So this post isn’t really much of a recipe, more like a lesson on saving money! Which next to eating is one of my favorite activities especially when I am saving money grocery shopping. I don’t know about you, but I’m the type of person that collects the free club cards almost everywhere I go. It’s like collecting beanie babies or pogs (0kay…I know these are dated examples, but I’m out of touch of what people collect these days.)
Anyways on this food mission I was curious to see if making your own trail mix at home really saves you money. Because when you are standing in the aisle looking at individual prices of cashews ($4.99), dried pineapple ($4.69), sunflower seeds ($1.99), dried cherries ($3.69), pepitas ($4.39), almond slivers ($3.49), and milk chocolate chips ($2.39) you don’t really feel like you are saving money especially when you ring it all up and start shelling out $26.00 for nuts, seeds and dried fruit. There you are spending $26.00 because you want trail mix and you think back to the already made trail mix for $2.69 and momentarily think what am I doing with all this stuff! Well I’ve got good news for you… according to my calculations you are saving money! Anywhere from 35-45%! Now that is bargain shopping!
So here you have it, the break down of how much each ingredient in my trail mix costs. (Cost is per 1/2 cup). To make this trail mix just mix a half cup of each of the ingredients listed below in a large bowl and place in snack bags as 1/3 cup servings. You can decide how salty you want it based on your selection of nuts and seeds. Most of them you can get unsalted or salted. I find having one salty is just the right amount of salt.
Sunflower seeds: $0.27
Cashews: $0.67
almond slivers: $1.16 ( you can save more money if you use whole almonds, $0.60)
pepitas: $0.60
dried cherries: $0.67
dried pineapple: $0.78
milk chocolate chips: $0.60
GRAND TOTAL: $5.01–> approximately 9 1/3 cups servings at $0.56/serving
Now I know you are thinking back… ummmm didn’t that pre-made mix you told us about earlier only cost $2.69. Yesssss, BUT! You only get about 3 1/3 cup servings bringing your cost to $0.89/serving.
And if you are a bulk online shopper, such as at Amazon buying 12 bags of that 6oz planters trail mix, you are still saving money making your own.
$24.04–>$0.67/ a third cup serving.
Okay, so perhaps you don’t care about saving money, but here’s the other great thing about making your own trail mix…you can put whatever you want in it! No having to buy 3 different trail mixes to fulfill your mango, cherry, banana chip, raisin, almond, cashew, peanut, walnut, date, sunflower, pumpkin seed fix.
I hope this post has inspired you to go out, save money, and get creative with your trial mix combination. The sky is the limit! Enjoy!
Money Saving Trail Mix!
PsssT.. Just wanted to share a link to another really good nut recipe from my foodie crush Alton Brown, without further ado GINGER ALMONDS. I took one commentator’s recommendation and substituted the arbol chili for 1 1/2 tsp chili powder. I also did 2 tablespoons soy sauce to make it vegetarian since I couldn’t find the vegetarian friendly Worcestershire sauce. Great for a mid-day/post-run snack. Enjoy!
Fatty Bear's Delights 