August 31 National Trail Mix Day #NationalTrailMixDay

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