10 Best DIY Trail Mix Recipes

All you have to do to make nourishing any a delicious DIY trail mix is pick some goodies from three categories: protein, texture and sweets. From there, you can build an epic snack to fuel your next adventure!

Did you ever read the Choose Your Own Adventure books growing up? When I was a kid, I thought it was just the bee's knees to be able to direct the story the way you wanted it to go. And you could read the book over and over again, with a new adventure each time!

Of course, I love going on adventures outside of books too. A day trip to a new beach town, a hike along forested trails, a plane ride to a far off land full of new faces... adventure is out there! Just think - some of the very best adventures in this life are yet to come!

One of the simplest joys of adventuring that I've found is a nice long hike. Meandering through trees, trekking up the side of a mountain, cooling off barefoot in a river. It's relaxing listening to nothing other than the birds chirping, the water trickling by and the strong swish of the trees swaying in the wind.

Ahh everything is bliss and peace. Until your tummy starts grumbling. After all this hard work adventuring and enjoying the views, you might find yourself with a mountainous appetite! Cue the stage for DIY trail mix!

Making your own DIY trail mix is as simple as reading a Choose Your Owner Adventure book. You can literally put whatever you want in yours! Just remember to not put anything in your adventure pack that could (1) stink, (2) melt, or (3) explode.

Pick some goodies from each of the following three categories and you are on your way to an epic (and well-fueled) adventure! Bon Voyage my fellow adventurer!

What to Put in Trail Mix

1. Beach Day

Make some trail mix full of tropical flavors perfect for a day at the beach with macadamia nuts, hemp seeds, banana chips, dried mango, and coconut flakes.

2. Mountain Climb

Walnuts, almonds, raisins, cranberries, granola, and chocolate-covered coffee beans are full of healthy fats, potassium, and a little caffeine to fuel a climb.

3. Into the Forest

Immerse yourself in a forested world with cashews, almonds, dried blueberries, mini pretzels, and puffed rice cereal.

4. Campfire

Gather everyone around the campfire for s'mores-inspired trail mix with pecans, dark chocolate, marshmallows, and popcorn.

4. Peanut Butter and Jelly

A mixture of peanuts, peanut butter chips, dried strawberries, dried cherries and the perfect sweet-and-salty combination, just like a pb & j sandwich!

5. PB & B

Maybe you've tried pb & j before, but have you had pb & b? That's peanut butter and banana, the best flavor combo! Mix peanuts, peanut butter chips, dark chocolate, banana chips, and coconut flakes for this epic treat.

6. Drive-in Movie

Load blankets, pillows, and this delicious trail mix for your next drive-in movie night. Combine M&M's, raisins, peanut butter chips, popcorn, and pretzels for the perfect movie night snack.

7. Pumpkin Patch

"Fall" into Autumn flavors with pumpkin seeds, pecans, dark chocolate chips, cinnamon, and dried cherries.

8. Spicy

Sometimes you want something with some heat to snack on. When your spicy-cravings hit, mix cashews, coconut flakes, wasabi peas, ground cumin, and spicy Cheetos.

9. Salt of the Earth

When you want something a little more grounding and salty to munch on, combine peanuts, sunflower seeds, mini pretzels, puffed rice, and wasabi peas.

10. Kid in a Candy Store

Look, snacking on healthy trail mix is great and all. But sometimes you just want to let loose and satisfy your inner child's sweet tooth. For these occasions, mix gummy bears, sour gummy worms, M&M's, popcorn, and mini pretzels.

More Easy Snack Recipes

• Frozen Yogurt Bark
• Caramel Popcorn without Corn Syrup
• Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls
• Vegan Caramel Apple Dip
• Homemade Apple Chips