Eating on the Run

We had a lacrosse game tonight. Our team lost. Russell is goalie – he loves it; I fret a lot! As I pace worrying about him on the field, I need to figure out a better plan for when we are going to arrive home late. I can make decent decisions until about 7:00 p.m., but it gets really slippery beyond that.

I thought I made a fail-proof plan since I knew we wouldn’t be home until after 8:00 p.m. I ate a substantial breakfast and lunch, rounded the afternoon out with a healthy snack and packed a chicken sandwich and an apple for the game. However, I didn’t eat the sandwich until about 7:30 p.m. (big mistake), and it wasn’t enough. Also, none of it registered in my brain since I ate it in the car. Can anyone else relate to that?

I’ve never considered myself very civilized, but I find it extremely difficult to make responsible food choices when I’m eating on the run. For something to really fill me up, I need to be seated with silverware and a plate! I can get by with a meal or two on a paper plate, but even that pushes my limits. Did Martha Stewart sneak into my house and brainwash me while I slept?

When I plan a meal from beginning to end and think about the satisfaction factor, things evolve much better. I have two choices – emotionally satisfied or physically stuffed. I managed to screech the eating machine off before I did any damage, but it was challenging once the mindless eating began. Thankfully, it was all healthy stuff, and I lost interest quickly.

Some people just eat because they have to. I simply do not understand that. I think about how food is prepared and how it will taste, and I have never missed a meal of my own accord. My husband is one of those people. Oh sure, he enjoys a good meal, but he really doesn’t give much thought to it one way or another. For lunch every day for two years, he ate honey sandwiches on white bread – nothing else. What the hell?

I’m not one of those people. First of all, I need a whole meal, complete with vegetables and sides. I don’t want just a sandwich or even three. I need to see accoutrements. I want my meal to be appealing and pretty on the plate. I don’t need gourmet fare by any stretch, but I also don’t want it to appear like I scraped it from a can and plopped it on a plate, and hold the honey.

I have another prerequisite while I’m doing this sports mom thing. I want my meals to be healthy and I don’t want to break the bank. Does anyone eat on the run on a regular basis? What works for you? I could really use some suggestions.