Healthy snack choices on the road

Truck drivers are always on the move. That makes eating and finding healthy snacks for truck drivers an ongoing challenge. Usually, truck drivers resort to truck stops or fast food restaurants as their food choice because they are conveniently located, and drivers can be served relatively quickly. However, healthy snacks for truck drivers are just as accessible at these places.

Although many snacks can be handheld, you should keep both hands on the wheel during travel whenever you’re not shifting gears. These 5 healthy snacks for truck drivers can be easily found at truck stops, convenience stores, and can even be prepared at home before you hit the road.

Fresh or Dried Fruit

Fruits are packed with vital nutrients that support the health and maintenance of your body. Potassium, vitamin C, dietary fiber, and folic acid are some of the under-consumed essential nutrients that are found in fruits. Naturally, fruits are significantly low in fat, sodium, and calories.

Although fruits are nutritious, ensure that you eat them in moderation as certain portion amounts can yield higher levels of sugar. This is mainly the case for dried fruit, but some fruits have more sugar than others. Strawberries and apples can help reduce your blood pressure, boost your immune system, and enhance your memory, while blueberries, oranges, and mangoes assist in keeping your heart healthy.

To improve digestion, consume fresh or dried fruit on an empty stomach to maintain your gut health. You can easily prepare these fruits at home or conveniently buy them at a truck stop. However, try to refrain from buying fresh fruit in cups because they may contain sugar syrup.

Nuts

Nuts have a multitude of health benefits when consumed in the proper serving sizes. They are a good source of fat, fiber, and protein, making nuts ideal healthy snacks for truck drivers since they need numerous sources of nutrition to perform their job safely. Incorporating nuts into your daily diet can help prevent many chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Almonds are one of the world’s most popular tree nuts enriched in healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. Aside from reducing risks of chronic diseases, almonds are loaded with antioxidants that help protect you against oxidative stress, which causes damage to your cells and can cause inflammation, aging and cancerous diseases. Like fresh or dried fruit, you can also find these at a truck stop or make a snack bag of the recommended serving size of almonds.

Greek Yogurt

Different from regular yogurt, greek yogurt is one of the most healthy snacks for truck drivers. Greek yogurt producers add an extra step to the yogurt process to remove excess water, lactose, and minerals from regular yogurt. One serving of greek yogurt is packed with nutrients like protein and probiotics. Probiotics are healthy bacteria that can help boost your immune system and stomach health.

When buying greek yogurt, try to buy plain greek yogurt because pre-packaged greek yogurt often contains high amounts of added sugars. Although greek yogurt is a little more acidic than regular yogurt, you can mask the acidity by adding fresh fruits, like oranges, strawberries, blueberries, or peaches.

Protein Bars

Protein bars can be found everywhere you go. They are healthy snacks for truck drivers because they help satisfy your cravings while avoiding high blood sugar spikes and subsequent crashes. They also help reduce overeating between meals.

Protein bars come in indulgent flavors like chocolate, peanut butter, lemon bar, fudge brownie and more. There are various different brands of protein bars, but Luna Bars are a fan favorite because they taste like candy bars without all the added sugars. However, if you decide to try different protein bars, avoid ones with significantly high amounts of sugar, fat, and sodium.

Beef or Turkey Jerky

Beef jerky and turkey jerky are the perfect healthy snacks for truck drivers. They are high in protein and low in fat, making you feel full longer. Jerky is a highly versatile snack option that can fit perfectly into a healthy diet plan. Ensure that you consume the recommended serving size of jerky and that you choose a jerky with low sodium levels.

Whether you choose beef jerky or turkey jerky, it’s based on your personal preference because they have similar health benefits.

A truck driver’s healthy food choices may be limited at times, but we hope sharing these ideas will give you somewhere to start. Healthy snacks can be the difference between a tired driver and a fully aware driver. As a busy truck driver, your health is essential to performing your job safely. Together we can improve your quality of life on and off the road.