hubs is on the road a lot, planning help please?

yep, I got nothing! Sorry.

My husband is an over-the-road truck driver and he takes food with him on every trip. He has a cooler that is electric...it plugs into the lighter and it also has some other funky hookup they can use in those big rigs. He packs portioned meals from leftovers we have cooked, plus snacks and water in his cooler for the trip. It's a plus that he isn't a picky eater, and he doesn't use a microwave unless they just happen to be near a truck stop. He usually picks protein bars, dried or individual cups of fruit, or even baggies of broccoli/cauliflower and the individual packs of Light Ranch dressing for snacks. So far it's worked out very well for him. Good luck!

They make little fridges that attach to the lighter jack or he'll just have to choose health stuff from the menu..

My hubs is in IT and is often on the road traveling to client sites, keeping him away from things like a fridge and a microwave to store and warm his food. We live in NC, and with summer right around the bend, I'm not certain how well a cooler would work out for him, having to leave it in the car in 100 degree weather.

It's frustrating to see him go all day without eating because I know this is killing his metabolism, and only encourages him to stop off somewhere quick which results in poor choices and over eating.

What other options might we consider?

I'm sure a very well insulated cooler with a lot of ice could do the trick... otherwise... try food that will heat itself:

http://www.heatermeals.com/default.aspx

Pack with plenty of ice and the cooler should be fine. The food can be put in lock and lock dishes that won't leak. But even with eating at fast food there are still healthy choices out there. Order a chicken sandwich from micky'd's and just eat the lettuce and the tomato and the chicken. Leave the bread off..no bad carbs. What do you fix him for lunch on a normal basis? I can pack a cooler and drive all the way to MS before the ice melts completly. It's only going to be in his car for 4 hours or so before he eats it so it should be fine.

If he truly only has his best access to "fast food" there are still good choices out there. Just go through each chain and look at what is the best choices for each one. Make a list of his favorite places and the good food from each. Plan the days ahead so to stay on track. My husband and I do that when we travel and it can be done. If you want snacks for in a cooler we try and get our protein from string cheese or nuts and eat with a fruit. They have applesauce or mixed fruit in little portions that don't need to be in the fridge. These work good for the Protein - carb factor. Quick and easy fillers. Good luck!!

Try keeping fruit on hand that needs no refrigeration like apples, bananas and oranges to tide him over on the long stretches. Eat a high protein breakfast before leaving the house as well. Lots of water and maybe a snack bag of good for you stuff like almonds or granola.
Good luck!

I have the same issues! My man works 9 hours away - and we travel a lot to see each other.

My solution - An esky and freezer bricks - and also a freezer bag. You can pretty much pack any food you want with the right gear.

Freeze bottles of water too - and wrap them in something like a tea towel. Helps the freezer bricks stay cold longer. Pack your own cutlery too for the car

It can be time consuming at first - prepping your food for a whole day in advance - but once you get into the swing of it and you have the right equipment (tupperware / freezer bags etc), it's very quick to do. And soooo much cheaper in the long run than forking over for fast food all the time.

Leave your esky in the car somewhere out of the sun if possible - I put one of the car visor (heat deflector thingies) over the esky. You can also stop at supermarkets along the way instead of fast food joints for extras. I usually pack or buy on the road fruit / protein bars (as long as fat content is under 10g fat per 100 grams) / ready made tubs of salad (and don't use the dressings) - cold cuts / yoghurts / wholemeal wraps / savoury crackers / tubs of pre-made fruit salad. You can opt for healthy choices at fast food joints - but I don't have the will power to do that - especially when I'm really hungry - best for me to avoid them altogether haha

Central Australian summers are tough (45C on a cool day). And when the next town is a 3 hour drive away - you got to be prepared! My trips used to be binge fests - my last trip out I actually lost 2 pounds If I can handle eating healthy on the road - anyone can!! Best of luck

You can have him look into IF (intermittent fasting) during those days... It works for some people, going till night time without eating will not wreck his metabolism. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/49-intermittent-fasting

What I do here in Phoenix when it is over 100 degrees throughout most of the summer is just get extra ice packs and the lunch pack coolers actually stay pretty cold. My husband's drinks are even still cold when he gets home from work.

Get a car fridge like the truckies do. If he uses his ciggarette lighter already you can get double adaptors or get it hard wired