Healthy Eating On-The-Go!!

I understand that many of us spend most of our time outside of our home. The ‘outside world’ can be an uncertain place for a ‘clean-eater’. If you don’t leave the house prepared, you could find yourself stuck in a not-so-healthy situation. I have some recommendations here for how to incorporate your healthy eating lifestyle when you are out and about. First off, you can rarely rely on the fact that there will be a healthy option available to you if you chose to eat out. It is always best to make your own food at home and bring it with you. This will make you feel secure throughout the day; you will always have something healthy to eat no matter where the day takes you. It is not ‘nerdy’ to bring your own lunch, it just means you are committed to your health and you take what you put in your body seriously. It can also save you a lot of money, and time waiting in lines during lunch hour. Below I’ve laid out some great on-the-go breakfast and lunch items for you to try!
There will still be those days when you can’t bring your own food with you on-the-go. What I do is find a few restaurants or stores that have ‘back-up plans.’ Most restaurants today post their nutritional information. I keep several nutritional pamphlets in my glove box for ‘emergencies.’ A general rule for picking out something from a restaurant or eatery is to make sure it has no more than 400 calories. Each meal you consume throughout the day should be between 300-400 calories. I haven’t gone into much detail on calories because I don’t like having to track calories. Eating should be fun and enjoyable and if you reduce foods into their caloric value it can be discouraging and frustrating. Also, if you want healthy eating to be a lifestyle choice and not another ‘diet’ you’re on, it is best not to obsess over calories. However, when it comes to eating out, being aware of the calories can be helpful in making a healthier choice. Another thing to pay attention to are the specific ingredients in your meal. This is normally included with the nutritional information. If it isn’t, don’t be afraid to ask what is in something.

You can always modify the foods you order when eating out to make them a bit healthier. For example, get a sub at Subway with no cheese. I know, I know, it sounds weird at first but I have to say I started going cheese-less lately and it doesn’t change the flavor too much. You don’t want to deprive yourself of something you really love, but if you think you might be able to live without it, all the better. I used to think a sub without cheese is not a sub at all, but eventually it is not a sacrifice at all to not have cheese. In fact it makes me feel good that I can still enjoy Subway the same as I always did. So the next time your ordering some food, try ordering something like dressing or cheese ‘on the side.’ You might be surprised to see you don’t need as much as they typically give you in a restaurant.

Places I like to eat:
Panera Bread: Great soups and salads!
Starbucks: Try a breakfast wrap, fruit salad, protein plate or sandwich
Jack’s Urban Eats/ Pluto’s: Make your own salad! Ordering a salad for lunch is no longer boring!
Pita Pit/ Pita Q: I love, love, love pitas! Be sure to order ‘whole wheat.’
Whole Foods/ Sacramento Natural Foods Co-Op: Find a great selection of on-the-go snacks and lunches!
Subway: Get a six-inch or try a sub as a salad!

**I am currently working on a project with SlowFood Sacramento called ‘Snail of Approval.’ The Snail of Approval project acknowledges restaurants that source and prepare foods consistent with the mission of Slow Food – good, clean and fair. I’ll keep you all posted on that project!**

Here are some quick throw together ideas for the kinds of foods you can prepare for yourself at home and bring with you on your busy day!

On-The-Go Breakfast:
- Wrap a banana up in a whole wheat tortilla with peanut butter (Just tried it the other day, I’m telling you it works!)
- Prepare your oatmeal in a ‘to-go’ cup and eat on the road!
- Grab a cup of greek yogurt and top with fruit and whole grain cereal
- Egg-in-the-hole! Tear a hole in the center of a piece of whole wheat toast, and place in a pan. Drop an egg in the hole and cook it up! Wrap in a paper towel and jet out the door!
- Bring your cereal and milk with you! Put in a ‘to-go’ cup and top with fruit!
- Make a quick smoothie with fresh fruit, yogurt, ice, protien powder, almond butter, etc.
- Premake breakfast burritos or breakfast sandwiches and freeze individually! I am defiantly planning on talking more on freezing your meals in future blogs! For now, more information can he found here:
- Find a good muffin recipe! Make a batch of healthy muffins for the week!
- Hard boiled eggs are a great on-the-go food! Try them with toast or wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla!
- Find a good nutrition bar, something you can grab on the way out the door, or keep with you in your car. I like LaraBars.
- Dinner Leftovers from last night! Breakfast can be anything, it doesn’t have to be a typical breakfast food. Get creative! Just don’t skip your morning meal!


On-The-Go Lunch:
Pack a cooler to take along with you. Bring fruit, nuts, veggies and other snacks/sides.

- The classic sandwich or salad works great! Add what you like to make it satisfying. Envelopes of tuna are great for this! (Try my recipe for Mexican Vinaigrette Salad on my last blog!)
- Make it a Wrap! You can put anything in a whole wheat torilla/wrap! Chicken, hummus & veggies! Hamburger, beans and salsa! Leftovers! Peanut Butter and Jelly!
- Bring a hearty soup in a thermos. A trick I like when traveling is to use the microwaves at the gas station or grocery store!
- If you have access to a microwave, try chili on a potato! It’s easy and satisfying!
- Make extra dinner! This will leave you with something to eat the next day for lunch. You can revamp something into a new meal if you want to change things up. For example, put your leftover stir fry in a wrap or over a salad! Take last night’s chicken and make it into a sandwich! Eat your leftover dinner pasta cold for lunch.

Fun Recipes!

Quick & Easy Ceviche Tostadas

1 Can or Pouch Albacore Tuna, drained
½ Large Tomato
½ Medium Onion
½ Cup Cilantro, chopped
2 Limes
Whole Wheat Tortillas, Pitas or Chips

Place tuna in a glass bowl and add lime juice. Add onion, tomato, and cilantro; mix ingredients thoroughly. Refrigerate to marinate tuna mix for at least 30 minutes before serving. To make a healthy tostada, crisp your whole wheat tortillas in the oven. You can also make your own chips by cutting the tortillas into triangles with a pizza cutter and placing on a sprayed cookie sheet in the oven until crisp. (Tip: To take on the go, bring tuna mixture and keep separate from tostada or chips until ready to eat.)

Peas and Pasta

2 Cups Frozen Peas
1 (12 oz.) Package Penne Pasta
2/3 Cup Olive Oil
2 Tbs. Balsamic Vinegar
2 tsp. Minced Garlic
3 Tbs. Basil (Buy a basil plant from Trader Joes!)
1 Cup Diced Tomatoes
½ Small Red Onion, chopped
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper

Cook pasta in boiling water. When pasta is close to done, add peas to the boiling water and cook for 1-2 minutes. Drain. Whisk together the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add garlic and basil. Season with salt and pepper. In a mixing bowl, combine peas, pasta, tomatoes, and onions. Toss with vinaigrette. (Tip: To make this into a lunch on-the-go, add a chicken breast on top!)

Pear, Grape and Turkey Salad

2 Tbs. Cider vinegar
2 Tbs. Water
1 ½ tsp. Olive Oil
2 Cups Deli Smoked Turkey, sliced thick and cubed (Ask your local deli to cut a ½ in. thick piece of meat.)
1 Cup Seedless Red Grapes, halved
½ Cup Chopped Celery
2 Large Bartlett Pears, thinly sliced
4 Cups Salad Greens
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper

Combine vinegar, water, olive oil and seasonings in a bowl and whisk. Add turkey, grapes, pears, and celery; toss well to coat. When ready to eat, top salad greens with mixture. This recipe makes a few servings so you can have some throughout the week. This salad is really good because it is so different.

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