Nutrition by Dawn - Blog

We’ve recently been taking my kiddo on a few college tours, so I’ve been doing a lot of my meals while on the go. My personal goal for myself is to make sure I’m eating balanced meals of proteins, fats, and carbs every 3-4 hours, starting when I’m hungry and stopping when I’m full. 

As I’m sure you can imagine, sticking to this plan while on the road required a little bit of planning to be possible. I knew that I would eat before I left, have a snack before the tour, and eat lunch somewhere on campus, but I really wasn’t sure what my meals would look like after that, so I planned what I could, but I also had to play things by ear just a little bit. 

Today, I want to share how I stayed on track during my day out with my family.

I started my day by having breakfast at home, a yogurt parfait with berries, and then I packed my shake for the day to-go. I usually start my day off with a shake and then have a snack later, but by reversing that routine, I was able to stay on track for my morning meals (without traveling with a yogurt parfait.) 

I had lunch at the school, UMass Amherst, and they had so many options to choose from! That made it easy for me to choose fresh and delicious foods for lunch, so I didn’t need anything from my cooler bag. But I packed plenty for myself for snacks, plus extra for snacks for my husband and son because they’ve been known to get a little hangry sometimes. ;) I packed string cheese because it’s a good balance of protein and fat, and I knew it would be easy to add in carbs by having a piece of fruit or a handful of crackers. I also brought my collagen packs for a high-quality protein to really round out my meals, and of course my ON shots to keep my energy and focus for all that driving.

My meals for the day may not have been what I would have chosen for myself at home, but it was a great way to snack on the go, and it held me over until we got home for dinner (where I made salmon with fresh bell peppers and homemade pickles–so delicious!) 

Besides my cooler bag of snacks, what really helped me stay on track throughout the day was the water bottle I brought with me. Keeping a water bottle on hand while you’re out exploring will help you make sure you stay hydrated, and it will prevent you from ending up without options and having to choose a sugary drink from a vending machine. 

Anytime I leave my house, I’m always sure to bring my water bottle along for the ride. 

Having snacks and my water bottle in a bag that kept them cool helped me enjoy my mini road trip with my family without having to worry if I’ll be stranded somewhere with only fast food around. As the saying goes, failing to plan is planning to fail, so these are my tips for setting yourself up for success while you explore this spring. 

What’s your favorite portable snack? Let me know in the comments!

If you need some inspiration for healthy living, please join me in my Facebook group Never Diet Again for a great community filled with great discussion!