5 Ingredient Sweet and Salty Snack Mix / Homemade Trail Mix with Cereal

Healthy Cereal Snack Mix with Almonds, Macadamia Nuts, Corn Flakes, Raisins, and Chocolate Chips!

Chewy raisins, crunchy corn flakes, sweet chocolate chips, salty almonds and macadamias—this gluten free sweet and salty snack mix has it all! Sort of like a health-ified Raisin Bran cereal snack mix, or the easiest-ever 5 ingredient DIY trail mix for kids. No matter what you call it: it’s deliciously simple, and simply delicious!

Proof that ultra-processed packaged snacks aren’t the only crave-able and convenient options. And, that homemade healthy snacks can be just as satisfying and fun to eat!

This healthy cereal snack mix / DIY trail mix is guaranteed to satisfy any and all of your snack-y cravings…at the same time. It’s got the perfect blend of textures and flavors that every sweet and salty snack mix needs: plenty of crunch with a dash of chewiness, and satisfyingly salty with just enough sweetness!

Plus, it’s just as convenient (and affordable!) as any store-bought packaged snack. Many snack mixes involve some baking or roasting, but this NO BAKE sweet and salty snack mix is easy enough to throw together in just 5 minutes. With only 5 ingredients, there’s even have time to portion it out for travel snacks, road trip snacks, or healthy lunches for school!

But, unlike with a pre-packaged snack or trail mix, YOU can control what goes into this sweet and salty snack mix and how fuel-filled those ingredients are.

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Health-ifying Raisin Bran to make Gluten Free Cereal Snack Mix / DIY Trail Mix

The beauty of making your own sweet and salty snack mix or DIY trail mix is that you really don’t need a recipe. Like I said, get creative with the ingredients and craft YOUR ultimate healthy snack mix / trail mix!

Personally, I’m a HUGE cereal fanatic, so I designed this homemade trail mix with one of my favorite cereals in mind: Raisin Bran. Those satisfyingly crunchy bran flakes, the sweet and chewy sugar-coated raisins—totally irresistible, but sadly not-so-nutritious. And, unfortunately, my body doesn’t get along so well with gluten. *Sigh*

So, I decided to craft my own gluten free DIY trail mix inspired by Raisin Bran! Turned out I more like a gluten free no bake SNACK mix than a true trail mix, so I’m going with sweet and salty snack mix instead… Call it whatever you like—pretty much, I made my own sugar free gluten free version of Raisin Bran, mixed with some crunchy nuts and indulgent chocolate chips!

I wanted this gluten free cereal snack mix to still have some crave-able crunch, so I replaced the classic wheat bran flakes with corn flakes. Then, I swapped out the sugar-coated raisins for regular ol’ naturally-sweet raisins. I added almonds and macadamia nuts for maximum salty, crunchy goodness and a dose of nutritious fats. And finally, some chocolate chips for fun!

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How to Make Sweet and Salty Snack Mix for Kids (or Adults)

You could make a no bake sweet and salty snack mix with just about ANYTHING—and it doesn’t need to be complicated to be delicious! I’ve kept things clean, nutritious, and easy, with just 5 simple ingredients:

  • Corn flakes: my alternative to bran flakes to keep this snack mix gluten free but still satisfyingly crunchy! For the healthiest option, READ those nutrition labels—it’s pretty easy nowadays to find cleaner corn flakes with little to no added sugar.
  • Raisins: a sweet and chewy addition with natural sugars, since they’re just dried grapes! Your most nutritious choice will be unsweetened raisins—avoid varieties with added sugars.
  • Almonds: rich in healthy fats, fiber, and plenty of CRUNCH.
  • Macadamia nuts: a superfood source of nutritious fats that makes this healthy snack mix a bit more substantial and filling. Plus, I just can’t get enough of their rich, buttery crunch!
  • Chocolate chips: admittedly not the most fuel-filled ingredient…but they add just enough indulgence to make this a great DIY trail mix option for kids or picky eaters! You could use dark chocolate chips as a more nutrient-rich option, or feel free to omit the chocolate altogether.

In terms of how to make this no bake sweet and salty snack mix, there’s not a whole lot to say: simply add all of the ingredients to a bowl or large bag, and mix/shake to combine! To store, either seal up that same bag or transfer to an airtight container, or portion into individual servings for so you’ve got snack packs ready when you want ’em.

Truly the EASIEST healthy cereal snack mix you can make. I love that it’s got a healthy balance of fats, carbs, protein, and fiber—along with all of the snack-y textures that I crave!

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Other Healthy Snack Mix Ideas & Homemade Trail Mix Ingredients

Again, don’t feel limited to the Raisin Bran inspired cereal snack mix I’ve shown you here. I encourage you to get creative and swap out any of these no bake sweet and salty snack mix ingredients with your own ideas! Take what you like, leave what you don’t.

Here are some no bake snack mix ideas and healthy homemade trail mix ingredients for your inspiration:

Healthy Cereals & Crunchy Grains

If you’re a fan of cereal snack mix like this, or if you’re making homemade trail mix with cereal in it, there are loads of healthy options out there:

  • Corn Flakes – naturally gluten free, look for low/no sugar variety.
  • Plain Cheerios – made with whole grain oats, gluten free, low in sugar, and no artificial colors or flavors.
  • Plain Kix – gluten free corn puffs, low in sugar, and no artificial colors or flavors.
  • Rice Chex or Rice Krispies – gluten free whole grain rice cereals, both low in sugar and with no artificial colors or flavors.
  • Power O’s – a crunchy gluten free cereal similar to Cheerios, but made with beans, lentils, and chickpeas and no added sugars!
  • Barbara’s Bakery Multigrain Puffins Cereal – made with corn, rice flour, and whole grain oats, gluten free and low in sugar.
  • Ezekiel Sprouted Whole Grain Cereal – not gluten free, but made with sprouted whole grain wheat, barley, millet, spelt and lentils, with no added sugars and 8g protein per serving.

Or, you can also incorporate some crunchy grains and fun textures in other ways, like:

Dried Fruit & Freeze Dried Fruit

For a fun, chewy element in your DIY trail mix or healthy snack mix, add some dried fruit! Or, add some sweet, crispy crunch with freeze dried fruit. Again, just be sure to look for unsweetened and unsulphured varieties for the healthiest options. Raisins are a classic choice, but there’s so much variety to choose from:

  • Dried cranberries
  • Chopped dates
  • Dried apricots
  • Prunes
  • Dried cherries
  • Dried coconut flakes or coconut chips
  • Dried mango or freeze dried mango
  • Dried apple slices
  • Dried pineapple chunks
  • Dried goji berries
  • Dried strawberries and/or blueberries
  • Freeze dried strawberries and/or blueberries
  • Freeze dried banana slices, or baked banana chips

Nuts & Seeds

Nuts and/or seeds are a must-have in any homemade trail mix or healthy snack mix for me! They’re a rich source of fuel-filled nutrients and fiber, and some of the BEST crunchy elements you can find. I do recommend opting for unflavored/unsweetened nuts, and looking for a lower-sodium variety.

Whether you like roasted and salted nuts/seeds, dry roasted and unsalted, or totally raw, there are a ton of different choices:

  • Whole almonds/almond slivers
  • Whole cashews/cashew halves & pieces
  • Shelled pistachios
  • Peanuts
  • Macadamia nuts
  • Shelled walnuts
  • Pecans
  • Hazelnuts/filberts
  • Pumpkin seeds
  • Sunflower seeds/kernels

Sweets

If you’re making no bake snack mix or DIY trail mix for kids, including just enough sweet, treat-like indulgence can make the rest of the healthy items in your mix more appealing. Meaning kids and picky eaters are more likely to actually eat those other nutritious ingredients!

Try sprinkling some of these goodies into your healthy snack mix or homemade trail mix for a bit of indulgence:

  • Chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips
  • Cacao nibs
  • Yogurt-covered (or chocolate-covered) raisins and/or nuts
  • Candied ginger
  • Mini marshmallows
  • M&M’s – all kinds of varieties/flavors, like peanut, almond, hazelnut, and more!

VIDEO: Healthy Road Trip Snacks | DIY Summer Snack Packs for Travel / Family Vacation!

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No Bake Sweet and Salty Snack Mix

Gluten Free ‘Raisin Bran’ DIY Trail Mix for Kids
5 stars (3 ratings)

Ingredients

No Bake Sweet and Salty Snack Mix

  • ½ cup raisins
  • ½ cup corn flakes
  • ½ cup roasted salted almonds
  • ½ cup roasted salted macadamia nuts
  • ½ cup chocolate chips

Instructions 

  • Add all ingredients to a large bowl and toss to combine.
  • Transfer to an airtight container or zip-top bag to store in bulk, or portion into single-serving snack packs!
  • Store at room temperature for 1-2 weeks.
  • Yields 2½ cups sweet and salty snack mix.
Calories: 172kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 12g, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 13g
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