DIY Trail Mix Recipes and Snack Ideas for Hiking

This sweet-and-salty homemade trail mix is ready in under 5 minutes and offers a balanced ratio of nuts, dried fruit, and chocolate. Use almonds, pecans, cashews, and peanuts with coconut flakes, raisins (or cranberries), and M&M’s or chocolate chips. You can easily customize the mix to suit allergies, dietary preferences, or whatever you have on hand.

Trail mix is a convenient, protein- and fiber-rich snack ideal for hiking, lunches, road trips, or simply portioned into snack bags for the week. Store-bought mixes often contain added salt, oil, or preservatives—making your own gives you fresher, more economical results.

Reasons to Love It

• Perfect snack: Combines sweet and salty flavors, with fiber and protein to keep you satisfied.
• Fast and easy: No baking or roasting required—just mix and store.
• Customizable: Swap ingredients to match taste preferences or dietary needs.
• Cost-effective: Buying nuts and mix-ins in bulk and assembling your own trail mix saves money over prepackaged blends.

Main Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups almonds
• 1 ½ cups cashews
• 1 ½ cups pecans
• 1 ½ cups dry roasted peanuts
• 1 cup raisins (or dried fruit of choice)
• 1 cup coconut flakes (or shredded coconut; optional)
• 1 ½ cups M&M’s (or chocolate chips)

Optional Mix-ins

Popular additions for variety and flavor:

• Pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
• Other dried fruits: cranberries, goji berries, blueberries, apple chips
• Dark chocolate or white chocolate chips
• Banana chips, macadamia nuts, or sesame sticks
• Yogurt-covered raisins or peanut butter chips
• Freeze-dried fruit for extra crunch

Storing Trail Mix

• Keep in an airtight container in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
• Dark glass jars help protect against light and preserve flavor.
• For gifting or convenient snacks, portion into pint-sized mason jars or individual snack bags (¼–½ cup servings).
• Store at room temperature for up to 8 weeks; discard if there are any signs of rancidity or spoilage.

Expert Tips

• Choose roasted nuts: Roasted nuts tend to taste fresher and have a more satisfying crunch. Opt for lower-sodium versions if you prefer less salt.
• Customize freely: Make several small batches with different themes—fruit-and-white-chocolate, spicy-savory, or chocolate-forward—for variety.
• Use fresh ingredients: Check expiration dates on nuts and dried fruit; stale ingredients will affect the overall flavor.

Variations

• Cranberry white chocolate: Replace raisins with dried cranberries and use white chocolate chips instead of M&M’s.
• Pumpkin spice: Omit the M&M’s and add pepitas or pumpkin seeds. Toss with a touch of melted butter and pumpkin pie spice (or your own blend) for a seasonal twist.
• Holiday or Halloween: Swap in seasonal candies like Reese’s Pieces or candy corn and include themed mix-ins.

Substitutions

Without peanuts: Replace peanuts with extra almonds, walnuts, or seeds like sunflower or pumpkin seeds.

No raisins: Use dried cranberries, cherries, chopped dried apricots, or extra nuts instead.

Vegan: Substitute M&M’s with dairy-free dark chocolate chips or other vegan chocolate treats.

Trail Mix

This Homemade Trail Mix is quick to assemble and makes a convenient, nutritious snack for on-the-go moments.

Equipment

• Storage jars or an airtight container

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups almonds
• 1 ½ cups cashews
• 1 ½ cups pecans
• 1 ½ cups dry roasted peanuts
• 1 cup raisins or dried fruit of choice
• 1 cup coconut flakes or shredded coconut (optional)
• 1 ½ cups M&M’s or chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Add the almonds, cashews, pecans, peanuts, and raisins (or dried fruit) to a large bowl.
2. Mix the nuts and fruit together with a wooden spoon until evenly combined.
3. Add the M&M’s or chocolate and stir gently so the chocolate stays intact.
4. Transfer the mix to an airtight jar or container and store at room temperature for up to 8 weeks.

Notes

Nuts: Roasted nuts keep best and offer the best flavor; buying in bulk reduces cost. Sweets: Use any chocolate or candy you prefer—mini M&M’s, chocolate chips, or chunks all work well.

Nutrition

Per serving: Calories 380 | Carbohydrates 27 g | Protein 9 g | Fat 28 g | Sugar 13 g | Fiber 5 g