I have a small rant coming, so bare with me for a few moments. I want to talk about something that I’ve come across in my journey of healthy eating, and it makes me so mad because a lot of these are being marketed as “healthy”.
Trail mixes.
I love them so much. They’re convenient to eat on the go, easy to put together, and they always taste amazing. But not all of them are considered healthy (depending on your standard of healthy). You see the name “trail mix” and thoughts of healthiness just flood your mind. Something that sounds so good can’t be all bad!
I came across a bag of trail mix at Aldi a few months ago and bought it on impulse because I wanted something “healthy” to snack on. I was so silly; you’d think having the word “Indulgent” on the bag would set off the warning bells, but nope. This trail mix was maybe 1/4th nuts, and the rest was filled with chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, and raisins and cranberries. Now the fruit isn’t too bad, and the chocolate/peanut butter chips aren’t bad in small quantities, but when I scooped out my serving of trail mix, I feel like all I got was sugar, and not the best kind. It was delicious, but I had a sugar crash soon after.
It’s so hard to find a trail mix that doesn’t have a ton of added sugar! And the ones I do find are so expensive. I’ve made a few makeshift ones, but I know I can do better. Mine have consisted of:
- Peanuts/almonds
- Raisins
- Sometimes dark chocolate chips
Kind of boring. I searched the Internet (Okay, Pinterest) for some better-looking trail mix recipes and compiled them into a list for you (and me) to try! For a lot of these with dried fruit, try to find bags of them that don’t have any added sugar, because that’s usually where they get you.
- Energy Boosting Trail Mix
- Tropical Trail Mix
- Ultimate Paleo Trail Mix
- Skinny Blueberry Almond Trail Mix
- Fresh Grape Trail Mix
- Protein Lovers Trail Mix
- Healthy Sweet and Salty Trail Mix
Now, I’m still a fat girl at heart and will still sometimes buy the trail mix with M&Ms and eat those first (My daughter takes after me in that regard), but I’m happy to have at least a few healthy options at my disposal. What are your favorite trail mixes? Share your recipes!
Jaime is a Nutrition Coach through the ISSA and professional writer. She has 4 years experience coaching and 9 years experience in writing. She enjoys cooking easy meals, running, and learning more about food.
Jaime specializes in helping women with ADHD learn to meal plan and cook healthier meals without getting overwhelmed.