Snacking On The Go
Eating while on the run is something we all do. It might mean spending time eating in the car on your way somewhere; or grabbing a snack while too busy to eat at work; you might grab breakfast on the way out the door; or it might mean carrying around a food or snack that is easy to keep with you while shopping or travelling.
It seems that time is one of the biggest reasons for eating on the go. Life often leaves us no time (or energy) to prepare meals. Lack of planning is another factor that impacts the decision to eat on the run. How many times have you started your week with the best intentions in your head - you know what to eat to be healthy. But then you get busy and eating well becomes a bit inconvenient, because you did not prepare or pack anything. This is when meals often become snacks.
Eating on the run is made easier by snacking rather than eating meals. Finding portable, healthy snacks to eat on-the-go can be difficult because many pre-packaged items, such as crisps, biscuits, sweets, and take away meals are high in calories, salt, sugar and unhealthy fats. These unhealthy ‘empty’ snacks do not keep you satisfied and energized for long and often lead to overeating once you can sit down and eat a meal later.
Healthy grab-and-go meals or snacks must be filling, easy to get hold of and keep on hand, must taste good and be nutrient rich. Sounds like bit of a tall order to fulfil! Convenient, healthy food and snacks don’t just happen – you must make them happen. If you have decided that you want to eat healthy, you need a plan and you need to be prepared or at least have a plan B. There are different ways in which you can plan for the unplanned
+ Plan weekly
This might seem a bit extreme to some, but you can pick one day a week (usually a Sunday) to do all your meal planning and prep for the next week and take your packed cooler bag with you to work every day. This way, you set aside a few hours to plan your menu for the week, buy, prep and pack meals and snacks.
+ Plan daily
Set aside 20 min in the mornings or evenings to pack your cooler box. This method requires a bit of shopping over the weekend, so that you can easily just assemble your meals and pack in your meals and snacks each day.
+ Think like a squirrel
Stock your car, desk, refrigerator and work bag with healthy, easy to eat snacks that can easily be taken with you so that you are not tempted to buy unhealthy snacks along your way or starve and overeat later. When you are in a hurry, you will have many delicious and nutritious snacks to choose from. Smart snacks like dried and fresh fruit, nuts, seeds, pulses or trail mixes are excellent options as they are packed with nutrients and energy.
+ None of the above
If you are not interested in packing your own stash, make use of a healthy grocery store that delivers or a food and snack preparation service to deliver your healthy meals and snacks directly to your office or home door.
Eating healthy on the go can be tough. But it can also be easy. With a little bit of planning and the right mindset, you can fuel your body with the right nutrients to keep your body fuelled during hectic days.
