Instant meals direct from my glovebox

   This week’s blog showcases something in my daily life that anyone who rides in my car usually finds amusing, creative, practical, or slightly odd. I’m referring to my glovebox, which is normally fully stocked with food! 

    Being a full time traveling drum teacher & musician puts me on the road quite a bit. My car, a 2011 Kia Soul, already has 49,000 miles. That’s roughly 15,000 more than I did in 2010 and three times as many as the average American! So unless I wanted a diet solely of fast food, which can be found pretty much everywhere I travel, I had to devise a healthy and cost effective food plan.       

     I started packing well balanced lunches, sandwiches, fruit, vegetables (carrot sticks, celery, etc) and low fat chips / pretzels. That worked well for awhile but then my days started getting longer. Earlier lesson starts and pre-show lessons extended most days to being away from home 12+ hours at a time. Then one day I left a box of granola bars in my car by accident after a store visit. That box saved me on one of my long days. Ate two bars mid afternoon and felt great! Then, along with my girlfriend Natalie who’s studying to be a nutritionist, we came up with some essentials I need for my travels. Stuff you would find in pantry that could last for days in a controlled climate. Items where the wrappers could be opened at red lights. Snacks that could be eaten relatively quickly during breaks, or sides that mesh well with packed lunches.

     Here’s a current list of what I keep stocked: 

Granola bars 

Breakfast bars 

Pretzels (low sodium) 

Potato chips (low fat) 

Mixed nuts 

Dried fruit 

      I chose the glovebox for storage kind of as a joke at first, especially since I never put food in a breadbox at home, nor do I actually wear gloves often. But after trying it for awhile in my old car I loved it. Totally eliminated clutter and still have space for the essentials; insurance card, owner’s card, manual, business cards, and phone charger. No room for actual gloves though! Even when I went shopping for a new car I checked the size of the glovebox.The Kia’s are indeed spacious!!       In addition, I usually keep a bag of apples or some bananas behind my seat as well as a case of bottled water during the cold months. Sometimes they freeze but I find ways to make it all thaw.     

    Overall, I’ve become a much healthier eater and I consistently feel energized every day with this plan. This has been excellent for late night shows since I regularly avoid eating full meals after 8 PM. Eating a energy bar or small snack before a long gig helps keep me focused and full of energy.     

    If anyone has any more food ideas I should add, please comment. Or if I see you driving around and you’re hungry, stop and ask me for a snack. I’ll hook you up!