Unless you work from home and have time to shop, cook and every meal, snack and Nutribullet smoothie from scratch, eating on the run is inevitable.
And whilst your intention when you walk into one of those ubiquitous coffee bars or cafes might be to eat well, their menus are designed to draw us in. So while you might mean to order a banana and a cup of green tea, somehow you come away with a sugar-laden coffee drink and chocolate brownie.
As a seasoned nutritionist, I used to make long lists of foods that my clients should eat when away from home but ‘an oatcake with cottage cheese or almond butter’ isn’t always as appealing as what else is on offer.
Happily it’s a lot easier to maintain a good diet when out and about in 2016 than it was in 2006, as nearly all high street cafes and retailers have moved beyond the sandwich or salad, adding ‘wholefoods’ to their menus. But it's not always easy to decode their healthy offerings - which is where nutritional therapist Jackie Lynch comes in.
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Her new book, The Right Bite: Smart Food Choices For Eating On The Go is full of her trademark practical, no-nonsense advice. There are chapters covering breakfast on the go, working lunches, coffee shops, takeaway, bars, pubs and even at the movies. So what does she advise?
You can still eat pizza - with a few small adjustments
Lynch points out that the average large slice of pepperoni pizza contains 219 calories, 27g carbs, 5g of saturated fat and 10g protein. So how to not miss out? Lynch suggests ordering a thin crust vegetarian pizza to reduce calorie, carb and fat intake. She also advises ordering a side of jalapeno peppers to add flavour and also perhaps for their fat-burning capsaicin content.
Reach for biscotti in the coffee shop
Want something sweet to go with your afternoon coffee? Your best bet is almond biscotti. At around 150 calories per unit it’s less than half the calories of other biscuits and lower in sugar too whilst the ground almonds add a nice boost of fibre.
Steer clear of so-called ‘skinny’ muffins
Lynch explains that they commonly contain more sugar than ‘classic’ versions to compensate for the loss of flavour that comes with stripping out the fat. If a muffin is what you want, then choose fibre-rich bran or oat versions where possible although you may want to bear in mind that a muffin is no more than a piece of cake with a different name.
But if only real cake will do, bear in mind that an average slice contains about eight teaspoons of sugar, so "keep it small and share it," says Lynch.
Make sure salad includes protein
Lunchtime eating can be the biggest challenge, so make sure your salad or soup isn’t just full of vegetables but includes a generous protein portion, such as chicken, lentils, salmon or houmous. This will help activate the satiety response, so you feel fuller for longer and avoid the mid-afternoon low in energy that makes you more likely to have a ‘sod it, why not’ moment.
Swap white bread for brown
Watch out for refined carbohydrate as it is quickly digested leading to shorter term energy than complex carbs. Swap noodle pots for brown rice pots, opt for a brown bread sandwich and try a quinoa instead of pasta salad.
Don't be fooled by sushi
If sushi is your preference choose a selection that comes with salad and edamame to help compensate for the starchy white rice.
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