Trail mix is one of my absolute favorite snacks. It's portable, delicious and can be pretty healthy, too. As a parent, it's tough to find healthy pre-packaged snacks that aren't loaded with preservatives. If you do find them, they will most likely cost you a pretty penny. What I've started doing recently is exploring the bulk section in the organic section at Fred Meyer. Dried fruits, nuts, vegan chocolate chips, toasted coconut- you name it?! Both my girls love these! I keep them in little ziplock snack bags so they are easily accessible. Because my kids aren't meat eaters outside of the occasional salmon, we use a lot of nuts in our home. Not only are nuts a good snack food, but research is supporting eating nuts as being good for your heart health. Current dietary guidelines suggest eating 1 to 2 ounces (a small handful) of nuts each day.
The nice thing about these too? They're able to be adapted quite easily for different taste buds.
Here are some ideas for ingredients
Raisins
Sunflower Seeds
Dried Apples
Dried Cranberries
Peanuts
Almonds
Shredded Coconut
Dark Chocolate Chips
Pistachios
Pistachios
popcorn
Soy Nuts
Dried mangoes, pineapple or apricots
Pumpkin Seeds
Pepitas
Dried Bananas
A good, satisfying trail mix typically consists of sweet and salty flavors. I like to always include nuts (protein), dried fruit and some form of chocolate in my own mixtures. Trail mixes are loved by kids and also make great gifts. Simply tie a cellophane bag with a pretty bow, stick on an attractive label and you've just created a delicious, thoughtful gift! I also frequently see baggies of trail mix for sale at kid's bake sales. They're a great 'no-bake' snack idea and sell well!
