We have a joke in our family. If you want a grocery item to go out of production, just have my kiddos fall in love with it. We have had more favorite food items go off the market than I think is statistically possible. Of course, these items were ones that made frequent appearances in our monthly menus and snack-time routines. One such product’s swan song left me baffled on how to locate a suitable replacement. The trail mix style snack food was titled “Little Bit of Everything,” which summed up the mix of nuts, chocolate, and dried fruits perfectly.
I feel compelled to go on record with three small facts that drive my consumerism. First, my children aren’t all fussy eaters. The nice thing about this former family fave was that only one child picked out the almonds. Call me old school, but wasting food is not something I enjoy, even on the best of days. Second, I love a good junk food splurge, but overall I care deeply about the quality of the food I feed my children. Most of our food we or our neighbors grow or raise ourselves. This practice is somewhat out of necessity for cost savings but also because we live in a rural farming community. Finally, if it is something we can make ourselves and save a few dollars, what is not to love in that plan? Don’t get me wrong. This has resulted in more than one disaster, but as a science teacher I remind my kids that disappointing results are often what lead to the next best discovery.
Combining those three factors of what my kids will eat, an eye for health, and an adventuresome spirit, I embarked on making a suitable substitute for our grab-n-go treats. To be honest, I simply looked at the ingredient list on the last canister of “Little Bit of Everything” to create my shopping list. The store bought version had 30 ounces, while the homemade version resulted in quite a bit more. I have a large family with teenage athletes; so the larger amount saved me a trip to the store to replenish the dwindling storehouse. The snack mix often finds its way into the game bag (saving us from spending at the concession stand), late night bowls of munchies, and mixed into an occasional bowl of yogurt.
Whatever way you and your family choose to enjoy it, have a little fun and don’t be afraid to experiment.
Grab-N-Go Snack Mix
You may omit or add items to suit personal likes and/or any allergen issues.
Ingredients:
- 2 bags (6 oz) dried mangos
- 1 bag (12 oz) dried bananas
- 1 bag (6 oz) dried pineapple
- 1 bag (16 oz) whole almonds
- 2 lbs yogurt covered raisins
- 1 bag (5 oz) raw flake coconut
- 1 bag (12 oz) dark chocolate chips
- Craisins (24 oz) (only used ½ bag)
Step One: Hire a really good assistant. Here, “Little Chef” helps by pouring all the ingredients into a really big mixing bowl.
Step Two: Mix all ingredients in bowl.
Step Three: Package snack into storage containers. We used canning jars with BPA-free reusable lids.
Step 4 (Optional): Hope your older siblings do not discover your hard work!
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