My kids love trail mix, but buying it pre-made can get pricey -- especially since they like different flavors (of course). So instead, I've come up with a list of snack items to keep in my pantry that combine in endless ways for make-your-own trail mix recipes.
Not only can the boys use these snacks to dream up personal trail mix blends, but they can do it over and over again, varying it a little each time. Which means no complaining about getting bored with my trail mix purchases, thank you very much.
Check out my rule of thumb for putting together a healthy and awesomely delicious trail mix, my master grocery list for maximum DIY trail mix fun, and our four favorite trail mix recipes below.
Of course, trail mix can be whatever you want it to be, especially if you're just putting it together for family snack time, as opposed to for a long hike when you'd need it to provide maximum nutrition and energy. But still, balance is good.
I try to make my trail mix 50 percent nuts and/or seeds, 30 percent dried or freeze dried fruit (freeze-dried has much less sugar; a combination of the two is nice too), and 20 percent miscellaneous, including sesame sticks, sweet chips of various kinds, cereal, and so on.
Here are my favorite things to keep on hand to make your own DIY trail mixes:
* Dried fruit
* Freeze-dried fruit
* Banans chips
* Nuts and seeds
* Cereal bits, such as O's
* Store-bought (or homemade) granola
* Toasted coconut chips
* Chocolate, white chocolate, or peanut butter chips (mini chips are perfect; buy vegan if that's better for you)
* Mini pretzels
* Popcorn (though keep in mind that it goes stale more quickly than the other trail mix ingredients)
* Sesame sticks
* Dried chickpea snacks
* Dried edamame
* Rice crackers
I have room to store these items separately, each in its own sealed container, in my pantry. Then, the kids can mix-and-match as they wish. We've found, though, that they return to the same four combinations over and over again. To be honest, I do too.
TROPICAL TRAIL MIX
Dried pineapple; freeze-dried mango; a touch of candied ginger; coconut and/or banana chips; macadamia nuts or, if they're too expensive, almonds and/or cashews; white chocolate chips
SWEET AND SALTY TRAIL MIX
Granola; salted pistachios; sesame sticks; dried cherries; chocolate chips
CARNIVAL TRAIL MIX
Peanuts; pecans; popcorn; pretzels; banana chips; peanut butter chips; chocolate chips
JAPANESE TRAIL MIX
Pain or tamari almonds; sesame sticks; dried edamame; rice crackers
What's your favorite DIY trail mix? Let us know by leaving a comment below or posting a picture of your favorite combination on Instagram and tagging @CoolMomEats.Top photo by Naomi McColloch for Make It Easy: 120 Mix-and-Match Recipes to Cook From Scratch -- With Smart Store-Bought Shortcuts When You Need Them by our editor, Stacie Billis, published by DaCapo Lifelong Books and used with permission. Available at our Amazon affiliate.
