Eating Healthy and Well on the Road??

[Crunchyknees]

HI All

It seems that alot of drivers survive by eating at truck stops or Mcdonalds. But, for people that enjoy good and healthy food can that be done on the road? Would these trucking companies allow you to remove the passenger seat so u can replace it with a lil refrigerator instead of using those tiny coolers? hehe

If you wanted to rinse chicken, fish and veggies before cooking; How would u do it?

How bout the pot and pans. Where would u be able to clean them up after use?

Please no jokes Fellas!!!

Crunch

[mbadriver]

I wondered about taking my passenger seat out. Have been meaning to ask the terminal manager.

Forget pots and pans. I use a lunchbox cooker with disposable aluminum trays. Can cook just about anything in it, plus it is compact. You would be better of rinsing chicken/fish with your own urine rather than taking it into a truckstop bathroom.

The 40+ Quart Coleman holds more food than I can consume during a 10-day run. Once or twice a week, I go to decent restaurant and have a sit down dinner complete with a couple glasses of wine. I just can't stand to live like a penny-pinching bum while on the road. I put in long days. If a couple dinners a week are going to ruin my financial situation, then I would re-evaluate what I am doing with my life.

Just my opinion. My background is probably a bit different than the typical driver.

My bet is the McDonald munching drivers are the same ones that wake up every morning bitching and complaining. They flip you the bird becuzz they are going a MPH faster and want you to pull off the road to let them by. There are a lot of unhappy campers out there.

HI All

It seems that alot of drivers survive by eating at truck stops or Mcdonalds. But, for people that enjoy good and healthy food can that be done on the road? Would these trucking companies allow you to remove the passenger seat so u can replace it with a lil refrigerator instead of using those tiny coolers? hehe

If you wanted to rinse chicken, fish and veggies before cooking; How would u do it?

How bout the pot and pans. Where would u be able to clean them up after use?

Please no jokes Fellas!!!

Crunch

[GMAN]

Most companies are not going to want you to modify their truck. Those electric coolers work fairly well in the truck. If you have a regular refrigerator in the truck you will likely need to idle most of the time to avoid running the batteries down. Idling costs companies a lot of money. If you are concerned about washing meat and vegetables, you could carry a couple of gallons of water with you in the truck or buy your food at home and wash it before leaving the house. You could also cook some of your food before leaving home, keep it in the electric cooler and warm it either in the truck or a truck stop. When I am on the road, I often keep cereal and make a sandwich in the truck and eat a regular meal with vegetables at a truck stop or restaurant once a day. I always try to eat veggies at least once a day. It is much easier to carry milk, cereal and sandwich meat than a complete meal with you. By eating only one meal a day out of the truck, you cut your road expenses considerably yet still eat healthy. Another thing I do when I am in California or other produce areas where fresh fruit is available is stop and stock up.

[inmate1577]

Eating healthy on the road is not hard but it takes effort on your part
Resisting temptation for the buffet is probably the hardest after a long day on the road and having zero motivation to actually make something reasonably nutritious

[GMAN]

Eating off those truck stop buffet's is not that healthy. There are a lot of carbs on them. I usually prefer to have a salad and order off the menu. I think I can eat much healthier.

[mbadriver]

Banana's are great to bring along. Filling and nutritional. I also bring a lot of the little mixed fruit cups. Probably more sugar than you need but they are tasty and you at least "feel" like you are doing something nutritional :wink:

In addition to electric consumption the 12V fridges are pricey as all get out.

I have never had a problem (summer or winter) with my 12V thermoelectric. They advertise cooling at 40-degrees below ambient. That is probably the limits of the physics related to the technology. Reality will deal something less :wink:

They are lightweight, have only one moving part (fan), and one thermistor (cheap to replace). No real reason to get anything fancier.

On another note. I just picked up some cans of "self heating" coffee. Interested to see how hot it gets and the taste. During the winter, I hate the cold walk into the truck stop for a Morning Jo.

Bon Apetit!!

Most companies are not going to want you to modify their truck. Those electric coolers work fairly well in the truck. If you have a regular refrigerator in the truck you will likely need to idle most of the time to avoid running the batteries down. Idling costs companies a lot of money. If you are concerned about washing meat and vegetables, you could carry a couple of gallons of water with you in the truck or buy your food at home and wash it before leaving the house. You could also cook some of your food before leaving home, keep it in the electric cooler and warm it either in the truck or a truck stop. When I am on the road, I often keep cereal and make a sandwich in the truck and eat a regular meal with vegetables at a truck stop or restaurant once a day. I always try to eat veggies at least once a day. It is much easier to carry milk, cereal and sandwich meat than a complete meal with you. By eating only one meal a day out of the truck, you cut your road expenses considerably yet still eat healthy. Another thing I do when I am in California or other produce areas where fresh fruit is available is stop and stock up.

[nevets]

Coleman stove works for me..Couple gallons of water handy for dishes.I usually stop in at a Super Walmart ,seeing as they have truck parking,and go to town.Steaks corn garlic bread potato and a beer mmm mmm just like home.

[Orange Andy]

Some day, a company or entrepenuer with vision will open a truckstop away from the others with an enormous, policed, clean , well-lit lot, and several health consious restaurants inside a mini mall, and a gym nearby, so drivers can exercise AND eat well. Even have a grocery store, with the essentials that OTR drivers seek to take with them. Fresh produce, fruit, and vegetables. Fresh fish, and lo-carb , lo-fat dishes, that are chilled, and you could heat in your microwave.

How about an adjacent mini-hotel room for about 25.00 a night....with a laundromat. For guys who have to stay a while, or just want out of the sheetmetal for a day, to stretch out, and relax. No lot lizards need apply.

Ive often thought about doing this out in the middle of Nevada, as I could bring fresh goods from here in the valley of Calif every day, wholesale.

The old biscuits-N-gravy and deep fried stuff is ok once in a while, but todays truckstops, by and large, are missing a great market opportunity, of the more health conscious drivers of today of ALL age groups.

Seems to me these stops today, not all , but a lot of them, are ripe for competition.

And if I see it, guarantee you someone else has a year before me (or us) and is working on it. Watch what happens in the next 3 years. I predict change for the better is on the way.

[Crunchyknees]

HI All

Actually I went by a RV dealer today. They have nice size refrigerators there that run on dc so u wouldnt have to idle your engines. The brand on the refrigerators is norcold. They also have modular cabinets there that could be used in trucks. Some of these cabinets also have pumps where 5 and 10 gallon water bottles can be used. All this stuff is small too. Easily modified to fit just about any space.

Truck drivers dont have to live like like Neanderthals unless they want too!! That passenger chair is taken up way to much valuable space. Id even consider paying the company a security deposit to have them take out the chair and store it some place. Just think how much you'd be able to save by cooking your own food. Just the health benefits alone would be worth it. With a lil bit of running water maybe some of you guys might even start brushing your teeth again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DaveP]

Check out Chef "Butterbean"!

http://www.angelandcroc.com/regs/but...utterbean.html

[Crunchyknees]

Some day, a company or entrepenuer with vision will open a truckstop away from the others with an enormous, policed, clean , well-lit lot, and several health consious restaurants inside a mini mall, and a gym nearby, so drivers can exercise AND eat well. Even have a grocery store, with the essentials that OTR drivers seek to take with them. Fresh produce, fruit, and vegetables. Fresh fish, and lo-carb , lo-fat dishes, that are chilled, and you could heat in your microwave.

How about an adjacent mini-hotel room for about 25.00 a night....with a laundromat. For guys who have to stay a while, or just want out of the sheetmetal for a day, to stretch out, and relax. No lot lizards need apply.

Ive often thought about doing this out in the middle of Nevada, as I could bring fresh goods from here in the valley of Calif every day, wholesale.

The old biscuits-N-gravy and deep fried stuff is ok once in a while, but todays truckstops, by and large, are missing a great market opportunity, of the more health conscious drivers of today of ALL age groups.

Seems to me these stops today, not all , but a lot of them, are ripe for competition.

And if I see it, guarantee you someone else has a year before me (or us) and is working on it. Watch what happens in the next 3 years. I predict change for the better is on the way.

It sounds nice. But, it'll never happen. In the short time ive been on these boards its pretty evident that most truckers dont care. They're willing to go without showering, teeth brushing, decent meals, days off, vacations, nice beds, clean clothes, sleep etc. Truck drivers are to America like Grunts are to the Marines. If I owned a trucking company I would pay something like 20 cents a mile. Lotta these guys would be diggin it too!! Because thats what grunts like to do. They want everyone to know they can take it.............................................

[GMAN]

Some day, a company or entrepenuer with vision will open a truckstop away from the others with an enormous, policed, clean , well-lit lot, and several health consious restaurants inside a mini mall, and a gym nearby, so drivers can exercise AND eat well. Even have a grocery store, with the essentials that OTR drivers seek to take with them. Fresh produce, fruit, and vegetables. Fresh fish, and lo-carb , lo-fat dishes, that are chilled, and you could heat in your microwave.

How about an adjacent mini-hotel room for about 25.00 a night....with a laundromat. For guys who have to stay a while, or just want out of the sheetmetal for a day, to stretch out, and relax. No lot lizards need apply.

Ive often thought about doing this out in the middle of Nevada, as I could bring fresh goods from here in the valley of Calif every day, wholesale.

The old biscuits-N-gravy and deep fried stuff is ok once in a while, but todays truckstops, by and large, are missing a great market opportunity, of the more health conscious drivers of today of ALL age groups.

Seems to me these stops today, not all , but a lot of them, are ripe for competition.

And if I see it, guarantee you someone else has a year before me (or us) and is working on it. Watch what happens in the next 3 years. I predict change for the better is on the way.

I have thought about this myself. I think that there are a lot of drivers who would prefer eating differently. I believe the problem may lie in whether such a concept could be profitable for the truck stop. I have spoken to people with a couple of the larger truck stop chains and was told that it would be too expensive to make it profitable. They can make much more off of fast food and have fewer employee's. I seem to recall that someone several years ago had a gym at a truck stop and it didn't go over very well. Truck stops have put in video games in lieu of driver's lounges in the name of profit. Driver's need to change their lifestyles. Get out of the truck and move around. Stay away from the buffet and order off the menu or bring your own food. Eat fruit rather than potatoes. You can eat most everything if you do it in moderation.

[Orange Andy]

Probably true, the fast food would outsell the salad bar, but it really would not be much effort to offer both, then let us decide. Some of us have had stents installed, bypass surgery, or have high cholesterol, or blood pressure. For the sake of commerce, keep the junk food, but I dont think selling fish, and skinless chicken alongside would be much if any extra burden, or cost. Maybe Im wrong, am sure no restaurantuer.

I guess if we as a society really wanted good balanced food, McDonalds would not be the most profitable restaurant chain in the country.

Maybe the best idea would be the mini-grocery and let the drivers buy fresh stuff if they wanted.

I know a few of us would be customers.

Resisting temptation for the buffet is probably the hardest after a long day on the road and having zero motivation to actually make something reasonably nutritious

Bingo!!!!!!!!! Many times I'm not able to eat all day until I stop. I figure, heck, since I haven't eaten all day I can take in my whole 2250 in one sitting. I'm guessing I'm wolfing down more like 5,000. It's so convenient though, lets see, do I make something myself and wait 30 minutes or I can be eating RIGHT NOW!!!

[inmate1577]

If I'm bone tired and not willing/able or too lazy to make something nutritious at least I'll look for a subway at a truck stop and try to get a lean meat sandwhich with veggies and have only mustard instead of mayo.
Not exactly loaded with all the good stuff the body needs but its better than burger and fries.