Updated March 2024
In the Qantas Business Lounge Melbourne domestic it is great to see Qantas providing all you morning frequent flyers with a range of healthy foods to get you set for the day! The foods on offer are different from the afternoon/evening so read on for my Qantas nutrition review for breakfast in the Business Class Lounge in Melbourne (Domestic). And if you are interested in the foods on offer at other times of the day then take a look at the review of the lunch/dinner menu.
What’s healthy?
- I love the idea of a breakfast salad – great work Qantas offering this. I’ve seen a kale, egg and pomegranate breakfast salad on offer some days, but on this day it was a baby spinach and tomato salad. Who says salads can only be for lunch or dinner.
- Let’s talk about eggs – I love these bundles of nutrition goodness. Protein rich, a source of folate, iron, omega -3 fats, vitamin A, E and B12, and the important antioxidants zeaxanthin and lutein, eggs provide many essential nutrients to keep us healthy. What I like about this lounge is it has eggs cooked a variety of ways – both hard-boiled eggs and scrambled eggs. I have been in quite a few lounges that only offer scrambled eggs that are full of butter, cream and/or cheese (and sometimes powdered). And while eggs cooked this way can be delicious, they are more of a dish that should be eaten occasionally (think a great brunch out with friends, or cooking a nice weekend breakfast for the family). This is because scrambled eggs can be high in energy (kilojoules/calories) and if you choose to have these plus other common ‘hot food’ breakfast items such as bacon, sausages and hashbrowns regularly then it may contribute to a range of health conditions. But eggs on their own are quite low in energy, so I always love a lounge that offers hard boiled eggs so you can have a choice of which style of eggs you have.
- It is great to see legumes featuring at breakfast with baked beans on the menu. High in fibre, and a source of protein, these little nutrient powerhouses are not just healthy for vegetarians and vegans, but are healthy for everyone. Including more plant based foods in our diets is important and legumes are a great place to start. What you need to be careful of here though is the sauce on the baked beans – baked beans can be high in salt and added sugar, depending on how the sauce is made. So if baked beans are you favourite, try serving a little less of the sauce with the beans and include some less processed foods on your plate too such as cooked tomato, spinach, mushrooms, poached or boiled eggs.
- I love seeing Bircher Muesli on offer – with oats, nuts and seeds, fruit and yogurt this packs a nutritious punch! However be mindful of how much you serve yourself – Bircher Muesli can be quite energy dense and so it is best to keep your portion size to about ½-1 cup depending on whether you have other foods as well.
- There were also chia puddings available in a range of flavours. Chia seeds are a good source of soluble fibre and omega 3 fats – very nutritious little seeds. There was also natural yogurt available with fruit salad or fruit coulis available. Try not to add too much fruit coulis as it can be a source of sugar.
- Pumpkin were available to add to cereal and yogurt options to add more nutrients such as iron and fibre. Remember these also are a source of energy and so aiming for 1 tablespoons (1-2 teaspoons) will help bump up your nutrient intake but keep the calories/kilojoules lower.
- There are a range of vegetables and fruits available for making fresh juice and nothing stops you taking the fruits and vegetables and eating them. So why not take a carrot or some big chunks of watermelon from the juice bar and eat them! You get all the nutrients but without the concentrated hit of sugar!
Not so great. Caution.
- Skip the pancake machine! Pancakes don’t really contain any nutrition benefits, but pack a punch when it comes to energy content and highly refined carbohydrates. And think what most of us put on pancakes – maple syrup, sugar, bacon etc. Again foods that don’t contain any nutrition benefits but add unwanted energy to your diet. Now if you love pancakes, it is ok to (I’m not completely hating on pancakes). However, think about how the ones in the lounge taste, are they any good or a bit… meh? If you don’t really think they are that great then don’t have them. Or if you do think they are, but you are in the lounge quite regularly, then only choose them once every month.
- Don’t automatically reach for the sausages or bacon if you are having a hot meal. Sausages, whether they are beef, chicken or pork, do not confer the same health effects as these meats when they are ‘plain’. Sausages and bacon are considered a ‘processed meat’ and contain added salt (sodium) and other preservatives such as nitrates and sulphites. It is these additives, as well as higher amounts of saturated and trans fats, and fillers, that have been associated with negative effects on our health such as increased risk of bowel cancer and cardiovascular disease. So just like the pancakes, keep these to once a month or skip them all together, and just enjoy a nice one on holidays or with the family as part of a meal (or if you are Australian on a trip to Bunnings).
- If you like toast for breakfast choose protein- rich toppings rather than jam/honey or vegemite! This will help counteract the rapidly digestible carbohydrate (coming from the bread and jam/honey) and keep blood sugar levels more stable.
- There were a range of cereals available including muesli, Weetbix, Cornflakes, and gluten free versions of these. If choosing cornflakes trying adding more fibre and nutrients by sprinkling chia and pumpkin seeds, or mixing half with muesli.
- Pastries, banana bread and muffins… these are not good breakfast choices. I am sure you are rolling your eyes at me thinking yes yes we know that. These sweet options are not great to have regularly for breakfast. They can have you feeling hungry not long after you eat them and can be sources of added sugar. If mass produced (exmple are ultra-processed foods) they might have trans fats in them too.
Final words on Qantas Business Lounge Melbourne Domestic (Breakfast)
Overall, good options for a healthy, nutritious and filling start to the day in the Qantas Business Lounge Melbourne. You wont need to eat on the plane with the foods on offer in the lounge.
There are options suitable for vegetarians, and potentially vegans. Options for vegans are unclear as recipes/ingredient information not on display.
There are still some unhealthy choices, and some people gravitate to the hot options. If this is you be mindful with your choices and keep track of how often you eat these. If you usually travel in the morning then try and mirror the type of meal you would have at home on a normal week day, rather than a brunch out.
And don’t forget if you would like me to do a specific nutrition lounge review then just let me know!
