DIY Trail Mix Bar

I’m personally not a huge fan of Mondays. While I do appreciate a chance to start fresh each week, after a crazy weekend, I usually haven’t re-gathered myself into a functional human until Tuesday. However, I meet with an awesome group of ladies every Monday and it’s the highlight of my day (and such an awesome way to kick of my week). Without them, I would be doomed on Mondays. Unlike most weeks where we meet up for an outdoor sweat sesh, we broke away from our usual routine and had a social hangout this week and it was a blast just hanging out and chatting!

I’ve been really inspired by the various “bars” I’ve been seeing on Pinterest lately, from s’mores bars to ice cream bars to mimosa bars – they all look so fun! As members of a health and fitness organization on our college campus (shout out to my fellow CHAARG babes), I wanted to find a way to tie the “bar” theme into our passion for all things health and fitness. And so, the trail mix bar came to mind!

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This trail mix bar is so fun to create and the girls seemed to really enjoy it! It’s 100% customizable, so it’s perfect for those of you with a sweet tooth, who love things a little extra fruity or even those who are lovers of all things savory, and even those with dietary needs!

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First things first, choose your nuts and seeds. The possibilities are endless here. You can go with almonds, cashews, peanuts, walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds and so much more! I ended up picking an assortment of raw nuts and pumpkin seeds. You could opt for flavored and roasted as well.

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Next, chose your dried fruits or veggies! Again, you have so many options. Although it’s more common to find dried fruit, there are still tons of options for dried veggies. For fruits, you could do banana chips, apple chips, raisins, cranberries, blueberries, cherries, etc. For veggies, some options are crunch-dried or freeze-fried edamame, corn, peas, green beans, or roasted chick peas. You’d be surprised what you could find! I opted for raisins, dried cranberries and banana chips.

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Next add your carbs / grains! You can go with pretzels, granola, popcorn, chex, cereal, cheez-its, goldfish, sesame sticks, etc. I chose to keep it simple and on the relatively healthy side by choosing granola and pretzels.

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Now it’s time for the fun stuff! For sweeter mixes, you could pick chocolate chunks or chips, marshmallows, candies, or coconut flakes. For savory, you could do jerky, cheese or other salty snacks. Obviously it was inevitable that I was going to choose chocolate for a group of girls. What girl doesn’t like chocolate?? You can also mess around with spices here too! Get creative – you have no limits : )

Whether you choose to do this with a group of friends or set up your own assembly line to make your own batch of trail mix, this option is way more fun than pre-packaged mixes. You’re in control of your ingredients so it can have as much of your favorite ingredients as you want, and can be tailored to your flavor palette and even your dietary needs!

Get creative with it! What are some of your favorite trail mix ingredients?

Naturally,

Ari.

 

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27 comments

    1. I think kids would have a blast doing this! They always love being a part of things. Let me know how it goes for you and what things you pick : )

  1. I love this idea. Bars where you make your own s’mores, ice cream sundaes, etc. are so popular right now, so this is right on trend with that. But, it’s a much healthier version! My mom has been making her own trail mix lately, and each time I visit, I leave with a container full. It has become my favorite snack. I especially like that you get to customize the trail mix to suit your taste.

    1. I’ve noticed that these kinds of bars / buffets were very popular right now too! I love that you’re mom makes her own! Thanks for stopping by <3

  2. What a simple and easy DIY trail mix! I wish I had this before I went to Yosemite – I ended up buying pre-made trail mix. Needless to say, some of the things I wasn’t a fan of got left behind 😉

  3. Thanks for sharing this terrific idea! I plan on mixing up a batch of this deliciously healthy trail mix, to take along on Fall hikes. Plus, I’m thinking that I may just look for some pretty containers and then make several batches for holiday gifts!

  4. I have never thought to make my own trail mix up before. I have made a variety of granola bars so this would be another great snack to add in my home.

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