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How do you guys handle eating when you are away from home?

I'm thinking of just keeping a cooler with me whenever possible.

Can you give me some examples of what you eat when away from home, maybe in restaurants or what you take with you to eat, etc.

I would sure appreciate some ideas. I am returning to low fat eating after buying into the low carb craze (and thus damaging my health), for many years now. Been reading up a storm and getting back into the swing of things.

Thank you.

It takes a lot of planning.
First I always look to see if there is a whole foods market near where I am going.

Eating out is trouble but I find most Thai restaurants can make some Mcdougall safe dishes without added oil

And yes a cooler is helpful if you are driving

The key is not to get yourself into a situation where you are hungry w/o access to healthy food

Eating out, going to potluck dinners and family parties, and dealing with a workplace "food culture" are the biggest challenges as far as I'm concerned. I pack my own food whenever I can, and when at a social gathering I generally eat only what I've brought; it is too hard to quiz people about exactly what is in the dish they brought, and too risky to have to guess. If I'm caught unprepared and there isn't anything available that is 100% compliant, I just skip the meal. It won't kill you to miss a meal now and again, but eating bad, SAD foods just might. Seriously, people aren't generally nearly as interested in what you are eating or not eating as you might imagine. Anyone rude enough to give you a hard time about it is NOT your friend. Be friendly, be invoived in the conversation around you, and most of the people won't notice what you are eating.

I'm also at the point of being newly comitted to this way of eating, and have accepted that, for me, this has to be a 100% thing. We can argue over whether or not there is really such a thing as a food addiction, but if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck............... well, you know the rest.

The way I react to the bad, SAD foods is like an addict, and the denial I have indulged in in the past ("It's only once in awhile; it's only a little bite; it won't hurt just this once") was keeping me from getting where I want and need to be. I'm doing some hard work to get free of these things, and "just a little bite" is something I can't be doing anymore....nor do I want to.

Oh, thank you so much. You'll never know how helpful these posts are. Yes, my cooler is a definite must.

Gweit, GREAT advice about managing food around people. I really needed to hear that. Thanks.

Dr McDougall has covered this topic.

http://www.drmcdougall.com/med_hot_eatingout.html

When going to friends houses, I usually bring my own food and don't stray. Or I have a few friends who know how I eat and can prepare something.

IndyAnna...YOU ROCK! Thank you; I am printing out those links. They are JUST what I needed.

I'm really going to have to take the time and explore this site tonight. I guess I'm just anxious about wanting to do things right. Thanks.

I am out driving a lot for my second job (hoof trimming). When I go out for the day I take along a cooler with my lunch (usually one of my Fast Food (Jeff Novick) meals that's as good cold as hot), plus plenty of snacks--usually cold nuked Yukon gold taters, fruit, etc. I make sure I have PLENTY of food b/c I work hard and I need it! This way I'm never passing by something dangerous when I'm hungry.

Just Plan Ahead--that works for ALL occasions and situations. I always assume that there will NOT be food for me if I go out to eat, so I either (1) call ahead to see if they will make me a McDougall meal, (2) take something with me to supplement what they will have (a plain baked potato or a salad maybe?), or (3) eat heartily before I go and just order a salad.

Maybe someone can help with my traveling/camping. I'm getting ready to spend the summer in New Mexico, camping with friends in the state campgrounds - 2 weeks at a time. I'll have a tiny refrigerator, but not big enough to store many fresh vegs - and they wouldn't last 2 weeks even if I could put them in the refrig.

I plan to take canned beans, canned vegs, some potatoes for baking. However, weight of my van is a consideration and I can't put too many cans/bags of potatoes in it.

The McDougall soup cups would be a big help, but they have way too much sodium in them! Anyone have ideas?

Lyn

Markets are your friend if you can be near them. They almost always have sections with produce and stock staple items like rice, beans corn, potatoes. Restaurants are a mine field but the previous suggestion of Thai restaurants is a good one. I can usually find an item or two on the menu and asking for modifications is useful. Traditional Mexican restaurants may have whole beans cooking in the back and a bowl of them along with corn tortillas makes a tasty meal. There are probably more options than you realize and a search through old forum posts will give you more ideas.
When camping we bring along a large ice chest which suffices to keep us eating healthy for 2 or three days.
f1jim

I agree, however, I'm camping for 2 weeks at a time without availability of any kind of store. I'm thinking maybe dried stuff - potatoes, beans and fruit as I run out of fresh - not optimum, but doable.

Yes, think legumes and grains for that time period. Dried fruit is also a good choice. Also dried foods like mushrooms are convenient. Heck this would not be easy whether you McDougall or not! But we do have lots of non-perishable choices.
f1jim

Buy the McDougall soup cups and throw the seasoning packets away! Instead bring a jar of Mrs. Dash Onion and Herb seasoning. Done. This is what I do when I camp. Add some hard vegetables and fruit like baby carrots and apples, some quick oats, raisins and tea and you're all set. If you can boil water, you can have a meal in 5 minutes.

Kate

For camping...

I'd rely on dried grains and beans....filling, easy to store, not perishable, good blend of nutrients.

Also, there is a brand called "Just...." (just tomatoes, just corn, just veggies) etc.. You can buy them on Amazon and they are freeze-dried veggies. They rehydrate in a soup, or you can eat them plain. Probably not something you'd like to use in everyday life, but might be useful for your situation. They have nothing added to them, just the veggies.

Dried raisins and oats would also be staples for me in your situation.

Good luck!
lfwfv

This is a wonderful thread. Thank you so much. I guess I have an irrational fear of hunger away from home. I know this stems from years and years and years of going on one diet after another and literally often starving myself in the process on so little food. I made up my mind this year, that I'll never, ever do that again.

ET, your advice about planning ahead, etc. is priceless. I know I can do this, I have to stop stressing over it. And Jim, knowing where the markets are is key too. I have a Whole Foods right in my neighborhood too. And I've decided to keep a can opener in my cooler. Worse comes to worst I can stop in any grocery store, buy a can of beans, drain off the liquid in some nearby foliage and just eat! Where there's a will, there's a way.

Thanks guys.

The other thing to keep in mind is that, believe it or not, it takes WEEKS to starve to death. This a.m. I had a SMALL sweet tater w/ fruit instead of a large one (b/c small was all that was left--I should have 2 but didn't). That was at 5 a.m. so by 7:20 when I got into town (after doing farm chores and driving 40 miles), I was STARVING. I ALMOST stopped to get a bagel w/ hummus (oil in the hummus) but managed to prevent myself. Am I hungry now? Yup--but not as hungry as I was earlier--it passed. Will I make it until lunch? Yup. And a lot longer, too, if absolutely necessary!