Eating on the Go

Some days are so rushed it’s impossible even to find time to shower. Why would you wake up an extra 30 minutes early to sit down and eat breakfast? And with all the responsibilities you’re juggling, how do you find time for lunch and dinner?

When you’re busy, it’s easy to eat your meals on the go, grabbing a slice of pizza, some granola bars or whatever’s handy. It’s true that skipping meals can leave you feeling lethargic, confused and grumpy, but eating heavily processed and fast foods can drain your strength, energy and mental functioning.

To avoid skipping meals or filling up on prepackaged foods, take an extra five or ten minutes to pack a nutritious meal or snacks to take with you. That way you’ll have the energy to get through your day without binge-eating chips and ice cream at midnight.

Why Eat Breakfast?

Breakfast is the first step in eating well and being alert throughout the day. Your breakfast will set the tone for the rest of your day’s food intake: if you don’t eat enough at breakfast, you’ll likely feel tired and distracted and overeat at the next meal, which can throw off the rest of your meals for the day.

People who skip meals have lower energy and tend to eat too many snacks because they get so hungry. As a result, skipping breakfast may actually make you gain weight!

If you tend to skip breakfast, pack a healthy snack, such as nuts or a piece of fruit, in your bag so you have something to kick-start your day. Alternatively, prepare a breakfast the night before, such as overnight oats, that’s ready to eat when you get up.

Here are some fast breakfast ideas:

• Instant oatmeal or overnight oats with milk and a handful of raisins or cranberries and chopped nuts.
• Yogurt with your favorite whole-grain cereal.
• Smoothie made with banana, berries and milk or yogurt.
• Flour tortilla with peanut butter and sliced bananas.
• Toasted English muffin with a slice of turkey and a slice of cheese.
• Toaster waffle topped with yogurt and fresh fruit or applesauce.

Why Eat Lunch?

Lunch sets a trend for the rest of your afternoon and evening. Skipping lunch may cause headaches, low blood sugar, tiredness and overeating later in the day.

Instead of skipping lunch, plan ahead and take a variety of healthy foods with you. If you don’t want to eat just three meals a day, eat more but smaller meals.

The key to a healthy lunch is to choose plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole-grain products, lean meats or protein (chicken, turkey, beans) and foods rich in iron and calcium. Protein is what will keep you going strong throughout the afternoon, so include foods like cheese sticks, yogurt, sliced meat, peanut butter and nuts. Keep things easy to pack and to eat — sandwiches are great choices!

Here are some ideas for a successful and healthy packed lunch:

• Cut open and microwave a potato and top with shredded cheese, salsa and spinach.
• Stuff a whole-grain pita with hummus, spinach, tomatoes and bell peppers.
• Fold up a whole-wheat tortilla with grated Monterey Jack cheese, salsa and spinach; microwave briefly before eating.
• Toast bread and top with lettuce or spinach and tuna mixed with mustard instead of mayonnaise.
• Microwave a cup of low-sodium vegetable soup and enjoy with whole-grain crackers or bread.
• Spread mustard on a whole-wheat tortilla and top with a slice or turkey, sliced cheese and lettuce.
• Toast an English muffin, top with tomato pasta sauce, sprinkle with cheese and eat with a side of baby carrots.
• Pack and reheat leftovers from the night before.

Junk Food

Even for people who think about their health, junk food is hard to resist. Junk food consists mainly of empty calories and doesn’t contribute in any way to a healthy diet. That’s not to say you can’t eat junk food every once in a while, but always in moderation.

Keep the 80/20 rule in mind. This means you eat healthy foods 80 percent of the time, and the other 20 percent you allow yourself to eat something you’ve been craving, which may include junk food. One small bag of chips a week isn’t going to kill you, but nobody really needs to eat a third piece of cake.

If you have a sweet tooth, try finding other ways to satisfy it, such as strawberries with dark chocolate sauce. By limiting your sugar intake, you can avoid situations where your blood sugar level spikes and then crashes, which leaves you feeling sweaty, hungry, dizzy and sleepy.

Healthy Snack Choices

Sometimes waiting four to six hours between meals is just too long, and you need an extra boost of energy to get through the morning or afternoon. However, it’s important to know how to snack in a healthy way. Be sure you have some small bags or containers on hand to easily pack healthy, on-the-go snacks.

Ideas for healthy snacks include:

• Baby carrots or celery (with hummus if you like).
• Fresh or dried fruit.
• Popcorn or whole-wheat pretzels or crackers.
• Rice cakes with tuna, sliced turkey or peanut butter.
• Banana or apples dipped in yogurt.
• Unsweetened applesauce.
• A mix of nuts, dried fruit and whole-wheat cereal.
• String cheese.
• Chocolate milk.
• Smoothie made with fruit and almond milk.
• Toaster waffle topped with yogurt, fresh fruit or applesauce, and cinnamon.

Reviewed by: Daniel Howell

Last Reviewed: July 2019