Chicago isn't known for being health forward. Case-in-point: deep dish pizza—really more of a cake than pie. But slowly over the last decade or so, the Second City has turned a corner.

When you’re in the "312" itself, you can now count on a healthy meal at places like Protein Bar. Which is good because between the Italian beef, hot dogs and deep dish it’s hard to leave the Third Coast without needing a triple bypass.

Unfortunately, the new health movement stops at the city limits. When you get to the nation's third-busiest airport, you'll have to look very hard to find some greens and beans. Luckily, we did the looking for you.

Without further ado, let’s get to the list. Here’s where to eat when you’re flying through Sweet Home Chicago.

Our go-tos: The A-list

THE GODDESS AND THE GROCER
Terminal 5

Besides being our vote for coolest name at ORD, this is probably our favorite spot. We assume Australian owner Debbie Sharpe, an ex-rock-and-roll touring die-hard, is the "goddess" in this equation. While we concede that the airport location isn’t as legit as the ones in the city, it nonetheless ranks among the best O'Hare has to offer.

WHAT TO ORDER: Chopped Veggie Salad (bomb dot com!) and a side of fruit.

SUMMER HOUSE SANTA MONICA
Terminal 2

We see the attempt to get some mileage from the Los Angeles reference...good move. While this spot is not cheap, most other options in Terminal 2 are completely hopeless. If you can get over spending $25 for some solid airport nutrition, the quality and variety gets Summer House close to living up to its Santa Monica namesake.

WHAT TO ORDER: Cauliflower hummus and crudité (raw veggies) and a Shaved Vegetable Salad, no cheese, dressing on the side.

FARMER'S FRIDGE
Terminals 1, 2, 3 and 5

Farmer’s Fridge might be one of the better things to happen to O’Hare since the self-cleaning toilets (not kidding). The company is trying to “make it simple for everyone to eat fresh, healthy meals on the go.” While we don’t love everything in these fridges, the options are better than the majority of what you'll find at most airports. A few choices are very reliable, even for sticklers like us.

WHAT TO ORDER: Either the Shawarma Cauliflower or the Green Goddess, and be sure to pick out the cheese.

Our other favorites: Pretty, pretty, good

SALAD WORKS
Terminal 1

Just like the name says, this spot has salads that "work"—no more, no less. The most utilitarian of its features being the "build your own" style. A good salad from here has all you need to survive your trip out of the Windy City.

WHAT TO ORDER: Build-your-own salad, including all of the veggies available, all of the beans, and balsamic vinegar on the side. It’s basic, but it works.

B-SMOOTH
Terminal 2

Let’s be clear—this place is no Sweetgreen (in fact, it's struggling to catch Salad Works). But while there aren't as many fitness geeks coming directly from a class at Soul Cycle or CrossFit, B-Smooth has the basic ingredients needed to get you out of Chitown in good health.

WHAT TO ORDER: Build-your-own salad, including all of the veggies available, all of the beans, and balsamic vinegar on the side.

Honorable mention

JAMBA JUICE
Terminal 1

We know what you’re thinking—Jamba, really?! Look, we don’t love this chain in general because it often sneaks a sweetening ingredient into its smoothies like honey, syrup or fruit juice, which ruins the entire point of a healthy smoothie. But, there’s a secret order that is #actuallyhealthy, which is not juice at all, but is Jamba's most underrated feature: oatmeal.

WHAT TO ORDER: Oatmeal (unsweetened) with fresh fruit and nuts.

Fun facts about ORD

1. O’Hare was named after naval pilot Butch O’Hare, a World War II hero and Medal of Honor recipient who was tragically shot down in 1943.
2. From 1963 to 1998, O’Hare was the busiest airport in the United States.
3. The airport is undergoing a  $8.5 billion facelift and expansion, which is slated to be finished in 2028.
4. There is a "Zen and Yoga" room in Terminal 3, as well as an "urban garden," a kids' play area and a family lounge in Terminal 2. While we haven't tried any of them yet, consider us intrigued.
5. The airport code ORD is named for what it replaced—Orchard Field—which was an old farming community. 😢