You want to eat clean, and you know you need to eat 5-6 times per day. But there is no mini-fridge at the hotel your secretary booked for you. Also, along with your purse, carry-on, laptop bag, and cell phone, you don't have another hand to carry a mini-cooler, even one that looks like a cute handbag. Did you collect all the bags you were carrying after you went through airport security? Um, yes; it was a shoe that you have forgotten...
Or...
You're a teacher.
There IS a mini-fridge in the teacher's lounge... on the other side of the building from any room in which you actually teach. And by the way, you teach in four different rooms all day. You already push around a squeaky cart with your laptop, a plastic crate full of handouts, a paper box full of copies of Of Mice and Men, and a ten-foot tall stack of research papers that you lie to yourself about having a chance to grade during your planning period. There is no room on this squeaky cart for your mini cooler holding your yogurt and berries, and even if there was, by the time you got to eat it, your yogurt would be warm and possibly rancid... gross.
Or...
You are on a road trip with your husband and your three children. By the time you've packed the car with everyone's luggage, toys, two car seats, and a Pack-N-Play, you have room for a small cooler... full of juice boxes and Lunchables (because right now, that is all your three-year-old will eat)...
I hear ya! Clean eating is a struggle! Really, it's a process. First, you learn to eat every 2 1/2 to 3 hours (maybe regardless of what it is you are eating). Then, it's figuring out which snacks work for you, and when. And then... refrigeration is an issue. This comes up more than you might think, and if it hasn't come up for you yet, just wait; your time will come.
Here, I have compiled a list of clean snacks that do not require a refrigerator. Please note that not all of these will work in all situations; some require hot or cold water, or a bowl and a spoon. Use what works best for you!
#1: Oatmeal
I am not talking about the instant pre-made oatmeal packets with a bunch of strange chemicals and flavorings. Yuck! You can make your own simply and quickly, and then all you need is some hot water or water and a microwave. Most hotels, even if they don't have a mini-fridge, will have a microwave nearby.
Anyway, here is one of my favorite recipes:
1/2 cup oats (not instant)
3 T raisins
1 T chopped pecans
dash pumpkin pie spice
dab of honey for sweetening
I make these up when I do my meal prep on Sunday. I measure all the ingredients out into baggies (except for the honey; I keep a little mini-container in my bag and add it when I heat the oatmeal), and then I can just toss one into my purse in the morning. The downside is that this does require a bowl (or a coffee mug) and a spoon, and a microwave. But if you have access to these things, this can be a great snack. Sometimes I have even made it a meal, and it keeps me full for hours. I just add enough hot water to cover the oatmeal, stir, and pop it into the microwave for about 2-3 minutes.
#2: Homemade Trail Mix
I made this for the first time last week. Amazing! I think I will always keep a baggie of this in my purse for emergencies. Again, I just made up a bunch of these during my meal prep. It is also easy to eat this on the go: while driving, walking, grading, teaching...
Also, I think many variations can be made on this recipe. You could use different nuts, different types of dried fruit or seeds; you could even add some unsweetened coconut flakes or dark chocolate chips! I think I'm going to try that next time, but this is the recipe I made last week:
(In each baggie)
4 dried apricots
1 T chopped walnuts
2 t. pumpkin seed kernels
1 T raisins
#3: Fruit and nuts:
Any whole piece of fruit travels well and doesn't need refrigeration. Add a scant handful of nuts for some protein. Here are some of my favorite combinations:
Apple and almonds
Orange and cashews
Banana and walnuts (so I hear; I don't like bananas)
Pear and pistachios
Nectarine or peach and cashews
Plum and pecans
The possibilities are endless!
#4: Popcorn, nuts and raisins:
You can make these little baggies up ahead of time, too! The raisins make a sweet surprise with the saltiness of the popcorn.
#5: 1/2 a nut butter sandwich:
If you know you will only be gone for the day, this travels well. Natural nut butter usually needs to be refrigerated, but it will be okay for the day. I like natural peanut butter on a slice of cinnamon raisin Ezekiel bread, or almond butter sandwiched between two rice cakes (but I will admit this can be awkward to eat in front of your students).
#6: Larabars:
These little bars are lifesavers for me. I make sure there is always at least one in my purse; you know, for those times you are trapped at Home Depot for three hours, or a meeting goes late and you are so hungry you can FEEL your blood sugar crashing. I like that these bars have very simple ingredients: fruit and nuts. They taste good, travel well, and take the abuse of living at the bottom of my purse with no ill side effects. They also come in about a thousand flavors. My favorite are the apple pie, cherry, pie, and chocolate chip brownie. No fridge necessary!
#7: Shakeology
I absolutely agree that Shakeology tastes best when it is made in a blender with at least water and ice. However, sometimes, you don't have that luxury. I keep a shaker bottle, bottle of water, and Shakeology packet in my car. If I am down to the choice of either going through a drive through or eating my own arm, I can mix up a shake in about 30 seconds. It satisfies me until I can get to something healthier and I can avoid french fries that have 17 items in the ingredients list.
I hope this helps you with your meal and snack planning. I think the most important thing is to be prepared. If you know you are going to be running around like a crazy person, plan for it!
But in the meantime...
BE FIERCE!
