How to Eat Healthy as a Truck Driver

Eating out is easy and usually delicious, but it can also be unhealthy and quite expensive. The average meal at a truck stop costs between $12-$15. If a trucker considers preparing a certain number of meals in the truck, it can be both healthy and also cheap. For example, a week’s worth of groceries can cost $50 for a single person. A simple grocery list could include bags of vegetables, cups of brown rice, cups of pasta and some protein. This blog will discuss a list of healthy meals that all truck drivers can make. 

Starting off strong- a healthy breakfast for Truckers

Skipping breakfast or dinner may be beneficial for those who are intermittent fasting. The old days of 3 meals a day is definitely something that is being challenged. But, if you do eat breakfast here are a few meals that can help wake you up in the morning. For a healthy start to the day, a cup of green tea with a protein bar can be a great option. For those who do not find time to relax at the beginning of the day, a protein shake can be good too. Look to make sure the sugar content of both the shake and protein bar is low. Additionally, a honey and oatmeal combination is easy to make. Adding a dash of honey to the oatmeal along with cut up bananas or apples can be healthy and delicious.

Healthy Lunches and Dinners as a Trucker

The most convenient option for preparing meals is to prepare meal-boxes for one. These meal boxes should have the right amount of protein, along with vegetables and rice or pasta. A trucker can take out one box at a time and heat it up, saving time and energy. After a long day of work, preparing an entire meal feels exhausting. So, eating out is an appetizing alternative. Which is why pre-preparing meals in a box makes it easier. For more specific meal recipes, we have to plug the Big Trucks Cooking facebook group. This group has 9,900+ members and has daily posts where truck drivers share their favorite recipes for the road. 

Healthy and Easy Deserts for Truckers

There is no reasonfor a truck driver to skip out on deserts. An easy desert is yogurt and a choice of fruits. Fresh fruit cups are available at a grocery store and can be a great way to end a meal as well. All fruits are great choices except Honeydew (Bojack Horseman reference). Also, once in a while an ice-cream can be a great way to end a long day of work. 

Healthy Snacks for Trucker Drivers

Snacks are good to munch on in-between meals. It is important for truckers to keep a stash of healthy snacks so that there are fewer hunger cravings. These snacks can also be eaten while waiting for loads or at a truck stop. It is always recommended to have healthy snacks. Some healthy snack options are:

Nuts

Nuts are great options when hunger strikes. Certain studies have shown that nuts provide numerous health benefits as well. These benefits include reducing heart disease risk factors. Almonds and pistachios are good choices, and for men macadamia nuts are great. For a bit more of a kick- dry roasted, or mildly salted nuts are tasty as well as nutritious.

Seeds

Seeds have high protein content and so are a great choice for healthy snacking. Pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds are good options to have at hand.

Raw Vegetable Sticks

You can carry a favorite choice of raw vegetable sticks like celery sticks or carrot sticks. I know this doesn't sound the most appetizing but hear us out. Adding Peanut butter can be a nice dip for many veggie sticks. 

Trail Mix

A mixed bag of snacks can be shaken together to make this a perfect go-to-snack. Nuts, seeds, raisins, coconut or choco-chips can all be together. These can be made at home with your favorite choices, so that you're not stuck with just a few bags of raisins at the end.

Popcorn

Popcorn is one of the most popular world wide snack. If made with low fat/butter, it is a healthy low-calorie snack that can be made in a couple of minutes. These can be made using a truck microwave, or using a microwave at a truck stop. This article discusses the best Truck Microwaves for your truck.

The options above are just some of the snacks that a trucker can consider while meal-prepping. What's your favorite snack to eat while on the road? Saving money is important while driving, which is also why ELD Mandate has a goal to offer ELDs, Trailer Trackers, Tablets, and Data all at the most convenient price possible for owner operators. Learn more about us.