Eating on the road...

A couple weekends ago, I made a quick trip from Georgia to Oregon to visit my grandma.  She just moved into an assisted living facility and I had to check it out for myself.  I needed to know she was in a good place.  The trip was short, but great.  I got to spend time with my mom, grandma, uncles, cousins, etc.  While it was great to see everyone, I desperately missed my husband and baby boy.  I hadn’t been away from home since before our little one was born, so it felt strange to travel without my boys. 

I knew that eating healthfully on the road would be difficult.  What I didn’t realize is that I come from a family of food pushers, people who seemed intent on getting me to veer off course.  I doubt they were doing it on purpose, but boy oh boy was I tested.  The good news is I passed the test.  The bad news is I missed out on eating some darn good food.  I decided to chronicle a day of eating on the road.  Below are photos of the food I ate, and the food the above-mentioned food pushers paraded in front of me.  Enjoy!

Breakfast was pretty easy. We were staying at a hotel with a free hot breakfast.  I went with a scoop of scrambled eggs, one hardboiled egg, a few pieces of breakfast sausage, and a banana with peanut butter.  I drank water and decaf coffee.  This breakfast was nothing special, but it filled the void. 

I ate a chiliburger for lunch (no cheese, no bun).  There is a hamburger under all of that chili (first photo).  I should have just ordered a bowl of chili, because it was so delicious.  Yes, I ate French fries.  I also drank an iced tea.  My other lunch companions ate bowls of clam chowder, grilled cheese sandwiches, French fries, and macaroni and cheese.  I tried not to look at their food while I ate mine.  I was green with envy.  If you don’t know, macaroni and cheese is my absolute favorite food in the world, followed second by grilled cheese sandwiches.  No fair!

I didn’t eat a snack, as I was so full from lunch.  My companions, on the other hand, ran gleefully into a candy store.  There they filled bags full of wonderful salt-water taffy, coconut haystacks, and other delectable treats.  The candy store also had ice cream.  I left empty handed with a tear in my eye. 

Dinner was awesome.  I ate a filet mignon, baked potato with butter, and mixed vegetables.  I also drank an iced tea.  I am not sure I have ever eaten such a wonderful steak.  My dinner companion ate the same thing, so I didn’t have to sit through dinner with a jealous scowl on my face.  

The important thing is not that I missed out on great food, but that I stuck to my program.  Yes, I would have loved to eat everything my family members ate.  But, I would have been sorely disappointed in myself.  I've come this far, and for that I am proud.