This Healthy Trail Mix recipe is crunchy, sweet, salty, and easy to throw together in under 5 minutes! With nuts, dried fruit, and dark chocolate, it makes an excellent road trip snack and is more affordable and delicious than bought trail mixes.
This healthy trail mix is an affordable replacement for snack bars and is also gluten free, dairy free, and vegan. Here, 'healthy' means a balanced mix of nuts, seeds, fruit, and optional chocolate. Not a low-calorie snack, but one that is satisfying, customizable, and easy to portion.
Sometimes I like to add a little more chocolate or cranberries, but starting with this combination as the base works great every time. I bring this with me to work, keep a bag in my purse, have a stash in my car, and eat it at home.
My sister-in-law is also a fan of making this DIY trail mix with my nephews - it's a perfect fun and foolproof recipe to make with kids of all ages.
For more snack recipes with wholesome ingredients, check out my Coconut Date Nut Balls, Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls (date-sweetened), Paleo Chia Seed Pudding, Crispy Roasted Chickpeas, and Gluten and Dairy Free Charcuterie Board.
How to make it
Have your own homemade trail mix on hand in only 5 minutes!
Ingredient Notes + Variations
I love that his recipe uses only 5 easy-to-find ingredients:
Nuts and Seeds
Choose lightly salted or unsalted nuts for this trail mix. I use a mix of peanuts and almonds to keep this recipe accessible and affordable! Feel free to use mixed nuts, pistachios, cashews, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts or even seeds like shelled sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.
Dried Fruit
I like a combination of raisins and sweetened dried cranberries. Try chopped dried mango slices, dried cherries, dried coconut flakes, banana chips, or any other dried fruit you like! I recommend chopping them into smaller pieces if using a larger dried fruit like apricots or plums.
Chocolate
Chopped dark chocolate chunks, semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, or M&Ms can be used in this recipe. If you plan on taking this trail mix to hot temperatures, consider M&Ms so the chocolate doesn't melt in your bag.
Optional Additions
Popcorn, chex, pretzels, and other cereals like cheerios (cheerios are not gluten-free, but you can choose an equivalent GF cereal) add a wholesome carbohydrate component if you like. Once the recipe is done, add these ingredients incrementally and stir gently to avoid crushing them to powder.
Full ingredients list and quantities can be found in the recipe card below.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Learn how to make healthy trail mix that it is truly ready in 5 minutes, with no cooking required! Here's how to make it:
- Assemble: Add all ingredients to a large bowl or bag.
- Mix: Mix thoroughly and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
Find our answers to frequently asked healthy trail mix questions below:
Store in and airtight container in a cool, dry place. This trail mix recipe will last for about 1 month at room temperature or at 3-6 months in the refrigerator.
Trail mix is made of nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and sometimes dried coconut, chocolate chips, or granola pieces.
More packable snack recipes to consider...
If you love this recipe, check out these other travel-friendly snacks:
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the comment field below. Thank you!
📖 Recipe
Healthy Trail Mix Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups peanuts (420 grams)
- 1 cup almonds (150 grams)
- ½ cup dried sweetened cranberries (60 grams)
- 1 ½ cups raisins (200 grams)
- 1 cup chocolate chips (180 grams)
Instructions
- Assemble: Add all ingredients to a bowl or bag.
- Mix: Mix thoroughly and enjoy!
Chrystal says
Thank you! This is the perfect balance of ingredients. I make it all the time for my afternoon snack at work.
Nunchee8 says
Perfect proportions, and I had everything I needed at home! Always make little bags with what I have around, but I like the idea of making a larger batch that will last a few days. Thank you!!
Celiac Sojourness says
I'm so glad you liked it! We have to keep it out of sight or we'd eat the whole thing.