Finnair Lounge Schengen (breakfast), Helsinki Food and Nutrition Review

Finnair Lounge chia puddings
Nutrition Rating: 8.5/10

Finnair Lounge Schengen (breakfast), Helsinki Food and Nutrition Review

I have visited the Finnair Lounge Schengen area of Helsinki Airport many times and have been meaning to review it. I have flown domestically around Finland and transited through Helsinki many times on my way to Europe – both mean I have used the Finnair Lounge when flying. Finally on my last two trips I had a chance to actually review the foods offered – both trips happened to be early morning so these were breakfast reviews. Both times I was transiting through Helsinki on my way from Australia to Germany so I was there quite early in the morning. There were fairly simple food offerings available on a buffet – mainly cold options but on one visit there was a hot dish.

Finnair Lounge Schengen (breakfast), Helsinki Food and Nutrition Review - Finnair Lounge Schengen

What’s healthy?

  • Bowls of fresh fruit were available during both visits which are perfect for a snack or for adding as a side to breakfast. Stock standard apples or bananas on my visits.
Finnair Lounge Schengen (breakfast), Helsinki Food and Nutrition Review - Finnair Lounge Schengen
Fresh fruit bowls with bananas
Finnair Lounge Schengen (breakfast), Helsinki Food and Nutrition Review - Finnair Lounge Schengen
Fresh fruit bowls with apples
  • There were plenty of ingredients to make sandwiches with the delicious dark rye bread you saw in the first picture. Slices of tomatoes, cucumbers, cheese and lettuce where plentiful with many people making sandwiches/rolls or open sandwiches with single slices of bread. Never underestimate salad vegetables for breakfast – they are a great way of helping to increase your vegetable intake. Try for an open sandwich if you want to reduce the carbohydrates before a flight.
Finnair Lounge Schengen (breakfast), Helsinki Food and Nutrition Review - Finnair Lounge Schengen
Slices of salad vegetables and cheese (2023)
Finnair Lounge Schengen (breakfast), Helsinki Food and Nutrition Review - Finnair Lounge Schengen
Slices of salad and cheese (2024)

  • It was great to see a bowl of pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and sunflower seeds available with plain yogurt. Seeds such as these are a source of protein and fibre, and add a nutritious boost to breakfast. They are a source of a range of vitamins and minerals, with pepitas especially notably being are a source of iron and sunflower seeds a source of vitamin E.
yogurt and pumpkin seeds Finnair Lounge Schengen
Yogurt, pepitas, sunflower seeds and grapefruit slices (2023)
  • Overnight porridge is a nutritious breakfast, usually made from oats, nuts, fruits, yogurt and sometimes juice. A great source of fibre. I love the lingonberry twist!
Finnair Lounge Schengen (breakfast), Helsinki Food and Nutrition Review - Finnair Lounge Schengen
Tomato hummus, Yogurt, Lingonberry overnight porridge, Gluten-free granola (2024)
  • The mango chia puddings looked gorgeous in their blue Iittala glassware. Chia puddings can be quite nutritious with chia seeds being a source of omega 3 and soluble fibre. Soluble fibre and omega 3 are important for health, especially when travelling, and so chia puddings can be a great way of eating chia seeds on the go. Just be careful with any fruit toppings – sometimes the fruit toppings can be quite sugary.
Finnair Lounge Schengen (breakfast), Helsinki Food and Nutrition Review - Finnair Lounge Schengen
Mango chia puddings (2023)

Not so great. Caution.

  • There was one hot dish available during one of the visits to the lounge at breakfast time – it was an egg dish with sausage on top. While eggs are quite nutritious, this dish seemed to have an interesting texture. The egg was very smooth – it just didn’t quite seem like baked eggs I’ve had before. I didn’t love the taste or the texture – it just seemed a bit to uniform. Anyway the texture isn’t why I have placed the dish here in the ‘caution’ section – it was the sausages. Sausages are a processed meat which should be limited in the diet.
Finnair Lounge Schengen (breakfast), Helsinki Food and Nutrition Review - Finnair Lounge Schengen
Egg and sausages dish (2023)
  • A basketful of muffins (cupcakes) were available for people wanting a sweet treat. It was good to see they were bite-sized. However cakes/muffins like this aren’t usually very nutrient – dense and can be a source of added sugar. If you eat them be mindful about how many and also whether they are displacing more nutrient -dense food you could be eating for breakfast or for a snack.
Finnair Lounge Schengen (breakfast), Helsinki Food and Nutrition Review - Finnair Lounge Schengen
Small cakes (2023)

  • Slices of warm white bread stick where available – delicious when warm and crusty. However white bread is less nutritious than wholegrain/wholemeal bread as much of the outer layers of the grain is removed and with that goes much of the fibre and nutrients. White bread is usually quite quickly digestible and so can push up blood sugar levels quickly. Eating foods that do this often can be detrimental to health. So if you enjoy white bread like this, instead of having it just with butter, add a source of protein and some vegetables such as the cheese and salad that is available.
Finnair Lounge Schengen (breakfast), Helsinki Food and Nutrition Review - Finnair Lounge Schengen
White bread sticks (2023)

Final thoughts on Finnair Lounge Schengen at Helsinki Airport

Nothing elaborate about the food in the Finnair Lounge and not a lot of variety. You can have a balanced and nutritious breakfast but it can be tricky if you don’t like what’s on offer as there aren’t many other choices.

Check out my reviews of Finnair European Business Class review and Finnair Economy Class (short-haul) review.

For more information on my visits to airport lounges, don’t forget to follow me on Instagram and Tik Tok. And I always love hearing from you so if you want personalised advice or consultancy services please reach out.

NOTE: All pictures of Finnair Lounge (Schengen) are my own and I review a lounge from just the foods and menu I see during my visit. There may be different options available at other times.

Nutrition Review: Finnair Platinum Wing Helsinki

Finnair Platinum Wing Helsinki Food and Nutrition Review (updated 2024)

The Finnair Platinum Wing in Helsinki offers a variety of nutritious food options, showcasing Finnish flavors and healthy choices like salads, pickled vegetables, and well-portioned meats. The lounge features both a la carte and buffet dining, with an emphasis on fresh, quality ingredients and balanced meals, though it could benefit from more vegetable snacks and higher-fiber options in the cheese board area.

Airport Reviews

Airline Lounge Nutrition Review Rating:
8.5/10
Name:
Finnair Lounge
Airline:
Finnair
Airline Alliance:
Oneworld
Location:
Helsinki, Finland
Class:
Business
Time of Visit/Date:
7am 30 December 2022, 6am 4 June2023
Lounge Food Serving Style (Self-serve / Al la Carte):
Self- serve buffet
Style/Theme of Food:
Western and Finnish flavours
Allergy and Intolerance information available:

Finnair Schengen Lounge

 

Is there a limit to the amount of food you can have?:
No

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