What are you eating while you are on the road?

mxaexm

Well-Known Member
What do you guys eat while you are on the road for a few days. I can imagine that it has to be terrible unhealthy and expensive to eat out every day.

So what are your creative solutions for eating while being away for 3 to 4 days?
 
I have the large size Strong Bags cooler and a variety of little tupperware containers and also bring stuff in zip lock bags. I always have a big supply of a variety of all kinds of fruit (plums, black olives, sweet pickles, oranges, cantaloupe, watermelon, fuji apples, peaches, pears, berries, bananas, grapes, etc.), some cut up veggies (carrot sticks or baby carrots, jicama, slices of bell pepper, and cherry tomatoes a must) and healthy dips (usually yogurt based dips), tuna/tuna salad, an assortment of Nature Valley's granola bars and Nature Valley Granola Thins, trail mix (that I make myself), a variety of all kinds of yogurt, jar of extra crunchy peanut butter, bagel chips, an assortment of different crackers, melba toast, and different kinds of cheese, granola, the Campbell's soups that come in the foil pouches (which are really delicious and unusual called Campbells On The Go), biscotti, cottage cheese, some pita bread, canned salmon, Oscar Meyer Carving Board chicken and turkey, roasted nuts, different kinds of hummus, instant oatmeal and instant malto meal, some multi grain bread, hard boiled eggs, sliced up baked chicken breast, applesauce, tropical dired fruit, sliced roast beef or corned beef from a deli, a variety of fruit cups, chicken or turkey salad, waldorf salad, pasta salad, artichoke salad, Uncle Bens instant rice packets in foil pouches (huge variety of them available) raisins, bagel and cream cheese, whole wheat tortillas, an avocado, shredded coconut, cucumber salad, wheat thins, the small bottles of V-8 veggie or fruit drinks, small bottles of apple juice and orange juice, healthy cookies ( wife makes me these oatmeal cookies that have pecans and coconut in them for instance), the Honey Maid peanut butter and chocolate gramfuls, some banana nut bread or muffins. Just for some suggestions of what I eat and drag along on trips.

You can eat much healthier, cheaper, eat when you want/need to, meet whatever dietary needs you might have, won't be "food bored", and have much better food than any fast food place, food at airports or FBO's etc., and have what you like and a big variety of easy to take along food. I like a decent meal at a decent restaurant or room service, but when you are tired, not in the mood, it's late, want to stay in watch tv or read and relax, don't feel that social or whatever, you can have food to eat along the trip all day or evening and for when you land or on several legs. You can really have a lot of great and fun food on your trips. Mix it up....the more variety, the better. You can have meats, salads, fruit, veggies, cereals, carbs, proteins, snacks, everything you need.
 
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I often carry
Oatmeal
Raisins
Applesauce (single serve)
Crackers
Hummus
Nutri grain bars
Granola thins
Rice and veggies
Bread
Peanut butter

I sometimes carry leftovers if they are frozen or I eat them on day 1 or 2

I freeze the rice and veggies and usually keep them in one or 2 containers. I've found that some foods don't like to be reheated more than once or twice so I keep an empty small Tupperware for heating food up. I just place the empty Tupperware over the other contents to save space. I love peanut butter because it's a lot of calories for the space it takes up.

I've seen people carry tortillas. Those seem to be popular. They are thin and you can put a bunch of stuff in them.
 
I usually look at the trip and see if there are fridges or supermarkets on the overnights. I'll typically make a bunch of burgers or chicken. If you have a Trader Joe's near you, they have nice packaged grilled chicken there among other good stuff for cheap. I also bring fruit, nuts, and some kind of greens. I've taken kale a lot lately. It holds up well.
 
Turkey avacado pita sammich thingy i make, and homeade almond bars that are about a 30-30-40 protein-fat-carb i make myself. ~20 grams of protein per bar.
 
Kale holds up well?? I'll have to check that out, being that kale is so popular lately. Never had it before, though.
 
Kale holds up well?? I'll have to check that out, being that kale is so popular lately. Never had it before, though.

Yeah. That's been my experience with it, as long as I have some way of keeping it cold at night. I also eat it raw. Not cooking it may be a factor, but I don't really know.
 
I just learned yesterday that Mcdonalds will sell grilled chicken (the stuff they put on sandwiches) for $.95/piece. Add a $1.00 side salad and you're eating somewhat healthy and CHEEEP.
 
Get an ice bag (the kind you see in cartoons for headaches). Fill it with ice. Heck, refill it with galley ice on turns, if you really want to. I've found that freezing day 2, 3, and 4 meals helps tremendously. It's extra "ice".
 
Not all of mine do. There are 2 that you would have to ask the desk person for use of the employee microwave. Believe it or not, there isn't one available in our rooms at the Sheraton in Stamford, CT. I had permission to go into the hotel room service kitchen and use that one, but it broke and the restaurant there was the only one that's ever said "no" when I asked if they would nuke something for me. We used to have another hotel where I would ask the restaurant and they were cool with it. I didn't carry food at Skyway and we had a "hotel" there that could be best described as "Great Grandma's House". That one would've been the perfect storm of no fridge, no microwave, no restaurant, no employee break room, and only a Dollar Store nearby. And we were lucky to even have that. I remember getting into that town (near Marquette, MI) late on Saturday nights and rushing over to the only open business, a small bar, and sweet talking the bar tender into making a pizza. If that didn't happen, you were SOL until returning to MKE if the next day was a holiday.

But I would imagine most overnight hotels have something that works for food haulers, even if it's just ice to preserve what you have. That's why a lot of people carry cold options.
 
How do you all deal with overnights in Canada? I have never taken fruits across, but I have taken baked goods containing meat products and dairy. (turkey, cheese, etc) Do you all just declare nothing with the hopes that your cooler won't get checked?
 
Not all of mine do. There are 2 that you would have to ask the desk person for use of the employee microwave. Believe it or not, there isn't one available in our rooms at the Sheraton in Stamford, CT. I had permission to go into the hotel room service kitchen and use that one, but it broke and the restaurant there was the only one that's ever said "no" when I asked if they would nuke something for me. We used to have another hotel where I would ask the restaurant and they were cool with it. I didn't carry food at Skyway and we had a "hotel" there that could be best described as "Great Grandma's House". That one would've been the perfect storm of no fridge, no microwave, no restaurant, no employee break room, and only a Dollar Store nearby. And we were lucky to even have that. I remember getting into that town (near Marquette, MI) late on Saturday nights and rushing over to the only open business, a small bar, and sweet talking the bar tender into making a pizza. If that didn't happen, you were SOL until returning to MKE if the next day was a holiday.

But I would imagine most overnight hotels have something that works for food haulers, even if it's just ice to preserve what you have. That's why a lot of people carry cold options.

Gwinn, MI I believe. Been there as well...
 
How do you all deal with overnights in Canada? I have never taken fruits across, but I have taken baked goods containing meat products and dairy. (turkey, cheese, etc) Do you all just declare nothing with the hopes that your cooler won't get checked?

Just talked to customs in Canada a few nights ago and asked them what they prefer... I had soup, granola bars, beef Jerky. They said always declare it and they will just ask you what you have. Be honest. Unless you have fruit they probably won't even check. They never look in my bag...
 
Just talked to customs in Canada a few nights ago and asked them what they prefer... I had soup, granola bars, beef Jerky. They said always declare it and they will just ask you what you have. Be honest. Unless you have fruit they probably won't even check. They never look in my bag...

Thanks for the info!
 
I spend the majority of my time living out of a suitcase and here is what I do to eat healthy... Granted my schedule isn't exactly typical of most pilots as I may go to a certain city and stay there for a week while I work but I do think some of these things can be applied to anyone.

Breakfast: Eat oatmeal or yogurt and fruit for breakfast. Oatmeal and certain yogurts have a lot of protein so they fill you up while the fruit not only tastes good but gives you some sugar too. Oh and drink a glass of water before you eat and one after you finish eating. It helps your body digest foods easier and helps keep you feeling full. If you drink coffee in the morning, try and skip the cream and sugar if you can. Eggs are okay but a lot of hotels use the watery powdered eggs and those are horrible for you. Try to stick with boiled eggs if they have any. Avoid potatoes and breads if you can. They only serve to spike your blood sugar and fill you up temporarily. You will be hungry again in just a couple hours.

Lunch: I usually bring an apple, orange, or banana from breakfast to munch on or eat with lunch. I like to stay at Hilton Garden Inns because you can get a made to order breakfast (and they typically have really comfortable beds). What I normally get is a breakfast burrito with eggs, all the veggies, bacon, and no cheese and then wrap it in some napkins (so it doesn't get soggy) and get it to go for my lunch. Really filling and perfect if you have to eat in the plane or on the go. And don't forget to keep drinking water!

Dinner (or lunch): I love Jason's Deli. The salad bar is really good and it feels great to fill up with greens, soup, and they even have pastas and sandwiches. If you have eaten decent for the first couple meals of the day it's okay to go with a sandwich and some pasta from time to time. On the weekends if I'm feeling saucy I'll get some drinks with my meal and maybe venture out to see what the local cuisine has to offer. I always try and go in foot if I can. It kills time and keeps me active. If I've done good with the eating healthy for most of the week maybe I'll reward myself with something like Thai, fish tacos, or so etching fried if I'm feeling crazy.

I've lost almost 20lbs in the past 2 months just from dieting and barely any exercise. Just remember to drink lots of water and try not to drink too many sodas or sweet tea (my crutch).
 
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