I’ve been getting a little fired up in my posts the last couple days. Warning, that trend is about to continue … I’ve been getting it from patients and friends: I just don’t have time to eat healthy! I have so many presents to buy and still have to work my job! OH-EM-GEE guys. This is not an excuse, it just means that you have to be better planners for the few weeks that your schedule is tight. If you can learn to do it now, imagine how many busy times it will help you through.

Here’s what most people do when they don’t have time to pack a lunch: eat fast food or don’t eat at all (less likely but the healthier people think this is a better option). NEITHER of these is ok. You MUST eat multiple times a day to give your body the nutrients it needs to function properly, you’re not going to get those nutrients from fast food. End of story.

Now that we have that established, how the heck do you bring enough food to last you an entire busy day??

Well, you can make a smoothie (recipe for an awesome one is on its way), make a healthy sandwich, bring a couple pieces of fruit and….drumroll please…make your own trail mix! YAY!

The trail mix has to be homemade because packaged and pre-made mix usually has quite a bit of sugar in it. Sugar coated dried fruit, nuts roasted and nutrients killed, or just plain chocolate chunks that pretty much cancel the goodness of the other stuff. I’m lucky enough that my grocery has an awesome bulk section (see above) but you can buy packaged raw nuts and seed too. No excuses.

A Few Rules:

• no roasted nuts
• no sweetened dried fruit
• no chocolate unless it’s unsweetened
• NO SUGAR

Trail Mix Possible Nuts:

• almonds, raw
• cashews, raw
• walnuts, raw
• pecans, raw
• pistachio nuts, raw
• brazil nuts, raw
• macadamia nuts, raw
• Any other nuts you like but NO PEANUTS! The processing of those hasn’t been so great lately.
• sunflower seeds

Trail Mix Possible Sweetness:

• raisins, unsweetened
• dried cranberries, unsweetened
• dried apricots, unsweetened
• dried mango, tough to find unsweetened but so tasty when you do
• chocolate morsels, unsweetened (aka. bittersweet chocolate chips)

Instructions:

1. Buy a few bags of whatever ingredients you like and keep them handy.
2. Throw a couple handfuls of each into a resealable plastic bag whenever you need and throw them in your backpack, briefcase, or car. Make enough to last you a few days.
3. That’s it!!

I made this mix while writing this post. It took me a total of 2 minutes and 39 seconds. Just kidding, I didn’t time myself. But it was really quick!

Anyone else have mix-in ideas?