By Dr. Kneale
Your foods choices are great—when you are at home. But, what if you have to spend the day driving your children from activity to activity. Or, you have a family wedding to attend and will be away from your kitchen for a few days.
Not surprising, your food choices go down the drain; you eat whatever is available at the next stop light.
Many of my clients have told me they have been unable to figure out how to eat real foods while on the go, resulting in complete havoc with their food choices.
Here is a list of quick nutritious snacks:
- Hard boiled eggs
- Jerky: here are a few I like: Organic, grass fed jerky Pacific Jerky Mighty organic
- Cheese sticks: mozzarella or cheddar cheese
- Healthy Food Bars: Vanilla Shortbread Bulletproof, Lemon Cookie Bulletproof, Fudge Brownie Bulletproof, B Up Chocolate Peanut Butter, B UP variety pack Go Marco Bars, Primal Kitchen Collagen Bars. Try to find ones with low sugar (5g or less per serving). You may have to try a few to find one you like.
- Power meal (scroll down a bit after click link) Power meal vanilla and Dark chocolate
- Yogurt: goat, whole fat milk, coconut
- Thermos filled with hot soups or chili: keeps food hot or cold for hours: Thermos Stainless King
- Mini turkey meatballs on a toothpick
- Sliced apple with almond or other nut butter
- Fresh fruit with yogurt (goat, whole milk)
- Snap peas
- Green beans with yogurt dip
- Assorted nuts (almonds, walnuts, cashews, almonds, walnuts, macadamia, pistachios, pecans)
- Single nut butter packets: Maple almond butter, Plain almond butter
- Hummus with veggies
- Kale chips: can buy or make your own: RHYTHM Superfoods Kool Ranch Kale Chips, RHYTHM Superfoods different flavors
- Mozzarella with cherry tomatoes on a toothpick
- Mashed egg and avocado on gluten free bread or crackers
- Baked sweet potato fries: Terra Sweet Potato Chips, Terra Variety Packs
- Roasted Chickpeas
- Sliced nitrate free/anti-biotic free turkey or chicken
- Cauliflower toast with cream cheese/turkey: PLANTPOWER sandwich thins
- Cauliflower crackers with cream cheese/almond butter: From the Ground Up Sea Salt Crackers, From the Ground Up Variety Pack
- Olives
- Cup of bone broth: make your own or buy: How to Make Delicious Bone Broth
- Seaweed snacks: Gimme Organic Seaweed
- Hummus chips
- Guacamole with corn chips/or other non-wheat chips
- Cheese: goat cheese, raw cheese
- Green plain plantains (in moderation)
A small cooler is great for daily outings while a large cooler is ideal for longer trips.
So you left the house and did not plan at all. Don’t worry. Here are some more tips for eating on the run!
Eating out at restaurants:
When at a restaurant order a double helping of vegetables. Avoid eating too much bread or chips, if too tempting, ask to skip it. Skip fried food as much as possible. Restaurants are usually happy to accommodate your needs. Some good choices would be steak, chicken, turkey, chicken enchilada, salmon, salad, gluten-free sandwich, soup, lamb, bison, etc.
Many health food stores such as Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods Market have healthy meals already prepared. My local health food store makes gluten free sandwiches with organic meats and vegetables. They also have rotisserie chicken and vegetables already cooked, along with other meals.
Traveling for a few days or more
Another option, if you’re going to be gone for a few days or more—and you are not flying– is to bring your pressure cooker, electric steamer or and/or crock-pot. I have done this many times when visiting family in Southern California and Arizona. If you choose this option make sure to get a hotel room with a kitchenette or rent a place with one. You can also research the area you’ll be staying to find out what stores are going to be available to you. That way you do not have to bring all of the ingredients with you. With the Internet it is so easy just to look up pressure cooker and/or crockpot recipes on the go.
Where to get recipes for crockpot: Foodnetwork, Allrecipes, Well Plated. Crock-Pot I use which has lasted many years: Crock Pot
Where to get recipes for pressure cookers: Pressure cooker Foodnetwork, Skinny Taste, All Recipes Pressure Cooker Instant pot I use: Instant Pot
Slow-Cooker White Chili with Chicken
Ingredients
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast fillets
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Sea salt
1 pound dried Great Northern beans, soaked overnight and rinsed
4 stalks celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans green chiles, chopped
2 medium onions, diced
1 jalapeno, sliced
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup masa
1 1/2 cups frozen sweet corn
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese, plus more for serving
Sour cream, for serving
Chopped fresh cilantro, for serving
Corn tortillas, warmed, for serving
Directions
- Add the chicken breasts to a slow cooker. In a bowl, mix the cumin, coriander, oregano, paprika and some sea salt, then sprinkle over the chicken. Add the beans, celery, garlic, canned chiles, onions and jalapeno. Pour in the chicken broth, put the lid on and cook on low until the beans are cooked, the vegetables are soft and the flavors are combined, about 7 1/2 hours.
- Mix the milk with the masa and add to the slow cooker. Add the frozen corn straight from the freezer and continue to cook until the sauce has thickened, another 30 minutes.
- Remove the chicken to a board and shred using 2 forks. Return to the slow cooker, then add the lime juice, sprinkle over the Monterey Jack cheese and stir to melt.
- To serve: Ladle the chili into bowls and garnish with a dollop of sour cream, extra cheese and cilantro. Roll up warm corn tortillas and serve on the side of the bowl.
Pressure Cooker Chicken Soup
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch-thick diagonal slices
3 large stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large yellow onion, cut into a large dice
Sea salt (Baja Gold Sea Salt has lots of minerals!)
One 3-pound whole chicken
One 3-inch piece peeled ginger, halved lengthwise (optional)
6 ounces rice noodles (about 4 cups)
Directions
Special equipment:
6-quart Instant Pot
- Turn a 6-quart Instant Pot® to the high sauté setting. Add the oil and once hot add the carrots, celery, garlic, onion, 1 tablespoon salt. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are slightly softened, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken, ginger, if using, and 8 cups water. Follow the manufacturer’s guide for locking the lid and preparing to cook. Set to pressure cook on high for 20 minutes.
- After the pressure cook cycle is complete, follow the manufacturer’s guide for quick release and wait until the quick release cycle is complete. Be careful of any remaining steam, unlock and remove the lid. Remove the ginger and discard. Use a pair of tongs to remove the chicken from the pot and put into a large bowl and allow to cool for several minutes.
- Switch the Instant Pot® to the high sauté setting and bring the soup to a boil. Once at a boil, add the noodles and cook until al dente, 4 to 5 minutes.
- While the noodles are cooking, use 2 forks to remove the skin and bones from the chicken and shred the meat into bite-size pieces. Season the chicken generously then add the meat back to the pot. Yummy! Ready to eat!
What if you are traveling with your family and everyone is starving. The only “restaurants” are fast food. Now what? It may not be the best case scenario but ALL of us have been there.
Here is a list of healthier choices for fast food stops:
- Chick-fil-A: Grilled chicken nuggets, chicken salads , multi-grain breakfast oatmeal, grilled market salad
- Chipotle:Burritos, tacos, salads with a variety of meats, veggies, beans, rice and guacamole, vegetarian salad
- Cheese Factory: Steaks, fish, seafood, salads and various appetizers.
- Dunkin Donuts: egg and cheese English muffin
- Wendy’s: Many chicken salads, as well as grilled chicken wraps, chili, Jr. hamburger
- McDonald’s: McDonald’s offers several healthy salads, mostly made with chicken, vegetables and fruit, small hamburger
- KFC: Grilled chicken pieces and a side of green beans or corn cobs, Kentucky Grilled Chicken Breast (on the bone) and a side of Green Beans
- Subway: whole grain bread and include plenty of vegetables in your sub. Veggie Delite (6-inch)
- Taco Bell: veggie power meal bowl, Fresco Grilled Steak soft taco, power meal burrito, chicken soft taco fresco style, bean burrito, breakfast burrito, spicy tostada
- Carl’s Jr: charbroiled chicken salad, 1/3-pound lettuce-wrapped thick burger, low-carb charbroiled chicken club
- Burger King: tendergrill chicken sandwich, tendergrill chicken garden salad, Whopper Jr., veggie burger
Just take your time to read through the menu. You will most likely find something that is healthy, or can be made healthy with simple modifications.
I hope this makes your day trips and travels healthy and happy!