How to Eat Plant-Based on the Go If You Aren’t an Instagram Model
My food isn’t Instagram-worthy, but it still tastes good.
There are plenty of examples of incredibly talented plant-based cooks on the internet. Instagram has become vegan food porn central. However, when I am sitting in my car eating breakfast, perilously close to being late for work, those images don’t feel all that relevant: a real Instagram vs. reality moment. The majority of us do not have the freedom to prepare every meal in our beautiful kitchens whenever we want, and we need quick, easy, healthy, and easily transportable meals and snacks. Especially if you are just starting out trying to eat more plants or simply clean up your diet, it’s important to be prepared with food whenever you need it. If that hangry person inside you takes control, you are probably going to end up eating something you shouldn’t. But fear not! Some of this stuff is definitely hackable, and prep work and experimentation goes a long way.
Breakfast
The nutrition world changes its mind a lot about whether breakfast is important or not. Either way, the first thing you eat — whether that be at 5 a.m. or at noon — has to be important, so let’s make it good. I have 6:30 a.m. PT formation and 9:00 a.m. work call along with most of my military friends. I typically pack breakfast so I can eat it on the go and maximize my workout time in the morning.
Overnight oats are my go-to easy breakfast. I can make these beauties the night before in an old peanut butter jar, throw it in the fridge, then grab it on my way out in the morning. As a whole grain, oats have plenty of protein and fiber to start the day. They are also infinitely customizable once you have the basic formula down. My favorite combination is oats, almond milk, chia seeds, peanut butter, maple syrup, and a banana, but you can switch things up as much as you want. You can make them runnier or thicker, add extra nut butter or protein powder if you need a little more protein, and mix up the fruit depending on the season. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Do be prepared for people to look at you and ask what the hell you’re eating as you spoon out globs of oatmeal from a jar, but it’s totally worth it.
Smoothies are another great option that conveniently fit in old jars. They are easy and quick, and you can prepare the ingredients ahead of time. Keep your smoothies intentional — know what you want that smoothie to do for you. Is it a meal replacement to replenish calories? Add nut butters, oats, and plenty of plant-based milk. Are you trying to get a concentrated dose of vital micronutrients? Focus on berries, chia seeds, and other antioxidant packed foods. Again, be prepared for questioning stares as you slurp down your creation that may or not be a questionable shade of purple, or brown, or green. Bonus points if you toss some homemade granola in there. It doesn’t have to be pretty; it just needs to work for you.
For coffee, I use almond milk and sugar in my morning brew that I require for my 6 a.m. drive into work. There are plenty of plant-based creamers easily found in grocery stores if you need something a little fancier. Most coffee shops also offer plant-based milk. For example, Starbucks has soy milk and almond milk options, but don’t go to Starbucks because it’s lame and very basic of you (unless it’s a caffeine emergency). Otherwise, go to a local coffee shop.
Lunch/Dinner
I pack my lunch for work 98.6% of the time. It’s generally cheaper and healthier, and its fast if I need to work through lunch. I usually just bring an extra serving of whatever I had for dinner and heat it up at work. Sandwiches and wraps are also wonderful — just load up your favorite bread (I love Dave’s Killer Bread) with hummus or another dressing and veggies. Salads are easy to transport in a jar (sensing a theme with the jars?) or container, just add your dressing at work or in the bottom of your jar so things don’t get soggy. If I don’t bring my lunch there are plenty of quick fast food options, and PETA is a strangely good resource for them. I am a huge fan of Chipotle’s sofritas burrito (sofritas is essentially spiced tofu). It’s delicious and none of your coworkers or friends will complain about going to Chipotle while you have your secret vegan win.
Snacks
Snacks are the lifeblood of my work day. As you eat more and more plant-based, you will find that because the food you are eating is more nutritious but less calorie-dense, you need to eat a higher quantity of food. If you are new to eating plants, don’t be alarmed at the massive amount of food on your plate, and don’t try to restrict yourself. Snacks can help you get the calories you need to get through that painful mid-afternoon meeting (why do they schedule stuff then?) or that workout you put off until the evening because you hit the snooze button 8 million times.
The best snacks are ones already packaged by nature — whole fruits and vegetables. Don’t underestimate a good orange or apple as a killer snack, and try to eat fruits that are in season. And hummus! Oh hummus, thank you for your enduring support of my chaotic lifestyle and my love for crunchy snack foods. Hummus is easy (and much cheaper) to make at home in a blender. Your DIY solution will likely have less salt and less oil than store bought as well. However, if making it at home isn’t realistic, every grocery store carries it, usually near the vegetables. Either way, the stuff is magical. Eat it with veggies like carrots and bell pepper, and with whole grain bread or crackers. My personal favorite are Triscuits (only three ingredients!) and hummus packed as a snack.
Similar to hummus, once I discovered how to make homemade granola, I’ll never look back. The possibilities are endless, it’s a great, filling snack, and homemade is so much cheaper than buying it.
Meal Prep
Meal prep is a surprisingly contentious issue. If it makes sense in your life to spend a few hours on the weekend preparing everything for the next week, go for it. If it doesn’t, don’t sweat it, and just do your best. A little prep does go a long way — I like to at least have some hummus and a salad dressing prepared for the week, and maybe some granola. I also will generally make a large batch of a hearty soup on the weekend for quick dinners or a robust snack later in the week, like this Chili. Soups and chilis are easy to freeze in a jar and quickly thaw for a quick meal later, just be sure to leave some space in the jar so it doesn’t crack when the soup freezes and expands. But for me, prepping everything and portioning it out takes the joy out of cooking for the rest of the week, and it makes me stress on my weekend. Again, find what works for you and don’t be afraid to experiment. Remember there is a learning curve to changing the way you eat, and be kind to yourself. You’re crushing it.
In the Field
Like just about everyone else in the military, I occasionally have to go camp out in the woods for extended periods of time, and I have relatively little control over my food. If this doesn’t apply to you, feel free to skip this section.
I am going to be honest: When I am in the field, I do not eat 100% plant-based. The vegan police are probably en route to arrest me right now, but it is way too difficult for me to do realistically and sustainably, especially over a long period of time such as a training center rotation. (For those of you who don’t know what this is, it’s a month-long trip to Fort Polk or Fort Irwin of which you spend two weeks living in the woods fighting a fictional war.) I make sure that I get the vegetarian MREs (Meal Ready to Eat), which still contain egg and dairy, and I supplement with as many snacks and personal food as I can bring with me.
If you have access to hot water with a jet boil or a generator, instant oatmeal and ramen can make life somewhat bearable. Meat-flavored ramen does contain meat (ewww chicken powder) but there are vegetable instant ramens, my favorite easy-to-find one is Top Ramen Soy Sauce flavor. Top Ramen Chili flavor is also vegetarian. There are also some slightly pricier but higher quality instant noodles that you can find in the Asian section of most grocery stores. In particular, I like Nissin Raoh Umami flavor. I generally find myself eating a lot of empty carbohydrates in the field, so I always bring a jar of peanut butter and some whole grain bread to help with protein and fat intake. Additionally, there are a ton of awesome energy bars and products that are easy to carry with you in the field. I love GoMacro and Complete Cookies. I also find that my fiber intake drops drastically in the field, and I bring LaraBars, which are made from dates and therefore high in fiber, to help me stay regular (sorry everyone, just being real here).
You Can Do It!
The important thing with all of this is to 1. Not freak out and 2. Be prepared. Lack of preparation leads to hunger which leads to temptation to eat foods you are trying to avoid. Don’t be too hard on yourself, but also make sure you set yourself up for success. Now go crush some hummus.
This story was published in January. If you are trying some New Year’s Resolutions with food, check out Veganuary for help with meal plans, etc. Not affiliated at all, just trying to help.
