Surviving on Diet Coke and M&M’s

A day of early intervention home visits doesn’t always leave time for lunch breaks. Between squeezing in home visits, navigating traffic, and wrangling paperwork, healthy eating can fall by the wayside. (Been there, done that.) There were days I was surviving on impulsive purchases of Diet Coke and Peanut M&M’s.

This is part of an ongoing series The Rules of Early Intervention which you can read from the beginning here.

Fueling Your Early Intervention Adventures: A Guide to Eating On-the-Go

Taking care of your own needs while on the go can easily be pushed aside. In order for us, as Early Intervention providers, to pour into those families we work with, we must take care of ourselves consistently. Let’s explore some creative solutions to keep you powered up for the long day ahead.

Nourish your body with food that is good for you.

Make meeting your basic needs in a reasonable way a priority. You deserve to take time to feed yourself. Adopting that mentally is the first step to self-care. Conquering healthy on-the-go meals is possible with effort and planning.

How much effort and planning are you mentally prepared for?

Low Level of Planning Involved: Fast Food

Healthy options are limited in fast food; but here are my favorites

• Anywhere that serves it: grilled chicken sandwich, no fries, half sweet and half unsweet tea
• Chick-fil-A: Grilled chicken nuggets, fruit, and half sweet and half unsweet tea
• McCallister’: Veggie spud, add chicken
• Taco Bell: protein bowl
• Subway: 6 in Turkey Sub
• Sonic: Kids Hamburger meal with apple slices.
• Wendy’s: Cup of chili, baked potato 

Maybe you prefer snacks instead of a lunch meal.

Low Level of Planning: Dollar General or Gas Station Snacks: 

• String Cheese and Triscuits
• Canned pineapple and beef jerky
• Trail mix 
• Sunflower seeds and CheezeIts

Eating One-handed

Be sure the food is easy to eat with one hand because you’ll either be driving or on the phone.

Hands on the wrappers, not the food.

Also, consider how easy it is to eat without actually touching the food with your hands because you may not have a chance to wash your hands between visits. This eliminates a sandwich unless you wrap it.

High Level of Planning Involved: Packing Your Own Lunch

One solution could be packing your lunch to bring with you. But it’s hard to keep food fresh in the car, especially in the hot summer. 

The USDA has plenty of advice for keeping food safe.

“Whether it’s off to school or work, millions of Americans carry “bag” lunches. Food brought from home can be kept safe if it is first handled and cooked properly. Then, perishable food must be kept cold while commuting via bus, bicycle, on foot, in a car, or on the subway. After arriving at school or work, perishable food must be kept cold until lunchtime.” (U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, 2024)

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service. (2024, April 5). Keeping Bag Lunches Safe. Retrieved April 5, 2024, from https://www.fsis.usda.gov/news-events/news-press-releases/usda-issues-helpful-reminders-your-school-lunch-prep

Also, this article from the blog “Seeking The Feather Things” lists great products for eating on the go.

“For anyone working from their car and traveling all day, you will often find yourself making your car your kitchen. Although our office on wheels does not have the luxury of a stocked workplace kitchen, that doesn’t mean we can’t nourish ourselves on 4 wheels!” (Seeking the Feather Things, 2015)

Seeking the Feather Things. (2015, April 25). Working From Your Car Essentials: Food and Drink Guide. Retrieved April 5, 2024, from https://seekingthefeatherthings.wordpress.com/2015/04/25/working-from-your-car-essentials-food-and-drink-guide/

Pack extra snacks just in case you need to stress eat.

After all, a healthy provider is a happy provider, and a happy provider makes all the difference!

Hydrate in a Cute Cup

Don’t forget the importance of hydration! An insulated water cup with a straw is my best friend. But remember, too much water can lead to too many bathroom breaks (see Rule #1 again!).

Feed yourself, AND do it safely and in style. You deserve it.

Invest in a cute, insulated lunchbox and water cup (because a happy provider is a productive provider!)