Eating healthy is hard for everybody, but truckers face unique challenges in getting the nutrients they need. Tight schedules and budgets lead a lot of truckers to rely on fast food and truck stop snacks to slow their hunger down. These kinds of foods have long-term consequences, though.

So how can you eat more healthfully when you’re out on the road for days or weeks on end? Here are a few tips to stay healthy out there:

Pick up fruit at the gas station or hotel

Fruits like bananas and apples are widely available at truck stops and can help satisfy sugar cravings for a while. Even these “basic” fruits are far better than a candy bar, both in terms of calories and nutrients. If you want to go crazy, a box of blueberries can replace a bag of M & Ms and provide you with tons of antioxidant benefits.

Go with less sweet snacks

There are plenty of options for snacks in the cab that hit the sweet tooth without hitting the gut too hard. Trail mix is a great option. Many trail mixes come with sweets mixed in, but the higher nut and fruit content helps to fill you up with more nutritious food. So, you get the sweetness, but also the benefits of eating better. It’s a win-win!

Dried fruit is another excellent substitute for candy. Pick whatever dried fruit you like the best (my personal favorite is mango) and keep a bag on hand at all times. It will help you avoid those costly and time-wasting trips to the gas station for snacks.

Eating healthy when eating out

You can prep and meal plan all you want (and you should!). But eventually, you’re going to eat out on the road. So when you do, try to choose a few healthier options with your meals. Cutting back on soda is a classic choice here. If you don’t want to eliminate it entirely, get a small soda and a large glass of water to hydrate you more effectively.

Make sure you get a few vegetables in your meal as well. French fries don’t count! Try to eat more colorful foods like dark greens, ripe tomatoes, and rich root vegetables like beets. These vegetables are packed with nutrition that truckers need to keep going.