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Ever wondered how to maintain a healthy diet when you are constantly running around from place to place? Well, not so long ago I did too. Healthy eating on the go isn’t so hard if you have a few tricks up your sleeve. Here are my 5 best tips to help keep things in check.
5 Easy Healthy Eating Tips All Women Need to Know
I’ll give you some quick tips that will make it SO much easier!
Healthy Eating Tip #1 – Keep Healthy Snacks on Hand
I know how I get when I’m hungry. Honestly, for me, it’s like those Snickers commercials. It is bad. I can’t think and I get SUPER cranky and I can be short with people. If you have healthy options handy you’re more likely to eat better. I know the worst thing I can do for not only my waistline but also my budget is to go grocery shopping if I’m hungry. I not only buy a bunch of crap, but I also spend WAY too much money.
Always have good portable snacks handy. Stock up on fruits (fresh and dried), nuts, cheeses, whole wheat crackers, Greek yogurt, cheese crackers, nut butters, snack bars, etc. Most of these kinds of snacks can keep well without refrigeration (the yogurt being the exception of course). I will often keep some fruit leather, dried fruit, or nuts in my purse for a quick snack. You never know when it might come in handy.
I love grabbing a nice crisp apple out of the fridge or a clementine to snack on. Keep single-serve Greek yogurt, dried fruits, and nuts on hand to snack on.
Related: 7 DIY Healthy Oatmeal Packets
Healthy Eating Tip #2 – Prep Your Snacks
Pre-prep snacks, especially before a trip. Meal prep doesn’t have to end with JUST meals, prep your snacks too! When I worked in an office I would always prep my snacks for the week.
A couple of years ago it seemed that I was always in the car traveling for work. I was off to various parts of Tennessee, North and South Carolina, and even Virginia (I live in Georgia for the record). Before each trip, I would always prep my food and snacks before I would go. This ensured 2 things. 1 that I kept to my macros even while I was on a business trip. And #2 I got to keep the per diem that my company paid for meal reimbursement (because who can eat out every meal and not go to a so-so fast food restaurant on $30/day).
Once I went to Charlotte for 2.5 days and I stayed in an extended-stay hotel and brought a cooler with me. I had all my meals either prepped in advance or cooked in the hotel. I pocketed about $70 out of my $90 that trip since the food I got cost less than $20. Sign up for my FREE meal prep course below!
Smaller containers can be beneficial when you’re prepping snacks. These ones would be great for fruits, these ones are good for yogurts or nut butters. These bento-style boxes are great for packing a few snacks together. I also will use these for my son’s school lunches!
Healthy Eating Tip #3 – Be Smart when Eating Out
I get it, every once in a while you want to get out. I’m not saying you shouldn’t ever go out to eat. But when you DO eat out pick a restaurant that has healthy options.
Fast food is EASY. It’s also mostly full of junk that we do not need to be eating. My favorite fast food go-to places are Chic-fil-a, Chipotle, and Zaxby’s. They each have lots of tasty options that aren’t full of a bunch of unnecessary junk.
Your options for healthy eating are a lot broader with sit-down places vs. fast food establishments. When you do choose a sit-down establishment make sure that you read the descriptions of the meals and don’t just look at the titles and pictures. Something can look super tasty but be full of fat and calories. A lot of restaurants have calorie counts listed and many have a section that’s generally lighter dishes.
Related: Healthy Homemade Granola
Healthy Eating Tip #4 – Read Labels
READ your labels! Knowing what is in the food that you buy will go a long way. Always aim for pronounceable ingredients, or better yet foods WITHOUT an ingredients list. Those can usually be found around the perimeter of the grocery store (produce, meats, dairy, etc).
Get familiar with the nutrition facts on labels of packaged food. There may not be many calories in a serving but is the package only 1 serving???? A lot of things (Complete Cookie I’m looking at you!) have more than one serving in the package. Is eating only half of something reasonable?
Organic products are touted as healthier but they aren’t always better for you. They use organic ingredients. There is a benefit to going with organic. Organic does NOT equal healthy. The products can still be full of lots of extra sugar and other things you’re trying to stay away from. READ your labels to avoid these pitfalls.
I will make my own versions of snacks in lieu of buying them. It’s healthier AND cheaper!
Healthy Eating Tip #5 – Stay Hydrated!
My last tip for you should be a no-brainer. STAY HYDRATED!!!!!!! Often you can mistake thirst for hunger. You need a certain amount of water to stay adequately hydrated. Dehydration can lead to all sorts of issues, hunger is one of them.
If I feel hungry I will drink a glass of water first to see if it was hunger or not. A lot of times I was just thirsty. When I get that hungry feeling I’m WAY more likely to pick something that’s not the best for me.
I know that it can be hard sometimes to remember to drink water throughout the day. A great water bottle really helps with this. I have one like THIS and I love it. It really helps me to remember to drink water.
📌📌📌 Pin this for later!!!!📌📌📌
I hope you enjoy these tips for Healthy Eating on the Go! Leave a comment and let me know what you think!
Our society has become one where we want food fast and we want it all of the time. Most people don’t take the time to plan and prepare healthy snacks so they use the alternative of unhealthy, fast food. Portable snacks are one of my favorite ways to intentionally eat healthily. Great post!
Elizabeth, you are so right! My 8 yr old constantly wants snacks that are just junk. I’ve finally gotten him to not always want McDonald’s (we don’t eat there ever). We always have plenty of healthy snacks around.
Tip 5 changed my life a few years prior. I learned while working on becoming healthier to drink my body weight in water or a gallon daily and it greatly reduced how much I ate unnecessarily. Excellent tips.
Kymberlie, hydration is SO key! I’m so happy you enjoyed the post. My 8yr old son will get headaches and get dizzy in the shower if he doesn’t drink enough water during the day. I get all kinds of dry skin and chapped lips if I don’t, and yes I’m less likely to overeat as well!
Thanks for this becuase it can be hard to make healthy choices on the go. Cc
Hope, it gets easier with practice, I promise!
Yes, I really need to follow these tips!
Brit, let me know if I can help. I love helping women get started on a good path!
I ALWAYS, ALWAYS have a couple packages of nuts stashed in my purse AND van!! Snacks save my life. 🙂
Mine too!
I am definitely bad about staying hydrated. I got a gigantic water bottle, thinking I would be more likely to drink it all than to keep refilling a small one. So we’ll see!
Having the right water bottle is key. I’ve had success with a large one and also a small one.
I love your tip to keep some nuts and dried fruits on you so that you can have a healthy snack. My partner and I are trying to be much healthier this year and that starts with our food. We need to start ordering the healthiest dishes off the menus of the restaurants we go to as well.
Jarom, it starts at home. Try to cook more than you eat out! Make small changes a little bit at a time instead of all at once.