Trail mix is one of the oldest and simplest snacks around, and for good reason. It’s completely customizable, nutritious and filling. While originally created for, you guessed it, hiking, trail mix makes a perfect snack for any time or place. It can be packed for school lunches, enjoyed for a boost of energy before a soccer game or munched on whenever hunger hits.
How to make trail mix
Of course, not all trail mix is healthy. Many store-bought varieties are loaded with sugar and other additives. The good news is, it’s easy to make homemade trail mix. In addition to being healthier, DIY trail mix can be made with any combination of ingredients you’d like.
Choosing trail mix ingredients
When deciding on trail mix ingredients, you want to make sure they have minimal sugar, oils and additives. Raw nuts and dried fruit without added sugar are a great place to start. If raw nuts and seeds don’t sit well with your taste buds or your stomach, you can either roast your own with a little bit of oil and salt, or just look for nuts roasted with few ingredients. Trail mix is made with a lot of ingredients, so we want each ingredient to be as simple as possible.
The basic components of trail mix include:
Nuts and seeds provide protein and healthy fats, while carb-y dried fruit, cereal or pretzels supply energy-promoting nutrients. After combining these basics, you can get creative with additional ingredients (hello, chocolate chips and peanut butter chips!), herbs, spices or whatever else your heart desires.
The other great thing about trail mix is that you can adjust ratios and ingredients as you go, so it’s nearly impossible to mess up.
For inspiration, we’ve rounded up a few fun recipes. To make these combos, just combine all of the ingredients and enjoy!
Homemade trail mix recipes
Sweet & Salty Snack
2 cups kettle popcorn
1 cup chopped dates
1 cup lightly salted peanuts
1 cup lightly salted sunflower seeds
1 cup dark chocolate chips
PB & Just Delicious
2 cups peanut butter filled pretzels
1 cup dried cherries
½ cup raisins
1 cup peanuts
1 cup peanut butter chips
Falling for Chew
2 cups cinnamon cereal
1 cup banana chips
1 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
1 cup pecans
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice