The Qantas London Lounge is certainly on many people’s lounge lists to visit when travelling out of Terminal 3 in Heathrow, London (read my review of another lounge at London Heathrow Terminal 3). However, I am sure this is mainly to do with the Gin Bar it features, rather than whether the food is nutritious or not haha.
But what of the food options? Are there healthy options for you to enjoy while you are sipping on your G&T?
Last time I flew out of Heathrow I was not travelling on a Qantas plane so I wasn’t there during optimal lounge hours. This meant the Al a Carte dining area was closed and only the buffet was available. Never mind though – it was during breakfast hours and there was a solid buffet spread for me to review.
And Qantas London Lounge – not bad! A solid buffet spread with some healthy food choices to start your day and set you up for your flight. Read on to find out what I thought they did well and what wasn’t so great.
What’s Healthy?
- Why hello there delightful Kale and Quinoa Salad! You can imagine how excited I was to find a nutritious and high fibre salad available for breakfast. Now I am not saying this is a great salad just because it has kale in it (yes kale is a nutritious vegetable but it isn’t necessarily the amazing superfood that instantly makes everything healthy). It is the combination of kale, quinoa, and almonds that makes it great! A super combination of healthy fats, fibre, protein, low GI carbohydrates, folate, and antioxidants.
- Baked beans are high in fibre and plant-based protein, and can provide slow sustained energy which is just what you need on a long flight. Just try not to have too much sauce with them. Some pre-made commercial baked beans can have added sugar and salt in the sauce which you want to try and avoid in large amounts. But they could be freshly made by Qantas – so just be careful and not have too much sauce.
- Chia puddings – hello soluble fibre! Chia seeds are fabulous as they are a source of omega 3 fats, protein and soluble fibre! If you haven’t tried them then give them a go! (Here’s my review of another lounge with chia puddings.)
- The bowl of fruit salad looks so delicious – fresh fruit is great to have when travelling to provide you with vitamins and antioxidants. But just remember some fruits contain fructose which if you eat in large amounts can push up your blood sugar levels. So especially if you have diabetes just remember to keep your portion sizes in in check – 1 cup of fruit salad is 1 serve of fruit.
- Smoked salmon is a great source of omega 3 fats which can help reduce low grade, chronic inflammation in the body. Smoked salmon is a healthy food option – great to eat on its own or on some nice wholegrain bread or crackers. But remember some smoked salmons can be quite salty, so if it does taste quite salty just be mindful to keep it to 2 slices.
- How cute are the boiled eggs in their little egg cups! I love it! Boiled eggs are definitely on my favourite foods list! Nutritious little bundles they are, without any added sugar, fat or salt! Definitely a big tick here!
What’s Not?
- Foccacia bread – while delicious it can be high in energy and low in fibre. This type of bread can be easy to overeat, and provide a whole lot of high GI and refined carbohydrates. So my tip is to steer clear of this type of bread, or if you must have some have a very small piece and add a source of protein to it e.g. salmon or an egg. It may be harder to do this though as I didn’t see any wholegrain/high fibre breads at this time of the day (or on this day). So if you are someone who loves their bread and likes to have some for breakfast, keep your portion sizes really small.
- I really hate the name ‘Banana Bread’ – it is not a bread! It is basically a cake! So just make sure you think about it like you are eating a piece of cake and not a bread. Keep your portion sizes small, and perhaps have it with a coffee as a small snack rather than as your choice for breakfast.
- Watch out for the pastries – both sweet and savoury. Now don’t get me wrong – I quite like savoury pastries like the Pumpkin, Feta and Spinach Tart they have here. But, pastries are high in energy (and in some cases trans fats) so if you eat them regularly/ or in large amounts then they may not be a healthy choice for many people. If you are eating breakfast in here, just having a croissant with jam/butter or a Danish pastry isn’t a great option as you won’t be getting any protein or fibre. Protein and fibre are what help keep us full. So chances are you will be hungry again quite soon and you may end up eating more than you need.
- Bacon is a processed meat with added salt and nitrates – so not the best choice to start with. But sometimes I think a nice piece of lean bacon on occasions can be quite tasty with breakfast. But lean bacon is usually the eye of the bacon rasher – and this isn’t what is on offer here at this lounge. Here they have streaky bacon, which is basically half fat and half meat. I would suggest avoiding this bacon, or only having it on a occasions and only one rasher.
Last Word From A Nutrition And Healthy Eating Perspective!
The buffet options offered by Qantas in The London Lounge are solid food offerings and there are many healthy food choices you can make. However, just remember not every food option here is healthy and if you don’t make careful choices you can still have foods that aren’t very good for you. But I love there are healthy, nutritious foods on offer so people can eat well.
So if you are lounge hoping through T3 at breakfast time then Qantas – The Lounge Lounge should be on your list!
Allergy and Intolerance information was available on the menu for gluten free, however for other allergies and intolerances it was advised you speak with staff.
And don’t forget if you would like me to do a specific airline lounge nutrition review then just let me know!
NOTE: All pictures are my own and I review a lounge from just the foods I see during my visit. There may be different options available at other times.
