Eating Healthy on the Run

A discussion for ohpaige, ronar, and timesquarelover.

Discussion: I go to school, eating out is expensive, what kind of foods can I  prepare ?

                What makes good travel food?

                How can I be vegan in a non vegan world?

Let’s look at our options….we are vegan. That is a moral choice that we’ve made. We must be true to ourselves and the world we live in. That being said, it is much easier to prepare and cook meals at home than go out. You understand…first off, you know what you are putting in your meals, no questions asked. (How many times do you have to go out and question your server over and over and over again- we have all been through that). You will get more bang for your buck eating from home. That is huge. And if you plan it right, you can shop and then cook a few hours Sunday and have a week’s worth of meals and not think about it any more. Heck, Saturday night you can go out and eat at that fab new vegan joint down the street because you saved so much money during the week! Go grocery shopping with friends, cook together and split the meals- you will save time!

Invest in some storage containers, a thermos, and an insulated lunch bag with an ice pack. Personally, I love bento boxes and my insulated lunch sack….

First rule is stay away from processed foods as much as you can. They are expensive and full of preservatives, fillers, stabilizers, etc.

Cook for the week…one pan meals (pasta dishes, casseroles, mac and cheeze, vegetable strudels, tofu dishes, etc.)— divide them up for Mon-Fri and freeze them.

Buy a larger bag of nuts and dried fruit and make your own trail mix for energy snacks. Place them in baggies…no need for refrigeration. 

Buy fruits and veggies that are in season- they are less money, and they taste better too. Pick fruits that are to your liking but that you will eat soon enough that you won’t have spoilage. Citrus fruits, apples keep a long time. Don’t cut them up until you want to eat them, leave them whole. If you have ripe fruit and veggies that need to be eaten or prepped, you plan them into your cooking session on Sunday. Don’t be afraid to substitute one veggie for another- be creative. Make a peach or berry sorbet…Eat lots of raw veggies and fruit whenever you can.

Ripe bananas? Pop them in the freezer to use in breads, waffles, pancakes. Use them where a recipe calls for an egg, or as a sweetener instead of sugar. Make smoothies! Great for breakfast or lunch. Speaking of waffles and pancakes…or French toast—if you are having a Sunday Brunch, make a little extra and freeze the rest for during the week. These items make great sandwiches in lieu of bread.

Granola and granola bars- I posted a recipe yesterday. I make those bars and freeze them- eat as a breakfast on the go or snack. They are great! Make a fruit-soygurt-granola parfait. YUM.

You can also deconstruct your lunches…pack your whole grain bread, some sliced veggies, homemade dressings (most I make at home keeps 7-10 days) and make your sandwich as you go. If you don’t eat it right away, it will still taste fresh later when you do get to it.

Desserts! Got to love them. Make a batch of cookies or brownies and stick them in the freezer.

Check out Wasabi Peas for recipes! I have posted many great meals for people on the go dealing with busy schedules. Don’t see you favorite? Ask me!