Qantas Club Melbourne Food and Nutrition Review (updated 2023)

Updated December 2023 – please note dates under photos for updated foods on offer

It has been a while since I have visited the Qantas Club Melbourne as I have been Qantas platinum for a few years now. So I thought it was time I checked out the foods and see if much had changed since I was last frequenting the Qantas Club.

First thing I noticed is the humble toasted sandwich is still the staple food of the lounge with the shiny silver toasters lined up in a row all waiting for the typical ham, cheese and tomato sandwich to be toasted in them. Ham, cheese and tomato seem to be the main fillings on offer, with these foods being the main ingredients served for making sandwiches.

So other than ham, cheese and tomato sandwiches, lets see what other foods are served in the Qantas Club Melbourne.

What’s Healthy?

• So good to see salads are a big part of the food offerings in the Qantas Club Melbourne. During this visit there was a large bowl of mixed green salad leaves with grated beetroot, carrot, mung beans and sliced capsicums available on the side. I loved this as it means people can make up the salads exactly how they like them. And the bright colours coming from the carrot, beetroot and capsicum are providing antioxidants and other bioactives that are good for health. So fantastic you can load up lots of these colourful vegetables on your plate.

• Ok so not everything in this picture of nibbles is healthy – the corn chips and the prawn-type crackers (first jar on the left) aren’t great and so these belong in the caution section. BUT other than these I love there are carrot and celery sticks, tzatziki and water crackers available for people if they are a little hungry (and so don’t need a whole sandwich), or have arrived between meal times.

• With do-it-yourself toasted sandwiches being a staple of the lounge, there are a number of different fillings to choose from. There is pineapple, olives, pickles, beetroot and a selection of sauces and mustards to choose from in the first picture below and then ham, cheese, and tomato in the second photo below. It is good that you can make these sandwiches yourself and so you can fill them with the flavours you enjoy. Most of these fillings are healthy – just try not have ham too often. Ham is a processed meat – processed meats should be limited in our diets. So don’t always go for ham and cheese – especially if you are a frequent flyer.

• There were nuts available on the bar which are a healthy snack. The recommended serving of nuts is a handful (30g) and Qantas provide little plates which hold about a handful, which is really helpful for serving a small snack.
  
  
• There was soup available on both visits tomato and mascapone in 2022 visit and minestrone in 2023 visit. I am popping the soup here but noting that tomato soup is usually very salty so be mindful of this. And if you would like a bread roll on the side then try have a slice of multigrain bread instead of a white bread roll.

• Baked potatoes are a fairly healthy food – and during this visit they were served with a five beans napoli sauce. The topping was running really low so I couldn’t see what it was actually like. There were only some pieces of carrot left in the bottom of the pan.

Not so great. Caution.

• Deep fried spring rolls are high in energy and fat, and don’t provide many beneficial nutrients. They are considered discretionary foods and so should be limited. The springs roll were the only ‘hot’ meal available in the lounge, besides the soup (not counting the toasted sandwiches).

• It was just before Christmas when I visited this lounge in 2022 and 2023 and so there were turkey rolls with cranberry sauce available to add a little festive cheer. Now there is nothing wrong with turkey sandwiches or rolls in principle, but it depends on the ingredients used. And unfortunately these were made with big, thick white rolls which meant it was mainly refined carbohydrates. There was barely any salad (mixed salad leaves) in them and no other vegetables.

• I’ve already mentioned the nuts (on the right) are a healthy snack so the reason this picture is here in the caution section is because of the snacks on the left – the pretzel and rice cracker mix. These snacks are ultra-processed, highly refined carbohydrate snacks which provide no real benefit to the body. While they might be low in fat, they can cause spikes in blood sugars and insulin levels which over time can be harmful.

• There were sweets including red raspberry lollies, Jaffas, and what I think were rum balls (2022), Christmas tree cookies (2023) and festive chocolates (2023). While delicious, lollies, chocolates and slices can be easy to overeat (especially without realising it). If you do decide to have some then use the small dishes (like the ones on the bar for nuts).

Final thoughts on the Qantas Club Melbourne

The Qantas Club Melbourne is certainly much nicer than its Sydney companion – the overhaul prior to covid was the refresh it needed. The buffets look quite nice and there is a fair choice of food. However the reliance on toasted sandwiches could get quite tiresome for people who fly regularly, and the hot snack foods are not very healthy. Stick with the great salad options!

I have also written an article on the Qantas Club vs Qantas Business Lounges so you can see the differences, as one of the most common questions I get asked is “what is the difference between the food”.

If you are interested in what other Qantas Club food is like then you might like to see my reviews on the Qantas Club Canberra.

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 Qantas Club Melbourne are my own and I review a lounge from the foods and menu I see during my visit. There may be different options available at other times.