Oh, LGA. We love to hate you. 

LaGuardia could be one of the best (worst) examples of the city-to-airport health paradox that we mentioned in our article about LAX. New York City is one of the easiest places to access healthy restaurants. But as accessible as salads and smoothies are in Manhattan and Brooklyn, they're nearly impossible to find at the nation's 21st busiest airport just to the east. 

It seems there is a place to build a custom salad on almost every street corner in NYC, including in the countless delis. On top of the access to greens, beans, and veggies, add the gazillion smoothie, fast casual, and health-focused food chains, and you just can’t miss. All parts of the city are conducive to health seekers. 

LaGuardia is quite a different story, even with its shiny new renovation of Terminal B nearly complete. We stretched just to round out a list of five healthy options, with two of them qualifying only as barebones backups. 

But don't don’t worry—if you find yourself without airfare snacks at LGA, there are few diamonds in the rough. Here they are. 

Our go-tos: The A-list

#1: DOS TOROS (Terminal B)

As we've detailed before, Mexican is an airport savior. Anywhere beans, brown rice, veggies, and guac come together, you're covered. Fast-casual Mexican places tend to be especially delicious and quick incarnations of these healthy foods, and which is particularly true for Dos Toros.

WHAT TO ORDER: Salad with black beans, brown rice or cauliflower rice, brussels sprouts, corn, peppers, onions, all hot sauces, tomato and guac.

#2: JUICE PRESS (Terminal D)

As we've detailed before, Mexican is an airport savior. Anywhere beans, brown rice, veggies, and guac come together, you're covered. Fast-casual Mexican places tend to be especially delicious and quick incarnations of these healthy foods, and which is particularly true for Dos Toros.

WHAT TO ORDER: The “Nurse Ginger Greens” smoothie, add blueberry, and substitute the "maple water" for house-made almond milk.

Our other favorite: Pretty, pretty good

#3: GREEN LEAF'S (Terminal B)

This is a straightforward make-your-own-salad place, great for being short on time and healthy options.

Our suggestion is to pick the darkest leaves possible like spinach and kale to maximize nutritional value, add your favorite mix of veggies, whole grains like quinoa, and nuts, seeds, beans, and fruits (including avocado). Get the dressing on the side and add a side order of fruit.

In the morning, Green Leaf's offers oatmeal—check to ensure it's made with only water—which can be combined with fruit and nuts.

Lastly, it has smoothies, but, as always, make sure the base is either unsweetened milk, nut milk or water, and that no fruit juice, syrup, honey, or sweetener is added.

In case of emergency: Barebones backups

#4: CIBO EXPRESS (Terminal C)

This is an option when you have no other choice but fasting and being hungry. When in a bind like this, you can't go wrong with raw nuts, fruit, and a vegetarian salad. Those are typically your best bets. Keep it simple here.

#5: HEALTHY GOURMET (Terminal B)

"Healthy Gourmet" is probably guilty of false advertising, as both parts of it's name raise eyebrows. Similar to CIBO Express, this is a similar market-style spot like so many airport staples, though with slightly less unhealthy brands. Save yourself by sticking to our recommended three: raw nuts, fruit, and vegetarian salad. And for number four, pray for better options in the future.

Bonus: Terminals A and C

#6: SALATTO (Terminal A)

There isn't much for the healthy-minded in this part of LaGuardia. If you are stuck with Terminal A choices, at least grab the Mixed Greens Salad here, or get the hummus, ditch the pizza bread, and ask for more raw veggies. Not bad when you're in a pinch.

#7: COTTO (Terminal C)

The landscape in Terminal C is equally dire. Surprisingly enough, though, Cotto—a pizzeria—has a decent kale salad available, which we recommend without cheese, and with dressing on the side). Supplement with a side of asparagus or the other available vegetable, ensuring to ask for no butter. Top it off with a side of fruit, and compile oatmeal—no butter or cream—with fruit and nuts.

Fun facts about LGA

• Namesake. In 1934, New York City Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia boarded a plane in Pittsburgh that landed at Newark Airport in New Jersey. The mayor refused to get out of the plane because his ticket said "New York." To appease him, the airline flew him to airfield in Brooklyn, where he declared New York needed a newer and better airport. He went on to have it built.
• Age. LGA is the oldest commercial airport in metropolitan New York City.
• Weirdest rule. No flights are permitted into LaGuardia from more than 1,500 miles aware unless they either come from Denver or fly on Saturdays. Seriously.
• Busy...Despite changing rules during the pandemic (and very little international travel aside from Canada), LGA stayed busy, ranking #21 in the country as of January 2022.
• ...but not good. Alas, LGA is not loved. Frommer's Travel Guides ranked it the second- worst airport in the country, citing it’s astounding 23% rate of delays and cancellations, the second-highest in the nation. The only airport ranked worse was the only airport to have a higher cancellation-or-delay rate...neighboring Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).