Eat Healthy on the Road
Here’s why you should care-
The average life expectancy of a truck driver is 61 years old, or 61 years young, depending on your perspective. That’s 17 years shorter than Americans’ average life expectancy in 2015, which was about 78 years. Changing your lifestyle now will add years to your life. You don’t have to change careers; you just have to change some of your choices.
Eating Well
Healthy eating seems so much more achievable when you’re at home. But if you’re on the road, it’s a lot harder to find healthy food stops. When you’re getting hungry, all you can think about is how hungry you are. All you know is that your stomach is telling you that, “You NEED FOOD NOW! Forget about those healthy lifestyle choices you wanted to start making.” But, greasy foods raise your risk for heart disease and diabetes. They can also cause drowsiness.
So, we say plan ahead. Map out healthy food stops along your trucking routes. There’s a lot of great resources online that you can use. At EatWellGuide.org, you can find guides to major cities throughout the United States. Just click a guide, and they’ll give you a map with some great restaurants to eat at. Here’s a link to some excellent restaurants in Houston.
Sometimes you don’t have many options. FitnessMagazine.com has a great article that lists healthy meals you can order at some common restaurants and fast food establishments. You may not recognize all of them, but they do have meals from places like McDonald’s and Chipotle.
Can’t find a food stop you like? Or just want to save money? There are a lot of cooking equipment and supplies to choose from for your truck. Microwaves, crockpots, blenders, and refrigerators are all possibilities that can make your future meals a lot cheaper. You can find items like these on Amazon or websites specific for truckers like RoadTrucker.com.
A popular favorite is a crockpot or slow-cooker. They can be amazing tools! They’ll save you time and money. All you have to do is put in the ingredients, turn the heat on, and let it sit. EatingWell.com has a whole section devoted to healthy slow-cooker recipes. Some of the recipes are a little bit more involved, so make sure you browse around.
In-between food stops, find some foods that you can keep in your truck to snack on. AllTruckJobs.com gives 8 kinds of healthy snacks that truckers, or anyone for that matter, can eat on the road. Some of them include fresh or dried fruit, hard-boiled eggs, string cheese, and beef jerky. Not all beef jerky brands are the same, so be careful what kind you get. Find ones that are low sodium or made with natural ingredients. Eat-in moderation. For more healthy snack options, go to AllTruckJobs.com.
In summary:
- Plan food stops ahead of time.
- Find healthy meals at places you already frequent.
- Invest in cooking equipment.
- Find healthy recipes online.
- Prepare healthy snacks before you hit the road.
Eating healthy doesn’t have to be that hard. It’s all in the preparation. Use some of our tips, and it’ll be a little bit easier for you out on the road.
Do you have any tips on how you eat healthy on the road? Feel free to share below.
Sources:
https://www.overdriveonline.com/infographic-6-ways-truckers-can-stay-healthier-on-the-road/
http://time.com/4996776/greasy-food-bad-for-you/
https://www.alltruckjobs.com/blog/8-healthy-snacks-eat-road/
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/17987/cooking-methods-styles/slow-cooker-crockpot/
https://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/healthy-eating/on-the-go/healthy-travel-diet/
