Recipes: Everybody’s Happy Snack Mix
Everybody’s Happy Snack Mix
I came up with this snack mix before a road trip. Since it was a shorter road trip I wanted to make sure I had a snack item ready for when people got hungry along the way. As I was looking through the cupboard I couldn’t figure out what to take for a snack because some things were sweet others were salty, some items the adults preferred more while other items the kids liked better. While standing in front of the cupboard the idea hit me that it would probably be just as easy to make my own snack mix.
It was perfect! I used items that we already had in the cupboard. I only had to take one Ziplock bag for the whole family instead of taking several snacks for each member of the family. Any of the mix that didn’t go with us on the trip I divided up into snack bags to add to the school and work lunches the following week.
The kids LOVED it! The kids wanted to know where I found this snack mix and were surprised to learn it was just a mix of items from our pantry. They thought it was great that they got sweet treats while I was happy they were eating the healthier items in the mix too. It had a perfect blend of sweet and salty with a nice crunch. The variety of shapes, colors, and tastes appealed to everyone in the family. I came up with the name for this new snack while on our trip – Everybody’s Happy Snack Mix!
This is perfect for school or work lunches, road trips, vacation, picnics, summer, outings, pool days, parties, and so much more! Hope you enjoy it as much as we do. If you don’t have all the ingredients on hand (no worries) just substitute it for something else you have in your pantry or remove it from the recipe. It’s a simple and easy mix it together recipe. No cooking required.
Everybody’s Happy Snack Mix Recipe:
- 2 cups Multi-Grain Cheerios Cereal
- 2 cups Quaker Whole Heart Cereal
- 2 cups Honey Wheat Pretzel Twists
- 1 cup Dark Raisins
- 1 cup Craisins
- 1 cup Golden Raisins
- 1 cup M&Ms*
- 1 cup Chocolate Snow Caps*
- 1 cup Cashews
- 1 cup Almonds
Directions are super easy: Put all the ingredients into a bowl and mix. Place in an airtight container or ziplock bag(s). Happy Snacking!
*If you are going to be storing these in a place where it may get hot (summer pool bag, car, etc…) I would recommend replacing the M&Ms and Chocolate Snow Caps with Skittles or similar item(s) that will not melt if left in the heat.
Tips on Making Lunch Box Meals Fun & Healthy!
School Lunch – PB&J, Chocolate Milk, Yogurt, Jello, Strawberries, Banana Pepper and Tomatoes
This year we made the decision to pack school lunches for the girls in effort to make sure they are eating a well balanced meal at lunch and to save a little extra in the budget. Since Jake and I have pretty much as taken lunches to work the girls thought it was a great idea. They now take their lunch bags to school every day but Friday, on Friday they eat the school lunch (usually it is a special meal like pizza or hamburgers or something else). Brina and Karlie have enjoyed being able to bring a lunch and most days they pick out the majority of the items they are going to take.
Here’s what I pack:
- Meat or Protein – PB&J, Soup, Sandwich or something easy to eat)
- Diary – Yogurt or Cheese Stick
- Fruit – Fresh Fruit or Applesauce
- Vegetable – Fresh Vegetable
- Snack – Pretzels, Teddy Grahams, Jello, etc…
- Drink – Water, Chocolate Milk, Milk, Juice, Box / Bag
School Lunch – PB&J, Cheese Stick, Jello, Fresh Strawberries, Juice Bag, Fresh Tomates & Banana Pepper
It is important to me that the girls get a well balanced meal at lunch time. One of the fun parts about packing lunches for your spouse and kids is you get to add in what our family calls a “special surprise”! Typically the girls / Jake do not know that the surprise has been added because they were not there when I was putting the finishing touches on the lunches or I put it in later that evening.
Special Surprises for lunch boxes:
- Something Sweet – about 1 or 2 times a week I will put in a homemade cookie, piece of candy or something sweet.
- Love Note – usually on a sticky note and sometimes written on a bag or sandwich container
- Random Shapes – sandwiches cut into shapes (squares, triangles, hearts, etc…)
- Special Drink – occasionally I will get a special drink (like one that fizzes when they add it to their water, chocolate milk, or something Jake enjoys)
- Mystery Smiles – I try to sneak mystery smiles into their lunches by using food, sometimes a random smile on a bag or other ways of sharing a smile (see picture below)
The key is to let your family know that you are thinking about them. Special surprises do not need to take up a huge amount of extra time. I keep a dry erase marker on the fridge and a sticky pad in the kitchen so they are handy for writing a quick note. If I make cookies I just bag some up when putting them away to stick in their lunches. Or if you find a special drink on sale stick that in the lunch box for them to enjoy. The girls express great joy in discovering and sharing their goodies. It doesn’t take me long to do it but it makes them feel loved and appreciated.
A banana pepper and two small tomatoes in a snack bag make the perfect mystery smile for a kids school lunch.
What items do you put in your spouse or kids lunches (food or special surprises)?
