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Brand spanking new to Whole30 and couldn't be more excited to start this new adventure! However, I have a wee snag and could use all the advice I can get my eyes on!

 

I work out of town and reside in a camp when I'm on shift. Before I fly up, I pack as many Paleo/Whole30 approved snacks and a couple of frozen homemade meals. However, while I'm in camp, my meals are prepared daily, I'm not allowed to leave the camp during my shift (so no grocery shopping), nor can I take leftovers for lunch the next day. The bright side is the camp does provide fresh raw veggies and fruit. My main concern is the protein. Because I have zero control of my meals, the quality of the ingredients, or their preparation, I fear I will not be successful on this adventure.

 

Is anyone else in a similar position and have been successful on the program? 

 

Does anyone have suggestions on what I can do regarding my protein intake?

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Could you take pouches or cans of tuna or salmon? Epic bars (not all flavors are Whole30 compliant, but most are) or jerky might work too.

 

You might talk to the people in charge of cooking and find out what they can do to help you out -- if they prepare everything onsite, they may be able to set aside protein servings for you and not put them in marinades that would likely contain sweeteners, or they may be able to tell you what's in pre-made items so at least you know for sure what you're eating. If they're used to dealing with food allergies at all, your requests may not be a huge deal to them.

 

Also remember that sometimes, it just isn't the right time for a Whole30, and that's okay. That doesn't mean give it up completely, but just accept that you may not be able to really do one right now. You can do your best to eat Whole30, but understand that if you aren't sure what is in your foods, you won't be able to do the elimination/reintroduction aspect of Whole30. You could still benefit from making your meals meet the meal template and doing your best to have foods with no additives or sweeteners, but if your goal is to narrow down food sensitivities, that part is going to be nearly impossible if you can't find out for sure what's in the foods and make sure you don't consume anything off plan.

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Could you take pouches or cans of tuna or salmon? Epic bars (not all flavors are Whole30 compliant, but most are) or jerky might work too.

 

You might talk to the people in charge of cooking and find out what they can do to help you out -- if they prepare everything onsite, they may be able to set aside protein servings for you and not put them in marinades that would likely contain sweeteners, or they may be able to tell you what's in pre-made items so at least you know for sure what you're eating. If they're used to dealing with food allergies at all, your requests may not be a huge deal to them.

 

Also remember that sometimes, it just isn't the right time for a Whole30, and that's okay. That doesn't mean give it up completely, but just accept that you may not be able to really do one right now. You can do your best to eat Whole30, but understand that if you aren't sure what is in your foods, you won't be able to do the elimination/reintroduction aspect of Whole30. You could still benefit from making your meals meet the meal template and doing your best to have foods with no additives or sweeteners, but if your goal is to narrow down food sensitivities, that part is going to be nearly impossible if you can't find out for sure what's in the foods and make sure you don't consume anything off plan.

 

Thank you for the tips and advice!

 

I spoke with the camp manager about it with some positive solutions. I guess I'll end up being more Atkins than Whole30 while in camp since I can't control where the ingredients come from. You do make a great point that sometimes the timing isn't right for the program. It's a shame as I was really looking forward to it. 

 

In the meantime, I'll definitely bring up some canned fish, jerky, and try out the Epic bars as you suggested. 

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Another thought might be to pre-cook a whole bunch of protein (chicken, burgers, etc), put them in individual containers, and ask for space in the camp freezer to store them?  Then you can just nuke a container (I'm assuming the kitchen has a microwave and would let you use it for 1 minute) at dinner on any nights where the protein option is questionable.  I have friends who have done something similar at work, and when they just explain "I have some food sensitivities, and I figured keeping my Tupperwares in the fridge would be easier on you than making me a special meal", the work kitchen has happily accommodated the space.  :) 

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