Eating on the road

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I travel for work frequently. Anyone have any suggestions for eating on the road? I prefer to try local restaurants when ever possible. TYIA.

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  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
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    Steak and mushrooms with side salad
    Grilled fish or chicken with steamed veg
    Mushroom and cheese omelettes

    I've never had any where refuse to make them.
  • Sunnybrooke99
    Sunnybrooke99 Posts: 369 Member
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    Many nice grocery stores have great salad bars, and places to sit and eat. Even the ones that don’t have washed and ready to eat fruit and vegetables, at a lower cost than the gas stations.

    I like ruby Tuesday bc of the salad bar, and on the border bc they have a good selection of fairly low calories options.
  • panchakshara
    panchakshara Posts: 37 Member
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    if you want to save money and eat healthy and NOT in restaurants, here are some of my standbys:

    tuna packets
    fage individual size greek yogurt (you have to eat after you buy for this one. most of the other stuff on here keeps for a few days to months)
    bananas
    epic beef jerky bars
    doctor kracker pumpkin cheddar crackers
    string cheese
    dried moon cheese
    rx bars
    oranges
    apples
    baby carrots
    avocados
    minute rice
    canned garbanzo beans mixed with either diced tomatoes or canned pumpkin
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    Small steak with double veggie order
    Fried eggs with bacon, toast with no butter.
  • Anon2018
    Anon2018 Posts: 139 Member
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    I also travel for work a lot! Also prefer to eat at local places. Personally, one of my big go-to's is sitting at the sushi bar. I don't feel weird by myself, and I usually get some kind of sashimi or sushi sampler. It's always yummy, feels kinda decadent and fancy, and pretty low cal.
  • TonyB0588
    TonyB0588 Posts: 9,520 Member
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    I travel for work frequently. Anyone have any suggestions for eating on the road? I prefer to try local restaurants when ever possible. TYIA.

    How far away is your "on the road"? I eat very little if I'm on the road, almost starving until I get back home.
  • jocan11112017
    jocan11112017 Posts: 21 Member
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    @TonyB0588 i drive and fly. When I drive; I do what is suggested above; hit the grocery store and carry food with me. When I fly I am more limited on what I can carry with me. I also like eating too much to go without ;}
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
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    The grocery store? I see you already do that. I always wonder why people suddenly forget about the grocery store when they travel. It has all the things. You use it all the time. Use it in a different town too lol
  • Cbean08
    Cbean08 Posts: 1,092 Member
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    There is nothing wrong with eating out. My family ate out at a restaurant almost every night for dinner when I was growing up. We are all normal, healthy weights.

    You just need to make smart choices when you are out and control your portions. Also, plan to take home half of whatever you order. Then you have leftovers! Order balanced meals, but be weary of meals that have multiple items for 1 single macro. For example, if you order pasta(starch) with chicken(protein), you probably don't also need the garlic bread (starch) and the added cheese (protein). If you order a sandwich with a bun (starch), skip the chips or fries (starch). If you get a cobb salad, go easy on the cheese, bacon, avocado and dressing since those are all higher in fat.

    These are some good options to look for
    soup and salad with a protein source
    hamburger done protein style (lettuce wrap) with fries
    grilled chicken sandwich with a side salad/vegetable
    ceviche with tortilla chips and salsa
    2 tacos
    chicken gyro
    teriyaki chicken with steamed veg
    california roll and a side salad
    1 slice of pizza and a side salad
    pasta primavera
    baked potato with protein and a vegetable
    grilled salmon with rice and veg
  • Womona
    Womona Posts: 1,605 Member
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    The worst is trying to eat healthy in an airport! If you can’t eat regular bread, that rules out grab and go sandwiches.
  • Cbean08
    Cbean08 Posts: 1,092 Member
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    Womona wrote: »
    The worst is trying to eat healthy in an airport! If you can’t eat regular bread, that rules out grab and go sandwiches.

    I fly regularly and I agree. I typically bring a piece of fruit and a protein bar. Luckily, airports are starting to offer some okay options, but the pricing is so expensive that I'd usually rather just wait until I'm out.
  • olive1968
    olive1968 Posts: 148 Member
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    bbell1985 wrote: »
    The grocery store? I see you already do that. I always wonder why people suddenly forget about the grocery store when they travel. It has all the things. You use it all the time. Use it in a different town too lol

    I can only speak for myself but generally it comes down to:

    Time, not much of it
    Appointments and work events overlap with all meals
    No fridge and/or method to prepare food at the hotel
    Freaking tired after 12 or 16 hour day
    Unfamiliar area so not always way to find a grocery store
    Sometimes no rental car
    I'm headed to a five day conference and there is no option for me to procure my own real food

    I eat a lot of grilled chicken or shrimp or salmon Cesar with dressing on the side. I don't look at menus past the salads and appetizer page. I always bring protein bars and apples. It helps.
  • Rosemary7391
    Rosemary7391 Posts: 232 Member
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    bbell1985 wrote: »
    The grocery store? I see you already do that. I always wonder why people suddenly forget about the grocery store when they travel. It has all the things. You use it all the time. Use it in a different town too lol

    Yes, they have grocery stores in other towns, but you likely don't have a kitchen in other towns so...

    I just eat whatever is available but in small portions. I don't make myself eat the whole thing if I'm not hungry for it. I might skip the odd meal if I feel I've been eating too much (especially if I'm not hungry). But I don't stress about finding the healthiest/lowest calorie thing on the menu - I get what I want and eat a sensible amount of it :)
  • nickssweetheart
    nickssweetheart Posts: 874 Member
    edited November 2017
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    bbell1985 wrote: »
    The grocery store? I see you already do that. I always wonder why people suddenly forget about the grocery store when they travel. It has all the things. You use it all the time. Use it in a different town too lol

    When you are traveling for work, a lot of times the per diem you get to cover your meals specifically excludes grocery store shopping, so if you choose to go out of your way to buy groceries and eat more healthfully, it's all out of pocket.

    If I were OP, I'd probably try to pack at least breakfasts and snacks or shop for them while in another town. Finding healthy breakfasts and snacks in an unfamiliar town can be a real challenge.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
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    bbell1985 wrote: »
    The grocery store? I see you already do that. I always wonder why people suddenly forget about the grocery store when they travel. It has all the things. You use it all the time. Use it in a different town too lol

    Yes, they have grocery stores in other towns, but you likely don't have a kitchen in other towns so...

    I just eat whatever is available but in small portions. I don't make myself eat the whole thing if I'm not hungry for it. I might skip the odd meal if I feel I've been eating too much (especially if I'm not hungry). But I don't stress about finding the healthiest/lowest calorie thing on the menu - I get what I want and eat a sensible amount of it :)

    Grocery stores have salad bars, hot and cold...delis, yogurt. I shop at the grocery store for lunch every day and don't have a kitchen at work. Not arguing, just bringing up a point that all the...food...is there.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
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    olive1968 wrote: »
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    The grocery store? I see you already do that. I always wonder why people suddenly forget about the grocery store when they travel. It has all the things. You use it all the time. Use it in a different town too lol

    I can only speak for myself but generally it comes down to:

    Time, not much of it
    Appointments and work events overlap with all meals
    No fridge and/or method to prepare food at the hotel
    Freaking tired after 12 or 16 hour day
    Unfamiliar area so not always way to find a grocery store
    Sometimes no rental car
    I'm headed to a five day conference and there is no option for me to procure my own real food

    I eat a lot of grilled chicken or shrimp or salmon Cesar with dressing on the side. I don't look at menus past the salads and appetizer page. I always bring protein bars and apples. It helps.

    Oh okay. I do a lot of grab and go stuff. A protein bar, apple, yogurt. Salad bar. I guess I'm also just used to living in the city and there being like 3 grocery stores for every 2 blocks.
  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
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    Never eat on a plane or in the airport.
    Never eat the social food at the meetings/convention/etc.
    Limit yourself to two meals a day, because restaurant meals are so high-calorie.
    If you have a snack make sure it is real, healthy food and that you actually are hungry.
    But, then, I was never trying to lose weight when I was traveling.
  • Cbean08
    Cbean08 Posts: 1,092 Member
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    While these are valid concerns, todays technology makes it a lot easier.

    No car? - take an Uber, hotel shuttle
    Don't know where to go? - Yelp, google maps etc
    No fridge? - Lots of shelf stable options - fruit, bread, tortillas, canned tuna, canned chicken, Laughing Cow cheese, peanut butter, cereal, individual milks, protein bars, beef jerky, nuts etc
    No kitchen? - it's easy to make a sandwich on any flat surface
    Overlapped meetings with feedings? - buy Ziplocs too

    At least you'll have options in your room for breakfast. Then make something to take for lunch so you're not stuck eating gross conference food. Then have dinner out.
  • Rosemary7391
    Rosemary7391 Posts: 232 Member
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    bbell1985 wrote: »
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    The grocery store? I see you already do that. I always wonder why people suddenly forget about the grocery store when they travel. It has all the things. You use it all the time. Use it in a different town too lol

    Yes, they have grocery stores in other towns, but you likely don't have a kitchen in other towns so...

    I just eat whatever is available but in small portions. I don't make myself eat the whole thing if I'm not hungry for it. I might skip the odd meal if I feel I've been eating too much (especially if I'm not hungry). But I don't stress about finding the healthiest/lowest calorie thing on the menu - I get what I want and eat a sensible amount of it :)

    Grocery stores have salad bars, hot and cold...delis, yogurt. I shop at the grocery store for lunch every day and don't have a kitchen at work. Not arguing, just bringing up a point that all the...food...is there.

    Yeah, if you normally have grab and go stuff that makes sense. I normally cook my own :) even my lunch, I often have home made soup in a thermos flask at this time of year, or a stew or something. Mind, I'm still a student so I keep an eye on the cost too.

    Cbean08 - quite a few of the conferences I've been to have had nice food!
  • 7lenny7
    7lenny7 Posts: 3,493 Member
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    You don't say what your goals are, but here's what I do to avoid high calories refined carbs

    Nothing fried
    Nothing with batter
    Sauces and dressings on the side so you control how much goes on
    Skip the fries or potato and get the fruit cup or steamed veggie
    Skip the pasta

    I like to get a dish where the meat is front and center, whatever animal it came from.