How to Eat Healthy When You’re On the Go
Juggling a busy life and a healthy diet can feel tricky at times! When there aren’t enough hours in the day, cooking every meal from scratch and sitting down to eat can seem like a luxury. All too often, it’s more realistic to pick up a supermarket sandwich and munch it on the go than find the extra time to choose a healthier option.
While there’s nothing wrong with grabbing something convenient from time to time, we wanted to share a few of our favourite tips for eating healthily when you’re out and about.
Grab a pen and paper (or your Family Meal Planner) and let’s get organised!
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1. Kit out your kitchen
If your tupperware cupboard is a chaos of mismatched lids and tubs (seriously, HOW does that happen?) you’re more likely to give batch cooking a miss. With an organised collection of leak-proof, freezer-to-microwave safe containers, it’s so much easier to pack up leftovers and take them to eat on the go.
This Alta Scelta Reusable Eco Friendly Leakproof Stackable Lunch Box is ideal – with different sections to keep your food organised, plus a fork, spoon and chopsticks included.
You can pack up this Chicken and Pickled Veg Baguette and add a couple of other snacks into the separate sections. Why not add a handful of these Cheese and Pickle Twists to keep you going throughout the day? They’ll stay nice and crisp in an airtight container, and they’re just 41 calories each.
When you know that you’ll be on the go all day long, it might be worth your while to invest in the right kind of bag to carry your precious cargo of snacks. This Smash Insulated Lunch Bag is just the ticket, with a wipeable, antibacterial coating.
Don’t forget that if you’ve packed something that you need to keep cold, an ice pack in your lunch bag will work wonders! Pop one of these Sterun 8CM Multicolor Freezer Blocks in with your food for the day and it’ll keep everything chilled until you’re ready to tuck in.
Our Hummus-Style Dip is perfect for a mid-afternoon nibble – but it tastes so much better when it’s served nice and cold. Package it up with some chopped vegetables to dunk in, and you’ll easily resist the temptation to buy a snack when you’re out.
Drinking plenty of water is key when you’re on a slimming journey. Not only will carrying a water bottle with you all day help to make sure you’re fully hydrated, it could help keep you on plan too. It’s easy to mistake thirst for hunger, so having water on hand will help you take stock of what your body needs, before you reach for a snack.
This 1 litre Binudum Water Bottle will make sure you don’t forget to drink while you’re running errands. It’s printed with a water tracker on the side, to remind you to sip as you move through your day, refilling it at lunchtime.
2. Become a batch cook pro
When you want to save time, money and stay on track towards your slimming goals, batch cooking is always the answer. Making healthy, homemade options to eat on the go is no exception, and a fridge-freezer full of leftovers is the key to success.
There are a whole host of different recipes that are perfect for cooking in bigger batches, from pasta dishes to soups, stews and all kinds of snacks.
For anyone whose busy day starts bright and early, you probably need to grab breakfast where and when you can. If you’d rather avoid an early-morning visit to the drive through, it’s a good idea to prep some brekkie the night before, and pop it in your bag as you head out.
Overnight oats are an obvious, reliable and delicious option, but when you fancy a change you can’t go wrong with these loaded Breakfast Sliders. There’s no way you’ll feel like you’re missing out on a bacon sandwich or a sausage muffin when you’ve got one of these wrapped up and safely stashed in your bag.
At lunchtime, a hearty broth like this Smoky Ham and Pasta Soup will fill you up and keep you going until your next meal. It’s pocket-friendly and easy to make, plus it keeps really well in the freezer until you need it.
If you’re regularly taking soup out and about, you might want to think about picking up your very own soup flask. This Keetan Vacuum Insulated Food Flask will keep it nice and warm for up to 6 hours, and it even includes a handy folding spoon – that’s one less thing to remember as you’re dashing out the door!
Need something for dinner that you can eat hot or cold? It’s not always possible to get to a microwave, so there might be times when you have to tuck in without reheating. A crustless quiche is guaranteed to taste amazing, no matter how you serve it – and this Caramelised Onion Quiche is the perfect example.
At 164 calories per slice, it’s a slimming-friendly dream. The sweetness of the onions is beautifully balanced with the sharp-yet-creamy Cheddar cheese, which means it tastes just as good cold as it does when it’s fresh from the oven.
3. Keep it interesting
As anyone who’s taken a packed lunch day after day for a long period of time will know, it can sometimes feel a bit repetitive. Even when you throw leftovers into the mix, it can be all too easy to rely on the same simple sandwiches and salads.
There’s no denying that a salad is a tried and trusted option when you want a healthy meal you can eat on the go – but it doesn’t have to get boring! Make sure you switch up your salads regularly and we promise you’ll never get fed up of the vibrant fresh flavours.
Why not treat yourself to our Strawberry and Feta Salad in your packed lunch one day next week? The flavours are unexpected and refreshing, and they’re all brought together with our speedy balsamic and maple syrup dressing.
Nobody likes soggy salad, so it’s best to add your dressing right before serving. Pick up a few of these Stainless Steel Salad Dressing Pots from Amazon to make it easy (and mess-free) to take dressings and sauces on the road with you.
Prefer a more classic flavour combination? Salmon and new potatoes are a match made in heaven, so we’ve put them in the spotlight for this speedy salad. Our Smoked Salmon and Potato Salad gives the perfect crunch, with peppery rocket, crisp sugar snap peas and fresh green spring onions in the mix.
Rain or shine, these flavours never disappoint! This is a nice, substantial salad that’ll fill you up, thanks to those tender new potatoes – you’d never even know there are just 300 calories in each serving.
4. Stock up on snacks
Sweet or savoury, it’s so much easier to get through the day when you have a couple of tasty snacks to look forward to. Fruit, vegetables and nuts are good options if you’re trying to stick to healthy nibbles, and these Sistema Lunch Food Storage Containers are the perfect size for taking individual portions on the go. Don’t forget to keep an eye out for our Weekly Shopping articles where we give you a rundown of which snackable fruits and veggies are on offer as part of Aldi’s Super 6 each week!
Spend a bit of extra time on a weekend batch cooking a few simple snacks and your future self will thank you later! There’s never a day when a golden Sausage Roll is a bad idea, so the more you make, the merrier.
Pop a couple in your bag and head out feeling ready to take on whatever the day throws at you!
Need a little zesty sweet treat to perk you up mid-afternoon? No problem! Bake yourself this easy-peasy Lemon Drizzle Cake and you’ve got a sliceable snack that’ll last you all week.
Light, fluffy and bursting with zingy flavour, each 73-calorie slice tastes even better when you pair it with a piping hot cuppa for a well-earned break from your busy day.
Do you have any tips for eating healthy when you’re out all day?
We’d love to hear from you! As well as sharing your ideas and stories over in our Facebook group, you can also upload photos and tips in the Pinch of Nom Gallery. All you need to do is sign up for a FREE website account, and then you can start sharing your pictures! Psst…did we mention there’s swag up for grabs?
If you enjoyed this article, don’t forget there’s more where this came from! Our blog is brimming with all kinds of handy recipe roundups, kitchen kit lists and slimming tips that you won’t want to miss.