SINGAPORE, April 7 — Hate the bloated and gross feeling after your somewhat heavy meal on the plane? You’re not alone. It’s one reason Singapore Airlines is introducing healthier food options under its Deliciously Wholesome programme on its flights starting from today (April 7) — starting with routes going to Europe and Australia.

With clean eating being the buzz word these days, it makes complete sense for a premium carrier such as Singapore Airlines to offer healthier food. The airline revealed that the impetus for the Deliciously Wholesome programme was spurred by consumer trends and passenger demand.

Singapore Airlines is now Deliciously Wholesome meals under its Book A Cook service which includes this Duo of Watercress Salad and Smoked Trout With Shaved Fennel, Apples and Yuzu Jelly in Maple Vinaigrette by chef Matt Moran.

“We have been noticing a rising trend among our customers towards healthier meal choices based on passenger feedback and focus groups with our frequent flyers,” said Angeline Khoo, vice-president of in-flight services, Singapore Airlines. “To cater to this trend, we introduced a new F&B programme to offer our customers a new range of gourmet dishes that are not only delicious, but beneficial for their well-being.”

The Deliciously Wholesome choices would make the gym-going set weep with joy: Coconut water, quinoa ratatouille with chick peas, steamed fish with wolfberry sauce and brown rice. These items are available on economy and premium economy classes.

You can order light and healthy meals such as this Chilean Seabass on a Bed of Kale and Quinoa Salad with Tomato Jelly and Almond Flakes by Chef Alfred Portale when you’re on SQ’s Business or First Class.

Business, first class and suites passengers can look forward to options such as herbal broth chicken with brown la mien and 16 other Deliciously Wholesome creations from its ongoing Book A Cook service. Chefs such as Yoshihiro Murata from Japan and Alfred Portale from the United States came up with sous vide miso simmered Yamato-style with Nimono vegetables and Chilean seabass on a bed of kale and quinoa salad with tomato jelly and almond flakes, respectively.

Singapore Airlines and the SATS catering team spent seven months developing the menu, and they are looking to add more to the current 35 dishes in time. New tableware was also developed with porcelain maker Wedgewood — a salad bowl specifically — to hold the new salad dishes.

To create these Deliciously Wholesome meals across all classes, Singapore Airlines has invested in ingredients like quinoa and brown rice to create this steamed fish in wolfberry sacue with brown rice.

Special attention has been paid to ingredients and cooking style for these meals, which will also be offered at the SilverKris Lounges at Changi Airport. The airline worked with nutrition expert and author Mayura Mohta (The Wholefood Kitchen — Naturally Nourishing Meals For A Healthy Lifestyle) to ensure the nutritional properties of every dish.

Mohta explained that these meals were designed to “restore and rejuvenate the body, especially on long-haul flights”. Ingredients used include citrus fruits, pomegranates, beetroot, brown rice, kale, whole grains, seeds and nuts.

Meanwhile chef Yoshiro Murata offers this sous video miso simmered beef Yamato-style with Nimono Vegetables and Potato.

Paolo Zambrano, manager of in-flight services (food and beverage), revealed that the team took care to stay away from heavy sauces and chose to use vegetables purees and broths instead. Even the sweets have had the calories trimmed — chocolate vanilla pudding dessert is made of cocoa nibs and almond milk instead of chocolate and cream, for example — although they’re still big on taste (the tofu cheesecake we tried was simply fantastic).

The team also experimented with fruit and juices to create desserts, such as the watermelon gelee with mango and forest berries salad.

Singapore Airlines’ Diabetic menu is also undergoing a revamp with the help of Mohta. The new in-flight diabetic meals will combine red and white rice — since red rice, being high in fibre, vitamins B1 & B2, iron and calcium, is recommended for diabetics.

“Healthy doesn’t mean boring,” said Zambrano. “It’s important that the food be tasty for passengers to enjoy.” — TODAY