One of the major reasons people choose to step off a food plan is hunger.
If I am hungry and there are no foods easily available that meet my plan, I will eat anything that’s not nailed down! I will seek out everything currently NOT on my plan because the plan fell apart, thus giving me an excuse to eat whatever is available, instead of what I am committed to eating so that I thrive, and feel energized.
So part of my plan is planning what to do when my plan falls apart. Basically I make SURE that I always have foods that adhere to my plan easily available. Portable foods are important! Sometimes a meeting runs longer than expected and I can’t get home to the healthy lunch I planned before the next client.
This is the portable foods menu I use to keep myself from falling off plan accidentally on purpose. It’s not fancy!
My #1 favorite portable food is canned tuna. I choose the sustainably caught albacore in cans at Costco, and always keep an unopened can in my trunk. It’s packed in a ziplock bag with a fork, a small plastic bowl that has a screw on lid, some Mary’s crackers, and some of those single serve packets of mustard (you can choose mayonnaise).
Then no matter where I am when hunger strikes, I have a completely satisfying option that fits neatly into my own food plan. Tuna helps me get omega 3 (essential fatty acid), and protein, while the crackers include some healthy carbohydrates along with a bit more protein and essential fatty acids (EFA).
Another possibility for portable protein is those little jars of Libby’s Vienna sausages. (Gerber and Armour brands contain high amounts of sugar and corn syrup.) These little processed meats are high in sodium, so if you are watching your salt intake, you’ll want to choose a different option. While
I am sure most nutrition coaches won’t have this item on the menu, I know for my own experience that having a low-quality protein available when I am not near my high-quality food choices keeps me from choosing fast food options that are far less nutritious and include ingredients that make me sick.
I do not recommend making Libby’s Vienna sausages a regular part of your diet, and their long shelf life makes them perfect to keep in the bag in my car with the tuna. Now I have options! Human beings LOVE to have choice.
Nuts make a great snack! Noshing on too many nuts can pack on the calories, but measured servings are PERFECT travel foods since they include the proteins and EFA’s that are essential at each meal for any kind of body transformation! If you are NOT sensitive to nuts, measure 1/3 cup of your favorite varieties into ziplock bags and keep them in your car or purse.
Justin’s portable peanut butter and almond butter packages can be tossed into your portable foods bag with the canned tuna. Then you have another quick source of protein and EFAs that you can add to the Mary’s crackers, or smear on fresh fruits or veggies.
Portable foods to grab on the way out the door:
- Hard boiled eggs (also rich in protein and EFAs)
- Apple, dates, and celery sticks
(eaten together help our adrenal glands combat fatigue) - Bananas and oranges are highly portable, full of fiber and micronutrients, help stabilize blood sugar, and get us to the next healthy meal without falling off plan!
If you are committing to make changes in your health, packing portable foods to help keep you on track if your day goes off track is a GREAT way to stay in the game!
Wishing you energized thriving!
