Questions about life on the road - eating healthy

I run regionally on a dedicated account but I use the defroster for a heat source since our trucks are pretty barren when it comes to the extras. I just throw something up there for a while before I stop. I would suggest the packaging be air tight in case of fumes. Maybe this isn't the best idea but its worked for me so far.

I'm going to look around for snack ideas in the other threads but if anyone has some healthy snack ideas (i.e. baby carrots) it might help ExtremeUnction.

 

I think I've seen some under a heat lamp at SuperPumper or sth for 1.99... May cause super pumping.

 

About to hit month 6 and I live off of Pop Tarts, cheese crackers, canned goods, and sandwiches and haven't gained a pound.

 

We ran with 700 pounds of provisions purchased in certain stores out west with good quality food. We relied heavily on our 3000 watt inverter that was installed by freightliner in Armarillo with company permission. There was a freezer in the sleeper that you could store small colds in. Pans, ovens etc went into either the 12 volt up front and cooked on the cab floor as we kept rolling or it went into the inverter such as the coffee pot. A 10 dollar Mr Coffee which pulled on the alternator on the interstate. I think we got coffee out of that thing for .20 a cup rather than 1.50 a cup in the truck stop. We never really stopped in the truckstop anymore except for fuel and certain times to actually have a date night and eat a decent full meal away from the rig to decompress and get ready for the next load.

The two of us plus the provisions made the tare about a thousand pounds heavy than dispatch preferred because we were a reefer. But loading half tanks of fuel or less just to cross a picky scalehouse and get out of the area legally under 80K worked out well for everyone involved.

In my time before team as a single I ate a meal per day in the truckstop. Steak, eggs salad etc. I also unloaded just about every load hauled in those days as well so I maintained my weight of 140 or so. I was a lightweight, smoking did it's part to keep the weight down as well as stress. It got somewhat difficult in winter when I needed more than 3000 calories per day to stay warm up in the dakotas, I recall taking in 8000 or more calories sometimes per day.

That kind of eating would make me obese then kill me in a matter of months sitting here at home on they keyboard. Much less on the road.

I think in my day I spent an awful lot of money on quality food wherever I could find it. Just not necessarily in the truckstop. It probably paid me back in maintaining my weight where it should be and a quality in health with good bones etc.

No matter what, always keep a thousand dollars minimum ready to go every day you are out there. Nothing is more sad than quitting because someone screwed up your paycheck that week leaving you with 10 dollars and borrowing comchecks just to eat and shower.

 

You have to put effort into eating right. Wal-Mart & grocery stores are your friend. Stalk up the truck, and make your own, do to space limitations 4 days worth is about right, cause I keep 3 days worth of emergency food.
They have salad & soup bars at the Petro's & T/A's with lots of fresh fruit, but you will pay for them. I get fruit that doesn't need to be refrigerated, apples, oranges, pears. I use a BIG cooler with ice. Get cans of vegetables. I still carry a 10lb. bag of taters that I pay not more than $1.50 for at Wal-Mart.
Use the truck stops, and shippers & receivers microwaves, and sinks. I hate refrigerators in the cab because they aren't really big enough for anything, and they SUCK power.
Learn how to drive the truck first please. It's a truck. So many new people go off the deep end I see doing off the wall stuff with their sleepers.
Imagine life aboard a submarine, that's about the amount of space a well equipped truck has.
Don't forget some cans of food for underprivileged kitties you run across.

Soup, crackers, & avocado. $1.35 maybe, including the bowl. Eaten while being loaded.



One cubby hole. PB&J works well. I carry a dozen cans of chili and or ravioli in case of emergency. Giant box crackers. Keep at least 1 full case of water at all times, you want to carry 2. Water will keep you alive, so will coffee, carry that too & grinder & pot. If you drink soda, or put sugar in your coffee, consider it a form of slow suicide. Drink water. Case of water at Wal-Mart ( 24 bottles ) $1.98. One bottle at a truck stop $2.00. GIANT boc of honey nut cheerios.

This was $8 at a Petro. And it was farking delicious. Also was dead of winter, and hot food is not under rated. It's over 2 pounds of food, it was lunch & dinner.

Please. Please. Just learn to drive the truck professionally, this stuff will come with it.

 

SADLY & UNFORTUNATELY, there are OTR trucking companies that do NOT have APU's or Inverters. This will put a driver at a serious disadvantage.

God bless every American and their families! God bless the U.S.A.!

 

Get a twelve volt cooler and oven. The cooler will keep things below 40° and the oven will get foods boiling hot.

 

eat every four hours: a small snack.

peanuts, granola bars, fruits etc etc

the best way to keep in shape, we all gain extra unwanted pounds in this job

 

The options of eating cheap and healthy? Don't eat that's cheap and the healthiest lol