If you just put the oatmeal in the water and microwave it, the regular oatmeal is just as fast as instant. It will be ready to eat by the time it is cool enough not to burn your mouth. Regular has a slightly better glycemic index, meaning it converts to sugar slower, and fills you up better, and is healthier. You can also use another liquid like fresh milk [or water + powdered skim milk if refrigeration is in doubt] if you aren't intolerant or allergic to milk.
But if you are unfamiliar with the care needed in safely handling raw chicken, don't take a chance on food poisoning, go with the precooked. It is still much cheaper than restaurant chicken. And it is very easy to contaminate your whole fridge / cooler / food prep area and any non-disposable dishes with Salmonella.

__________________
"Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is to not stop questioning."
-Albert Einstein

The pre cooked is $5. That's $1.00 a meal.

Yes, can anyone tell me about clean up, say, those of you who use crockpots. I don't have my own truck yet so can only imagine about space etc. But I have already bought an "oven" from Dr Mercola to cook in. It looks kind of like a crockpot, anyway, the cooking portion is a glass bowl. I think I will carry a container for water, use the bowl as a makeshift sink and wash my dishes and utensils in that, then wipe that clean. I don't see myself bringing any dishes into a truck stop bathroom to use their sinks but by the same token I want to be as environmentally conscious as possible so will wash and re-use all that I can instead of filling our landfills with ever more plastic trash.

I don't plan on getting a microwave either as the word "nuked" is very befitting. It is very easy to over do the heating process with a microwave and over-heated food is nutritionally dead. Plus, if you heat up your food using any plastic or even coated-paper plates for that matter, you are notching down your health meter.

Wal-Mart seems to be a good bet. What I plan on doing is, every time I visit one to shop for my foods I am going over to the meat counter and asking if they carry any meats from grass-fed beef or any poultry that has been raised naturally. I figure I can hit a lot of Wal-Marts around the country in my travels and eventually someone will get the idea that healthy raised meats and wild caught fish is in demand. Then I will be very happy shopping at Wal-Mart. I've never shopped for meats at Wal-Mart so come to think of it, do they even have a meat counter? Well, I'll put my request in at the deli.

My other plan is to get a small, personal sized blender for smoothies. Throw in some fruit, some yoghurt, a little honey and whatever. Another staple will be that hot-plate and iron skillet. I could be way off my rocker in what I think will happen when I get my own truck but already, during my training, I am getting tired of buffet foods.

Anybody out there with some "tips from experience" for me? BTW I will be teaming with my husband and my goal is to bring down his blood pressure, help him lose weight and, hopefully, his edema will resolve itself with these measures. I realize that this is going to be a challenge but I think it can be done, provided he can train his taste buds to accept real food instead of fast foods.

Environmentally conscious? This notion started back in the 60' and 70's along with zero population growth. Since then our government and corporations have not only encouraged growth, they have engineered massive growth. We now have 75 million more people than we had then.

My point is if there was a real concern about environmental issues in this country zero pop. would have succeed, we would have a pop of 225 -250 million people. Instead we have a cesspool of humanity at about 300 million. 50 million more people than back then. Just use paper plates and plastic forks and spoons. As for the crock pot, I don't understand how that would work. No place to put left overs and to much work to clean up.

Hey all
I have a shop in town that is building me lockable hangers to hang on my cab back outside wall for my (drum roll please...) single speed bicycle with collapsible carrier bags.

Excellent thread, I have been practicing many of the good health tips discussed here over the course of my trucking career. Definitely try to stay away from the fast food. Just a lot of empty calories. It's ok once in a while to have a "treat," but do not make eating junk food a regular habit. You will also find that just a little exercise goes a long way, it definitely gives you more energy and makes you feel much more focused and centered. It also helps to combat the general stress that every type of job creates in one way or another.