Easy Tips for Eating Healthy on the Go

Work, family, and other commitments in our life can get stressful. Most of the time, it’s no fault of our own — sometimes we’re just too busy. Unfortunately, this is one of the leading causes of unhealthy eating. 

Perhaps you’re late for work and have no other breakfast options besides fast food. Maybe you are rushing to get out the door and can only find a bag of potato chips. Or, you are just too tired after a busy day to cook anything healthy. 

Whatever the reason is, it is common for people to eat unhealthy food when they’re rushed or stressed. Most people think eating junk or fast food is simply more convenient and saves time. This is a common misconception — virtually all unhealthy foods have a nutritious, hassle-free alternative.  

From having healthy snacks on hand to meal prepping, there is no shortage of methods you can utilize to eat healthy on the go. 

Eating healthy on the go is a lot easier than you might think. Below, you’ll find a guide from snacks to smoothies on how to eat healthy when you’re rushing out the door. 

Are All Snacks Bad?

We’ve all been there. Snacking is something that we default to because it’s accessible. 

In an effort to keep your snacking to a minimum, try and keep junk food out of your cabinets. This is way easier said than done, but the out of sight out of mind strategy is the best thing you can do to avoid junk food. If you see a bag of brand-name chips in the aisle, keep pushing your grocery cart forward. Your health will thank you later. 

It might sound too simple and obvious: just don’t have junk food in your home. But it’s a lot harder than it sounds. If you can manage to avoid buying junk food, then you won’t be tempted to grab a handful of chips because, well, there won’t be any chips to eat! 

So if you shouldn’t buy junk food at the supermarket, what can you buy? Well, this might sound as simple as not buying junk food, but stock up on as much fruit and vegetables as you can! 

Picture this: you accidentally wake up late and will be late for work or school. You run down to your kitchen to look for something quick and easy to take with you. Thankfully, you avoided all of the junk food and candy at the store, you grab an apple, and you’re out the door. 

Even if you aren’t late, bringing fruit or vegetables to work or school instead of junk food is always a good idea. They’re cheap, quick, and convenient. If you can stock your pantry with chips and candy, you can just as easily supply your home with fruits and vegetables. 

While some fruits and vegetables have more health benefits than others, they are all better alternatives to junk food. A banana is better than a chocolate bar, and an apple is better than a bag of chips. 

Additionally, if you tend to drink energy drinks or soda in the morning, it is essential you try and eliminate this habit. Energy drinks and soda are very high in sugar and can be detrimental to your health. Try replacing these with tea or black coffee, or up your water intake. These drinks are more natural and have no added sugar like soda and energy drinks. 

Now that we’ve covered healthier snacks, it is important to know about one of the leading causes of obesity: fast food. 

How Can I Eat Healthier on the Go?

Over the last 40 years, fast food consumption has increased at an alarming rate, leading to all kinds of health complications, especially obesity. You can do two things to avoid fast food entirely or minimize the negative health effects.

If you’re constantly on the go with either work, traveling, or whatever activity keeps you busy, fast food can always seem like a good idea. Maybe you’re on a long drive and have eaten all the healthy foods you packed and simply have no other options. Having fast food once in a while is not the end of the world. If you choose to indulge, there are strategies to keep your caloric intake down. 

Avoid the Sides

If you end up eating fast food, you should avoid getting sides like onion rings, french fries, and sugary drinks like iced tea and soda. Instead, ask for an alternative like a fruit cup or a side salad and black coffee or water. This will help balance out the main meal which will usually be high in calories. 

Check the Nutrition Facts

At every fast food establishment, you can check the menu to see how many calories are in a meal. For example, chicken sandwiches typically have fewer calories than burgers, especially when those burgers have extra toppings like bacon or ketchup and mustard. This will help keep your caloric intake as low as possible. 

Meal Prep for Long Drives

If you’re planning on driving for a long period of time, you should make sure you have enough healthy foods to make it through the drive. Fruits, vegetables, and even homemade healthy sandwiches will help you avoid stopping at a fast food restaurant. Smaller fruits and vegetables like apple slices and baby carrots are particularly effective.

Speaking of meal preparation, that’s yet another way to avoid unhealthy eating on the go. 

What Is Meal Prepping?

Meal prepping is one of the best ways to avoid unhealthy eating, especially on your way to and from work, school, or other everyday obligations. Basically, meal prepping is when you plan all of your meals, typically one week at a time. 

Normally, meal prep would start on Sunday. You buy and prepare your healthy meals for the week, and they can be anything you want! By having your meals purchased and meal prepped, you won’t be tempted to stop somewhere for fast food.

Meal prepping can also help you save money since eating healthy via meal prepping can be cost-effective when done right, depending on where you grocery shop. When you prep your meals, it takes away temptation since your meals will be readily available. You can say goodbye to wasting money on junk food and say hello to a healthier lifestyle.

Meal prepping offers a ton of advantages without any real downside. If you typically find yourself rushing out the door every morning, you can even prepare which snacks you’re going to have, such as a banana, apple, or protein bar. It will make you feel more organized and healthy than ever. 

Be sure that the foods you’re buying are healthy, as unhealthy meal prepping can be just as bad as junk food. It’s also important to make sure every meal gives you the proper amount of nutrients with little-to-no empty calories. 

Now, perhaps you’re wondering how to keep track of all of this. Starting a new healthy diet from nutrition facts to meal prepping can feel overwhelming. That’s why we’re here to help! 

Eating Healthy with Able

Able is an app that is here to guide you through the process of your health journey. The Able app offers 1-1 health coaching to help you explore your lifestyle and team up with you to find solutions that apply to you and your well-being. In addition, you’ll be able to calorie count, budget your calorie intake, and track your daily activity.

Able is an extremely helpful and useful tool that you can use to improve your health. When it comes to new routines to be healthier, any and all extra help will be a huge boost. 

Curious about the nutritional facts of a meal? Ask Able! Wondering what you should eat? Able is there to help. Able is truly one of a kind, and it’s designed to help your specific needs and goals. 

Explore Able here and get a little help on your health journey, whatever it may be.