Need help with meal plan...

[RWB]

I've been pretty good lately with eating very healthy, I've been steaming frozen veggies and making plenty of salads and eating egg whites, tuna, and other fish instead of beef and other unhealthy stuff.

But I have a job now, and yesterday was my first day. For breakfast we ate at a nice cheap place, had the special... eggs over easy with hash browns and bacon. For lunch it was a burger and fries, and for dinner it was the same. It was a 14 hour day for me and we are driving all over the place installing equipment in schools. I don't see how I can keep eating the foods I've been eating with a job like this. It's a great job, plenty of exercise, I enjoyed myself but felt bad about the foods I ate becuase I didn't pack a lunch due to not having any way of packing it.

I need MEALS, I can't just bring a long a can of tuna with me. For one, it stinks and many people hate it when you eat that stuff around them. I can't steam veggies on the road. And I can't go spending $4 at Wall Mart for their prepackaged salad's(I love them, but I can't do that everyday).

I hope someone could help out here, I know I could bring a small cooler, but here in Texas even with a good cooler it wouldn't last very long especially now with it getting warmer already. So any ideas on how to eat plenty of fresh veggies and healthy MEALS on the go? Note: "Meals", big or small, I don't want the protein bars or anything like that, too much sugar and processed bits.

[GHoosdum]

You can get the packets of tuna instead of the cans. That will keep in the heat. I, for one, don't really care what people thing about what I'm eating. If my tuna sandwich stinks too much, they don't have to eat next to me. ;)

[Nomad]

Tupperware, duh. There's no excuse to eat crap like that. If you don't have time, you wake up, cook, pack it.

[RWB]

Keeping it cool in extreme heat, DUH. I'd like to pack some salads and I'll want to keep it cool DUH. I thought of something yesterday though, freezing a whole 2L bottle of water and sticking that in a large thermal bag I found with my salad and see how it goes.

[primesuspect]

DUH

[Leonardo]

Apples, oranges, and bananas are self contained and don't need cooking. Carrots and other vegetables as well. Learn to carefully shop and you can find carrots that are actually quite sweet.

Other healthy foods that are easy to pack and hold up very well under all weather are raisins and nuts (peanuts are nuts). Most sandwiches will also fare well. You can easily find low-fat lunch meats at any grocery store.

Are you a big fan of salad? If it's primarily lettuce it's actually pretty low in nutrition. Now if you are talking red cabbage, dark green lettuce varieties, and spinach (yummie!), then yeah, you moving into the vitamins and minerals department.

I really don't think you need to avoid red meat; just eat moderate portions and look for lower fat cuts.

don't really care what people thing about what I'm eating. If my tuna sandwich stinks too much, they don't have to eat next to me. Exactly.

Do you like salmon? Canned salmon is relatively inexpensive and is one of the most nutritious proteins that can be had from a can. (Sorry, living in Alaska I can't imagine life without salmon and halibut.)

[mas0n]

I struggle with pretty much the same problem; my work has me all over DFW (that's still where you are, right?) throughout every workday. After struggling to pack lunches and keep them temperature controlled (which as you surely know is damn near impossible during a Texas summer) I caved and started eating out everyday, but I have found what is IMO a relatively healthy way to do it. First off, I know where every single Chick-fil-a and Boston Market in the DFW area is. At Chick-fil-a I get the grilled chicken sandwhich because it comes on a whole wheat bun and without any mayonaise, just a tomato and pickles. Always, always, always, get the fresh fruit instead of french fries and absolutely NO SODA, everywhere is Texas has iced-tea. At Boston Market I get the Full Chicken Carver sandwhich on a whole wheat bun and with a side of steamed veggies, again no soda, they have tea.

Secondly, I keep raw unsalted almonds, brazil nuts, dried apricots, and dried prunes in the car and snack on them anytime I am going to miss lunch or have a late lunch, or am just plain hungry in between meals.

Breakfast is something I eat at home before I leave, even if I know I am meeting a co-worker for breakfast. I'll just get an OJ and maybe a bowl of fruit while there with them.

I eat pretty much the same things every week, but I'm two years in and that hasn't really bothered me yet. It's also not cheap, but that's the way it goes. I'd rather spend my mornings playing with my son before he goes to daycare than cooking and packing meals.

Anyway, that's what I do and it works for me.

[RWB]

So far the schedule has not been steady... which I didn't really want coming into this job but oh well. So what happens is that so far we have only eaten out between jobs, like we finish at one school and move to the next, in between eating at some place. I am with others and with one truck usually, so picking a place to eat isn't going to work ever time. I bought some damned granola bars, tasty but I wanted to stay away from food like that becuase I don't want sugar and highly processed foods.

I'll definitely pack some nuts, no problem. Fruits, maybe. Tomorrow I'll have to remember to test the frozen coke bottle out in this thermal bag I found like mentioned before. When the bottle unfreezes I'll have extra water becuase so far I've been emptying the 2L bottle of water I have been bringing real quick.

[maxclark]

DUH = neanderthals favorite word...

[GHoosdum]

If you're on the road, you can always cook with your car (http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/11/ask-autoblog-how-do-you-cook-with-your-car-engine/).

[Annes]

I bought some damned granola bars, tasty but I wanted to stay away from food like that becuase I don't want sugar and highly processed foods.

If you hate regular granola bars (like I do) you should try out Kashi's new TLC bars (http://www.kashi.com/products/chewy_granola_bars_trail_mix), the flax seed ones are delicious! And they're not highly processed. There's also Lara Bars (https://www.larabar.com/secure/index_.php) and lots of other options for quick bar-type things for those who want something more natural that a syrupy granola mess.