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10+ Road Meals on the Menu at Every Grocery Store

22 June 2010 5 Comments

By: Kristine Schoonmaker

I’m just going to put it out there that my weight has been a constant struggle for me my whole life.  When I started traveling as a consultant (and even now on occasion) I had to continually fight the urge to eat whatever was the easiest and closest thing to grab.  Faced with crazy busy days and late nights at the office and in the hotel, my desire to eat somewhat healthy was harder and harder to achieve.

During a stint in Ft. Lauderdale a few years back, I was working in an area of town that literally had no good restaurants and an office with no cafeteria.  Fast food was virtually the only option, which, on most occasions, I cannot stand.  I had to figure out a way to find some other way to keep a moderately healthy diet during the week.  On a trip to buy snacks for the office one day, I started really looking at what my options were for meals in the grocery store.  While some of these may not always be the absolute healthiest of options, they were a much better choice than a Big Mac!

  1. Instant oatmeal
  2. Pre-cut veggies & hummus
  3. Pre-made salad –you might even add steamed shrimp or chicken
  4. Sushi or spring rolls (depending on how reliable the store is)
  5. Granola & yogurt
  6. Fruit, cheese & peanut butter
  7. A deli sandwich
  8. Tuna, egg, or chicken salad from the deli & pre-cut celery (or a muffin from the bakery)
  9. Soup – from the deli or instant – just mind the sodium
  10. Mozzarella and tomato salad

Even now when I travel, I still consider the nearest Whole Foods, Publix or local market to be on my dining list – and nearly every place I’ve tried has the items above on the menu.

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5 Comments »

  • Henry Motyka said:

    Even though I am out of work now, between job hunting, taking care of a house and a large piece of property, exercising, and keeping up with everything, I am very busy. I don’t always have time to cook.

    I am trying to keep my weight down and maybe lose some. I sometimes cook enough brown rice for more than one meal and add salmon from a package or can and some vegetables. It makes for a quick, health meal.

    I keep plenty of bannanas around. They go great with a little bit of peanut butter. Too much peanut butter, though, does not help the weight.

    Lastly, I often keep Dr. Adkins protein drinks or small containers of non-fat milk around for a quick boost.

    # 22 June 2010 at 5:37 pm
  • Lana said:

    I, too, am a huge fan of picking up quick meals at grocery stores when I travel (especially when my hotel has a mini-fridge!).

    However, another way I’ve found to stay in shape while on the road is by ordering delivery from healthier restaurants (e.g. sushi, salads, etc). I am currently on a project in Fort Worth, TX and while very few restaurants deliver (particularly healthier ones), there is a company that provides delivery services from most local restaurants. This type of service is fairly common among most large and small cities and allows you to look at multiple menus and even pre-order meals so that you can place an order online before you leave the client site and have it arrive minutes after you get to the hotel or right on time for lunch. This option is both healthier and more convenient than picking up fast food and provides many more options than a room service menu.

    # 14 July 2010 at 6:33 pm
  • Kristine Schoonmaker (author) said:

    Good ideas Henry. I especially like the idea of things like bananas, peanut butter, milk, yogurt, etc. If you have status with a hotel, you can often pick up those healthy snacks in the Concierge Lounge each morning to have during the day, or keep in a mini fridge in your hotel room!

    # 20 July 2010 at 4:47 pm
  • Kristine Schoonmaker (author) said:

    I love those services too Lana! While you can’t find them everywhere, it’s a great way to find other easy options besides room service. Which service have you used most?

    # 20 July 2010 at 4:49 pm
  • Saito Saito said:

    In my experience this never fails and has saved my life more than a dozen times. When I know I will be in a “no healthy” zone, I always carry Military MRE’s for civilians aka “Camping food”. Just remember if you do buy MILITARY MRE to TAKE OUT the HEATING ELEMENT/ FILAMENT from the bag. They are not allowed in carryon. If you buy the Civilian type you dont need to worry.

    Pros:
    1. With major improvements these days it is quite good
    2. low in weight
    3. includes everything from dessert to utensils
    4. no water needed
    4. if you have strict religious dietary requirements, they have, Vegetarian, Religious, Kosher/Halal and Passover meals.

    Cons:
    1. can be a little high in calories
    2. normally need to buy in packs on-line or from Army Surplus stores.

    OPTION #2 Freeze dried foods. aka Camping foods available at any sports store or even Wal-mart

    Pros:
    1. extremely light weight
    2. fast and easy prep
    3. long shelf life

    CONS:
    1. need to add water sometimes boiling hot water
    2. lower in calories = need to eat more
    3. in my opinion not as tasty
    4. can be a little more expensive
    5. may not have the form of “traditional” food.

    # 26 August 2011 at 1:33 am

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