We’ve talked before about the importance of staying healthy as a truck driver. Maintaining good health is important for everyone. Truck drivers can find themselves at a disadvantage due to sitting for the vast majority of your shift. The good news is, a good diet goes a long way in keeping your health in check.
Your diet doesn’t just affect how well your clothes fit. It also greatly affects your awareness and energy. Foods and snacks that are heavy on carbs, caffeine, and sugar result may provide a temporary energy boost, but they inevitably lead to energy crash and fuzzy thinking.
When it comes to keeping a healthy diet as a truck driver, the first thing you need to do is…
Plan Ahead
The simplest way to eat well is to plan. Never planned out your meals before? Well, it’s time to change that. Without a plan, you’ll likely end up eating convenience food, which is designed to be cheap and have a long shelf life. In other words, it’s not healthy or quality.
We recommend keeping a portable cooler on hand so you can take snacks for the road. This will save money and allow you to eat better. Portable coolers can easily be refilled with ice at gas stations as needed.
Packing for the Road
A great place to start is with fruits and vegetables. Apples, oranges, and bananas all work great without any refrigeration (though we think the first two are better served cool). Cold vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots can easily be stored in a cooler and consumed as needed.
If you need a little extra flavor, some vegetable dip won’t completely negate the healthy aspects.
Natural peanut butter offers the same great taste you expect (available in chunky or creamy) without the excess sugar and artificial additives of traditional peanut butter. This works great when combined with foods like celery or pretzels (a slightly healthier alternative to chips), or you can grab a spoon and eat it plain.
Going Healthy at the Gas Station
Whether you forgot to pack your snacks, or you simply run out, you may find yourself in a situation where you have to rely on gas station food. This can get a little tricky, but it’s not impossible.
A good go-to is nuts such as almonds and walnuts. They often come in different flavors, and they’re easy to eat on-the-go. It’s worth mentioning that peanuts are not actually nuts, and while they’re not bad for you, most health experts would suggest actual nuts.
Beef jerky can be a little pricey, but it’s good, lean protein.
Speaking of protein, avoid protein bars. Though they like to advertise themselves as healthy and muscle building, they’re typically filled with sugars and artificial additives.
Drink Water
Many truck drivers find themselves continuously drinking coffee and soda. Both of these should only be had in moderation. Instead, you should focus on drinking more water. Water helps detox your system and control your appetite, not to mention it keeps you alive. If you have a constant urge to snack or drink, chew some gum and drink some water.
Is water not quit covering your soda fix? Try flavored carbonated water. No, it doesn’t have the same taste as a Mountain Dew or Coke, but overtime, it grows on you.
Eat Better When You’re at Home
When you’re home, you have the most control over your diet. While you want to enjoy quality homecooked meals, you can still make sure they’re balanced and healthy. Of course, to enjoy homecooked meals, you need quality home time.
That’s just one of the many benefits offered to our drivers here at Woodruff. If you’re looking for truck driver jobs in Charlotte, Chicago, Springfield, or Baltimore, contact us today!