Being on the road can make it challenging to eat healthfully all of the time. Those fast food burgers, pizzas, and tacos are quick and convenient. However, they can make you feel tired, bloated, and lackluster and drain your energy. The last thing you need is to feel tired or not have plenty of energy while you are concentrating on driving on the road. Learning how to eat healthy as a truck driver is not difficult using these great tips and tricks.
Prepping Your Truck for Healthy Meals
Invest in a cooler or small refrigerator for your truck. You should also consider getting a slow cooker, small air fryer, mini microwave, hot plate, or Instant Pot for meal preparation. The slow cooker is great because you can cook roasts, veggies, soups, and other things and have a nice, healthy meal that will be done when you stop driving for the day.
The Instant Pot is another great appliance because you can saute, pressure cook, slow cook, make rice, and have a bit more flexibility in the range of meals you can prepare. Air fryers are also a good investment because you can make healthy fried foods without all the added fats and greases, roasted veggies, and baked potatoes, as well as toast bread, bagels, and pizza.
Tips for a Healthy Diet
You can pack low-fat white cheeses, yogurt, fresh fruits, vegetables, and other healthy snacks in your cooler and refrigerator. Lean lunch meats are also good choices and allow you to make your own sandwiches instead of eating unhealthy fast food.
Try to eat more often throughout the day instead of one or two big meals. Your body’s energy levels and metabolism will be higher when it gets smaller portions more often during the day. Start your day off with a big breakfast, with plenty of protein. After breakfast, make a point to eat small snacks every two hours, sticking to a single service size.
Make dinner a smaller meal than lunch. Eating a bigger lunch, high in protein, will keep you fuller, so when dinner rolls around you will not feel as hungry and can eat a smaller meal.
List of Healthy Places to Eat
When looking for places to eat, look for ones that offer fresh ingredients and customizable options. It is best to avoid fast food restaurants because they rarely have anything healthy except salads.
Some of the top healthy places to eat for truck drivers include:
- Grocery Stores/Whole Foods Markets: You will have plenty of healthy options and ample parking. From freshly made deli sandwiches to fruit bowls and seafood, you can easily find something when you want a grab-and-go meal. You can also stock up on meal prep ingredients to prepare meals in your truck.
- Sub Shops: Most sub shops allow you to customize your sub, so you can make healthy choices like whole-grain rolls, veggies, and lean meats.
- Panera Bread/Bakeries: You can find salads, soups, and healthier sandwich choices, as well as freshly baked bread, bagels, and more.
- Wawa/Buc-ee’s: Both of these gas stations offer a wide range of healthy food options, from salads and grinders to complete meals.
Healthy Snacks Truck Drivers Should Carry
Making healthy snack choices is just as important as eating healthy meals. Some great options include:
- Fresh Fruits
- Nuts
- Greek Yogurt
- Hard-Boiled Eggs
- Popcorn
- All Natural Jerky and Meat Sticks
- Veggie Sticks
- Hummus
- Rice Cakes
- Whole Grain Crackers
- Protein bars
If you have a sweet tooth, dark chocolate is a great option, as well as peanut butter spread on celery sticks or whole grain crackers. It is equally important to remember to have plenty of water in your truck to help you stay hydrated throughout the day.
What Food Choices to Avoid
Staying healthy requires you to avoid certain foods. You should also get into the habit of reviewing nutritional information to help avoid unhealthy fats, high sodium, and added sugars. You would be surprised by how much sodium is in canned soups, pastas, instant meals, and frozen meals. Some specific food choices to avoid include:
- Fast Food
- Sugary Snacks and Desserts
- Processed Foods
- Fried Foods
- Frozen Prepared Meals
- Pre-Packaged Meats
The next time you pull into a truck stop, gas station, or another shopping area, take the time to weigh your options and start making healthier choices for better meals while you are on the road. You would be surprised by the number of healthy choices you can find, such as whole grain cereals, yogurt, vegetable juices, bags of fresh fruits and vegetables, bananas, and trail mix.
Upgrade Your Truck Seat for Better Health Too
Having an ergonomic semi truck seat with the features you desire, like air suspension or an extra-wide seat with plenty of cushioning, heating, massage, or cooling, is also a healthy choice to make. With the proper back and lumbar support, you reduce the risks of back pain, muscle pain, and back injuries.
If your truck seat is wearing out, replace it with a new truck seat from Suburban Seating & Safety. We offer a variety of seats, cushions, and other items to keep you comfortable while on the road. Browse our online store, stop by our showroom in Lodi, NJ, or call 844-727-7328 today.
