10 On-the-go Tips and Tricks
Here's my top 10 go-to foods for to-go situations:
1. Avacadoes. You will need access to a knife to open it, but otherwise this is a simple portable food that is high in good fats. Add some sea salt, yummm! Even better - add to sardines!
2a. Sardines: Do you like tuna? If the answer is yes, you will probably like sardines. A bit smelly, yes, but they taste surprisingly similar. But why are they better? They have less mercury. Large fish like tuna eat many smaller fish. The higher the fish is on the food chain, the more mercury it potentially has. Plus, if you can get them with the bones-in, they don't add much flavor but add so many micronutrients!
2b. Oysters and Mussels. If you can get past the smell, these are pretty good (and be mindful of those around you). Heck, all 3 of my little kids like them.
3. Grass-fed butter. To be honest, my family sometimes eats it plain as a snack. But I realize that's probably a bit much for many people. So try in in coffee. With Brain Octane. And this combination is known as Bulletproof Coffee. Or try the Pure Indian Foods pre-blended option.
4. Cheese. Any type will do, but the most nutritious are made from milk from pastured cows, sheep, or goats. You can even microwave cheddar cheese until it bubbles a bit, let it sit on the counter, and enjoy some cracker-like cheese crisps.
5. Hard-boiled Eggs. They are so portable and packed with nutrition, especially when the chicken, duck, or goose is pasture-raised. The more orange the yolk, the healthier the bird was because it had a more varied diet which likely included bugs and worms, and thus the healthier the egg is because it is higher in carotenoids, Vitamin A, and Omega 3s. The best way I've found to hardboil: Cover the eggs in cold water in a pot and put it on the stove with the lid on. Set the timer for 12 minutes. Allow it to come to a boil and then turn off the stove. When the timer goes off, take the eggs out and transfer to an ice bath. This isn't difficult, but there's an even easier option: the Krups Egg Cooker.
6. Landjaegers. These are a sausage typically made from a combination of beef and pork. We buy our langjagers from a local farm with pasture-raised animals and they make a great travel food. But you could substitue jerky or beef sticks so long as it doesn't contain much sugar. Duke's makes a delicious low-sugar beef stick as well. Other brands include Tanka and Epic. Also try bison alternatives.
7. Bars. Even though the grocery store aisle is packed with nutrition and sports bars, it is so hard to find one that isn't loaded with sugar and/or artificial ingredients. I'm sure there are others out ther but I've only found 2 brands that meet my requirements and actually taste good: Adapt Bars (from adaptyourlife.com), and Bulletproof Collagen Bars (from Bulletproof.com). Note that Adapt Bars are very low carb friendly and Adapt also carries other convenient and yummy options too.
8. Nuts.Macadamia nuts, cashews, almonds, pecans, and pili nuts are all good options. If you aren't familiar with pili nuts do yourself a favor and splurge on some - they are the ultimate low carb indulgence as they are very high in fat and oh so buttery (but also expensive and difficult to find). The best options are fresh, raw nuts since they won't have been roasted in oxidizing oils. High-end grocery stores are your best bet for purchasing options, and the best ones are sold refridgerated.
9. Olives. Stick them in a small glass storage container and you're ready to go! There are so many varieties available and many grocery stores have olive bars where you can mix and match.
10. Seaweed. Many stores now carry convenient packages of seaweed. Get organic if you can. They are a great snack to satisfy a salt craving, but not very filling. Try wrapping one around a bit of canned mussels or sardines to make it more hearty.
BONUS: Okay, I can't leave out my personal favorite: DARK chocolate. 80% or higher is best.
