This homemade healthy Chex mix recipe is low sodium, low sugar, and great for all your munching needs! We start with a mix of Chex cereal, and add some puffed grains and seeds for a fun textural experience. Then we mix in some sweetness, herbs, and spices, along with some optional spiciness, and bake it low and slow to crisp it all up. A simple, healthy snack!
Is Chex mix a healthy snack
In terms of snacks, this one certainly isn't the worst. On the other hand, if you've got high blood pressure, you definitely need to be careful of mindlessly eating it. In just a half cup, traditional Chex mix has 250 mg of sodium. Again - that's not the worst. But if you're not paying attention and munching away, you could easily eat two, three, four, or more servings in a sitting. Now that's a problem.
My healthy Chex mix version has only 60 mg of sodium per serving! Plus, we use a delicious blend of seeds to add fiber and protein to the mix, without the refined carbohydrates in traditional mixes (from things like pretzels and bagel chips).
How long does homemade Chex mix last
If you store it properly, this low sodium Chex mix should last up to a month.
To make sure you get the most mileage out of it, make sure you store it in an airtight container. Room temperature is fine, but if you live in a very hot and/or damp place, you might find your healthy snack mix goes stale faster. Keeping the moisture out is key.
If your homemade Chex mix does end up getting moisture in it, you can try to refresh it by baking it at 250 degrees F for 10 minutes or so. Keep an eye on it and take it out when it's crisp again, but not burned.
Healthy Chex Mix Substitutions
If you're looking for some alternative ingredients, try some of these:
- Use Crispix instead of Chex. Yep, it will still turn out great!
- Try freshly popped popcorn instead of the puffed cereal for a fun change.
- Use any nut or seed combo in place of the listed seeds. Use either small nuts or chop them so they're smaller.
- Do not use dry rosemary in place of fresh. But you can leave it out if you prefer.
- Try a mixture of dried thyme and sage in place of the rosemary. One teaspoon of each should do.
Did you know this is a vegan Chex mix, too? That's right. Just make sure you use the maple syrup instead of the honey option for a sweetener. Plus I think the maple compliments the other flavors better.
If you try this Healthy Chex Mix, tell me in the comments!
And try our other heart healthy snacks, too!
📖 Recipe
Healthy Chex Mix
Ingredients
- 3 cups Chex cereal any mix of varieties, gluten-free if needed
- 1 ½ cup Puffed Rice, Corn, Millet, etc.
- ¼ cup raw Pumpkin Seeds hulled (pepitas)
- ¼ cup raw Sunflower Seeds hulled
- ¼ cup Olive Oil
- 1-2 tablespoon 100% Pure Maple Syrup or Honey
- 2 tablespoon Fresh Rosemary minced
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 teaspoon Thyme
- optional 1 teaspoon Chipotle Powder
- ½ teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Salt if needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250° F.
- In a large bowl, combine Chex cereal, puffed rice, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds, and mix.
- In a smaller bowl, combine oil, maple syrup, and herbs and spices, and mix well.
- Drizzle the oil mixture over the dry ingredients, and stir to mix well.
- Divide the mixture between two parchment lined baking sheets, and spread in a single layer.
- Bake for 60 minutes, tossing every 15 minutes.
- Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
Nutrition
*Nutrition information is an estimate, and will change based on the brand and individual ingredients and amounts you use. This is provided for your convenience only.
Kyla says
What an amazing recipe. Lovely healthy snack! The flavours blend so nicely. Not going to lie, I questioned putting thyme in, but won’t do that again. It is a fab flavour combo just as is!
Laura Yautz says
Thanks Kyla! I'm so glad you liked the Chex Mix! 🙂
Tony says
I tried this today but varied it a bit for my taste. I did a mix, five cups each of wheat and rice chex. I added two cups of cashews, two cups of pecans and a cup of walnuts. I also added a cup each of unsweetened dried apricots and dried figs, diced into small pieces.
I used 3/4 cup of olive oil, six tablespoons of maple syrup, a tablespoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and chili powder. I finished with a sprinkle of oregano after initially combining everything.
I followed the baking instructions, but I used two pyrex glass lasagna pans. I did not use parchment paper, and nothing stuck. Came out really yummy!
Laura Yautz says
Thanks, Tony! I'm glad your version came out delicious! Thanks for sharing.
Mary says
This recipe is wonderful. The flavors are so balanced, I don’t miss all that salt and butter at all.
Laura Yautz says
Thanks so much Mary! I'm glad you like the chex mix! 🙂
Pam Prath says
I'm making DIY gifts for Christmas. One person I'm giving to is a type 2 diabetic.
Would this recipe be acceptable for a diabetic?
Laura Yautz says
Hi Pam, it would depend on the person and what their treatment is. This certainly can be eaten by people with diabetes as part of their diet. How much though, would be individual. Probably your best best would be to give the person the nutritional facts along with the gift so they can make an informed choice. Make sure to note any modifications you make from the original recipe as that may impact the nutrition as well. Note that this recipe makes 12 servings. 🙂 Enjoy!
Barbara says
Are the nutritional values based on a 1/2 cup serving?
Laura Yautz says
Thanks for asking, Barbara. The portion size does work out to about 1/2 cup. 🙂