MARCH 13, 2024 – You’re deployed, and your routine is anything but ordinary. Amid the rigors of military life, balancing nutrition might seem like a distant priority, especially when meals are made for you. So, how do you maintain nutritional balance when your environment is constantly shifting?
A well-fueled body is critical to meeting the demands of duty. This guide cuts straight to the chase, providing tips on managing your diet in unpredictable conditions. With focus and strategy, sustaining health and energy levels becomes an achievable mission when deployed.
5 Ways to Eat Well When You’re Deployed in the Military
Striking the right nutritional balance while deployed can be challenging. Here are five savvy strategies to eat well and maintain peak performance throughout your military deployment.
1. Learn When to Say No
You don’t always have a choice as to what you can and can’t eat, but when you do, try to say no to food that could affect your performance. Whether you’re compromising your nutrition out of kindness or impulse, it’s very important that you stand up for your own dietary goals.
This skill protects not only your physical health but also fortifies mental clarity and decision-making abilities under pressure (which is vital in the military). Mastering the art of saying no is a tactical advantage in sustaining nutritional discipline during deployment.
2. See if You Can Order Food
Think outside the barracks: some deployments allow you to get your groceries delivered at your doorstep. If operations permit, leveraging online food delivery services can be a game-changer. This option offers variety and the chance to tailor nutritional choices to your needs.
Just be sure to order meal kits to make cooking much easier. It’s worth exploring local or on-base provisions for order-in opportunities that align with both dietary goals and mission requirements, ensuring you have control over what fuels your body during deployment.
3. Modify Your Food (If Possible)
Many people who are deployed have complained about the low quality food, and it isn’t hard to see why. There are moments when you’ll eat the same thing, be fed things fried in oil, or get served processed foods. This can make it very difficult to stick to your eating schedule.
In this situation, you may be able to modify your food. For example, you could take the breading off your fish or ask for canned tuna (as it has a long shelf life). You could also buy a few things that help you modify meals, such as flat bread, salsa, or a flat top (to make pancakes).
4. Pack a Powered Supplement
Sometimes, even the most conscientious meal plans fall short. Enter the strategic ally in dietary supplementation. Whether it’s a multivitamin or a protein powder, choose a supplement that fills the gaps left by your current diet. This can be especially critical when fresh produce is scarce.
A well-selected supplement ensures you’re not just meeting minimum nutritional requirements but truly optimizing your intake for peak performance and recovery. While a multivitamin is the best option for portability, try to focus on nutrients that are often lacking, like vitamin D or E.
5. Switch to a Plant-Based Diet
Studies show that switching to a plant-based diet can decrease all-cause mortality significantly, but that doesn’t mean going vegan isn’t a challenge. And when you’re in the military, you’ll need to plan ahead. Fortunately, it’s easy to find a lot of shelf-stable vegan foods you can eat.
Beans, lentils, whole grains, granola bars, crackers, and jelly are easy to take with you. Many MREs have all the ingredients listed, so you’ll be able to find a product you can eat. Just make sure you restock food when you pull into foreign ports and to take B12 supplements regularly.
In Conclusion…
The battlefield of nutrition is won through small, tactical decisions made every day. As you navigate the complexities of military deployment, remember that your health is a critical asset—guard it as fiercely as you would any mission objective. Start by incorporating these approaches into your routine and witness the fortifying effects on body and spirit.