Simple Chex Mix {And a short lesson on salt}

This Simple Chex Mix snack is packed full of delicious cereal, pretzels, and nuts and amazing flavor despite having lower-sodium ingredients.

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Homemade food can RARELY compete with store-bought anything.  Chex mix is one of them. 

My grandmother (Mimi) would make Chex mix every year around the holidays.

And the entire jar of it would never make it past the first few days in our home.

Well, come to find out, Mimi’s recipe is a mix between the Original Chex Party Mix and the Kellogg’s Crispix Mix. 

Well, if it’s good, don’t fix it, right? 

As you’ll find out below, I improvised a little.  Hopefully I didn’t mess up a good thing! 

Just keep in mind, this is one of those recipes that should be eaten in moderation if using lots of salt.

I say this because of the high sodium content. Check out how I lowered the sodium using a few ingredients.

If so, it could help balance out with higher sodium foods you may enjoy around the holidays.

And it could also be enjoyed throughout the year as well.

This is a perfect appetizer you can make days ahead of time (if it lasts that long!).  My batch is currently hiding in the cupboard so my husband and kids don’t find it before Thanksgiving.

Of course there are a million variations of this recipe. 

If you are feeling inspired you could add goldfish, bagel chips, Bugles, or my favorite addition . . . mini M&Ms!

Simple Steps to Making This Irresistible Chex Mix

• First, combine the dry ingredients, including Crispix, Rice Chex, pretzels and nuts in a large bowl.
• Next, melt the butter and add Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice. 

• In another small bowl, combine onion powder, garlic powder and seasoned salt. 
• Add the cereal, pretzel, and nuts mixture to an ungreased 9″ x 13″ pan.
• Then sprinkle the butter mixture over the cereal mixture. Stir well so that all dry ingredients are coated with the butter mixture.
• Finally, sprinkle the seasonings over the pan, stirring again to make sure everything is evenly distributed.
• Finally, sprinkle the seasonings over the pan, stirring again to make sure everything is evenly distributed.
• Then bake for about an hour at 250 degrees Fahrenheit, stirring every 15 minutes to prevent sticking.

Believe it or not, this is my first time buying seasoning salt . . . IN MY LIFE. 

In the past few years I have not been as strict as I had been previously when it comes to lowering salt intake. 

For one, salt obviously adds TASTE. 

Secondly, we eat most meals at home. This is because dining out almost routinely equates to high sodium.

And thirdly, we rarely add salt to food after it’s cooked.

Dietitian’s Dish

Salt (or sodium chloride) may, but not always, affect blood pressure.  Some individuals are more “salt-sensitive” than others.

This means if that individual eats higher sodium amounts their blood pressure will increase. 

Unfortunately, there is not a simple test to determine if you are “salt sensitive.”  

I would suggest you monitor your salt intake regardless. But this especially important if you have a history of high blood pressure, are at risk for heart disease or stroke, have diabetes, or some other serious illnesses. 

Want more information on salt?  Don’t worry, there will be much more to come in future posts.  

Also, in the ingredients lists, I did add suggestions on how to cut back on the sodium amount since almost every ingredient contains sodium.

This Irresistible Chex Mix post first appeared on Chocolate Slopes.

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