagnose an autonomic nervous system (ANS).
To perform the Valsalva maneuver, you should close your mouth, pinch your nose shut and press the air out like you are blowing up a balloon.The Valsalva maneuver can help relieve pressure that is blocking the Eustachian tube in the inner ear. During the maneuver, clogged ears can be unblocked by forcing air through the sinuses and Eustachian tube."
Interesting @straitman! I remember as a child being told by a neighbor not to do that, that it would hurt my eardrums. Oh the things we authoritative adults tell kids! 
I did a intro scuba dive & managed fine but for some reason on land I can’t do it. I will try the nasal spray option. Thanks for sharing this tip. 
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Today I have a transatlantic flight into New York , a 3 hour layover then on to Atlanta with an overnight hotel before traveling onward to South Carolina tomorrow.
Empty water bottle, baguette with tomato. Basil lettuce, thin slices of ham and a dollop of tzatziki and a pear.
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@Amparo safe travels and we look forward to seeing you again soon 
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It’s something I have done for 45 years as a pilot.
Here’s an example of what NOT to take on a flight. 
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We were horrified to see this in our news yesterday. With the extreme risk of Foot & Mouth Disease entering Australia from Indonesia, people are so thoughless. There’s no excuse for this behaviour, there are plenty of Maccas outlets in Australia! Zero sympathy for them.
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I think airlines are now so aware of nut allergy. Saw this terrible story about a young lady
Girl nearly died on flight after man 'ignored requests' to stop eating nuts.
One more item to add to my airplane picnic is biltong or jerkey & know I can find it at Woolies by the airport .
I check my bag before hopping off the plane & then by the ‘last chance to throw x or y away before customs’ bins. Always aware of the hard working nz customs dogs get nice treats when they do their job properly .
Great suggestions! Thanks!!
