In today’s lifestyle, it’s no surprise that you often find yourself in a rush to work, drop off the kids in school, pick them up from practice, run errands to the grocery store, and much more. This rush can often make you forget about eating at all, eating healthy, or just resorting to non-healthy fast food due to the convenience. However, you still want to be healthy. HOW is this possible? Let’s talk about a few tips for eating on the go.
What if we told you that you can begin to eat healthier with some of the same foods…only in a smarter way!
First, learn about the components of a meal or snack. That helps to use food in the right way & for the right reasons.
What to include in a meal/snack:
- Protein. This includes items like meat, nuts, nut butter, tofu, beans, cheese, or yogurt. This food group helps you to feel full.
- Fat is found in nuts, cheeses, high-fat meats and seafood, fried foods, avocado, nuts, nut butter in some beans, and more. Fats trigger satiety in your brain, making you feel good.
- Carbs are those starchy items like pasta, bread, rice, beans, oats, dairy items, and others. This component provides energy for your brain to keep functioning at full potential. Keeps you less irritable when kids start getting on your nerves!
- Fiber is a component of plant-based foods. Fiber helps you by providing bulk to a meal, satiety, and helps to decrease the risk for chronic disease.
It is important to strive to have a balance of the food groups in your meals or snacks to get that fullness and satisfaction to continue through your day.
TIPS for eating on the go
If you are on the go at work, having a healthy snack box can be quite helpful for those emergency runs. You can keep items such as:
- Tuna and crackers
- Mixed nuts and dried fruit
- Hummus packs and baked chips
If you are at home, having the following will help you in grabbing a quick healthy snack:
- Low-fat yogurt
- Cheese sticks/cubes and crackers
- Slices sweet peppers/carrots with hummus
- Individual to go salads
- Peanut butter & jelly sandwich
- Fresh fruit & cottage cheese
- Rice cakes & nut butter
When going out and picking up food consider the following options:
- Salad and Go can be a good, quick, inexpensive, healthier option
- Mad Greens provides a variety of plant-based food filled with nutrients
- Seed Shack provides vegetable-rich small meals and snacks
- Panera Bread offers items such as half salad and half sandwich combinations.
- Desert Roots Kitchen offers a variety of plant-based meals
- Avoid purchasing combos with fries and soft drinks
- Choose water or low-calorie drink
- Ask for sauces on the side (these tend to be loaded with calories due to their high-fat content)
- If the sides are fried items; ask what other healthy options they have as a substitute for the fried sides
Sometimes you are not able to control the time or location when your hunger strikes. However, making small changes in your routine to add smart snacks/meals can make a difference in the nutrition of your meals. Next time you go to the grocery store, try adding some new options to your cart! If you need more ideas and tips, get scheduled with a nutrition coach!
