Power up your day with this yummy and simple homemade heart healthy trail mix recipe! Make up a big batch in a matter of minutes for a nutritious snack or breakfast on the go. Made with dark chocolate, unsalted nuts and strawberries, this fruit and nut trail mix is healthy, indulgent, and delicious! {vegan, dairy-free & gluten-free}
Trail Mix with Dark Chocolate
This healthy trail mix recipe has been one of my go to recipes for as long as I can remember. My family loves to snack on it since it’s the perfect convenient grab and go option, and it’s so easy to make!
Made with just four simple ingredients, you can make up a big batch of this heart healthy trail mix in no time at all to keep on hand for ready-made snacks throughout the week. Just portion it out and take it on the go!
What I love the most about this homemade trail mix is that it’s low in sodium, high in protein and fibre and full of antioxidants.
Perfect to have for those busy mornings or a mid-afternoon energy boost, you really can’t go wrong with this stuff. It’s the ultimate balanced and satisfying snack to have on hand!
For more healthy snacks, check out this Chocolate Covered Pecans and Dark Chocolate Covered Strawberries too!
Why we love this fruit and nut trail mix
- Healthy: With no added salt or sugar, this is a much healthier alternative to store bought-trail mix. Made with unsalted nuts, freeze-dried strawberries and dark chocolate, this vegan trail mix is low sodium, while being rich in fibre, protein, heart-healthy fats and antioxidants!
- Quick and easy: Simply mix the 4 ingredients together in large bowl, jar or container and store until ready to eat. The perfect nutritious, yet convenient snack option!
- Make ahead: This homemade trail mix has a great long shelf life, make it once and enjoy it for weeks! It’s great for picnics, road trips, or snacking on throughout the day.
Trail Mix Ingredients
- Nuts: I like to use a mix of roasted cashews and sliced almonds. I typically use unsalted cashews to keep this mix lower in sodium, but you can sub in salted if you prefer that sweet and salty combo.
- Freeze-dried strawberries: Freeze-dried fruit is great for trail mix since it adds a nice crunch and sweetness, but is also nutrient dense and has a great shelf life. Also, unlike other dried fruit, it don’t contain any added sugar so it’s a great way to get to incorporate some sweetness into the mix without the added sugar. You can use any type of freeze-dried fruit, but I love the bright pop of red that the strawberries provide.
- Dark chocolate chunks: Because chocolate is everything, right?! I typically use dark chocolate chunks (70% cocoa) since they’re packed with antioxidants. If you can’t find chocolate chunks, you can also sub in dark chocolate chips.
How to Make Homemade Trail Mix – Step by Step Instructions
Place all of the ingredients in a large bowl or container and toss to combine. Doesn’t it get much easier than that!
Recipe Notes:
- Use unsalted nuts to keep this trail mix low sodium .
- Dark chocolate has the greatest health benefits, although you can use milk or white chocolate if you prefer.
- If you can’t find freeze-dried fruit, you can use other dried fruit like raisins or cranberries.
- Enjoy for breakfast, or add to lunchboxes for a healthy snack.
- This healthy trail mix recipe will keep well for up to 1 month stored in an air-tight container.
How to Store Trail Mix
Once you’ve combined your ingredients, keep the trail mix in an air-tight container at room temperature. To prevent the chocolate from melting, keep it in a cupboard out of direct sunlight.
Recipe FAQs
Trail mix is a snack mix that usually contains a mixture of nuts and fruit and other add-ins such as chocolate, seeds, cereal or popcorn. It’s called trail mix since it’s perfect to take on hikes because it’s light to carry, nutritious and perfect for a quick energy boost.
Store-bought trail mixes often contain more sodium and added sugar than homemade. I love making my own since you can control exactly what goes into it. This trail mix is full of fibre, healthy fats, protein and and antioxidants.
Yes! Although it’s often consumed as a snack, it’s also great for a balanced breakfast on the go too.
Not all trail mix is gluten-free, so be sure to check the ingredients list carefully it you require a gluten-free option. This trail mix recipe is gluten-free, but if you make any ingredient substitutions, make sure that they are GF certified if you have a gluten intolerance.
This trail mix will keep well at room temperature for up to a month. For longer storage, you can freeze it in ziplock bags, with the air squeezed out, for up to 6 months.
Although trail mix can be a great nutritious option, it’s also fairly calorie-dense, so it’s best to keep those portions in check. A quarter cup or a small handful of trail mix is generally a good portion size.
Serving Suggestions
This heart healthy trail mix is great to enjoy by itself, or along with a smoothie for breakfast. Try it along with this strawberry banana smoothie with yogurt!
Serve it on top of some Greek yogurt, or pour over some milk or a milk alternative for more of a cereal. It can even be sprinkled on top of ice cream or a banana split for a crunchy topping!
Make your own trail mix: recipe variations
- Add grains: Try adding popcorn or cereal such as Cheerios or Shreddies.
- Add seeds: Try pumpkins seeds or sunflower seeds.
- Switch up the nuts: Try walnuts, pecans, peanuts, or pistachios.
- Swap the fruit: Try freeze-dried raspberries, blueberries, bananas or dried cranberries.
More Heart Healthy Snacks
- Healthy Chocolate Granola
- Healthy Protein Cookie Dough Balls
- Healthy Granola Bars
- Banana Protein Muffins
- Healthy Raspberry Oatmeal Muffins
- Peanut Butter Protein Bars
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a rating and review!
Heart Healthy Trail Mix with Dark Chocolate
Ingredients
- 2 cups roasted cashews unsalted
- 2 cups sliced almonds
- 2 cups freeze-dried strawberries
- 1 cup dark chocolate chunks (I used 70%)
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients in a large bowl or container and toss to combine.
Notes
- Use unsalted nuts to keep this trail mix low sodium .
- Dark chocolate has the greatest health benefits, although you can use milk or white chocolate if you prefer.
- If you can’t find freeze-dried fruit, you can use other dried fruit like raisins or cranberries.
- Enjoy for breakfast, or add to lunchboxes for a healthy snack.
- This healthy trail mix recipe will keep well for up to 1 month stored in an air-tight container.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted January 2019 and was updated February 2022 to include better tips and photos.
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