Eating on the road

[colonelporridge]

Hi Justin,

I have playing gigs much more regularly over the past year and it got me thinking about nutrition while on the road.
I often find myself in situations where I have to go for fast food because theres no other options, or I get caught out with a late sound check and don't get to eat at all. As someone who has toured extensively, do you have any advice on the subject.

Ps. I do realise how goofy this sounds : )

[Zerstorte Zelle]

You should check out. www.eatwellguide.org . My band and I are as fussy as they come when the topic is eats. Here you can source tons of local, organic, farm to table restaurants and be happy and healthy out there in the wild. Most places are fairly inexpensive and you will feel and play better if you treat your insides right.

I did something like 280 dates or more last year and it wouldn't have been half as enjoyable. If that doesn't seem to help there are Whole Foods almost everywhere now and they have lots of prepared food etc. ( usually a bunch of regional variations too ).

hope this was a help.

ZZ

[Sarbecue Boss]

I used to pretty much eat garbage oin the road, until I started buying groceries I could eat with no cooling or cooking. Veggies, bread, and cans of tuna all up in me.

[John Wentzien]

Chinese lunch buffet is your freind!

[svenbass]

Staying healthy on the road is paramount for me .... Aside from the obvious pit stop at a grocery for fresh stuff, Subway is the best in the fast food dept. They have always been cool with me assembling meal to my liking and charging me accordingly. Their veggies are fresh and they have a pretty wide variety considering it's a fast food joint.

Beware there are a lot of attractive smoothie joints that make some of the most unhealthy 'health drinks' available to man.

[Rockmusician]

I have the added issue of having diabetes. It makes it difficult to eat properly when on the road. I usually order double amounts of vegetables and take it easy on starches such as potato and pasta. If I eat a sub, my sugar spikes because the bread sub shops use is made from processed white flour. Anything that is high in the wrong type of carbohydrates can cause blood sugar levels to increase. I usually bring something to snack on in between meals and hope for the best when we stop for food.

[JimmyM]

if you stop at a fast food joint, get a grilled chicken sandwich with no mayo or a salad. also, order off the healthier menu...like taco bell has a fresco menu now that's fairly good for you. and when you have time, suck up the cost and get yourself a decent sitdown meal with green veggies.

[Ric5]

Originally Posted by colonelporridge

Hi Justin,

I have playing gigs much more regularly over the past year and it got me thinking about nutrition while on the road.
I often find myself in situations where I have to go for fast food because theres no other options, or I get caught out with a late sound check and don't get to eat at all. As someone who has toured extensively, do you have any advice on the subject.

Ps. I do realise how goofy this sounds : )

Actually this is an important topic ... many musicians die young and have health problems because they don't eat right. (Also Subtance abuse is a problem as well.) To be healthy you need to eat raw fruits and vegetables every day. You need about 90 some nutrients daily, these include vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. You aren't going to get much of your needed nutrition from fast food. Also you need to get a good nights sleep and drink plenty of good water.

[jmjbassplayer]

Some quick tips from my time out on the road:

- Fruit with a low glycemic index: apples, cantaloupe, bananas, kiwis, peaches, plums, cherries, apricots, etc. Eating fruit that's local and in-season is best.
- nuts, such as raw almonds, cashews, filberts, walnuts
- here's a meal: celery w/ almond butter
- here's another meal: canned good-quality sardines w/ a few rice cakes. done!
- Jay Robb protein powder. very handy.
- Dr. Schultze Superfood products
- Pho: search out the local vietnamese restaurant and get yourself a bowl of pho. It'll sort you out, for cheap.
- Tons of water w/ Alacer Electro-Mix and/or Emergen-C lite. Hydration and immune boost.
- Easy on the booze.

I'll think of more later.

Best,
J

[akaTRENT]

Peanut Butter, Bread and Juice Boxes Always work for me on the road!

[JohnDavisNYC]

Big up the Pho!!!

[Justin Tuskey]

I didn't know anyone else ate Pho, let alone knew what it was. amazing bowl of goodness I can taste it right now thinking about it

[bombpop14]

Vodka, Double cheese bacon burgers and plenty of Peruvian marching powder...in moderation of course.

[lunarpollen]

It really depends a lot on what your body is accustomed to. If I were to suddenly switch to what some people have suggested in the above comments, I would probably suffer some serious issues...

I like to use websites like Yelp.com to gauge people's opinions of local restaurants. I usually need to eat freshly made things made from high-quality ingredients, whether it's a light and relatively healthy meal or something heavy, greasy, and fattening. If a restaurant is using grade-C cuts of meat, cooking with old overused oil, and using a ton of salt to compensate for lack of cooking skill, I will probably get pretty sick from eating the food. Finding and eating at good restaurants in unfamiliar towns is something I love to do.

[Jazz Ad]

I survived on a one week trip with a couple friends, solely on apples, witloof and celery (had a box of each) dipped into a giant bucket of salsa.
Not sure if it was healthy but it was convenient and delicious.

[countrybass007]

Spent a couple of years on the road and my main menu consisted of beef jerky, Fifth Avenue candy bars, and Tequila. Not exactly a healthy menu, but that really wasn't a concern fifty years ago. My diet is much better now, lots of veggies and salads, and it's easier to eat healthy on the road now. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

[Ajrocks]

I've had the same problems, although for work, not touring, I gained a lot of weight fast from fast food, the solution? There is a grocery store usually local, and at least the big chains- almost all of them now have salad bars where you can get some healthy food for the same amount of money as fast food. Granted in smaller rural usa they might not niot be open very late or have a salad bar but will have fruit and veggies - Big mac -4 dollars - bag of of oranges or apples about the same price!

[Schlyder]

Food... you guys had food? hahahahahaha

[akaTRENT]

Lots of aguilar dudes on here haha

[JimmyM]

wow, nothing about burritos this time? i'm disappointed!