CUTTING COST NOT FLAVOR

Cooking on your truck doesn’t just help you eat healthier. It can also save money.

BY SONIA GUZMAN

Being on the road andeatinghealthfully don’t always go hand-in-hand, but luckily for Primedrivers, they have Dietician Rachel Dreher on the team to help them navigate the path to healthier eating while on the road.

For example, stopping at the nearby truck stop restaurant might seem like the easiest solution before or after a long day of driving, but with the right appliances and grocery list, cooking in your truck can be just as simple. It’s often also just as quick, healthier and much cheaper.

Restaurant meals are packed with sodium and empty calories (calories that can’t be used for energy and are then stored as fat). Regularly consuming large amounts of sodium and empty calories can lead to health complications such as diabetes and high blood pressure, and the health risks aren’t something to take lightly. The trucking population is twice as likely as the rest of the population to suffer from diabetes, according to Rachel.

Improvedhealthisn’t the only benefitof cooking on the road. Preparing your own meals is also more cost-effective. Blending a smoothie for breakfast rather than ordering a restaurant meal can save almost $10, with the smoothie costing only $3.16 a serving and a restaurant meal costing between $12 and $13. These sig- nificant savings will add up over time, and your doctor and wallet will thank you.

Looking to make the change? Rachel says the first step is having a positive attitude. “It takes commitment and a positive mindset,” she says. “Once you can find what motivates you, whether it’s saving money, getting healthier, or both, the rest comes pretty easily.”

While it might seem like there are barriers to maintaining a healthy lifestyle on the road, such as space or lack of equipment, Rachel explains that it’s okay to start small. “Making space for a microwave and a fridge is a great place to start,” she says. Avoid your typical microwave dinner