Ahhh spring! Birds chirping, sunshine, green grass, warmer weather—it’s time to get outside!
But as any intrepid adventurer knows—you should never leave home without a snack (or two!).
These easy-to-assemble/make snacks are delicious and perfectly portable! They’re also family-friendly and customizable.
Zaatar Popcorn
Unpopular opinion—popcorn is the best snack, period. Seriously, I love popcorn—classic butter popcorn, caramel popcorn, cheddar popcorn, fancy lavender-scented popcorn—I’m in for all of it! But, za’atar popcorn is my new go-to.
Recipe note: I think it’s worth the time to make your own popcorn from kernels, but plain store bought popcorn will work too if you’re in a pinch for time.
8 cups of plain popcorn (~¼ cup kernels)
4 Tbsp melted butter
½-1 Tbsp Za’atar spice mix
1. Drizzle butter over popcorn.
2. Sprinkle za’atar over popcorn. (I like to use a full tablespoon, but recommend starting with half a tablespoon and adjusting to taste.)
3. Gently stir to coat all kernels with butter and seasoning.
4. Pack up and enjoy!
Our Favorite Trail Mix
Is there a more classic outdoor snack than trail mix? It took me far too long (embarrassingly long) to start making my own trail mix instead of buying pre-packaged bags. This mix is full of our favorites, but you can easily customize this to your liking. Switch out the nuts, add in your favorite seeds, or trade the chocolate chunks and dried cranberries for m&ms and raisins. The possibilities are endless, and this recipe can easily be doubled based on your needs.
½ cup dry roasted almonds (we prefer unsalted)
½ cup raw cashews
¼ cup dried sweetened cranberries
¼ cup chocolate chunks
1. Combine all ingredients.
2. Put in your favorite reusable container(s).
3. Enjoy!
Dairy-Free Oatmeal Muffins
These lightly-sweetened oatmeal muffins are healthy enough to eat for breakfast and delicious enough to have as a treat! Grab them for an early morning adventure or serve them up as a substantial snack. I love to add a small handful of berries into these as well. If you want something a little sweeter, try adding in some chocolate chips!
¼ cup melted ghee or coconut oil (cooled)
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1 cup almond milk
2 eggs
¼ cup berries (optional)
½ cups old fashioned oats
1½ cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
½ cup coconut sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Place muffin liners (12) in muffin tin.
3. Combine wet ingredients in a medium-sized bowl (ghee, vanilla, almond milk, and eggs), and mix well.
4. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl (oatmeal, flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt), and mix well.
5. Add wet ingredients into dry ingredients, and mix until well combined.
6. Gently fold in berries if using.
7. Pour into muffin tins, and bake for around 20 minutes—until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
Susan Bowser
Susan Bowser is a former NBC TODAY show producer. She is a freelance writer and food blogger at SusanBCooking.com. She’s passionate about real food, showing that healthy eating can be delicious, and sharing recipes that her whole family enjoys. Find more inspiration by following her on Instagram @SusanBCooking.
