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For a quick, satisfying, high energy snack, it’s hard to beat homemade trail mix. The beauty of making it yourself is that you can fill it up with all of your favorite ingredients and leave out the undesirable bits, thereby reducing waste. You also have more control over how much salt, oil, and additives go into your snack.
To make your own trail mix, start with premium nuts, then add coconut or banana chips, pumpkin or sunflower seeds, and dried fruit. Tart, dried cherries are a refreshing change from raisins, but my girls prefer dried, sweetened cranberries. For a special treat, add some chocolate chunks or M&Ms! I swear the cocoa-based additions make my kids hike better.
Our tried and true trail mix blend follows with a variation for kids.
POG’s Ultimate Trail Mix Recipe
- premium unsalted nuts (cashews, almonds, pistachios)
- Oceanspray Craisins or Kirkland dried cherries
- Rockwell’s coconut chips and/or dried banana chips
- pumpkin seeds
- dark chocolate chunks
Add as much or as little of each ingredient as you like, and store in an airtight container.
Big & Little POGs’ Ultimate Trail Mix Recipe
- premium unsalted nuts (cashews, almonds, pistachios)
- Oceanspray Craisins or Sun Maid raisins
- Rockwell’s coconut chips and/or dried banana chips
- pumpkin seeds
- M&Ms, Smarties, or chocolate chips
Add as much or as little of each ingredient as you like, and store in an airtight container.
Unsalted nuts are usually considered the healthier choice, but you may wish to consider salted nuts when you are working hard (i.e. sweating a lot), or spending a lot of time in the heat. Not only does salt replace some of the electrolytes lost in sweat, but it makes you thirsty, so you drink more water. It’s a tasty win-win!
Where to Buy Ingredients
All the ingredients are available at Costco (except the Lindt Madagascar, but Costco has Lindt 70% Cocoa bars).
Where to Buy Ingredients
All the ingredients are available at Costco (except the Lindt Madagascar, but Costco has Lindt 70% Cocoa bars).
Do you have a favorite trail mix recipe? Share it in the comments!