How To: Eat healthy at a truck stop

That one-third pound cheeseburger you’ve been fantasizing about for lunch? It can pack as many as 650 calories, 50 grams of carbohydrates and 35 grams of fat, including 13 grams of unwanted saturated fat. Or that dream steak supper, including potatoes, soup or salad, and bread? It can add up to almost a day’s worth of calories and fat.

For drivers faced with temptations such as these to break the monotony of hours on the road, finding a healthy truck stop meal can seem like mission impossible. It’s not, but it does require careful choices. One is how the food is cooked. Avoid fried foods and go for dishes baked, boiled, broiled, grilled or steamed. Another is portion size. Not only is a small portion a healthy choice, but it can reduce after-lunch drowsiness and, as an evening meal, improve your sleep. The other choice is what to order.