Being Nutritious

  • All Posts
  • About
  • Services
  • Media
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Nutrition Needs
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Services
  • Media
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Nutrition Needs
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Services
  • Media
×
Home » All posts » Snacks

Healthy Trail Mix Recipe

Updated: Jul 18, 2022 · Published: Apr 14, 2022 by Laura Yautz · This post may contain affiliate links · 1 Comment

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

DIY Heart Healthy Trail Mix recipe is perfect for a day in the woods or noshing on while you're stuck at your desk. Either way, this is a healthy snack that's a little sweet, salty, crunchy, chewy, and that everyone loves!

Paper bag filled with homemade trail mix

Benefits of Trail Mix

The question, is trail mix good for you, is a bit tricky, and you'll hear different answers. As with most prepared foods, the answer is: it depends. It depends on the ingredients! If your trail mix is full of chocolate candies, sweetened dried fruit, salted nuts, and various indiscriminate "clusters" of crunchy things, it's probably not going to be overly healthy, even if there are some healthy ingredients in it. And store bought trail mixes are often covered with a sugary coating to boot.

So, is trail mix a healthy snack? Yes, it absolutely can be, especially if it's a DIY trail mix. But beware of store bought mixes - read those labels to make sure it's low in added sugars and salt.

My homemade trail mix recipe uses all the awesome heart healthy ingredients you'd expect, so it's the perfect snack to take out on those trails with you. We use a delicious mix of walnuts, almonds, and pecans for a pretty amazing fat profile. The mix is packed full of heart healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, while being very low in saturated fat. It's your choice to use one salted nut or seed ingredient, because when you're working up a sweat, you do need to replace some sodium. Just be sure to keep it to only one salted ingredient!

We also included some healthy dried fruit - cherries and bananas! Look for unsweetened varieties if you can find them. Try our tutorial for how to make dried bananas for the heart healthiest banana chips to add to your DIY trail mix!

Of course we added some sweetness! Find the darkest chocolate you can - it doesn't have to be chocolate chips. While it's true that chocolate can be a heart healthy addition to your diet, it's kind of taken on a life of its own. Milk chocolate is not considered a healthy option because all the sugar, cream, and other ingredients negate the benefits of the cocoa. The darker the chocolate, the more antioxidant benefit it has, because it has less sugar and those other ingredients. Grab the highest % cacao you can find. It's even okay to get a chocolate bar and break it up for this recipe. Note that most dark chocolate products still contain cocoa butter and sugar, so consume in moderation!

How to Make Trail Mix

This is a super easy recipe for trail mix! I like equal proportions of all the ingredients, but you can modify to suit your tastes. And, if there's an ingredient you don't like listed, just leave it out. Trail mix is all go-with-the-flow like that. Then, simply toss all the ingredients together and go.

Here's your formula for how to make trail mix:

2 cups of nuts and/or seeds + 1 cup dried fruit + ½ cup sweet/candy

Easy peasy!

To keep it a heart healthy trail mix, make sure you pick nuts and seeds that are mostly raw or plain roasted with only a little salt, dried fruit without extra sweeteners, and candy that's lower in added sugar if you can find it (that's why dark chocolate works so great here).

Frequently Asked Questions and Substitutions

What is a trail mix serving size?

A serving of trail mix is ¼ cup - about the amount that can fit in the palm of your hand (not a handful!). Convenient way to measure on-the-go!

Is this a gluten free trail mix?

Yes! My healthy heart trail mix contains no gluten as written. When you buy your ingredients, just be sure there aren't hidden gluten-containing ingredients in them if you require gluten free.

Can you freeze trail mix?

You can, but I'd advise against freezing the completed recipe. I'd recommend freezing all the ingredients separately, then when you're ready to make it, thaw everything and combine. Nuts actually freeze great, and it's a good way to extend their shelf life! But if you freeze them with the fruit, they may become soggy when you thaw it.

Should the nuts be raw or roasted?

Either will do! Whichever you like. Typically, though, roasted nuts are also salted, so look at the labels!

If you try this Healthy Trail Mix Recipe, let me know in the comments!

📖 Recipe

Paper bag filled with homemade trail mix

Healthy Trail Mix Recipe

Laura Yautz
DIY Heart Healthy Trail Mix recipe is perfect for a day in the woods or noshing on while you're stuck at your desk. Either way, this is a healthy snack that's a little sweet, salty, crunchy, chewy, and that everyone loves!
No ratings yet
Prevent your screen from going dark
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved Recipe!
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Total Time 5 minutes mins
Course Food Gift, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 14 servings
Calories 171 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup Dried Cherries
  • ½ cup Dried Bananas
  • ½ cup Dark Chocolate Chips

Choose ONE of the following to be lightly salted, and the rest unsalted:

  • ½ cup Walnuts
  • ½ cup Almonds
  • ½ cup Pecans
  • ½ cup Sunflower Seeds or Pepitas Pumpkin seeds

Instructions
 

  • Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight container.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25cupCalories: 171kcal (9%)Carbohydrates: 13.8g (5%)Protein: 3.4g (7%)Fat: 12.4g (19%)Saturated Fat: 1.9g (12%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 5.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 4.6gCholesterol: 0.2mgSodium: 30.8mg (1%)Potassium: 200.2mg (6%)Fiber: 2.7g (11%)Sugar: 7.9g (9%)Vitamin A: 8.8IUVitamin C: 2.7mg (3%)Calcium: 28.8mg (3%)Iron: 1.1mg (6%)

*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.

Keyword healthy trail mix
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Paper bag filled with trail mix. Text overlay: DIY Heart Healthy Trail Mix

More Snacks

  • Single muffin on a dish. A stack of muffins is visible in the background.
    Cinnamon Raisin Muffins
  • Hand reaching into a bowl of Chex mix.
    Healthy Chex Mix
  • A winter fruit salad shaped like a wreath, with a bowl of dip in the middle.
    Christmas Fruit Tray with Cinnamon Yogurt Dip
  • Dehydrated banana chips spilling out of a glass jar.
    How To Make Dried Bananas

Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




  1. Hashir Ahmed says

    February 11, 2025 at 8:53 am

    "This looks amazing! I appreciate you taking the time to share this recipe with us. It’s going straight onto my meal plan!"

    Reply
Laura Yautz in her kitchen

Hi, I'm Laura!

I’m a Registered Dietitian and I love food and cooking, It’s my passion to help you discover how delicious and easy heart healthy eating can be! I’m glad you’re here! Take a look around. You’re going to LOVE Being Nutritious!

About Me
Enroll in the FREE EMAIL COURSE to make your kitchen heart healthy!
Want to say thank you?

Seasonal Spring Recipes

  • Grilled tempeh triangles in a line on a plate, topped with peach relish and drizzled with balsamic glaze.
    Grilled Tempeh with Summery Peach Relish
  • Casserole dish with stuffed peppers in it.
    No Bake Chickpea Stuffed Peppers
  • Overhead image of whole eggless quiche in a pie plate.
    Eggless Quiche with Spring Veggies
  • Three small jars of smoothie, with straws.
    Banana Beet Smoothie
  • Bowl of lentil and mushroom stew, garnished with parsley.
    Instant Pot Irish Stew with Lentils and Mushrooms
  • Whole, unsliced loaf of bread, sprinkled with oats.
    Irish Wheaten Bread
  • Two tall glasses of a smoothie, garnished with a fresh strawberry.
    Pink Smoothie
  • 5 peanut butter cookies with chocolate kisses in them, on a serving plate.
    Healthier Peanut Butter Blossoms

Footer

Sign up for free emails and updates!

Sign me up →
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Contact
  • Services
  • ↑ back to top

As an Amazon Associate I may earn from qualifying purchases. Your purchase helps me keep the lights on, at no additional cost to you! I never recommend products that I don't love. Thanks for your support!

Copyright © 2025 Being Nutritious. All rights reserved

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie settingsAcceptReject
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required