Welcome to #September good August and because yesterday was Sunday and my sister was here till after 10pm last night I didn’t get much work done. I didn’t want to miss letting you know August 31st was National Trail Mix Day #NationalTrailMixDay.
Everyone I know including some Dogs love Trail Mix and yes, that included David and Charlie. Before you ask what about me. No, not so much even though I like most of the items found in Trail Mix I don’t like everything mixed together. Do you?
But for those of us #Homeschooling our children I created a lesson plan celebrating #NationalTrailMixDay because like I’ve said in the past even though Charlie has graduated that doesn’t mean learning should stop. Should it? I’ve even included a recipe for you to make your own #TrailMix wth.
Join my family and let’s celebrate National Trail Mix Day with a Fun Homeschool Lesson! August 31st is the perfect excuse to mix learning with snacking. Here’s a creative, cross-curricular homeschool lesson plan themed around #NationalTrailMixDay that blends nutrition, math, reading, and creativity.
Lesson Overview
Grade Level: 2nd–5th Subjects Covered: Reading, Math, Science, Writing, Art Duration: 1–2 hours
Activities Breakdown
1. Reading & Comprehension
- Read a short article about the history and global variations of trail mix.
- Use this resource for a 2–3 grade level reading passage with comprehension questions, writing prompts, and a themed word search which I would be happy to create for you.
2. Math: Budget Your Mix
- Give students a “budget” of $5 to create their own trail mix using pretend prices for ingredients (e.g., almonds $1, raisins $0.75, chocolate chips $1.25).
- Practice addition, subtraction, and fractions.
- Try this lesson idea where students solve math problems while building their mix.
3. Science: Mixtures & Solutions
- Discuss the difference between mixtures and solutions.
- Use trail mix as a hands-on example of a mixture.
- Explore separation techniques and why trail mix components don’t dissolve.
- Great for grades 5–8 using this experiment.
4. Writing: Snack Story
- Prompt: “Write a story about a magical trail mix that gives you superpowers.”
- Encourage narrative writing and creativity.
- Alternatively, write an expository piece on how to make trail mix and its nutritional benefits.
5. Art: Design Your Snack Mat
- Create a printable “snack mat” with labeled sections for each ingredient.
- Let kids decorate it and use it to build their mix.
- This idea adds fun and structure to the activity.
Learning Outcomes
- Understand healthy snacking and nutrition.
- Apply math skills in real-world scenarios.
- Explore scientific concepts through hands-on learning.
- Practice reading comprehension and creative writing.
- Express creativity through art and design.
If you want to take learning about Trail Mix further you could even host a “Trail Mix Taste Test” and graph the class favorites. Let me know if you’d like printable templates or ingredient ideas to go with this which I would be happy to create for you. Just leave me a comment and let me know what you need.
Recipe for Trail Mix:
Here’s a super easy and customizable Trail Mix recipe that’s perfect for snacking on the go 🥾✨
🥣 Ingredients
- 1½ cups raw almonds
- ¾ cup raw pecans
- ¾ cup raw cashews
- ½ cup raw sunflower seeds
- ½ cup raw pumpkin seeds
- ½ cup unsulfured dried cherries
- ½ cup unsulfured raisins
- ½ cup dark chocolate chunks or chips
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- Pinch of nutmeg
- ¼ tsp sea salt
🛠 Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
- Store in a ziplock bag or mason jar.
- Keeps fresh for up to 1 month at room temperature.
Want to make it tropical? Try adding banana chips, toasted coconut ribbons, or dried mango. Or go classic with peanuts, M&M’s, and raisins3.
Charlie and I were talking this morning and Charlie said he would prefer a spicy version of trail Mix which we will be creating and or nut-free mix for David because Nuts hurts his teeth. If you would like to see those recipes leave me a comment and I will get the recipes for you.
If your looking for a fun unique Gift for a Trail Mix lover then you should check out Oh! Top 50 Snack Mix Recipes Volume 1: A Snack Mix Cookbook You Will Love and add it to a Gift Bag with the ingredients to prepare one of the recipes inside the cookbook.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
