One of the ten Master Strategies in my book, Eat Right When Time is Tight, is to Energize in 3-5 by eating something (ideally with protein and fiber) every three to five hours to ward off hunger and keep you going.   But the reality is that isn’t always possible.   Whether it’s a delayed flight, late night meeting, or getting the kids off  to school and the errands done, life, life often intervenes and makes it difficult to stick to a regular meal schedule. All is not lost: even if you can’t eat perfectly (hey, who can?), it’s not an all-or-nothing game. Here are some ways to make the best of a bad situation and counterbalance a missed meal.

Breakfast Blunder: So you slept through your alarm and if you aren’t out the door in five minutes you’re going to miss the morning meeting – which you’re leading! You will thank yourself later for throwing in your bag a superfast, portable breakfast for later. Better yet, keep what I call an ER (Eat Right) Survival Stash at work for hectic mornings just like this. Healthy breakfast options for your ER Survival Stash include wholesome energy bars (e.g., KIND, SoyJoy or Larabar), instant oatmeal packets with a few chopped nuts for protein, or some whole-grain crackers with The Laughing Cow cheese wedges.

Lackluster Lunch: If your day is such that lunch may have to wait until dinner, add some protein to your morning meal for sustained energy. An omelet full of sautéed veggies and a Mini Babybel is a fantastic high-protein option. For something cool, pump up your smoothie with half-a-cup of Greek yogurt to add more than 10 grams of protein. Also, carry with you a 200-calorie snack pack of nuts or trail mix to hold you over until dinner time.

Disaster Dinner: Late work hours or evening events can push dinner late into the night. Eating too close to bedtime can cause problems for many people, like heartburn or difficulty falling asleep. If you’re famished, start with what I call an AppeSizer. Just like a speed bump slows down your car, an AppeSizer slows down your appetite. It resizes your appetite. It’s generally low in calories and high in water and takes time to eat. A vegetable-based soup or an apple makes excellent AppeSizers. Then go with something light like some lean protein and veggies – avoid anything too spicy since it could interrupt your sleep. Top it off with a soothing herbal tea to add some calm to your long day.

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