Airline special meals include meals for people with allergies, intolerances, religious stipulations and other dietary requirements. In our first edition of Free From Living magazine, I shared some background on the challenges surrounding these dishes. Here, I’ve listed most common codes used for airline special meals, which may help when researching and booking flights.
- AVML: Asian Vegetarian Meal: a dish of spices and flavours from India with no meat, fish or eggs
- BBML: Baby Meal: Can be ordered for infants under the age of two (depending on the airline) and will contain fruit and vegetable purees. It will often be pre-packaged
- BLML: Bland Meal: Designed for people with stomach problems, this will contain foods that are easily digested, with mild flavours and no spice
- CHML: Child Meal: Containing soft foods that are easier to chew and may contain a toy or colouring book
- DBML: Diabetic Meal: A low sugar, low salt, low fat meal that’s high in fibre, fruits and vegetables
- FPML: Fruit Platter Meal: An option that contains fresh seasonal fruit only
- GFML: Gluten Intolerant Meal: Designed for those who can’t tolerate gluten in their diet. Check packing and staff for may contains before consuming, as this is still quite common due to the way these meals and cooked and packaged
- HNML: Hindu Meal: Non-vegetarian and usually Indian in style, for people who follow Hindu customs
- KSML: Kosher Meal: Food is chosen, prepared and served in accordance with Jewish religious guidelines
- LCML: Low Calorie Meal: Suitable for a low-calorie diet, but the calorie count may differ by airline
- LSML: Low Sodium Meal: Suitable for a diet low in salt and sodium. Can contain meat, poultry or fish
- MOML: Muslim Meal: Prepared in accordance with Islamic customs, with no pork, gelatine or other forbidden products
- NLML: Non-Lactose Meal: Excludes milk and dairy products
- RVML: Raw Vegetarian Meal: Containing raw fruits and vegetables only
- LFML: Low Fat Meal: A limited fat or cholesterol meal containing ingredients such as; low fat dairy products, lean meats, egg whites, wholegrain bread
- PFML: Peanut Free Meal: A meal with no peanuts, peanut butter or peanut derivative items
- SFML: Seafood Meal: A meal only containing seafood
- VGML: Vegan Meal: Contains no animal products
- VJML: Vegetarian Jain Meal: A meal for the Jain community, containing only fruit and vegetables that grow above the ground and no animal products
- VLML: Vegetarian Lacto-ovo Meal: A vegetarian meal that contains no meat, but includes eggs and dairy
- VOML: Vegetarian Oriental Meal: An oriental style meal that contains no animal products