6 healthy and portable foods For people on the go (a.k.a most of us)
Hands up if you’re a super busy eater on the go — eating is an activity that you squeeze in amidst rushing off to classes, meetings, and who knows what else.
However, our busy schedules don’t have to mean resorting to fast food take-outs or packing a bag of chips every day. Here are some healthier options that can either be made ahead, packed up, or pre-ordered…but eaten on your own schedule, of course.
1. Granola
Granola is a great go-to snack; not only are they good on their own, they can be incorporated as toppings on yogurt, ice-cream, and my absolute favourite, overnight oats. Having a stash of this in your office drawer on in your bag is great during those mid-day moments when you’re having the munchies.
Stock up on these homemade, small-batch granola for the weeks ahead online at Eats My Life ($9 for $150g, $15 for 300g). Local shipping will take 3-4 working days, but if you can’t wait that long, you can also shop at the healthy artisanal foods company’s physical store at 216 Joo Chiat Rd #01-07, Singapore 427483.
Sunday Sourdough Bakery, a hidden gem of a bakery (East Village 430 Upper Changi Road #01-77), also stocks their own granola bags where a 220g bag is priced at $12 each.
2. Dry Cereal
If all-day breakfast dishes (I’m looking at you, Eggs Ben) are acceptable at any time of the day, why can’t cereal be too? It’s full of healthy carbs, protein, and fibre. It’s also easy to pack in a container, toss in your bag, and eat on the go.
Boxed cereal is perhaps the most convenient choice if you’re not fussy, although adventurous types with a flair for extraordinary flavours would want to check out the snack bags at Opencrumbcafe (342 Ubi Avenue 1 #01-931, Singapore 400342). Flavours include Spicy Cajun, Maple Cranberry and Rosemary Garlic, and a 100g bag is priced at $4.50 each.
3. Canned Tuna
Before you reach for that can opener, make sure it’s light canned tuna in water, which provides good omega-3 fatty acids as opposed to tuna packed in oil.
Unfortunately, the Earth’s waters are not getting any better, so mercury is still a contaminant of concern. Best to eat this in moderation.
4. Fruit and Dip
Many fruits don’t need refrigeration and taste delicious with a dip like nut butter. Simply choose a suitable fruit (my go-tos are apples and bananas), put a few scoops of nut butter in a small container, and hit the road.
For ease of convenience, pre-cut your fruit so as to avoid any mess later on.
5. Apple “Burger”
Apples are great on their own, but they’re even better when layered with dried fruit, nuts, and superfoods like chia seeds. Slather on some nut butter for added flavour and to bind all the loose ingredients together.
Don’t underestimate this mini meal; it’s packed to the brim with fibre and protein that will keep even the hungriest of appetites at bay.
6. Bento Meals
These meals in a box are busting the myth that healthy foods cannot be delicious. Great for the health-conscious people on the go, the compartments in the bento box help with portion control and naturally lead to a healthy variety of foods.
Lean Bento has now reopened in Holland Drive (great move, as there’s hardly any healthy food options in the vicinity), and is prepping for delivery service very soon. High-protein bento boxes of chicken variants start from $11.90 each.
Otherwise, Lokalfeed and Kakis lets you choose a nutritionist-approved meal a day in advance. The online only healthy food provider serves wholesome mains like Chicken Rice with Bak Choy ($10.80) and Kung Pao Chicken Udon ($11.80), or craft your own power-packed meal from $11.80 onwards.
The Halal Eater (formerly known as The Halal Food Hunter) is a food adventurer who’s always looking forward to his next meal. Since late 2015, he’s been exploring the world of halal food, visiting the old and the new with fork, spoon and camera, and sometimes even with his bare hands. When not in hunting mode, he’s an experienced writer and marketer who loves food.
