A quick flight from Charleston, South Carolina to Washington DC saw me in Charleston International Airport really early one morning and standing outside The Club CHS Lounge Charleston getting my name put on a list to get in. I was flying American Airlines but there was no Admirals Club in Charleston and so it was up to my trusty Priority Pass card to provide lounge access to The Club CHS Lounge Charleston. Because there aren’t many lounge options at Charleston International Airport this lounge was packed! There was a wait list to get in – they took your number and called you when there was space in the lounge. When we were called to go up the lift to the lounge there was still a line of people waiting to be signed in, and once we were in it was full to the brim as it was quite a small lounge. The food was constantly running out on the buffet and there were people standing around the buffet area waiting for dishes to be replenished.
What’s nutritious?
- Loved seeing the range of fruit available. Chopped berries and melons were a welcome sight being served along side yogurt, while there were also fruit bowls with whole pieces of fruit. Having a range of different coloured fruits and vegetables is great for health as it provides a range of bioactives and vitamins.
- I waited for these smoked salmon bagels for nearly an hour – I kept missing them as they would only put like 6 out at one time and people just flocked to them and they would be gone in a few seconds. When I finally got my hands on one I was really looking forward to the salmon. I don’t love bagels much so I only had about a third of the bagel but I certainly ate the salmon and onions! Smoked salmon delivers quite a nutritious punch being a rich source of omega 3 fats. Omega 3 fats are considered anti-inflammatory and for many of us we don’t get the recommended weekly amount. That’s why when I travel I make an extra effort to eat foods rich in omega 3 fats.
- The scrambled eggs had that familiar fluro yellow colour that buffet eggs seem to have. They didn’t taste the greatest. The home fries weren’t too oily which was nice to see.
Not so great. Caution.
- Pancakes and bacon are a common sight on many buffets in the USA and this lounge was no exception. But unfortunately they did not look very appealing to me. While you might be wondering what is wrong with pancakes, you need to be thinking about what opportunity do pancakes offer? Mostly pancakes aren’t very nutritious, being made mainly from a white flour. And so then it depends on what types of toppings you add. These pancakes were advertised to be served with maple syrup, which is basically adding sugar to the pancakes. If you like pancakes then consider opportunities to add some fruits such as berries to boost the nutrient content. Bacon is a processed meat and is recommended to be reduced in our diets. Eating processed meats regularly has been associated with some negative health outcomes. So if you travel often then try not having bacon every time you are in the lounge.
- There were a range of condiments available on the buffet these including maple syrup, cream, jam, cheese, ketchup and peanut butter.
- While high fibre cereals can be great for the gut unfortunately many cereals are also high in added sugar. Looking up this cereal shows that there are two types of added sugar: sugar and brown sugar syrup. In a small 59g pot there are 17g of sugar (approx 3 teaspoons) – so nearly 1/3rd is sugar. So while getting fibre is important just remember that this cereal also comes with a bit of a sweet hit so the fibre doesn’t mean it is a license to eat as much as you want. There were also granola clusters available.
- There were a range of snacks available including pretzel type snacks, wasabi peas and another I didn’t try but look like dried fruits. Wasabi peas are an interesting snack – the peas themselves are a pretty good snack. They are a source of a range of nutrients including manganese, copper and vitamin K, along with fibre – so far so good! However they are usually coated in sugar, oil and salt which can make them not as great for you. So if you feel like a spicy snack (and I laugh spicy is written on the jar as a warning) then have a handful but don’t think they have a green light just because they are peas.
- I love having grits when I visit the south in the USA. These were creamy grits and the reason I am mentioning them as a ‘caution’ is because some recipes for creamy grits include heavy cream and butter. And so this could be quite a rich dish and not knowing the ingredients it is hard to tell. So enjoy your grits if you like them but choose a small bowl and try and have a bowl of colourful fruit alongside it.
- A plate of blueberry muffins were available and while it was good to see they weren’t giant sized, muffins can still be very high in calories. If you think you will have a sweet snack on the flight then don’t choose a muffin in the lounge too.
Last word on The Club CHS Lounge Charleston
The Club CHS Lounge Charleston was a small lounge with a basic buffet. I wouldn’t rely on having much of a meal in this lounge since I witnessed first hand how the food kept running out. So unless you are going to stalk the buffet ready to pounce when food comes out, chances are when you visit the buffet you will miss out on some dishes. This isn’t great, especially if you are looking to have nutritious foods and are not whiling to just eat any food that hasn’t run out. Despite this, it was good there were some nutritious foods available for breakfast.
NOTE: All pictures of The Club CHS Charleston are my own and I review the food from the foods available at the time I visited the lounge. There may be different options available at other times.
Check out the review of American Airlines Charleston to Washington, DC.
