That is healthy homemade trail mix is the perfect snack to satisfy all your sweet and salty cravings.
Featuring a delicious mix of honeyed almonds, cashews, pistachios, pepitas, raisins, banana chips, pretzels and chocolate, this delicious trail mix makes snacking so much fun!
The BEST homemade trail mix
Trail mix gets a bad rap, but let’s face it. That’s because most of us buy store-bought trail mixes that either contain 1. uncomfortably hard raisins, 2. an unsatisfactory ratio of ingredients, or 3. ingredients we don’t like and skim over, leaving them collected and sad on the bottom of the ingredients look bag.
But guess what? With homemade trail mix, you don’t have to worry about that! This recipe, dare I say it, is PERFECT as is, but you can always adapt it to have all your favorite snack foods in one healthy trail mix. That’s the beauty of it!
Why you will love it!
You can easily customize this trail mix to your liking.
It’s a healthy snack that you can eat any time of the day.
It’s easy to make a large batch to share!
It’s a fun idea for a gift or something to nibble on while entertaining.
Ingredients for homemade trail mix
- honey almonds: We used Trader Joe’s Sesame Honey Almonds. They are delicious!
- cashew nuts: roasted and salted is a must for the best flavor.
- pistachios: roasted and salted for better taste. Make sure you shell your pistachios for easy eating, or make it even easier and buy a bag of pistachios that are already shelled.
- Raw pepitas: I need to add some tasty seeds to the mix!
- Golden Raisins: We prefer golden raisins, but can also use traditional or green raisins.
- banana chips: Banana chips taste heavenly in this trail mix, but feel free to use your favorite dried fruit. Think mangoes, pineapples or apples!
- salted pretzels: Sticks, twists or pretzel chips all taste fantastic! It adds a nice extra crunch to the mix.
- chocolate pieces: We used semi-sweet chocolate chips to satisfy our sweet tooth.
Benefits of Eating Trail Mix
Trail mix is one of the most nutrient-dense snacks you can eat. But what makes her so good for you? Here are some nutritional facts about trail mix that will make you want to make a big batch of STAT:
nuts
- Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential fats that are good for both the brain and the body.
- Contains antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, flavonoids and selenium that protect the body from free radicals.
seed
- High in fiber, vitamin E and monounsaturated fats that improve heart health and fight disease.
dried fruit
- Nutritious and high in fiber and phenols. Phenols are antioxidants that help prevent cancer, diabetes, and heart and brain disease.
Dark chocolate
- Contains flavanols, which have been shown to lower blood pressure, improve blood flow to the brain and heart, and prevent blood clots and cell damage.
Helpful tools for trail mixes
How to Make Your Own Homemade Trail Mix (2 Steps!)
MIX EVERYTHING TOGETHER
Place all the trail mix ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix together until combined.
TRANSFER TO CONTAINER
Separate the trail mix into mason jars, plastic bags, or an airtight container of your choice. Serve and enjoy!
quick tip!
It is normal for the pretzels to become soft after a few days due to the natural oils in the other ingredients. However, you can easily reclaim these salty treats by reheating them in the oven.
Simply preheat the oven to 350°F and spread your pretzels on a baking sheet. Let them bake for about 10 minutes, then remove them from the oven to cool. Viola! Revitalized Crunchy Pretzels!
Homemade trail mix recipe variations
You can use various sweet and salty ingredients for these trail mixes. Here are some of our favorite ingredients to swap out or add:
nuts
- peanuts
- macadamia nuts
- walnuts
- pecans
dried fruit
- cranberries
- apricots
- Events
- cherries
cracker
- Cheez Its
- Mini Salt Crackers
- goldfish
- Annie’s rabbit crackers
Funny things
sweets
- chocolate chips
- M&M’s
- Mini marshmallows
- gummy bear
frequently asked Questions
Yes! This homemade trail mix can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to six months.
Yes! The dried fruits, nuts and seeds in trail mix are particularly healthy. They provide a great source of energy and protein that help promote immune health, muscle growth and tissue repair.
storage
Store your homemade trail mix in an airtight container in a cool place for up to 2 weeks.
Freeze: If you want your trail mix to last a while, keep it in the freezer and it will last up to 3 months.
Photography: The photos captured in this post are by Ashley McGlaughlin of The Edible Perspective.