Eating Healthy on the Road: Truckers Share Their Tips and Tricks

By Mary

Truckers Say Making Meals Yourself is the Key to Eating Healthy on the Road

Eating healthy while on the road usually means making meals yourself, according to truckers.

“I never eat at a truck stop unless I have no other choice,” said Mike M. Instead, he eats a large variety of fresh food, such as soups and sandwiches.

David B. has a fridge in his truck so he can fix his own food.

“You won’t live very long surviving on fast food,” he said.

Truckers can be quite inventive when it comes to cooking on the road.

From Lunchbox Stoves to Crockpots: Truckers Get Creative with On-the-Road Cooking

Going “old school” is the best way to prepare nutritious meals, according to Vicki W.

“Get a lunchbox stove/oven and cook whatever you want,” she said.

“Use either the bread pans that come with it or get some heavy duty foil to line it and make sure you have a timer in your head. Also, learn tricks from the old guys like chopping up potatoes, fresh veggies, steak seasoning, a bit of butter, wrapping it up two times in foil and laying it on your manifold.”

Alfred V. uses a power inverter to cook with a double-plate electric burner to prepare both breakfast and dinner on the road.
One meal he likes to make is pork chops, microwaved baked potatoes, and sweet corn on the cob.

“A crockpot is a lifesaver,” said Gregory G.
He likes to make meals in advance that he can throw into the crockpot in his truck.

That way when he stops for a meal break, his dinner is ready to eat immediately.
One of his favorite meals is a combination of pasta, chicken, and tomato sauce/paste. After he is finished eating, he puts the leftovers in Tupperware bowls with lids and stores them in the refrigerator in his truck.
Not all truckers have a refrigerator or cooking equipment in their trucks. However, it’s still possible to prepare healthy meals on the road, according to Tressa J.

“It’s not challenging,” she said.
She simply makes sandwiches and salads (some of her favorite ingredients are tomatoes, cucumbers, and beets) ahead of time and puts them in a small cooler she takes with her in her truck. She also stores different kinds of fresh fruit in the cooler.

The Health and Financial Benefits of Cooking Your Own Meals on the Road

Some truckers say making their own meals is not only healthier but also cheaper than eating at whatever food joints they find on their routes.

“It costs an arm and a leg to each health out here on the road even if you can find healthy food,” said Robert W.
Tim J. recommends cooking Sirloin Burger Campbell’s Soup and instant rice in the microwave for five minutes. He said it is “a hearty meal (and) still less than 5 bucks.”
But some truckers still like to eat at a restaurant when they are on the road. Stanley B. said there’s a place in Dew, Texas, that serves a quesadilla plate that he enjoys.

“Run the old roads, there are still some of the old family-owned restaurants there,” said Danny B.

What are you eating on the road?

Take the quiz and share your thoughts with other drivers
https://gc22w042p9z.typeform.com/to/ezPsfiQJ

 

Keep yourself updated with our trucking opportunities here: