Question
I am 35 years old and work in industrial construction. I work away from home living in a hotel for 10 days, then home for 4 days and the cycle repeats itself. I rarely seem to have or make time for breakfast and just eat something on the go.
I have breaks at work at 9:30am, 12:00pm and 3:00pm, work until 5:00pm and have supper in the restaurant at 7pm. I would like to know what are some good healthy foods for me to pack to work to eat during my breaks, and at lunch, keeping in mind that the day is long and the work is labour intensive?
Answer
Basically you need to have lots of carbohydrates, protein and fat in the correct ratios so that you can sustain your strength in the construction work (physical labour) you are doing. You will need a higher percentage of complex carbohydrates because you are doing hard manual work, so try to ensure you get enough foods high in complex carbohydrate (which are low GI) – vegetables, fruits, grains, cereals, rice, legumes, soy, nuts and seeds.
Some snack ideas:
Breakfast
- Tub of yoghurt + 2 pieces of fruit + handful of nuts sprinkled on the yoghurt
- Boiled eggs + wholegrain bread + fruit
- Sardines + avocado spread on wholegrain bread
- Leftovers from dinner (heated up)
Lunch
- Can tuna/salmon on wholemeal bread, salad in a pack with balsamic dressing (and oil)
- Roasted chicken (purchased and kept in the fridge) and vegetable sandwich + piece of fruit + tub of yoghurt (the chicken can last for 2-3 days)
- Marinated tofu with vegetables + pasta (or rice)
Snacks
- Boiled eggs + fruit ( add wholemeal crackers x3-4 if really hungry)
- Cheese + fruit salad or juice
- Nuts (handful) + 2 pieces of fruit (or handful dried fruit)
- Hommous (or other seed/nut dip) + 2-3 wholegrain crackers + raw vegetables (cucumber or capsicum)
All of the above meal ideas for snacks, breakfast and lunch can either be pre-purchased or made the night before very quickly.
Please note that the information provided is for educational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose or treat medical conditions. Consult with your medical physician regarding appropriateness of using supplements in your healing process.
