The Importance of Understanding your Airline Meal Options

There are now 35 accepted airline meal options available on flights around the world. It’s not to say your airline will be offering all 35 of these options, but it is helpful to know what your choices are – as not all options are outwardly listed on every airline. The most commonly listed options include vegetarian and vegan options, selections that meet restrictive religious diets, gluten-free, dairy-free, peanut-free, no-lactose, and children’s meals. There are also choices like Bland Meals, Fruit Platters, and High-Fibre meals that you may want to check out.

If you have a restrictive diet, it’s important to reference and understand the airline meal codes. Make sure you note the cut off time for the advance ordering of your meals. Some airlines require a minimum of 48hrs before your departure to accept any custom meal demands.

Airline meal codes in alphabetical order below:

  1. AVML – Asian Vegetarian Meal – A flavourful vegetarian alternative, with likely standards being curry dishes.  Expect rice, noodles, fruit, vegetables and milk products –  but no meat, fish or eggs.
  2. BBML – Baby Meal
  3. CAKE – Birthday Cake – airlines vary in their offering of birthday cakes. Some charge and some are complimentary when pre-ordered.
  4. BLML – Bland Meal– some critics say all airline meals are bland but in this case, the meal is designed for passengers who may have ulcers, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or have undergone stomach or intestinal surgery. Includes foods that are soft, not very spicy, and low in fiber.
  5. CHML – Children Meal –Some adults, especially those with dentures or softer teeth, order children’s meals as usually contain soft and easier to chew foods. They often include an airline-branded toy or colouring book and crayons.
  6. CLML – Celebration Cake Meal
  7. DBML – Diabetic Meal- Sugar reduced items only
  8. FPML – Fruit Platter Meal – Seasonal fresh fruit
  9. GFML – Gluten Intolerant Meal- No wheat, rye, barley or other gluten-based products
  10. HFML – High Fibre Meal
  11. HNML – Hindu Non-Vegetarian Meal- Traditionally flavoured meals that will likely contain lamb, poultry, fish or milk but absent of beef, veal or pork.
  12. JPML – Japanese Meal (served on Japan Airlines only)
  13. JNML – Junior Meal. Not a kid’s meal, but not an adult meal, either.
  14. KSML – Kosher Meal- Confirmed to be prepared to meet strict Jewish Kosher cooking rules.
  15. KSMLS – Kosher Meal (Snack size)
  16. LCML – Low-Calorie Meal
  17. LFML – Low Fat Meal
  18. LPML – Low Protein Meal- Contains a restricted quantity of protein, specifically geared for those with liver and kidney ailments. These meals may contain fresh fruit and vegetables, vegetable fats and seasoning, and a measured amount of eggs and meat.
  19. LSML – Low Salt Meal- LSML, intended for persons with high blood pressure or high-sodium intolerance.
  20. MOML – Muslim Meal- Foods that do not contain any pork, gelatine or alcoholic beverages.
  21. NBML – No Beef Meal (on China Airlines)
  22. NFML – No Fish Meal (on Lufthansa Airlines)
  23. NLML – No Lactose lactose-free) meal – It excludes milk and dairy products – yogurt, cheese, butter, ice cream, water ice and etc.
  24. OBML – Japanese Obento Meal (on United Airlines)
  25. ORML – Oriental Meal- The main course features an “Oriental style” accompanied by beef, pork, chicken, duck, or fish.
  26. PFML – Peanut Free Meal – No peanuts, peanut butter, or other peanut derivative items.
  27. PRML – Low Purine Meal – For people struggling with gout.
  28. RVML- Raw Vegetable Meal – Only raw vegetables and salads.
  29. RFML – Refugee Meal
  30. SFML – Seafood Meal– Contains only seafood items
  31. SPML – Special Meal – Specify Food
  32. VGML or VVML: Vegetarian Vegan Meal – No animal products, including meat, fish, dairy, eggs, honey.
  33. VJML – Vegetarian Jain Meal – Only fresh fruit and stem vegetables that grow above the ground. It won’t contain: animal products/by-products, honey or any root vegetables such as carrots and potatoes.
  34. VLML – Vegetarian Lacto-Ovo Meal – Contains vegetables, fresh fruit, eggs, dairy products. It does not contain any type of fish or meat.
  35. VOML – Vegetarian Oriental Meal – This is a vegetarian meal that is prepared ‘Chinese’ or ‘Oriental’ style.