To Eat or Not To Eat

Can you get one of those igloo coolers from walmart- and put an ice pack in it- you can then make tuna or chicken salad or anything like various types of salad- Also if you get a good thermos- you could bring some type of chili or soup-- lastly- you could find some types of convenience foods(maybe not the best option) but still might be worth it--

Define "healthy"?

I don't have a lot of trouble finding decent choices in most parts of the US, including some very rural, when traveling, even as an ovo-lacto vegetarian. These might not be exactly what I'd eat at home, but they're adequately nutritious and tolerably edible (at worst ).

There are usually big chains, and I can find fairly reasonable choices at Taco Bell (you can order things not on the menu - see their online website/calculator), Subway (I like the chopped salad - you can have any sub as a salad instead), and even McDonalds (egg muffin + salad). For me, a large skim latte (just skim milk and coffee) is another protein source (adequate protein within calorie goal is the hardest part for me, when traveling).

Local restaurants and some chains (Denny's, Bob Evans) have breakfast-all-day choices (oatmeal, eggs) and sometimes they'll make up a plate of vegetable sides. (I do end up eating many more eggs while traveling than I do at home. ). If you eat meat, there's often a "diet plate" with fruits/veggies and a lean meat or fish; or you can ask for plain grilled chicken or fish. It doesn't always work, but asking politely if they can serve something in a non-standard way will work more often than many people might imagine, if you work with ingredients you see on the menu. (Sometimes it matters what they pre-prep vs. make in real time.) Sometimes I order sandwiches without the bun/bread.

Grocery store prepared and deli foods are another possible source for salads, lean meats, and that sort of thing. Lots of convenience stores these days have hard boiled eggs, fruit, snack veggies (like carrot & celery sticks), Greek yogurt, hummus. A small cooler in your vehicle can help extend the keeping time (use the plastic ice-replacement blocks if you have access to a freezer often enough for refreezing, otherwise a tight-closing container makes a reasonable ice pack you can refill from ice machines).

There are also lots of dehydrated foods available these days: Bulgar wheat pilafs rehydrate with just hot water, there are dehydrated soups with decent ingredients, powdered hummus or frijoles are available and just need rehydrating to eat with veggies or good crackers. Health food stores and big groceries have more substantial, less-sweetened oatmeal packets that can be mixed with hot water, maybe a cut-up apple or banana, possibly some nuts or good trail mix, and some yogurt or milk. Nuts, nut butters, and dried fruits travel well without refrigeration. Backpacking foods can be reasonably nutritious, but they're more expensive. Frozen foods might work if you have access to a microwave.

Good luck!

ETA: It's usually better to eat, within reason, if travel is frequent, vs. seriously lowball your energy needs. However, the extremes of "fatty food" and "undereat" are far from your only options.

jc1695 wrote: »

Thanks again for the advice. Packing a lunch would be an option if this was a one day trip. It is normally 3 - 5 days and without refrigeration, most packed lunches won't tolerate outdoor southern ambient temperature that long. My primary question was is it better to eat fatty foods so that you have some nutrients or skip the meal entirely to avoid the fat. There is some good advice in here and I'll use to figure out a solution.

Definitely, eat!

And: you mention avoiding eating fatty foods, and avoiding eating fat.

Unless you have a specific medical reason for doing so (and if so: please listen to your DOCTOR and not some rando on the internet), there's no real reason to avoid fat, per se. Personally, I find that having a greater proportion of fat in my meals makes me feel full for longer, so I actively make sure I get enough of it!

Having more or less fat in your meals isn't what's going to affect weight loss. Except in one way: fat is, yes, very energy dense. But a smaller portion of a food with a lot of fat in, as long as you pay attention to the calorie counts, is perfectly fine. (Again, unless you have a specific medical reason why not).

I'm not sure about in the US, but in my part of the world a lot of restaurants etc, especially chains, have the calorie content for their meals available either on their menus or websites. If it's similar where you are then doing a bit of research on what meals can fit your goals might be a really handy way to prepare yourself for those trips?

And if that's not possible.. eh, life happens. It's better to be eating within your own health goals when you're at home, than never!

Think about what you would pack if you were camping (I don't camp, so take this with a grain of salt).

Can you store canned meats? Tuna/chicken maybe? Can you eat nuts/seeds?

Grocery stores are an option too. Most grocery stores have a deli section with pre made sandwiches. I know that when I've traveled; I've opted for grocery store option b/c it's not usually a bit cheaper than a fast food chain.

I travel remotely for work by vehicle. I have a plug in cooler with an adapter to use in rooms. I pack all kinds of healthy snacks such as yogurt, fruit, nuts, veggies, almonds, eggs, trail mix that kind of thing.. it keeps me away from the chips and chocolate bars you find in gas stations.