It’s hard to eat healthy on the go. Believe me, I know. It took me years to figure it out. Why? I don’t know. I was just stubborn. Or too lazy to prepare a lunch box. Or both.
There are certainly times when hitting up the drive-thru seems like the easiest option. It’s 2PM. I’m starving. I’ll just swing through Taco Bell. Been there. Done that.
I mean, come on, there’s a fast food chain on every corner these days. It’s alluring – that’s for sure. But it can be easy to avoid if you’re prepared.
So how can you eat healthy when your car/office/classroom feels like your second home?
Well, there is not necessarily one golden tip for this one. Everyone is different, so what works for one person may not work for the next.
These are just a few tips that have helped me along the way.
Pack a lunch. Obvious, I know. But sometimes it’s easier said than done. Even if you’ll simply be running errands – it’s a good idea to pack a bag of healthy eats. You never know when hunger may strike.
Tip: pack your lunch the night before. It’s so easy to put it off until morning, I know.
But then you’re running late, you spill your coffee, the dog gets loose – something is bound to go wrong. It’s Murphy’s law. Of course, making a lunch is the first thing to go. Pack the night before and you can avoid this altogether.
Stock up on snacks. If you have a work fridge, an office drawer, a locker, or a book bag – fill it up with easy to grab snacks. Ideas?
- raw nuts
- fruit (apples, bananas, oranges)
- bars (larabars, Clif bars)
- whole wheat crackers
- dried fruit (no sugar added)
- cereal
Of course, if you have access to a refrigerator then the options are endless – string cheese, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, hummus, and more.
Prepare meals and ingredients over the weekend. It’s much easier to pack lunches during the week if you have ingredients on hand. So, what are some essentials that make packing meals simple?
For salads:
- pre-cut/washed vegetables (spinach, matchstick carrots, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, spring mix)
- cooked grains (quinoa, rice, wheat berries)
- washed and cooked beans for protein (black beans, kidney beans)
- tempeh (it’s great raw!)
- sunflower seeds (or any type of nut/seed)
- dried cranberries
- nutritional yeast
- hummus/salsa/balsamic vinaigrette for dressing (a tiny container to store is great)
For wraps:
- some of the same from above (tempeh, beans, veggies)
- whole wheat wraps (I love La Tortilla factory.)
- laughing cow cheese
- hummus
- almond butter
Here are some wrap ideas from the lunch box challenge I did early last year. I got creative with these, but you can always keep it simple with just hummus and veggies or apples and peanut butter.
- sweet potato, pomegranate, tempeh wrap
- eggplant, goat cheese, green pepper wrap
- sweet tofu and green apple filled wrap
- chunky chickpea and spiced Greek yogurt wrap
Buy vegetables in bulk – wash, cut, and fill bags/Tupperware for the entire week. If it’s there – then it’s easy to grab, right?
Make eating healthy the easy option. Basically, do everything you can to set yourself up for success. If you don’t already do this or it doesn't come naturally to you – then just do it until it becomes habit. After a while, the food prep time will just become part of your usual routine.
Lately, I’ve been helping my younger sister learn how to pack healthy (but not boring) lunches.
So far we’ve made:
- nut butter, apple, and cinnamon quesadillas
- salad bowls with chickpeas, sunflower seeds, and homemade dressing
- plain 0% Greek yogurt with fresh fruit and cinnamon
- whole wheat wraps with broccoli slaw, matchstick carrots, and hummus (doesn’t get any easier than that)
- and more!
Finally, get a cute lunch box! Who wouldn’t want to tote this around?
Clearly, the theme here is preparation. Pack, prep, stock – it really is all about being prepared. It takes extra time but it pays off in the long run.
Do you have any tips for healthy eating on the go?
<3 Stefanie
P.S. I am a nominee for best weight loss blog in the Fiteratti Blog Awards for Fitness Magazine! If you enjoy my blog (and my weight loss story), then I’d love your vote!
Don’t forget to check out all the other great nominees. There are several categories and a ton of great blogs are up for the award!
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