Combining food

Hi, aylison. We recommend having a source of protein (such as beans, eggs, or cheese) whenever you have a starchy carbohydrate food (such as bread or potatoes). The overall ratio in this plan is about 3 grams of carbohydrates for each 1 gram of protein.

Hi, Kathy. Kind bars are fine. The following list may be helpful f or your trip:
•Fresh and dried fruit
•Cut raw vegetables (free: Arugula, Broccoli, Broccoli rabe/raab, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Celery, Cucumber, Radishes, Spinach, Sprouts, Watercress, Zucchini
•Oven-baked vegetable chips
•Nuts and seeds
•Trail mix combinations of nuts, seeds, and dried fruit
•Sandwiches – good breads with nut butters, hummus and similar spreads, tahini, canned or smoked fish, cheese, homemade “cold cuts” from fresh meats, egg salad, etc.
•Whole grain or Paleo crackers plus any of the above
•Hard-boiled eggs
•Sliced or string cheese
•Cottage cheese
•Yogurt
•Milk (dairy or vegetal), plain or flavored with cocoa powder and a recommended sweetener
•Hearty soup in a thermos (2-3 food groups, i.e. meat or legume, vegetable, whole grain)
•Hearty smoothie/shake in a thermos (2-3 food groups, i.e. fruit/vegetable, dairy/vegan, seeds)
•Edamame or other legume/pulse snacks
•Whole grain or Paleo cereal or granola (cold in small sealable bag, cooked in thermos)
•Canned beans
•Prepared healthy foods in containers – from leftovers or prepared the night or weekend before.
•Whole-food muffins or bars
•Popped grains, i.e. organic popcorn, sorghum, quinoa

Hi again. Thanks so much for the list of things to take for travel. Have a question about combining foods. If I had a kind bar for a snack, I would add the baked veggies to it? And if so, do I go by the serving on the chips? Same way with the trail mix? I appreciate your help!

Hi, KCowey. It is indeed a great idea to add baked vegetables to the Kind bar – that would essentially be a “square” meal. The way to determine how a food fits into your pattern is by looking at the Nutrition Facts label and doing a little math.
First, you can see what exchanges are allotted to you for each meal and day by clicking on “Exchange mode” in the toolbar above any of your menus. Second, note that the exchanges have the following general values:
1 carb exchange = 15 grams of carbohydrates + up to 3 grams of protein
1 protein exchange = 7 grams of protein + up to 5 grams of fat
1 fat exchange = 5 grams of fat
1 fruit exchange = 15 grams of carbohydrates
1 vegetable exchange = 5 grams of carbohydrates + up to 2 grams of protein
1 sweet exchange = up to 15 grams of carbohydrates + up to 5 grams of fat
1 free exchange = up to 5 grams of carbohydrates or up to 2 grams of protein or fat
So using a healthy trail mix product (witihout candy) as an exampmle, each ounce (about 3 tablespoons) would yield 2/3 carb + 1/2 protein + 1 fat; a Kind bar would yield about 1 carb + 1 protein + 1 fat; an ounce of baked or dehydrated vegetable chips would yield about 1 protein + 1 fat + 1 veg. Taken together, this would add up to approximately what you are allotted for lunch (the match with your menu doesn’t have to be perfect, especially when you end up having fewer carbs).