Mix and Match Trail Mix

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A wholesome trail mix is easy to make and offers much room for variation, from basic nuts and dried fruit to an assortment of delicious extras.  Recipe includes our favorite combinations!

I love nuts of all kinds. Their crunch is appealing, and the balance of fats and protein makes them an especially satiating snack. As a bonus, nuts are loaded with vitamins and minerals. 

It’s a perfect anytime snack that truly satisfies and travels well. You don’t need to worry about refrigeration either. Emily and I have been known to keep a baggie of the mix in our purse, cars, and travel bags!

Until a trip to Italy last summer, however, I gravitated towards salted nuts – salt makes them better, I always told myself. And though I still enjoy salted nuts, I’ve come to realize that a blend of raw, unsalted nuts and dried fruit can be truly satisfying. 

On our trip, breakfast was included in all the hotels we stayed in, and the spreads were fresh, colorful, and abundant. There were eggs, smoked fish and meats, assorted baked goods, cheeses, yogurts, and fresh fruits. And there were always bowls of raw nuts and dried fruits. 

Given my affinity for salted nuts and the overall wealth of options at these meals, I’m not quite sure what enticed me to create a little trail mix each morning. 

On the last morning, we had to leave for the airport before our hotel breakfast was served. But as we were heading out, a kind server waved me over and offered a to-go bag, instructing us to help ourselves as he was setting up the meal.

Trail mix is excellent travel food, so I helped myself to the assorted nuts and dried fruits. That mix sure came in handy on our long return trip.

Once home, I began making my own mix and keeping it in a large Mason jar on the kitchen counter, where I would see it. My hope was that, when the munchies struck, I would reach for that jar with more frequency than I reached for my beloved peanut M&Ms! 

And I have.

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That said, M&Ms and other seasonal add-ins offer a delicious, even festive, way to add flavor and seasonal appeal to the trail mix. I shared the recipe – which is more of a simple framework of ratios to create a perfectly personalized mix – with Emily several months ago.

She has been creating fun snack bags for her family ever since and helped build out some delicious combinations that will keep everyone happy through all the season and holidays. (I love them all, but if I had to choose favorites, I’d pick strawberries and cream and the savory mix.)

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Following is the low-down on how to customize your homemade trail mix to suit your wants and needs along with answers to a few related FAQs...

What is unsulfured dried fruit? If fruits are not treated with sulfur dioxide when dried, they lose some of their color during the drying process and won’t stay fresh as long. While treatment with sulfur dioxide may change the nutrient composition of the dried fruit, so does the natural aging of fruit. A small percentage of the population is sensitive to sulfur, so for those who are, it’s imperative to avoid sulfured fruit. This will be listed on the label. An organic label will also mean sulfur-free.

Will trail mix keep things moving? A mix of dried fruits and nuts makes for a very high fiber snack! Emily says that for those without fiber restrictions and looking to increase daily dietary fiber intake, this would be a great choice. A small amount, such as a quarter or third of a cup of trail mix goes a long way. Make sure to drink enough fluids along with the mix to get the desired effect – too much fiber without enough fluids can stop you up.

We’d love to know if you try this recipe. Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @fountainavenuekitchen on Instagram and Facebook. Your feedback is always appreciated.

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Mix and Match Trail Mix

More economical than store-bought and tastier too, a handful of this DIY trail mix paired with a cup of Greek yogurt makes a speedy breakfast – and a handful anytime offers a satiating snack, which rides the line between savory and sweet. Equally ideal for stowing in lunchboxes, purses, and travel bags!

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Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 4 cups

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

 

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• 2 cups raw or salted nuts* (like almonds, pecans, walnuts, cashews, pistachios, peanuts, hazelnuts, etc.) 
• ½ cup raw or salted seeds (like sunflower and pumpkin seeds – or use additional nuts)
• 1 cup dried fruit (chopped into small pieces if large)
• Optional add-ins: ½ cup chopped dark, semi-sweet, or white chocolate, ½ cup coconut flakes, 1 cup pretzels, 1 cup cereal or granola, 1 cup popped popcorn (See notes section for more ideas)

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
2. Transfer the mix to a Mason jar, zip-top bag, or other airtight container.
3. The mix will keep for a month or more at room temperature.

Notes

Themed Trail Mix Inspiration: Start with the nuts and seeds in the ingredient list (unless otherwise specified below) and add the following mix-ins:

Fall – 1 cup dried fruit such as chopped dried apricots, dates, cherries, or cranberries (or a mix), ¼ cup pumpkin seeds, ¼ cup corn nuts (crunchy dried and salted corn kernels), and ½ cup Reese’s Pieces, butterscotch chips, or candy corn (or a mix).

Holiday – 1 cup dried cranberries or cherries (or a mix), ¼ cup coconut flakes, and ½ cup white chocolate chips. For the flavor and green color, pistachios are a nice option for some of the nuts. Other optional add-ins include mini nonpareils and holiday M&Ms.

Spring – ½ cup bunny grahams (any flavor works but the vanilla is a nice color for spring; there are also gluten-free versions!), ½ cup pastel M&M’s, and ¼ cup shredded coconut flakes.

Summer (Strawberries & Cream) – ½ cup freeze-dried (not regular dried) strawberries (we recommend chopping the pieces in half or quarters for more even flavor throughout), and ½ cup white chocolate chips or yogurt covered cranberries (or a mix of both!).

Tropical – 1 cup mix of chopped dried pineapple, dried mango, and banana chips. Other options include subbing ¼ cup Macadamia nuts for some of the nuts in the base mix and adding ¼ cup coconut flakes.

Savory (it’s awesome!) – ½ cup roasted chickpeas, ⅓ cup beef jerky (we tear into small shreds for more even flavor throughout; Archer Grass-Fed Beef Jerky is a brand we like), ¼ cup corn nuts (crunchy dried and salted corn kernels), and ¼ cup wasabi peas (Note: Wasabi peas often contain gluten; omit if necessary. In this case, you may wish to add more corn nuts and/or roasted chickpeas.)

If using raw nuts, you can toast them in the oven for about 10 minutes at 350℉. This optional step (it’s a matter of personal preference and I often skip it) will draw the natural oils to the surface, making the nuts slightly crisper and intensifying their nutty flavor. Just watch carefully after the first 5 because nuts will burn quickly once toasted.

*When using raw nuts, I don’t add salt or spices, because they don’t stick very well, and the flavor is great without. But again, salted nuts (or a mix of salted and raw) are a fine option. 

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