Today's Lunch: Cheerios, Greek Yogurt, and A Clif Nectar Bar

12:50 PM (Eastern Standard Time)

So my flight to the West Coast -- for what was originally some much-needed four day R&R -- is now delayed by five hours.

Well, when life hands you a lemon airplane (apparently some cables were loose, or so the pilot said), make blog lemonade!

A view of the Jet Blue terminal food court at John F. Kennedy airport reveals:

Papaya King (hot dogs and fries)
Create Your Own Salad (the only truly healthy option)
Carmella's Kitchen (lasagna and cheese-smothered pasta, in huge portions, of course)
Sky Asian Bistro (greasy lo mein under a heat lamp)
Mex and the City (cute name, greasy food)
Boar's Head (cold cuts, cold cuts, and more cold cuts)
Cheeburger & Cheeburger (you guessed it, a burger joint)

Adding to the unappetizing factor are all the horribly eighties neon signs.

Fair enough, I could go make my own salad if I am seeking a healthier option. Except I'm not craving a salad at the moment.

At least Cibo -- a small deli, if you will -- offers fruit and nut bars, fresh fruit, sandwiches made with whole wheat bread, and a particularly tasty tray of baby carrots, celery sticks, and broccoli florets.

Not surprisingly, these nutritious vegetables are accompanied by sodium and saturated fat-laden ranch dressing.

Alas, I did some mixing and matching and bought a small container of overpriced hummus to use as dip.

That was my mid-morning snack when the delay was only two hours.

Lunch time came and, considering my options, I purchased Greek yogurt, a bowl of Cheerios (yay soluble fiber!), and a Clif Nectar bar. The cost? $12.95! Way to encourage healthy eating.

Rant over.

UPDATE (6:46 PM, Pacific Coast Time): The second I typed that period at the end of my last sentence, the laptop I was using turned off (turns out the jack I was plugged into at the Jet Blue terminal wasn't working).

Anyhow, after a five hour delay, I arrived at my destination.

Jet Blue thanked everyone for their patience by providing free roundtrip tickets to every passenger and extra snacks during the flight.

Sodas, cookies, biscotti, Terra chips, and cheese snack mix were happily consumed by many.

I opted for a small bag of cashews from their selection, water, and my own stash of Flavor & Fiber bars.

Alas, the lesson here is -- next time you pack for a flight, remember to bring some healthy snacks on board. The airport sure isn't looking out for you!