Let’s face it – we’re busy people! A flight for work, a busy day of errands, a road trip to a friend’s house, back-to-back meetings, a weekend away with someone special…. We’ve got places to go and things to do. So how do we eat well when we’re on the run?

It easy! Just remember your “QTQs”. Nope, that’s not a stock symbol for a high-tech company. “QTQ” stands for Quality, Timing and Quantity, three easy concepts to keep in mind when eating on-the-go.

Quality: Aim to have the least processed foods available. The closer a food is to its natural state, the higher the quality.

Timing: Timing is crucial when eating on-the-go. Make sure you eat every four hours. If you’re ravenous, you’re far more likely to fall prey to the siren call of the drive-thru.

Quantity: It’s easy to mindlessly chomp on chow when you’re driving or bored at the airport. Take time to breathe and chew while you eat, so you can really feel when your body has had enough. Aim to eat to the point of feeling like you’ve refilled your energy stores, and then stop. You want your food to fill you up when you’re on the run, not slow you down.

So the next time you have a whirlwind day, all you have to remember is “QTQ”. To help you pick the highest Quality travel foods, check out our Food Focus.

Here’s a Top Ten list David Letterman never published. Pack up, kids, we’re going on a road trip QTQ-style!

1. Ezekial sprouted wrap with organic almond butter and sliced dried prunes, dates or figs

2. Veggie Surprise – cut jicama, cukes, celery, snap peas, and bell peppers

3. Fruit – fresh cherries, plums, peaches, apples, pears and oranges

4. Hard boiled eggs

5. Ezekial sprouted wrap with organic turkey slices, sprouts & spicy mustard

6. Plain yogurt with fresh berries

7. Hummus with veggies

8. Greens Plus Bar with Protein

9. Home Touch Trail Mix (see this month’s recipe)

10. Quesadilla with sprouted corn tortilla avocado, organic cheese and salsa

from www.integrativenutrition.com

Ingredients:

2 cups almonds, raw
1 cup pecans
2 cups walnuts, raw
2 cups pumpkin or squash seed, raw
2 cups dried cranberries (unsweetened)
1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)

Directions:

1. In a bowl mix together almonds, pecans, walnuts and seeds. Cover with water and soak overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

3. Rinse and discard soaking water.

4. Add cranberries and add olive oil. Mix until everything is coated well.

5. Spread the mixture out evenly on baking sheet and place in the oven for about 20 minutes or until you can smell the roasting nuts and they start to turn a lot.

6. Cool and store in air-tight glass container.

Notes:

* Try any nuts and dried fruits you like
* The nuts and seeds can be soaked for a few hours to help with their digestibility

Ever find yourself…how can I say this…”thrown off” when you travel? A new schedule can be exciting for you, but not necessarily for your bowels. If they tend to get angry or sluggish, bring a good probiotic with you when you travel to keep ‘em happy and regular. Take it once in the morning twenty minutes before breakfast, and once in the evening, at least two hours after dinner.