Eating Kosher on The Go, JFK Airport

Foolishly, I didn't stock up on fruit before my trip home to Israel, so I did some price checks at JFK. My plan was to go to a supermarket, but didn't have time in the end. And I was mistaken that the street carts would be a bad deal. OK, I really didn't want midtown soot and smog to polute my apples, so I ended up arriving at JFK in need of eating flora. I had time, so I went from "shop" to "shop" and asked how much the apples and bananas cost. I was horrified to see that some of the more popular places were charging on the average $1.50 up to $1.90 for a very humble plastic-wrapped apple that couldn't have had been washed very well, because it still had a sticker on it.

The hunt was worth it, because I found them for the "bargain price" of "only" $1.03 in this place, called Cascade, if my memory is correct.

Of course, I had no idea that my Delta flight would be cancelled and I'd have another chance to shop for food.  I ended up buying in an Upper Eastside fruit stand near the 92nd Street Y.  It cost me a fraction of the price and took seconds to purchase, no lines and very convenient.

As part of my horrendously cheap Delta compensation package, I received three $6- food vouchers.  When I asked what I, a strictly kosher consumer, could do with these at the airport I was sent to  Healthy Gourmet.

I was told that they had some kosher food.  I saw sandwiches and "ready made meals."

The meals were all vegan, no animal products whatsoever, so there could be fewer kashrut problems.  And there's a hechshar.  The next day someone told me she'd "never eat" from that supervisor, but I'm no expert and the meal had already been eaten.

I chose the buckwheat, rather than the others all based on noodles, hoping it would be less starchy. I'm on a low carbohydrate diet.

I hate to disappoint you, but I can't quite think of any suitable adjectives to describe it.  I finally ate it in my daughter's apartment.  I had been starving, and it was food, low in fat, a consideration when taking into account the stressful evening. It cost me two vouchers, almost $12- to the penny.  I had been warned that I wouldn't get change, so I should do my best to use the vouchers for six, twelve or eighteen dollar purchases.

The following day, on my deja vu return to JFK I used the third voucher to buy a liter of mineral water and a cookie (to make it close to $6-) that thankfully tasted so awful I couldn't eat it.    I had to drink the entire bottle of water when taking off my shoes before the extra security check Delta demands of all passengers to Israel.  Soon after we took off and before the seatbelt sign went off, I was the first passenger to get up and us the WC.  The stewardess chastised me on my return to my seat that it was dangerous to walk around the plane.  I replied: 

"It would have been more dangerous if I hadn't."