Extended periods of driving can make eating healthy foods challenging. But eating unhealthy food every day while being sedentary is a recipe for weight gain and health problems, including cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
The good news is that with a little pre-planning and smart choices it is possible to stay healthy on the road.
Make light work of shift work
Working irregular and/or long hours confined to a truck impacts the time you eat, sleep and exercise. It disrupts your circadian rhythm, appetite regulation, and level of alertness.
In this situation, whether it is day or night, it is useful to consider your day as a 24-hour period and in that period your body usually needs three meals and one or two snacks. In terms of the three meals, think of one as a breakfast style meal, one as a lighter lunch-style meal, and one as a main meal like dinner.
If you are working a night shift, consider having your breakfast when you first wake, then having your main meal before you start work. During your shift, have a light meal during your longest planned break, and one or two snacks along the way. Plan to have one small snack towards the end of your shift, or just before bed so you don’t wake up hungry.
Plan, plan plan!
At the start of the week take 10 minutes to consider your shifts, and where you might be eating. Prepare a shopping list and fill your fridge, freezer, pantry, truck, and lunch bag with your healthy choices.
Build healthy meal options that contain low GI carbohydrates for energy and alertness e.g. wholegrain bread, wholegrain crispbreads, oats, sweet potato, corn, wholemeal pasta, brown rice or quinoa; lean protein to keep you feeling full e.g. lean red meat, skinless chicken or turkey, fish, seafood, eggs, reduced fat dairy or legumes, and plenty of colourful fruits and vegetables for filling fibre and nutrients to keep you healthy and energised.
Meal ideas
‘Breakfast-style’ meal (when you wake up)
- Wholegrain toast, poached eggs, avocado, tomato, and mushrooms
- Smoothie with reduced fat milk and yoghurt, fruit, oats, and nuts
- Bowl of traditional rolled oats, natural muesli or wheat biscuits, reduced fat milk, and fruit
- Wholegrain wrap, poached egg, spinach leaves, avocado
- Wholegrain toast, salt-reduced baked beans, avocado
‘Main’ meal (before night shift or end of day shift)
- Grilled chicken breast, wholegrain wraps, garden salad
- Grilled fish, tabouli salad with chickpeas
- Grilled red meat, roasted sweet potato, green beans and asparagus
- Stir-fry with noodles or rice, vegetables and skinless chicken, beef or prawns
- Omelette with roast pumpkin, red onion and spinach leaves
‘Light’ meal (during your shift)
- Homemade or canned vegetable soup with legumes e.g. lentils, chickpeas, red kidney beans, wholegrain bread roll.
- Container of dinner leftovers e.g. stir-fry / pasta / curry that has lean protein, pasta, rice or potato and lots of vegetables – smaller portion than dinner.
- Wholegrain bread or crispbreads e.g. Vita Wheat or Ryvita with tuna, salmon, cottage cheese, boiled eggs, lean leg ham or turkey breast with garden salad.
- Rice salad with quick cup brown rice, tuna, can of 3 bean mix and spinach leaves OR Steam Fresh bag of mixed vegetables.
Small healthy snacks (during your shift)
Choose one or two, saving one for towards the end of the shift.
- Fresh fruit and low fat yoghurt
- Mixed raw unsalted nuts and dried fruit
- Wholegrain crackers with low fat cheese and tomato
- Low fat milk coffee and raisin bread with one teaspoon 100% nut butter
- Can of tuna / salmon with wholegrain crackers
Smarter choices on the road
There are going to be times when things don’t go exactly to plan, for this reason it is a good idea to keep some non-perishable food items stored on-board, but out of sight (and mind). Good options include:
- Small packs of nuts and/or dried fruit
- Wholegrain muesli bars
- Individually wrapped crackers e.g. Premiums
- Cans of tuna or salmon
- Individual portions of wholegrain cereals (mini boxes)
- Freeze dried food packs – rehydrate with water
- Packs of instant oats
- Packs of individual spreads e.g. nut butter to put on crackers
If this falls through and you are left choosing from a takeaway outlet here are some of the better options:
Service stations
- Low fat yoghurt
- Chilled fresh fruit salads / whole fruit
- Individual cereal packs
- Cheese and cracker packs
Steer clear of pies, sausage rolls, muffins, cakes and chocolate bars.
Bakeries
- Wholegrain bread rolls, sandwiches or wraps filled with salad and protein
- Soup with wholegrain bread or rolls
- Toast with spread and reduced fat milk coffee
Steer clear of pies, sausage rolls, pastries, cakes, and biscuits.
Roadhouse
Look for menu items that are similar to the healthy dinner options listed above e.g.
- Red meat (trim the fat off) with potato and salad or vegetables
- Roast chicken (remove the skin) with mashed potato and garden salad
- Meat and vegetable stir-fry with a small portion of rice
- Vegetable soups with rolls
- Steak sandwich with salad – hold the chips
- Salads topped with lean protein
- Burgers with salad – hold the cheese, chips and sauces
Steer clear of schnitzels, pies, sausage rolls, chips, wedges, thick-cut pizzas, hot-dogs and sausage meals, desserts, and use sauces sparingly – ask for them to come on the side.
Stay awake and alert
Staying hydrated is important as even mild dehydration can affect alertness. Signs of mild dehydration include sleepiness or tiredness, dry sticky mouth or lips, headache, and bright yellow coloured urine.
Be careful using energy drinks as they contain particularly high levels of caffeine which take a long time to be broken down and cleared from your body. Water is the best drink of choice — a rough guide would be two to three litres per day.
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