Packing Healthy on the Go
What do you pack for healthy on-the-go menus? Seems like we are all trying to get more done in less time. Commute time seems longer with increased traffic. The technology available requires us to do more in less time. With time being at a premium, many of us take more meals on the road or squeeze them into working lunches to fit into our work schedules, exercise training, and summer road trips/vacations.
In today’s post, I want to share 10 of my favorite menu ideas that you can carry easily wherever you go when you need a quick, healthy, and delicious bite. I hope they will make mealtime more manageable and more enjoyable so you can squeeze in more summer fun!
Here are some Healthy on the Go Menus
- Have Smoothie Will Travel
All you need to make this nutritious and delicious portable meal is fresh or frozen fruit, dairy or plant milk or yogurt, a few greens, nut butter or seeds, and a little honey or maple syrup in your favorite to-go cup! This Peach Lassi Yogurt Drink makes an excellent smoothie idea! Add a few chunks of ice to make it a little cooler! The sky is the limit to the combinations that you can make. See the recipe for this smoothie here.
2. Snack Mix: the Meal in the Bag
This is my go-to meal when my husband and I go hiking! I love that it has a balance of fat, protein, and carbohydrates to get me to the trail’s end when the journey gets tough! It is light to carry and doesn’t take a lot of room in my pack either. And what I really like about it is that no refrigeration, cooking or preparation is necessary. Many great premade ones are ready to go, or you can mix your own with all your favorite ingredients. Depending on what you are doing, One or two handfuls are enough to keep you going. Here are some tasty ingredients to add to yours:
-Pop Corn
-Dried fruit (acai, apples, apricots, blueberries, cherries, cranberries, dates, figs, goji)
-Nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews, pistachios)
-Seeds (pumpkin, chia, flax, sesame, sunflower)
-Whole Grain Cereal
-Toasted Garbanzo Beans
-Whole Grain Pretzels
Check out the link below for one of my favorites: Sweet and Spicy Snack Mix (it is also a great snack mix to have on hand when you are celebrating the Super Bowl)
3. Mini Pizzas
Making your own pizza with a pita, naan or tortilla as a crust and letting everyone top them with their own favorite toppings and sauces is so easy and fun! These are super easy to pack up and take with you. They don’t even need to be reheated if you don’t have a microwave or oven since pizza even cold is delicious!
4. Avocado Toast
I don’t know why but eating avocado toast just is fun to eat. I don’t know why that is, maybe because it is so colorful! Toast your bread and add mashed avocado with your favorite toppings. This example this one has chopped tomato and egg. The sky is the limit to what tastes delicious on it.
If needed pack your mashed avocado and toppings separate from your toast if it is going to be awhile before you have your meal, so it doesn’t get too mushy. You can even use avocado slices instead or slice it when you get to your destination if needed.
5. Lettuce Wrap
These are so easy and portable. All you need is a large lettuce, collard, chard, or kale leaf and some delicious filling. Here are some sandwich filling ideas. If desired, you can make most of this plant-based with beans, tofu, or tempeh.
Some of my favorite topping ideas include two from my previous post: 3 Cool Summer Quick Healthy Meals below, which include an Amazing Fruit and Nut Wrap and a Vegetarian Vietnamese Bun.
6. Eggs, Tofu, Tempeh, or other protein- many Ways!
Egg Tacos
Easy. Simple. Packable. Delicious! (See the recipe below under 5 Best Plant-Based Recipes)
Breakfast Bowl
I love how the ingredients in these bowls can be made directly in the bowl or mason jar that you will run out the door carrying! If you want more of a breakfast bowl, check out the one in 5 Best Plant-Based Recipes below, or if you want more of a lunch or dinner bowl, check out the Buddha Bowl Recipe. Bowls can be made with whatever ingredients you have on hand!
Half or Whole Sandwiches
Egg Sandwiches are delicious and can be made ahead! I love a variety of vegetables cooked in them. Go beyond eggs with various vegetarian or meat options; the sky is the limit on what you can make, pack, and bring with you! My favorites include a tuna melt, hummus with veggies, and a grilled cheese with a tomato and hummus!
Frittata Cups
These frittata cups can be made with your choice of ingredients, and you can use them all week for your healthy eating on the run!
https://joybauer.com/healthy-recipes/vegetable-frittata-muffins/
7. Sweet Potato Toast
You can use this as a gluten-free/grain-free alternative to bread. Make sweet potato slices ahead of time so you will have them for the week. I cut my potato lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices and bake for about 10-15 minutes at 400 degrees. After they cool, try some of your favorite toppings, like sliced avocados, cooked eggs, hummus, and toppings like the one shown above! However, you can get creative depending on what you are in the mood to eat.
8. Hummus and Veggies
Use your favorite vegetables with hummus for a variety of combinations! Cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, cauliflower, celery, or broccoli all taste great dipped in hummus. Hummus can also be made from a variety of beans and veggies. I have also included some simple tapas snack ideas that make delicious and diverse eating on the run ideas! These take a little preparation ahead of time but can be used for quick meals all week! They are also a little different, which keeps things interesting!
9. Energy Balls
The main ingredients for energy balls are your favorite combination of nuts, seeds, fruit, and grains. They are portable and keep well during the day until you need them! Check out this energy ball recipe from E.a. Stewart, the Spicy RD!
10. Yogurt Parfaits
I love making fruit parfaits, and they work well for breakfast, lunch, supper, or dessert! You can make them with seasonal fruit all year and change up the nuts and seeds. You can even add some coconut if desired. They are so simple to make; you can also make them vegan with this tofu recipe.
Make and Plan Healthy on the Go Menus
I hope that the ideas in this post are just the beginning of lots of delicious ideas for making meals in a hurry. I would love to hear additional ideas that you have that I would love to try, too! Feel free to share them in the comments below and on social media!
This is an excellent topic any time of year, but I am now making my shopping list for summer travels and long hikes! I am ready for good times ahead! As a registered dietitian nutritionist living in the mountains of Western North Carolina, I love to help others find solutions to their eating challenges. I am so glad you stopped by, and I hope you check out some of the additional recipe ideas on my blog!
