Jackson: Planning Ahead Works For Me
“Almost all over-the-road truckers have a 12-volt thermoelectric cooler that keeps things roughly 30 degrees colder than the ambient outside temperature. That’s just cold enough to keep my sodas cold and any food fresh for about 4 days. They are an absolute must, so much so, that when my last one stopped working, I stopped at the next truck stop and bought a new one. When I leave out on tour, my wife will set me up with about a 3-day supply of fresh food packed in separate storage containers. Every Truckstop has microwaves available to drivers to use free of charge. Once my 3-day supply runs out, I start looking for a nearby Wally World (Walmart) where I can re-up my supplies.”
Brandon – I Plan My Week
I generally patrol alone and can never predict where I’m going to be when it’s time to eat, so I plan everything ahead. My work lunches have a simple, balanced focus. Each meal has a lean protein source (usually chicken breasts), a carbohydrate source (usually white rice), and a healthy serving of vegetables.
Preparing my lunches for the week in one day is fairly easy. I prefer cooking several lean chicken breasts in the slow cooker or pressure cooker with a jar of salsa or a uniquely flavored sauce from the grocery store (hunt down the lowest in sugar). Literally, this is a two-ingredient recipe—the chicken and the sauce. Throw them in the cooker together, set the timer, and let it cook. I also measure and cook enough rice for the week’s lunches in one large batch. I have found that using a quality rice cooker not only simplifies the process, it makes fantastic rice. The last part is vegetables. I measure out a few bags and boil them on the stove in a large pot.
Once everything is cooked, I use a food scale to measure and divide the food into serving-size bowls that have lids. Because I measure calories and macronutrients, I have a preset amount that goes into each bowl. Don’t stress if you don’t have a food scale—just eyeball the portions to start the habit.
Now each bowl has one serving of chicken, one serving of rice, and one serving of vegetables. I let the bowls cool and then place them in the freezer. Preparing lunch for the next day is now as easy as pulling a bowl out of the freezer and putting it in a bag. I supplement my lunch with protein shakes and bars that I keep in my car just in case I am too busy to stop somewhere and heat up lunch.
Like almost everything else, the most difficult step in meal planning is just getting started. As Goethe said, “Everything is hard before it is easy.” My experience with meal planning has been overwhelmingly positive. I believe this process saves me time and money and significantly contributes to my overall health. Even when I’m tired and craving one of those bacon cheeseburgers, it’s tough to justify buying one when I have a healthy, delicious meal sitting right next to me that’s ready to go.
Esteban: All It Takes Is Planning
Unless you are flatbedding or bedbugging, or maybe doing food service delivery, this is a fairly sedentary occupation. Some drivers have fitness equipment such as resistance bands in the truck, but time gets to be an issue. It’s a little tough to find the energy and enthusiasm for a workout after putting in a 12+ hour day and 500 miles of traffic. Some drivers, who have a dedicated route and scheduled stops, carry a collapsible bicycle with them and go for rides when they can, but again, this option isn’t available to most of us.
It can be challenging to maintain your health on the road, but it’s not impossible:
- Many modern trucks are equipped with a small personal refrigerator; or you can purchase a high-quality cooler. This will allow you to pack healthier food (and save you some money versus eating out all the time).
- Every 150 miles or so, pull over somewhere safe and get out of the truck. Walk around, do some mild calisthenics, just do something active. This can also help keep you awake and alert.
- When you are stopped for the day put on some trainers and take a brisk walk or jog around the truck stop. You can also pack a jump rope, exercise mat and even a pair of dumbbells.
- Try to resist temptation if you must eat at the truck stop diner. You can have that big meal every once in a while, but don’t make it a habit.
As I said, it’s not impossible to maintain your health on the road. But you do have to take the initiative and find ways to do it. No-exercise potentially leads to chronic health conditions, such as obesity, heart disease & high blood pressure, and sleep apnea, which can lead to disqualification for the medical certification required to maintain a valid CDL.”
Holly – How I Take Care of My Officer
I try my hardest to make as many meals as I can that my police officer can take to work with him. IT. IS. NOT. EASY. He tires easily of sandwiches, salads aren’t “enough”, and he often can’t eat his meal in one setting if he has to go to a call. I got tired of opening his lunch box at the end of a shift and STILL SEEING IT FULL.! I also encourage him to make his own lunch from time to time because I run out of time and hands on some days.
Let me just say, I don’t succeed everyday at sending my hubby off with a delicious, healthy meal. Life gets in the way. However, I certainly try. I try because I don’t want to spend an arm and leg every week on him eating out. I also want him to be healthy but have a full stomach. With this line of work, it is important for our officers to stay healthy. I want him to eat a nutritious, yet good tasting lunch each day. Over the years I have learned a few helpful tips just by trial and error.
Here is how I MEAL PREP for my law enforcement officer:
Meal planning for the whole week is a huge time/money saver. I know exactly what I am making for dinner for the week and what I am sending him off with (unless he prefers something different, of course). I normally do my shopping on a day that he is off for a week in advance. We recently started buying meats from our local butcher. Believe it or not, it runs about 10 bucks cheaper than the supermarket, it is local meat, and mostly organic. Not to mention delicious. I will buy a large, whole chicken and cook it on Sunday. We use that chicken for meals throughout the week, like chicken rice bowls or chicken salad.
Jack – I prepare for the worst
Buy a cooler and some freeze packs that way you won’t have to ice it down adding extra weight. Fruits, vegetable sticks, meals in individual packs, healthy snacks in your grip. I know we had an agreement with the hotel lodging each room would have a refrigerator & microwave. Eating right is difficult on the road it’s do the best you can with what you got. Every trip is different pack for a 24-hour run gone 48 hrs. It’s alright to eat one junk food meal not every meal. When I changed runs my last 8 years on the road at the away terminal nothing was open except 7-11 after midnight. Funny you have a agreement that guarantees food service 24 hours a day and they think 7-11 is acceptable. That’s when I started carrying a cooler. Another piece of advice find some kind of can goods that usually you wouldn’t eat put in in your grip for emergencies. They’ll be times you get stuck out there on the hog (broken rails, snowstorms, flooding, derailments etc….) times when it might take hours to get picked up off the train in the middle of nowhere. That can of sardines, Dinty stew, spagettio’s ect….becomes mighty handy in these situations.
