Road Training For The Vegetarian?

I think I did that quote thing wrong...

Lol

Yes, truck drivers are carnivores.

That's great!

I'd really like to see your meal plans. I'm WFPBNO (whole food, plant based, no oil) and I eat fairly simple. You sound like you have a better handle on how to eat on the road than I do.

I hope the quote above looks ok.

My meal plans depend mainly on what I'm going to able to take with me and what I'll be able to get on the road. I was a sales engineer, so it was easy to stop at any grocery store that I wanted to to stock up, at least in the US. I also spent a lot of time in Europe driving 1,500 miles or so a week and it was a little harder over there to be able to find good plant based food so I planned more ahead.

This is how I look at it. The trick is to make sure that you can stay satisfied and not be hungry while getting enough protein. That way, you won't crave junk food and blow up like a balloon. I use eggs (which you probably don't), cheese, nuts, beans and peanuts (which are beans) for protein and then fill up with fruit and other vegetables.

A bare bones meal plan might be:

Breakfast could be a hard boiled egg or two and an apple or banana. If I can find hot water, I'll make oatmeal and add some local honey or a banana.

Lunch could be three or four stalks of celery piled high with peanut butter (I get natural peanut butter at a farmers market, no sugar added) and a piece of fruit on the side.

Dinner could be a soup or chili (loaded with mushrooms, any kind of veg, beans, tofu, etc.) that I made at home and froze in freezer bags (eaten either heated or cold), and a piece of fruit. Or a wrap with a whole shoot of romaine lettuce heart, some homemade salsa, onions, cheese, peppers, etc. and fruit. I also make veggie burgers with two caps of portabella mushroom stuffed with ground up veggies and cheese (typically Sargento's cheddar since it doesn't have animal based rennet in it).

I'll then snack throughout the day on a handful of almonds, cashews. or chopped up cauliflower or broccoli (if I'm not worried about the flatulence, lol) every so often and drink water, I'm also addicted to sparkling water.

In a pinch, I'll get the Amy's soups or chili in the organic aisle at the grocery and eat them cold or warm depending on what I have around me.

I've also carried around a single burner camp unit that screws to the top of one of those little bottles of propane to heat things if I have time. I'm not sure that those tanks are legal in a truck.

Don't forget to get your V12 shot or take supplements because V12 only comes from meat and we need it to live.

I'd be interested in your meal ideas as well having been out there on the road.

That sounds great.

I'll have to incorporate the celery and peanut butter. I use PB2 to keep the fat content down. I don't mind eggs on occasion, I've been lucky to find a few truck stop restaurants that will adjust their cooking style for me if I just ask.

I was in a truck stop in West Virginia last month, I was on a bike trip and I had camped up the road. I stopped in for breakfast to let the fog burn off. I asked the waitress if she would ask the cook if he would be willing to fix me a veggie omelette with no oil and very little cheese. I heard him laughing when she asked him, big ole belly laugh, it was great, lol. So be sure to ask, it doesn't hurt. Grits with no butter are good too, you should be able to order that any where. You can mix it with steamed veggies or get them to saute in water.

I'll tell you how I'm doing it right now which isn't too difficult. The simpler the better. I drive for a living but I don't drive a rig. All my work is pretty much local between Delaware, Maryland, and sometimes Philly. I always bring my food and eat on the road. We have no lunch or break schedule, it's grab it when you can.

I eat either cream of wheat or oatmeal in the morning. I found a store here locally that makes a blend of all natural instant oatmeal. There are also recipes online for over night oats. That might help you in the road. I have a cup of hot tea and later a cup of coffee. I love the stuff, really hard to give that up totally.

I'll have 2 bananas mid morning or one banana and an apple. Like you said, fresh fruit and veggies should keep in the truck.

I eat potatoes for lunch. I'll microwave about four or five and wrap them individually in a paper towel and leave them on the counter. They will last three or four days. I do allot with them.

You can buy Heinz Carolina BBQ sauce and dip them in that. You can split them and load them with beans. My favorite is black beans and corn and salsa. I prefer homemade but in a pinch you can buy Newman's own or even Chi-Chi's.

I also have incorporated the rice in a bag. You can either cook it in the microwave or you can put it in a bowl of water, cover it, and let it sit all night. It will be done, I promise. I put veggies on the rice.

I love spinach and edamame but since those are frozen items they'll probably be an occasional thing unless I have a freezer.

This has been my simulation practice at how to eat as clean as possible in a truck.

If you are lucky enough to have a truck that has a microwave and mini fridge, you'll be home free. It's the training that's going to be the hardest.

I take b12 and a vitamin supplement. My youngest son eats clean and body builds, he's after me to add more protien. I might try a vegan protien shake but I'm not sure how that will work in a truck lol.

Great minds think alike and all that! LOL. I have done what you do as well and love me the spinach (forgot about it when I wrote my reply).

I know how cooks will go out of their way to make special stuff. It's like they need a challenge once in a while too.

Good luck to your son! I wish i would have eaten right when I was younger.

And, I'm sure you know the best part. I can eat like a king for less than $60 a week!

I'm sure the training time can be a bit of a challenge, but if I think ahead, it would probably be better since I won't be holding the trainer up waiting on a big steak dinner. Or having to stop and get rid of it 45 minutes down the road. LOL.

Good talking to you and comparing notes Half Pint, and thanks again to all for the comments!