Better Food Options While Driving OTR?

Uncle Bens micro rice (90 sec),and a pkg of Salmon.yummy!

 

That's already one of my staples . Microwavable rice plus chilli or salmon. Even that gets boring though lol

 

I'm also trying to lose weight too . Funnily I got into great shape right before Corona hit (I worked out for hours daily in 2018 to 2020). Then everything went Topsy turvy, I lost my job, gyms closed down , and I started trucking....

Definitely don't have hours to work out anymore (unless I worked out while I was getting loaded or unloaded or something ).

Mostly it's been my diet that's been killing me. I pretty much used food as a pick me up after long frustrating days driving and over ate often as a result.

 

I buy that too. Lime flavor??
Heat it. Add a cab of albacore tuna

Or tuna. Little Mayo. Hot sauce and crackers

Also
I also as mentioned will stop for my 1/2 hour break around that 5 hour mark. Make a meal and then when I get to a TS I’m not starving

 

anywhere really the only important thing is you reach about 30 mins of cardio a day… I used to jump in front of my Truck or at rest areas on my 30, I was tanker otr so I didn’t a lot of jumprope at tank washes

 

I’ve posted this here a couple times but this is exactly what I do. First the equipment. I have a good size mini fridge that has a small freezer compartment in it. I also have a 1.5 ft.³ standalone freezer that I keep on the truck. I have a small George Foreman grill, an electric burner, a Nutra bullet mixer, and a small portable outdoor grill for special occasions.

on my way home from being out on the road to start my days off I usually go to Costco. I plan out what meals I’m going to prepare. I buy everything I need. I drive home and I start cooking. Yes as soon as I pull in. I get up the next morning and finish my meals. I freeze them. Usually about 25 meals or so. Portioned out. And I cook healthy stuff. I also buy stuff to make smoothies with green powders and fresh spinach. Everything I drink or eat is on the truck when I go back out. Typically I plan for two weeks. I won’t have to buy a dime worth of food or drink for those entire two weeks. I don’t have to stop anywhere unless I feel like a fresh grilled steak or something like that.

I typically try to drive 3 to 5 hours to start my day. Then I’ll stop for an hour and walk 2 to 3 miles. At the end of my shift before I get sleepy. I’ll make a smoothie. I’ll immediately get out of the truck and walk another 2 to 3 miles. Then I’ll come back and enjoy my precooked frozen dinner, and it’s usually better than anything you’re going to find to purchase anywhere around.

I’ve been running this way for the past couple of months and I’ve lost about 30 pounds. Not to mention I can’t even explain to you how much healthier I feel. How much more energy I have, and the constant heartburn, diarrhea or constipation has all went away. Blood pressure is way down.

I walk about 35 to 45 miles per week. I also keep an E bike on the truck that folds up. This gives me about 35 miles of range to get out of the truck and do things. Now this only happens once or twice a week on average. But it is nice.

I decided last year that if I was gonna do OTR I was gonna incorporate it into a lifestyle I could live with or I was going to get the heck out of it. It’s really what you must do. Now your lifestyle might be different than mine, but that’s the only way to do this job long-term. In my opinion anyhow.

 

What areas do you run? Highways, cities etc.

 

I’m home every weekend. I try to eat a Keto based diet. I have lost 70 lbs since August. I used to spend hrs of my home time cooking meals, packaging them in single serve Tupperware and microwave them to eat. I discovered Factor75 meals. Delicious meals cooked and prepackaged ready for the microwave. They ain’t cheap… if you get 6 meals they are $12.83 a meal. I pack salad and veggies for the salad and have been quite happy. I save a ton of hometime time with not cooking and it’s still just a bit more than fast food. The quality is amazing and they have all kinds of options.
They arrive every Tuesday and my wife puts them right in the freezer. Those are my meals the next week. I only need 4 so my wife or my mother gets the extra. High quality, delicious meals…
Works for me but I know it ain’t for everyone.
Meals like Sundried tomato chicken, creamy parm chicken, blackened salmon, poblano beef bowl, ground beef cottage pie, etc……

 

You've gotten some great advice in this thread OP.

A lot of those canned foods and pre made foods from the store are full of a ton of crap. Like others, I suggest cooking and prepping from home if your able. If that's not an option do as others said and get the devices to make life easier to cook with on the road. Whether a charcoal grill, a foreman, a instapot (Awesome does like 15 things if you get a good one!), crock pot, toaster oven, etc.

With a Foreman you could do turkey burgers, tuna steaks, shrimp, etc etc etc. Instapot you can do some crazy stuff depending on the one you get. Hell you can even use it as an air fryer. Crock pots...good lord, we'd be here all day if we listed things you can make in a crock pot. Healthy and not.

Best thing is just one of those three options gives you a ton of things you can cook. Everything from Burgers and seafood and steaks to veggies, fried wings, pork loin so tender you can pull it apart, rice, etc. Get the toaster oven an you can even make pizza!

Make that microwave an accessory not a necessity.

A lot of people don't like cooking or don't know how, so they are forced to rely on fast food, roller dogs of death and heat lamps. This makes me sad.

That said...Good luck, and don't let the fancy items scare you off. Their worth the time to learn, and they will help you reach your goals whether it's eating healthy, saving money, or just wanting a wider variety and better quality food.

Oh and far as jumping rope...I'd suggest a rest area, scenic overlook, etc over a truck stop if there is a choice. Also a few threads on there about exercising in the truck with various means...weights, running, jump rope, etc. Just do a search and you'll get a bunch I'm sure.

Sirscrapntruckalot -

 

You might check out the YouTube channel for 12vcooking. He has numerous meal ideas using the lunchbox cooker.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx4w8H3MfAomNI5t36s9PLg