Trail Mix- morsels of amazing

Selfcare Emergency Meter: Get Me Through the Day
Time Commitment: 5 min (preparation)

I never used to be much of a trail mix person before.  The pre-mixed bags always have too much of one thing (like peanuts) and I get bored and never finish the dang thing.  But, now, I have discovered the option of making my own. Many grocery stores with a health food section have a line-up of bins with separate ingredients. I always assumed these lil guys would be too expensive, but they are definitely cheap if you don't go for a whole pound of each thing at a time.  My mixes are made up of salted nuts, chocolate, and fruit; whichever options appeal to me at the time.  My current mix has pistachios, M&Ms, and dried mango (although I really like dried apricots, too).  The key is to vary tastes and textures for mix that will keep your palate interested.


Procedure: At home, keep your ingredients separate.  Combine your trail mix daily before you head off to school, work, whatever.  Do not make a huge bag of trail mix to last for days because the nuts will pick up moisture from the fruit, and lose their crunch.  I know this from experience.  Soft pistachios are not as fun to eat as crunchy, fresh ones.  Also, just mix up a small container because this is not a meal.  I use a 6.5oz. jar that originally came with artichoke hearts in it.  The small portion helps me to appreciate the individual pieces of the trail mix more.  When eating the mixture, wherever you are, slow down and eat one piece at a time.  I will reiterate that this is not meant for a meal.  The purpose is not as much to stifle hunger, but to bring you into the moment to appreciate this little gift to yourself.  Before it touches your tongue, notice the colors and textures of each piece.  Then, with your tongue, notice the textures and flavors.  Chew deliberately.


Why this is wonderful: It attends to 3 senses: sight, touch, and taste.  By giving attention and awareness to the effect the trail mix has on these senses, each morsel can help ground you into the present moment, making you better able to get through your day!