One of my favorite snacks back in the day were raisins coated in yogurt that you scoop out of the communal bins in the supermarket. This was partly because at that time I considered bin food to be, essentially, free, and partly because I thought yogurt covered goodies were healthy. I would have been far better off with my own healthy homemade trail mix.
Not-So-Healthy Snacking
It wasn’t long into my master’s program in nutrition that I learned to read a food label and figured out that there really wasn’t any yogurt in my yogurt-covered raisins. But there was plenty of other stuff I really didn’t care to eat, such as partially hydrogenated fat and corn syrup. I stopped snacking on them, and I stopped stealing from the bins; I was in graduate school, after all.
Make your Own Healthy Homemade Trail Mix
It’s ingredients like yogurt covered raisins, along with artificially colored candies and sugar-sweetened dried fruit, and nuts that taste like they are two years old, that got me making my own trail mix instead of buying the pre-mixed kind at the supermarket. Plus, my way is cheaper, and I have a say in what goes into it. I hate picking around all those sunflower seeds.
How to Make Trail Mix
When it comes to making our own healthy homemade trail mix at home, here’s how it to get it done:
Get out a big bowl
Add any or all of the following:
- Nuts
- Seeds, such as sunflower or pepitas
- Unsweetened dried fruit, such as raisins, chopped dried apricots, and chopped dried apples
- Whole-grain pretzels
- Whole-grain breakfast cereal
- Dark chocolate chips if you like (we do!)
Mix it Up Well
Transfer to a Tightly Sealed Jar
- Alternatively, you can pack it up in single-serve bags or little covered containers.
You can turn up the fun factor by turning it in a group activity whereby everyone makes up their own favorite mix. With that kind of goodness around, the likes of yogurt-covered raisins isn’t nearly as tempting as it once was.
If you like Healthy Homemade Trail Mix, you might like:
5 Wholesome Snack Bars for Kids
This post on Healthy Store-Bought Granola Bars
Homemade Granola Bars from Simply Recipes
Healthy Homemade Trail Mix
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup cereal such as Cheerios, Wheat Chex, or Barbara's Puffins
- 2/3 cup whole-grain pretzels (or GF for gluten-free option)
- 2/3 cup favorite nuts (almonds, cashews, peanuts, walnuts, etc)
- 1/3 cup seeds such as pepitas or sunflower
- 2/3 cup dried fruit such as raisins, chopped dried apricots, dried cherries, or dried apples
- 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
-
Put all ingredients together in a large bowl and use your hands or a spoon to combine. Transfer to an airtight container or resealable bag.
Comments
03.31.2011 at4:32 AM #
Pamela
Thanks…the simplicity is great!
03.31.2011 at2:17 PM #
Meg
Hey Katie,
Wanted to chime in about how your delightful and witty blog continues to enrich our lives. Aside from being a joy to read, the advice and recipes are terrific. Have I told you that my kids won’t get out of bed unless the steel cut oats are on stove, lovingly prepared the night before? I’ve also made several of the other recipes with great success. The other night, I made the brown sugar bok choy(with chard), and we just loved how the flavors in the sauce blend. Last week it was the cabbage, sausage and apples – so quick and so tasty. We couldn’t believe it was so good for us. And our love affair with black beans continues – either in the form of the black bean dip or the soup.
One of the greatest things you wrote was to prepare food that I, as chief cook and bottle washer, am excited to make, rather than catering to the kids. In doing so, I am enjoying meal prep again, and my kids universe is expanding in ways that they, with minor exception, find appealing.
Thank you, it is wonderful having you in the kitchen with us!
03.31.2011 at5:05 PM #
Leslie
Such great ideas — and now more do-able for us because E got the all-clear at the allergist — no more nut allergies! Also, I made the bok choy dish last night. I made it just with tofu (no pork) and double the amount of bok choy. These recipes are sooooo helpful — thank you!
03.31.2011 at7:26 PM #
momskitchenhandbook
Thanks for the great feedback. Good news on the allergies. What a relief that must be.
04.01.2011 at2:37 AM #
Mel
Kate – so happy to have stumbled across your latest publishing gem. I am laughing at the yogurt covered raisin rationale…know that one all too well. Miles and Ava will be most pleased when I start sharing some of your nibbles. Miss you! xoxo Mel
02.14.2016 at10:45 AM #
Anne Mullen
For black bean fans, this is a recipe I make often because it’s so easy and tasty. I think it first appeared in the Dallas Morning News, and I think they called it Confetti. This was probably 30 years ago, so I’m not too sure. It’s sort of Cuban.
Cook one pkg of yellow rice – I like Mahatma best.
Heat one can black beans, adding chopped green onions and chopped red bell pepper.
Add lots of cumin to the beans.
When cooked, put rice in a soup bowl, top with the bean mixture.
Have ready to add: sliced avocado, favorite salsa (I like Arriba Roasted Red Pepper Medium), and chopped cilantro.
This is very forgiving, so add or subtract as wanted. It’s a very filling one dish meal.
02.14.2016 at10:45 AM #
Katie Morford
Love this! Sounds like a very simple, delicious rice and beans bowl. I will look for that salsa. Thank you.