Tomorrow I will be 5 weeks post op. We have to take a road trip from CA to PA. Any ideas of what I should bring to eat while on the road? You know truck stops and gas stations don't even have clean bathrooms so I seriously doubt they will have anything good for me to eat!

Hi, 2bfit. I had this issue right after my surgery--I drove back from San Diego to DC. It was quite the adventure!

There are a couple of chains that seem to have consistently better choices: Love's and Pilot. There's another one--Flying J, I think?--but they weren't really common along the route I took.

Pilot and Love's usually have Protein drinks in stock, including Bolthouse Farms, which is one of the few commercial drinks I can stomach. A lot of times they also have cheese sticks, boiled eggs, and yogurt of some kind.

One of the chains (I don't remember which) usually has a Subway restaurant attached. They have a couple of Soup options. When I was driving they had a broccoli and cheese soup that made Sleevie very, very happy.

Then there's the grocery store option. You could stock up on those tuna salad kits or similar pre-packaged meals--if you don't mind them, that is.

Hope that helps. Good luck, and enjoy your trip!

I would take plenty of protein shake mix, a cooler, a mixing container that you can shake to make a shake, a insulated thermos for hot water so that you can have broth. At that point after surgery I was pretty much on liquids. You can always buy the containers of premade jello. You are correct that the places will not have much for you to eat. You can always get water and ice when needed.

I did a family vacation at about 3 weeks out and another at about 6 weeks out.

I brought:

powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury Protein powder, chicken Flavor

Gold Standard whey Protein, French vanilla

Starbucks Via Italian Roast Decaf

Crystal light flavor packets

Case of bottled Water

Lipton Diet Green Tea with Citrus

Protein Drink shaker

Small cooler with cooler ice pack

Saltine crackers

Constipation remedies

I bought on the road:

cheese sticks

lunch meat

Greek Yogurt

I ate out:

Shrimp

Chicken

Soup

Mostly ate dinners out. I had greek yogurt for Breakfast or the French Vanilla Protein Powder mixed with decaf for breakfast. For lunch, I had lunch meat and cheese with one or two saltines. For dinner, shrimp, chicken or soup out or more lunch meat and cheese. If I didn't get enough protein or had to miss dinner for whatever reason, I had a Chicken protein drink. Water has to be less than 130, so I mix mine with hot tap water.

Have a fun time!

Lynda

I use to get soups at restaurants. If you have a cooler, why not take your protein drinks in the cooler and buy some soups if you eat out. Take some sugar free jello or pudding and some unjury powder in them. Have a safe trip and remember to stretch your legs really often.

Take a cooler and I would opt for hard boiled eggs, cottage cheese, ready to drink shakes, cheese, greek yogurt, meats and some crackers. You are too fresh out for things like protein bars. ALso try Fast food burgers(no bun), KFC grilled chicken and mashed potatoes, Grilled chicken and refreid beans from any mexican place. Wendy's chili or their grilled chicken wrap (ditch the tortilla) There are lots of choices. You should be able to find something almost anywhere. Also McDonalds will sell you scrambled eggs ala carte. That with a half of an english muffin (extra toasted) is a really good breakfast. Fruits and veggies probably still give you some problems so I would stay away from those. Also have some Gas-X (or the store brand equivalent) on hand for in the car when your stomach gets gurgley.

My husband used to drive a big truck and Xenophile is right; Love's, Pilot, and Flying J are great! They are huge national chains that cater to truckers and have stuff for them to be able to live on the road. You can get their food, food from a national fast food chain that they have in their facility or you can buy canned food from their grocery selection. The are open 24/7 most of the time and usually very clean and maintained. If nothing else, if you can find one of these places you should be ok. The really big nice ones are on interstates. 

Hi, 2bfit. I had this issue right after my surgery--I drove back from San Diego to DC. It was quite the adventure!

There are a couple of chains that seem to have consistently better choices: Love's and Pilot. There's another one--Flying J, I think?--but they weren't really common along the route I took.

Pilot and Love's usually have Protein drinks in stock, including Bolthouse Farms, which is one of the few commercial drinks I can stomach. A lot of times they also have cheese sticks, boiled eggs, and yogurt of some kind.

One of the chains (I don't remember which) usually has a Subway restaurant attached. They have a couple of soup options. When I was driving they had a broccoli and cheese soup that made Sleevie very, very happy.

Then there's the grocery store option. You could stock up on those tuna salad kits or similar pre-packaged meals--if you don't mind them, that is.

Hope that helps. Good luck, and enjoy your trip!

Subway - get a healthy sandiwch, toss the bun - or have them make it in a bowl for you

Qdoba - get a naked burrito without rice in a bowl

McDonalds - Mcgrill sandwich - toss the bun

Stop at any grocery store and get something from the deli - precooked chicken packets from tyson and some cheese - lunchables - toss the crackers.

Taco bell - 2 tacos - toss the shells

There are SO many ways to eat healthy on the road

Have you noticed, toss the bun is pretty much universal from everyone that has posted? If you want to have a bun, ask for it extra toasted (crispy) and still chuck most of it. Protein, protein, protein! I rode my motorcycle the Sturgis rally in 2010, 8 weeks after I was sleeved. I was miserable because I was so unprepared.I satyed 2 nights and came home (1300 miles each way). Good luck on your trip, you are going to do great!

Mmmmmmm subway is awsome!! They have a breakfast sandwich that has egg whites ( that are shaped round). It comes with ham and cheese and whatever toppings ( then I'd ditch the bin and use the egg white as a shell- awsome!!!

Their soup is great

I've also gotten the meatball sandwich with no sandwich. I ask them to put the meatballs in a soup container and put cheese on it- they are nice and soft so if you are doing solids, that's a good bet!!

As a general rule I like to keep nuts in the car ( to clarify, not nutty people, pistashios or peanuts ). It's a good go to snack for adults and kids. They have high protein and they are easy to eat in the car. Best wishes

I eat a lot of Turkey Jerky.. it is harder to find than beef jerky but it is fairly soft (for jerky) and very chewy. I can get my chewing urge satisfied and be eating Protein. I just chew each piece very, very well. I am now making my own jerky using ground turkey. It is delicious!

Rhonda

I eat a lot of Turkey jerky.. it is harder to find than beef jerky but it is fairly soft (for jerky) and very chewy. I can get my chewing urge satisfied and be eating Protein. I just chew each piece very, very well. I am now making my own jerky using ground turkey. It is delicious!

Rhonda

if you can find it, check out bison or venison jerky too - usually much less salty and more tender than beef jerky

I also make venison jerky from the ground meat we get. yummy!!!

Rhonda

Thank you, thank you everybody! I do not know what I would do without this forum! I am packing as write this because we are hitting the road tonight. I will definitely follow everyone's advice! Thank you again!

Well, here's an update. I am a little over a week into my 2 week hiatus. Eating while on the road has been at times a bit of a challenge. I never realized how easy it used to be to just pick up some crackers, toast, bagel etc and go! Now I am doing all I can to get my Protein in while on the road. I am doing ok with my fluids but I do feel that I am not eating as well as I should be. Because I am on vacation I have had a nibble of a brownie and a nibble of dark chocolate. Not the whole thing mind you but just a nibble and that makes me feel guilty. I know I am still losing weight I just don't know how much because I am nowhere near a scale at the moment but I feel it.

I am on regular foods now that I am over 6 weeks out and I have found that nothing tastes the way I think it will. You know foods I thought I would want once I could eat again. The basics of the diet still taste the best. According to my nut I can slowly incorporate different foods now as long as they agree with me. But I am afraid! I feel like every choice I make is a bad one. Too many carbs, not enough protein etc. I am doing my best but I am really ready to go home so that I can feel like I am more in control of my meals and menu.

Anyway, that's the long and short of it. I am definitely feeling the restriction and I am not gorging so that is a definite plus. I guess I just need some support from my fellow sleevers!