Six servings

This is a very simple idea. There is a little prep work to do at home, but it can be about as minimal as you want.

Since I am at the track about half of the year, I get to listen to everyone’s reasons why they are not eating right. And believe me, I have heard it all. But the number-one reason is “I don’t have time to cook.” So, I have decided to share a pretty easy recipe. You don’t have to do too much work ahead of time. You can use convenience items or foods that can be prepared ahead. You will be able to take these foods to the track in your cooler and prepare a gourmet meal in minutes, possibly seconds.

Ingredients
2 baguettes, cut into thirds
6 salads (your favorite), 3/4 cup of each (preferably not high-starch salads)

At-Home Procedure
Hollow each section of baguette, leaving about a half inch of bread at the bottom not hollowed so that the salad does not fall out the bottom while you are eating. (If you accidentally remove too much bread, no problem — just stick a piece of bread that you removed back in the hole. Put these in a resealable plastic bag in your cooler.)

Have six different salads in six resealable plastic bags. (Put these in your cooler; keep chilled!)

At-The-Track Procedure
Stuff each hollowed baguette with one of the prepared salads and enjoy.

A Few Tips
I understand if you don’t want to buy prepared salads, but there are a few good ones out there. If you are going to make your own salads, understand that they sometimes take several ingredients. It is not necessary to buy bulk ingredients for every salad. For example, you may need just three pieces of broccoli for a salad. Many people buy a whole head, use the three pieces, then throw away the rest. Many grocery stores have salad bars. Go through the salad bar and pick the ingredients that you need. It will save cost, waste, and time. And, you don’t have to worry about trying to use ingredients that are not fresh later that week.

If one of your salads wilts quickly, store the dressing in a separate container until you are ready to eat. Add the dressing to the salad, reseal the bag, and shake.

Take an extra resealable plastic bag to store dirty utensils. Place this bag back into a cold cooler until you get home. You will eliminate odors and unwanted critters.

If you want a warm sandwich, throw the bread on the grill and toast it a little before adding your salad. You can even melt cheese in the hollowed bread before adding your salad.

Enjoy!