Packing meals to go - Unashamed to choose health

What an incredible salad!  Spinach, romaine, cauliflower, organic grapes and walnuts.

Packing food for the day in town or for a road trip is the story of my life.  Many times, it is a burdensome task when I have not been diligent to cook large quantities of food on the weekends.  Furthermore, we have made a commitment to refrain from fast food which is a serious contributor to chronic disease in our country (see movie "Super Size Me" - I posted link to movie on YouTube below).

So what should I pack?  Salads are perfect for meals away from home.  There is no reheating required.  Fresh, raw fruits and vegetables provide a full feeling, offer much needed fiber during travels and provide the needed mental clarity when on the road.  Restaurant salads are often sprayed with glutamic acid and preservatives that cause a lot of intestinal distress, so we avoid everything sold as a ready to eat item.  However, we have been known to make a grocery store visit, while away from home, to pick up an organic apple, some nuts or seeds and dried fruits.  

When available, a pint jar of home made soup from the refrigerator makes a hot food offering away from home on cold days.  Cooked cereal such as oatmeal and corn meal with nuts and dried fruits make a great cold snack on the road or heated up when you reach your destination.  Last night, I cooked up a large pot of oatmeal and corn meal mixed with ground flax seed, bananas, raisins, cinnamon and walnuts!  With a dash of salt and some home made maple syrup stirred in, the creation tastes like banana bread on a spoon. 

I have also found it safe to keep some organic refried beans on hand for emergencies.  In a pinch, I can throw the can in my bag for town with a head of romaine, some salsa and olives.  The romaine makes a great scoop to hold the ingredients or they could be put on a bed of lettuce and eaten with a fork.  A whole grain wrap would make it even better!

Don't be embarrassed about your packed lunch.  Remember that what you take from your home to eat is going to provide health to your body and give you resistance to diseases.  The take-out options that everyone else is eating is not good for them!  Hot and cold beverages on the road are really dangerous to consume as well.  They are full of high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, imitation flavorings and addictive additives that will eventually rob you of your health.  Don't be ashamed to make healthier choices.  Maybe you can encourage someone else by example.

Watch this and see how, in just one month, a person can put his or her liver and general health at serious risk of failure by eating processed foods.  I will add a disclaimer, however;  this documentary contains some foul language and sexual references.  I would not recommend this a good viewing for young children.  It is rated PG-13 and you can view a Christian review of this film on the following link.

http://www.movieguide.org/reviews/movie/super-size-me.html