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For years, I have wondered if it’s cheaper to: a) make my own trail mix with Aldi ingredients or b) buy the pre-mixed Aldi trail mix If I didn’t have a blog, I’d probably just spend the rest of my life wondering. But since I do have a blog, I have a reason to figure out detailed stuff like this. I bought a bag of Aldi trail mix, dumped it out onto a sheet pan, separated out each component, and weighed it. This was a boring job, which is
why I put some earbuds in. Pre-made Trail Mix WeightsHere are the weights of the items in the trail mix.
Trail Mix Ingredients (Aldi prices)I bought all the trail mix ingredients at Aldi, and here’s how those prices break down. Raisins: $0.14/oz Peanuts: $0.12/oz M&Ms: $0.27/oz Almonds: $0.35/oz Cashews: $0.43/oz (This explains why there are so few cashews in the mix!) Pre-made Trail Mix Prices per ounceThe price of the pre-packaged trail mix goes like this: 10 ounces raisins: $1.40 7 ounces peanuts: $0.84 6 ounces M&Ms: $1.62 (the priciest ingredient) 3.5 ounces almonds: $1.22 1 ounce cashews: $0.43 Cost ResultsThe DIY version adds up to $5.51. And a bag of the pre-mixed trail mix costs $4.89! So, the pre-made trail mix is actually cheaper than making your own.Who knew?? Of course, there are ways that you could make this mix more cheaply.
But the point of this post is: if you are buying all the ingredients at Aldi, it’s actually cheaper to buy this particular mix ready-made. If you’d like to try making your own, though, here are the cup measurements of what was in the Aldi bag. Ingredients
Instructions
NotesThis makes an exact replica of Aldi's Mountain trail mix. If you can get M&Ms cheaply, or if you use chocolate chips, this is cheaper to DIY. But if you buy all the ingredients at Aldi, it's cheaper to buy the premade mix! P.S. If you liked this post, you might also enjoy reading two of my other posts:
How Long Will homemade Chex Mix last?Make Ahead Instructions: Chex mix tastes freshest when served within 2-3 days of making it, but it will last stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Freezing Instructions: Chex mix freezes great! Store in freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months.
What is a substitute for Chex Mix?Substitute For Wheat Chex
OR - For Chex Mix use Spoon Size Shredded Wheat (not the frosted version) which a little larger than the Wheat Chex.
How do you make Chex Mix not soggy?Once melted I stir the seasonings into the butter, then add the snack mix ingredients, and toss to coat evenly. You can make it spicy by adding some hot sauce. Be sure to place paper towels under the lid while it's cooking. This will absorb any condensation and keep the Chex mix from getting wet and soggy.
Is homemade Chex Mix good for you?With a total fat amount of just 15% of the daily limit and only 2.8 grams of sugar, Chex Mix is perhaps one of the healthiest snacks (other than fruits and veggies) that you can have. We recommend simply limiting your amount to one or two ounces because of the fairly high sodium content.
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