I am a soldier so I often have to eat military food while I am on duty. This is a typical Canadian Forces box lunch. It's one of the many ways that the CF feeds its soldiers. It's based on the typical North American approach to "lunch". You can almost always count on ...
a couple of sandwiches, some sort of salad, a snack, a drink, some milk, a piece of fruit, and some sort of treat.
This particular one has most of those elements including a tuna salad sandwich, a ham sandwich, a potato salad, some pretzels, grape cocktail, 1% milk, and an orange. Luckily for me, there was no treat because it usually consists of some sort of baked good like a brownie or a nanaimo bar. Oh, and there was mustard.
Anyways, I stripped it down and I was only able to eat the ham (with the mustard), the lettuce, and the orange.
Luckily, I knew what to expect so I had some foresight and packed some soup and some other paleo-friendly snacks. If I hadn't, I would've went hungry. The lesson? If you think ahead and you know you're going to be in a situation where there are little or no paleo options, you can always prepare as long as its socially acceptable (I wouldn't advise packing a paleo-lunch if you're having dinner at your mother's--she might not appreciate what you're doing).
Next weekend, we will be spending a night or two in the field. Typically, we subsist on field rations which are heavy in carbs, starches, sugars and a whole host of other garbage. I'm already brainstorming my options.
I'll let you know how it goes.
I'm very proud of you for staying strong, even with the scotch. ;)
ReplyDeleteI mean for not drinking the scotch.
ReplyDeleteYes well done Paul. Although I vaguely remember you ordering vegetarian box lunches in Dundurn before. Others wrote "No Pork" on as many as they could to ensure Nasser Pardusi had a wide selection of eats available. Good times, and all thanks to a box with a sandwich in it.
ReplyDeleteAaron always packs a "Paleo kit", just in case. This includes some beef jerky, almonds and larabars.
ReplyDeletePaul, I have soime Bison Jerky that I got from the Butcher Boy on Park st. It's almost Paleo. My reccommend for food on the go is cooked meat of any kind. It's cold enough outside so it should keep fine in you pack. Squish it down in a ziploc with lemon juice and olive oil(cube it so you can eat easily with fingures and eat quick). If you do 4 oz packs you should have plent of opportunity to scarf them down when ever you need. Stay away from flavored or salty nuts as they just make me hungry. The carbs I would take would be the nuts, carrots, High fat dark choc(shoppers has a clear out price on Cote d'or 70% and it's smokin good. 1/4 bar per serving. Also, the unconventinal snacks you may not have thought about would be coconut chunks and a bottle of olive oil:) bottoms up!
ReplyDeleteSorry, just reading in your blog and came across this post from a while ago!
ReplyDeleteI find it very interesting that you have to adjust your meals while you're out on duty. I often find the same problems when I'm off on road trips with the basketball team, and they are always choosing fast food choices... or well the coach is. I don't have any control over it, so for this whole season I've been battling with it!
Thankfully this is my last week with the team, and I no longer will have to try and find alternatives or ways I can modify what appears to be the healthiest choice at the restaurant.
Making up some beef jerky for the road seemed to be one of the best ways I could have an alternative if paleo ways weren't always available.