What do you eat while on the road?

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Specializes in Med Surg, Case Management, OR.

I admit that since I've given up smoking around the same time I took this HH job, I've packed on some um, padding. I try to eat well while traveling but sometimes fast food gets the best of me.

I always travel with my morning mug of coffee (skim milk and sometimes Splenda) and then I have an afternoon liter of water or iced tea. I try to eat breakfast before I head out but that doesn't always happen.

In my center console, I have Fiber One bars, The Zone Perfect meal bars, and South Beach meal bars. But sometimes the car just drives towards a fast food joint in a safe neighborhood, ya know?? Sometimes I crave a fountain Diet Coke. :innerconf

Most of the time in the middle of the day when I should eat lunch, I don't feel like it. I just want to finish my visits and go home. I'm famished by the time I get home. Seems like drinking all those fluids just makes me have to potty and doesn't make me feel full at all!

What do you all do out there in the wild??

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Specializes in LTC/hospital, home health (VNA).

Ahhh..the best laid plans... Actually, you sound alot like me..down to the quitting smoking! I have the same problems. I have a big insulated lunch bag in whick I have water, diet coke, different fruits, yogurt, granola bars of various types and sometimes a sandwich. I do not eat everything in it everyday...often what I put in on Monday lasts until Wed or so. I try to keep different things...mostly healthyto munch on - the whole numerous small meal throughout the day concept. Actually, I do fairly well during the day (unless I do give into that McD's craving) and then I munch on the not so healthy stuff when I get home. I have been trying to walk in the evenings though. Let me know if you find something that works!

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Specializes in oncology, trauma, home health.

I try to run in the mornings before work, but as I type this I realized I haven't since last Monday.

If I have food in the car, it will be eaten. For that reason I pack a small cooler with 2 cans diet coke, a sandwich and bottle of water. That's it...And yet my thighs still expand :(

I hear ye about craving the fountain diet coke!

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I've found the fast food places difficult to resist. I once had a seven night a week case where I would drop in at a Taco Bell along the way. Religiously, I would get the same meal, and would get as many as three, yes three, of those humongous containers of regular coke! As you can imagine, the pounds packed on. When I changed cases and stopped the extra TB stop (and coke) the pounds started to melt off. Gee, I wonder why. I still find it hard to stay away from fast food.

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Specializes in OR, ICU, Tele, Psych, LTC, Palliative.

OMG - you really opened the can of worms! :yeah:This is the bane of HH nursing!!! Right around 1300 I find myself headed north to see my clients in Welland, the city north of us and, strangely enough, I have to drive right past a Micky D's. Well, those Angus burgers are the best burgers I've had in a long time and, well, uh,.....my PB&J just sits in it's little cooler till the evening! What on earth do they put in those things to make them sooooooo addictive? :D And yes, drinking water to try and fill your tummy only fills my bladder and there are just some homes in which I refuse to use the washroom! :no:

Anyone for caffeine IV, Foley PRN?:hehe:

Sue

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Specializes in med-surg, MICU/SICU, Csurg ICU, HH.

My preceptor has this great cooler that plugs into the 12v jack in her truck. (I need to fine one of these). The other day, I brought a turkey sandwich, strawberries, water, and ginger ale and that seemed to work out well. But I figure whatever I need to bring needs to be easily consumed while on the road. Just my :twocents:

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Specializes in Cardiology, Oncology, Hospice,IV Therapy.

I used to pack sandwiches and fruit and a bottle of water. I can't even look at sandwiches anymore, I'm so sick of them. So now I bring beef jerky, fruit and veges, whole wheat crackers, sometimes canned tuna. Or nuts. But I'm running out of ideas!

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I don't do home health but I am on the road between clinics...I try to bring granola bars, those 100calorie snack thingies of chips, crackers, etc., and two liters of water. However, like you guys, the best laid plans...I live in the country and left food in my car overnight and the mice ate my breakfast!!!

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Specializes in Med/Surg,OR,Pain Management,Home Health.

Well, I try to always drink a fruit smoothie for breakfast, either before leaving or during my 30 min commute to work. I pack a sandwich, meat, lettuce, sundried tomatoes, on oatnut bread. Its great. I take whole wheat crackers, cheese, yogurt for sweet tooth, chips if I remember. Orange, or other fruit, and couple of pieces of dove chocolate for BAD days, lol. Bottled water. Sometimes an energy bar. I used to drink ensure, but vanilla is the only one I like, got tired of that for a while but lost some weight. I wish they made a microwave for cars, lol. :chuckle

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Haf 9AM hospital meeting---driving back to office realized I'd be passing Checkers hambergers with their killer spicy fries.....

car suddenly in drive thru lane. Emerged with just small burger, small fries and medium root beer. Back to Healthy Choice dinners tomorrow.

Almonds, dried fruit mix, 100 calorie packs, rasins, Mc Donalds apple slices--cool and stay fresh....no fat pudding not requiring frigeration.... crystal light to add to water bottle or constant comment teabag to make own suntea in coffee mug if admit visit..

If taking lunch, freeze water bottle night before then plop in quilted luch bag...helps!

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I sometimes dash into a grocery to get cheese cubes to fight off the fast food urge if I don't have something from home.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Case Mgt, Home health.

I do Nutrisystem and on my good days, I have a high protein breakfast before I leave for work. I pack almonds (unsalted), baby carrots, a protein bar, 100 cal bag of something (salty and sweet) in case I get the munchies while driving, a piece of fruit, a 32 oz water jug with a packet of either crystal light tide me over or special k protein water. Also take my second cup of coffee on the road too.

My bkfst usually keeps me full for a while and then I munch t/o the day.

I've been fortunate enough to lose about 2 pounds a week with this regime.

Of course I have my bad days (one week it turned into a bad week) having fast food...packs on the pounds though! I gained 5 pounds this horrible week. Lost it as soon as I went back on my plan.

I have all the Starbucks saved in my GPS for those gotta take potty breaks!

I try not to use my patient's bathrooms!:D

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