Get Creative With Your Homemade Trail Mix!

August 31^st is National Trail Mix Day. I encourage you to get ingenious today and create your own version of a healthy trail mix! The beauty of this national food day is that you can put basically any combination of healthy treats in your mix and it will taste delicious.

National Trail Mix Day was originally created to honor a healthy snack that was developed to pack a large amount of fuel in a small amount of food. It is noted by some that the trail mix craze started in California by two surfers who blended peanuts and raisins together for an energy packed snack to bring to the beach. Since then, it has been noted as the perfect snack to complement hitting the hiking trail (hence the name).

Trail mix is known to be the ideal snack for long hiking trips because it is light and easy to carry, won’t spoil, and will provide a quick energy boost as well as sustained energy thanks to the perfect blend of carbohydrates and fats that it provides.

When entering your local food stores, gas stations and other convenience stores there are so many varieties of trail mix to purchase. It is important to note that most store-bought trail mixes contain a large amount of added sugar and sodium that is not needed and not healthy. A better alternative is to create your own.

Combine all your favorite ingredients and get creative! The possibilities to creating your own trail mix are virtually endless.

Are you stumped on where to start? Think dried fruit, nuts, grains and chocolate!

Here are some ideas that may help kick start your thoughts. Start by making one of these simple creations and then come up with and create your own perfect blend:

-Dried banana, peanuts, cashews, chocolate and peanut chips.

-Raw almonds, chocolate covered raisins, hazelnuts and dried pineapple

-Popcorn, dried peaches, sunflower seeds and almonds

-Pecans, craisins, pistachios, raisins, pretzels and white chocolate chips

-Granola (low fat), cashews, craisins, sunflower seeds and dark chocolate chips

-Pumpkin seeds, dried apple, pecans, walnuts and cinnamon

-Chex cereal, cheerios, dark chocolate covered blueberries, cashews, raisins

It’s important to be aware of your portion size. Even though the ingredients are nutrient rich, too much of a good thing is still too much. Calories and/or fat can add up quickly if you aren’t cognizant of the amount you are eating. No mindless munching here please!

It is no coincidence that National Trail Mix Day is just in time for the fall season! Get your wheels turning and come up with creative mixes to capture the beautiful fall weather. Pumpkin seeds, dried apple, cinnamon, pecans, and many other flavors and blends really capture the fall feel! So Start with one of the mixes above or create your own. Get your children involved by coming up with a competition of who can come up with the tastiest mix!

Your turn to take action: What will put in your trail mix creation to celebrate this wonderful day?