How do I get enough calories? Truck Driver

[Larry1974]

Hello, i'm starting on the starch diet. I drive trucks monday thru friday, and need something convenient. I was considering starting with 3-4 cans of kidney beans or pinto beans per day while over the road. 3 cans would be around 1000 calories, 4 cans would be around 1400 calories. I weigh 300lbs, 5ft 10in. I am lost on what to do, but I am ready to commit. I need something simple to start, and can get more extravagant as i regain my energy later on. Thank you.

[amandamechele]

Hi Larry,

Welcome! Have you read any of the links describing the diet?
You can find them here:
Before you begin
Free Program Introduction
Dr. McDougall's color Picture Book (You could also purchase a copy of The Starch Solution, or get it from the library, for much more detail, but this is a quick reference to flip through)
Here is a list of prepackaged food, that may be easy to prepare on the road.

I also think you'd love reading this story about Bobby Andersen: The Plant fuelled Trucker to get some ideas.

You are considering eating a lot of beans each day and may want to consider lowering that amount a bit and including some other starchy vegetables like potatoes or rice. (Dr. McDougall reccomends trying to keep legume consumption to about 1 cup a day or so). I purchase baked potatoes on the road all the time at Wendy's Restaurant (if you're in North America). I know you want to keep it simple and sandwiches with hummus and veggies could also be a quick fix. Fruits and some precut veggies for easy snacking. That sort of thing.

Best wishes,
Amy

[VeggieSue]

Before he had an accident and gave up long haul trucking, Plant Fueled Trucker had a very active blog (now deleted, it seems) and Facebook site:

https://www.facebook.com/plantfueledtrucker/

He has many recipes there, tells how to cook them up in the truck while driving, and even what appliances he has in the truck, like an Instant Pot pressure cooker, to help make them all.

Not everything is 100% McDougall (He uses some vegan cheese in a recipe or 2) or conducive to weight loss (makes some sauces with cashews - but you can substitute cannelini beans to lower the fat), but otherwise not bad.

[Vegankit]

I'm not a truck driver, but when I travel, whether by car of plane I face a similar problem - taking food that will supply me both nutrition and calories because I can't always rely on finding it along the way.

There are several starchy vegetables that are easy to cook ahead and carry with you. Potatoes, both sweet and regular can be cooked ahead and eaten cold. My favorite was corn -microwave in the husk to cook, stick them in a bag to carry then peel and eat when hungry (I'm allergic to corn so I no longer can eat it ). I find that I can eat and enjoy both potatoes and corn on their own with nothing added. If you have a microwave in your truck, or access to one at a truck stop you could cook them fresh. Potatoes store at room temperature and ideal for this. Corn can be stored at room temp too but deteriorates over time so I would plan to cook and eat it early in the day.

Rice and quinoa are sold in precooked bowls ready to microwave, here's an example https://www.amazon.com/Steamed-Brown-Or ... B000FIXT2I They are shelf stable so you could store them in the truck for weeks and have as a back up. Serve with left over veggies from dinner the night before.

I wouldn't eat that much beans - too much protein as Dr. McDougall explains. But 1 can of beans every few days could add variety to your meals and are great additions to a basic salad.

If you have a minifridge in your truck you have options of bringing food from home.