This sweet and salty plant-based trail mix recipe is the best one I’ve ever tasted! It contains a variety of dried fruit, nuts, and seeds for a healthy, protein-packed snack that you can toss in a jar and take with you wherever you go—school, work, road trips, you name it! Keep reading to see how to make this homemade fruit and nut trail mix the easy way.
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I’m a huge fan of trail mix. That sweet and salty flavor combination gets me every time!
My favorite store-bought trail mix? Bob’s Red Mill Paleo Style Muesli. It’s the perfect blend of sweet, salty, and nutty.
But don’t let the name fool you! The bag says paleo, but the ingredients tell me it’s also a whole food, plant-based blend of nuts, seeds, and dried fruit.
And let me tell you what: the flavor is out of this world! The first time I tried it, I knew I was hooked for life.
But then my grocery store stopped carrying it.
Luckily, I still had the bag, so I was able to see the ingredients and create my very own copycat version at home.
I guess you can thank Bob’s Red Mill for inspiring this recipe!
Note: This post is not sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill. But I do love their products!
This recipe is:
- Whole food, plant-based (depending on which cranberries you use – see recipe notes)
- Vegan
- Gluten-free
- Dairy-free
So let me show you how to make the best ever fruit and nut trail mix that’s both plant-based and delicious!
How to Make Healthy Plant-Based Fruit and Nut Trail Mix
This healthy plant-based fruit and nut trail mix is super easy to make. It doesn’t require any baking in the oven, so you really just toss all of the ingredients together and eat!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1 cup dried cranberries (see recipe notes)
- ¼ cup freeze-dried strawberries, broken into small pieces
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup cashews
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- ¼ cup shelled pumpkin seeds (also called pepitas)
- ¼ cup macadamia nuts
Instructions:
Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl, stir until everything is evenly distributed, and then transfer your trail mix to an airtight container.
This recipe makes about 3 ½ cups of trail mix, which is about (14) 1/4-cup servings.
Recipe Notes
Dried cranberries are tricky.
Most of the ones you find in stores are sweetened with sugar, so if you want to find a naturally sweetened version, you’ll probably have to order it online. Here is one that’s sweetened with apple juice. I haven’t tried it, but it looks promising.
Also, most dried cranberries are processed with a little bit of oil, probably to keep the cranberries from sticking together.
If you want this trail mix to be 100% whole food, plant-based, you’ll probably have to do a little digging to find dried cranberries that are both naturally sweetened and oil-free. If you just can’t find any that are 100% compliant, then it might be easier to just swap out the cranberries for raisins instead. The trail mix won’t taste exactly the same, but I’ll bet it will still be delicious!
Personally, this is one of those areas where I’m not 100% compliant with the whole food, plant-based diet. In full disclosure, I generally just buy Ocean Spray’s Craisins and call it a day. Progress not perfection, right? 😉
Printable Recipe for Fruit and Nut Trail Mix
Here’s a printer-friendly version of the recipe:
Fruit and Nut Trail Mix
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1 cup dried cranberries (see recipe notes)
- 1/4 cup freeze dried strawberries broken into small pieces
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup cashews
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- 1/4 cup shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 1/4 cup macadamia nuts
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl.
- Stir until everything is evenly distributed.
- Transfer to an airtight container and store up to a month.
- This recipe makes about 3 1/2 cups of trail mix, which is about (14) 1/4-cup servings.
Notes
How Long Does Dried Fruit and Nut Mix Last?
Since this trail mix recipe only calls for dried fruit, nuts, and seeds, it should last several weeks if you keep it in an airtight container. Keep in mind that these ingredients usually have a pretty long shelf life when you store them properly, so you should be able to get at least a few weeks out of this recipe.
Well, that’s assuming you don’t eat it all before then! This trail mix never lasts more than a few days at my house.
Final Thoughts on This Homemade Trail Mix Recipe
So now you know how to make the best ever dried fruit and nut trail mix that’s both plant-based and delicious! Trust me: that sweet and salty flavor combo will blow you away. Now go make some right now so you have a healthy plant-based snack to munch on when you get hungry!
Other Plant-Based Recipes You May Enjoy
- Sinfully Delicious Healthy Chocolate Banana Smoothie
- Sweet Berry Oatmeal
- Easy Fruity Chia Drink (Copycat Mamma Chia Drink Recipe)
- Classic Carrot Dogs (Great for Grilling or Pan-Searing!)
- Sweet Summer Kale Salad: The Best Kale Salad You’ll Ever Make
- How to Make Almond Milk the Easy Way (Vitamix Recipe!)
- 15 Plant-based Recipes You Need to Try
- How to Freeze Fruit: The Complete Beginner’s Guide
- Warm and Spicy Stovetop Cinnamon Apples
What about you? What’s your favorite trail mix recipe? Let me know in the comments so I can try it out!
Also, if you found this post helpful, feel free to share it or pin it for later!
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