Vegetarian troubles

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scruff_farrier
scruff_farrier Posts: 47 Member
edited January 2015 in Food and Nutrition
Does anyone have any recommendations for a vegetarian, that lives out of hotel rooms and gas stations because of his job. I need more proteins but I can't exactly go to the supermarket and get what I need all the time. I do use soy protein shakes in the morning after my work out. But its hard trying to get protein at a gas station or that will keep in a hotel room, or truck for that matter.

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  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    Hard-boiled eggs, string cheese, portion-controlled nuts & nut butters, hummus…
  • scruff_farrier
    scruff_farrier Posts: 47 Member
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    I figured a lot of that would be high fat, and calorie.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    Fat is not evil—your body needs fat to function. Cracker Barrel makes reduced-fat cheese sticks. And I forgot yogurt, which is lower fat.

    I'm less hungry when I use MFP's protein & fiber goals as minimums and ignore fat & carbs. It'll take trial & error to find what works for you.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
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    Hard boiled eggs are @ 80 cals a piece, most string cheeses are less than 200 cals each. Nuts are fine as long as you stick to the portion size.

    I wouldn't worry about "high fat", unless your fat numbers are already really high. I'm not vegetarian, but I considered it at one time and decided for me it would take a lot more planning to keep my macros where I wanted them without eating meat & dairy. When I'm traveling, I stick string cheese and protein bars in my bag to balance out my high-carb gas station snacks.
  • scruff_farrier
    scruff_farrier Posts: 47 Member
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    Ok thanks, it's just hard for me to get my head wrapped around this idea. If I stay under my calorie goal I will lose weight regardless. I always had it beat into my head that you should have a high/all protein diet. I actually used to lose weight that way, but its just not a sustainable life style. Probably a reason why I am vegetarian, haha.
  • GreenGoddess22
    GreenGoddess22 Posts: 3,818 Member
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    Can you pack a cooler or thermos with food? What about looking at staying at places that have small kitchenettes or even a microwave/mini fridge?
  • scruff_farrier
    scruff_farrier Posts: 47 Member
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    kimny72 wrote: »
    Hard boiled eggs are @ 80 cals a piece, most string cheeses are less than 200 cals each. Nuts are fine as long as you stick to the portion size.

    I wouldn't worry about "high fat", unless your fat numbers are already really high. I'm not vegetarian, but I considered it at one time and decided for me it would take a lot more planning to keep my macros where I wanted them without eating meat & dairy. When I'm traveling, I stick string cheese and protein bars in my bag to balance out my high-carb gas station snacks.

    This is very true also. But string cheese and protein bars get very old when you don't have much variety, and 15 days at a time.
  • simplydelish2
    simplydelish2 Posts: 726 Member
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    Jerky is an easy travel companion - if you can handle the sodium. Some of the breakfast sandwiches at gas stations here are really good and freshly made. Good luck!

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  • scruff_farrier
    scruff_farrier Posts: 47 Member
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    GreenGoddess22 wrote: »
    Can you pack a cooler or thermos with food? What about looking at staying at places that have small kitchenettes or even a microwave/mini fridge?

    I have no control on where we stay or even what gas station we stop at for that matter, I am a part of a 20 man crew. But we do get mini fridges occasionally. Im gonna hit a store for what I can pick tomorrow. Just looking for ideas.
  • scruff_farrier
    scruff_farrier Posts: 47 Member
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    simplydelish2 wrote: »
    Jerky is an easy travel companion - if you can handle the sodium. Some of the breakfast sandwiches at gas stations here are really good and freshly made. Good luck!

    20757594.png

    Jerky would be awesome, but I don't eat meat, haha.
  • besaro
    besaro Posts: 1,858 Member
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    i had vegetarian troubles, then i dumped him.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    scruff_farrier wrote: »
    But string cheese and protein bars get very old when you don't have much variety, and 15 days at a time.

    Go to Trader Joe's and buy nut mixes. Portion them into snack-sized Ziplocks. You can buy foil packets of Justin's nut butters at TJ's or some supermarkets. Trader Joe's has lots of shelf-stable meals that're yummy at room temperature (including vegetarian curries), and Walgreens carries one vegetarian GoPicnic meal. (You can buy more varieties at http://www.gopicnic.com/.)
  • scruff_farrier
    scruff_farrier Posts: 47 Member
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    Thank you, sounds like a really good idea.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    Shelf-stable boxes of plain or chocolate milk. (Chill them in the hotel ice bucket.) Oatmeal cups you just add hot water to and portion-controlled granola. Fresh & dried fruit, and freeze-dried veggies (like astronauts eat). Speaking of freeze-dried, camping stores probably have vegetarian meals.
  • khearron26
    khearron26 Posts: 171 Member
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    Cottage cheese is great and can keep in a hotel fridge.
    Cans of different beans, if you carry a can opener with you on the road.
    Definitely the nut butters - This is the good kind of fat!
    Greek yogurt
    Nuts and seeds (like almonds, pumpkin and sunflower seeds)
  • scruff_farrier
    scruff_farrier Posts: 47 Member
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    Haha, well I guess I wasn't putting enough thought into this. Probably why I gained the 30 pounds I did while working this job.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    edited January 2015
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    greek yogurt (i like the fage 0% plain because it's 100 cals and 20g protein)


    Can you buy frozen meals? I like the following:
    Lean Cuisine - Mushroom Mezzaluna Ravioli: 300 cals/ 12 g protein
    - Amy's - Black Bean Enchiladas: 320 cals/10 g protein
    - Morningstar FarmsThree-Bean Chili: 270 cals/ 20 g protein
    - Michael Angelo's - Personal Four Cheese Lasagna: 480 cals/ 30 g protein

    I am also a fan of protein bars like quest, pure protein, and the premade light muscle milk shakes (100 cals for 15g protein).

    I'm a lifelong vegetarian and this is how i do it.

    edited to add: Something else i really love doing (that would definitely keep in a truck or hotel room) would be to make a tasty chocolate and peanut butter spread for apples or bread. It includes the following: 1 scoop of a chocolate protein powder and 2 tablespoons of pb2 (both powders so they'll last) and just enough water until it has a thick spread like consistency. It tastes awesome and can be used on apple slices or bread as mentioned above. The cals are 165 and 29g protein.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    . . . . . granola bars and granola, trail mix, dry cereal, breakfast bars, sun flower seeds, pumpkin seeds,
    Yogurt will keep for about 12 hours outside a fridge, longer if you have it in a lunch box.
    Fat is good for you. You can fit fat into your day if you cut out bread and other carbs.
    On the road, breakfast is your best meal because fast food places are serving eggs and cheese biscuits.

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