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We Ate It: DIY Trail Mix from You Bars

By: Stepfanie Romine : 5/5/2009 12:02:59 PM : 61 comments

Last week, the folks at You Bar added yet another DIY product to the mix: You Trail Mix --the first customized trail mix in individual serving sizes, with your customized name and nutrition facts printed on each package. You can choose from more than 40 ingredients to choose from, and the possible combinations are endless.

We reviewed the You Bars in late March, and we loved them, so when they offered to let us mix up a batch and try it before the product launched to the public, we were super excited!

They told us: "You Trail Mix comes in individual serving packets for maximum freshness, portion control, and portability. Each bag of trail mix is only $1.99, and with our �guaranteed delicious� policy you are bound to get the perfect trail mix just for you."

As someone who can't eat peanuts or cashews, I was happy to be able to customize my trail mix. I piled in the goodies: goji berries, figs, freeze-dried bananas and berries, organic chocolate chips, mini pretzel nuggets, hazelnuts, pepitas and more. Each bite was something new and tasty. The dried fruit was high quality, the nuts (I chose mostly raw nuts) were fresh, and the freeze-dried fruit was crispy, thanks to its separate bag. The portions are generous (about 45 g or 3/8 c), and a box of 13 is about $26. I tucked a bag into my yoga bag and shared some with my fellow teacher trainees after a particularly grueling primary series class. We nibbled on the fruit and nuts to tide us over, and everyone was a fan. They all wanted to know where to order it!

SparkPeople employees and my fellow yoga teachers-in-training weren't the only ones to try this product. Everyone who attended the Spark Your Life Convention last Saturday in San Diego also tasted the product during Dietitian Becky's talk on conscious eating. We hear the trail mix was a hit!

Go to YouBars.com and click on Mix-a-Trail Mix to select the ingredients you want. As you do so, the nutrition facts for your mix will appear simultaneously to help you design a delicious combination suitable for your nutritional needs. Then, at the bottom of the page choose the name you want printed on every package.

(Some readers were put off by the "high calories" in the bars in my last post, but they missed the point--those were MY bars. Yours can have as many calories or as few as you'd like! This time I'm not sharing the nutrition info because your own version could be drastically different, so I don't want to deter you. You can see the nutrition info as you create your mix, so you're always in control of the nutrition of the product!)

This is a really cool product. As some people said, you can mix your own trail mix from the bulk bins at the supermarket, but with You Trail Mix, you can have portion control, personalized labels and nutrition info readily available. It would make a great gift for hikers or bikers. Send a package to your favorite college student or make some for the office--get them to ditch the chip habit and nosh on fruit and nuts instead!

Thanks again to You Trail Mix for supplying our members with some sustenance last weekend. For those of you who attended, what did you think?

Will you order some trail mix? What ingredients do you like in trail mix?

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Comments (Scroll to end to leave a comment)

LIVINHEALTHY9 5/11/2009 8:27:37 PM	What a great idea. I may have to check into ordering some.	61
*AMBER512 5/11/2009 12:31:05 PM	This would certainly be okay if I were rolling in the money and could afford such luxuries. But this isn't exactly the economy where I'm about to get fancy with my food. I already stretch my dollars to afford other healthy things.	60
4MYPTS 5/9/2009 2:56:14 PM	Personally I know I can produce what I like for a lot less with products from Trader Joe's and their products fly off the shelves so unless the product is in a warehouse for eons then it should be okay. In addition, how would I know the source of the items from You Bar, along with the shelf life of the current in stock product. If I had the space and knowledge to grow my own nuts and fruits (then dry them) I would, therefor since we have to rely on other sources its best to find affordable quality. Having your name on a package is fun and fluff, the celebrities mentioned on the You Bar site are earning enough to afford this fun idea, the average person in this sluggish economy is less likely to have disposable cash at this time for this nifty idea. A recession generally lasts 7 yrs and the one we're in actually started in 2004 (based on ecomonics statistics), therefore in 2 years this product might be more affordable for the average person.	59
DEBBIE961 5/8/2009 11:15:09 PM	I like making my own trail mix .......and I can put in what I like	58
KATRNINID 5/7/2009 7:43:49 PM	I ordered some of the You Bar bars which were very delicious but when shipping gets factored into overall cost...they were very spendy. Doubt that I would ever order the trail mix as I like to make my own.	57
WENDI_WA1 5/7/2009 3:51:26 PM	I have been thinking of getting some, I don't think $2. a mix is such a bad price when you break it down. Especially if they are good and filled with nutrition and made just the way you want them.	56
KATINA15 5/7/2009 3:05:32 PM	It sounds great, but as with alot of the others out there...I am looking at the price.	55
GLORYLIGHT57 5/7/2009 9:48:05 AM	Yes, I would order the trail mix. I would like dried crasins, blueberries, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, dark chocolate, coconut, and cashews. Umm!	54
BILLALEX70 5/7/2009 6:19:33 AM	My problem isn't the cost or calories it's there's no way to know if you'll like the bars once you've created them.	53
ELFMAGE7 5/7/2009 12:08:37 AM	I will consider getting some when I have money. It sounds like a good idea.	52
SCOTTMORSE 5/6/2009 11:48:40 PM	It's a shame that the bulk of the natural, healthy foods that are out there cost so much money. But, who ever said good health was cheap?	51
ADLINS 5/6/2009 8:55:07 PM	I'll agree, it does seem a bit pricey, but I like having the nutrition and packaging, esp for travel. I'm also extremely picky and single so choosing what goes in and not having bulk at my house might be a plus. I was also rather intrigued with building my own bar and shake. I could make my own trail mix, but probably not the bars. I've got a trip coming up and expect something from here will go with me.	50
CHRISRAPAVE1 5/6/2009 8:44:44 PM	a great idea but kinda pricey for someone like me on a limited budget for the grocery list.	49
DIANEROCKALL 5/6/2009 7:16:51 PM	The trail mix shown looks absolutely delicious. I might try it. At least I'll look into it, but I agree with some of the others that it's fairly pricey. You could probably make your own a lot cheaper. It really looks good though.	48
LADY_JOSIELOT 5/6/2009 7:12:13 PM	If these personalized things were more affordable, I'd LOVE to try them. Same goes for a lot of things mentioned that we don't have locally. (No Whole Foods or Trader Joe's) It's much too expensive to buy things online when you have to buy a case, etc. of something you've never tried and don't even know if you'll like. The personalized cereal looked neat too, but again, I can't afford it. I love Kashi stuff and buy them when they're on sale, but like JUDYGREG said, they have a LOT of calories for a "snack". - Josie	47
SUGARPLUM85 5/6/2009 7:10:41 PM	Sounds good but I don't snack that much out of the house and can mix whatever I want at home.	46
JUDYGREG 5/6/2009 3:11:22 PM	I have been making my own "trail mix" for a while now, mostly almonds and raisins. Been adding a few different nuts and dried cherries every now and then. I was wondering, how to you make a BAR out of trail mix. THAT is what I need to learn. Then I can make my own! I love Kashi bars, but at almost 200 calories a bar, they get pretty high up there on the scale. I only buy bars when they are on sale, like around 80 cents a piece or less. I can't see paying $2 for a snack! I could have a small hamburger for that with similar calories. Yes price is the determining factor.	45
MAXIEQUILT 5/6/2009 1:53:40 PM	I went to my local market and was going to do the bulk bins and make my own mix. I did some calculating and it was going to cost me a few cents more to do it myself! Those of you that are doing it yourself really watch your prices and remember they package it for you and have accurate calories! Which is super important. Cheers, Maxie	44
DESERTDAISYM 5/6/2009 1:39:48 PM	Just ordered and can't wait to get it. How fun! Also ordered my own cereal at me & Goji. Yum.	43
LLEMPART 5/6/2009 1:23:52 PM	I've also been making my own trail mix for quite some time. It is way cheaper than pre-mixed brands and you have complete control over what you put in it. Dried fruits, nuts, pretzels, a little m&ms, granola, etc. and some sandwich bags (make sure you reuse them) is all you need. Can't wait to get a dehydrator in the near future to save even more money (dried fruit can be a tad expensive).	42
HONEYB1949 5/6/2009 11:39:50 AM	I like the idea of eating a nutritious trail mix bar rather than a snickers bar. Being new to eating right I will definately add this item to my meal planning (snacks), especially as I continue to add on more fitness work. MARY	41
AMYLOVESTZU 5/6/2009 11:30:28 AM	Way to much money for me to spend.. I like fresh fruit .. and nuts	40
LAURENWOOLARD 5/6/2009 11:08:04 AM	I think this sounds like a great idea and I have not even been to the website to check it out yet! I am a full-time college student who also works 3 jobs (which equal full-time work). I can't even tell you the last time I was at a regular grocery store let alone able to make it to a health foods store. I don't have time to buy all the necessary things to make my own stuff let alone sit down and measure everything out and figure out calories!! I have hypoglycemia and trail mix is always on my list of things to snack on during the day. But I still haven't found one that I would eat everything in it. Yeah it's a lot of packing, but I recycle everything so that is definitely not something I would feel guilty about. Thanks SP!	39
NGCHILD 5/6/2009 10:14:14 AM	Sounds like a great idea but a bit expensive. Good luck to all who try it tho!	38
CAREWREN 5/6/2009 10:07:49 AM	It's pricey and it's hard for me to eat "just one". Portion control is a real bear for me. However, the concept is fabulous and I may give it a shot. Perhaps if I had the trail mix mixture that I really wanted...anyway, thanks for introducing us to this.	37
SOPHIADARE 5/6/2009 9:35:51 AM	I wish, so VERY much, that this had been available back when I was able to work. I always ate breakfast on the go, and finding the trail bars I could eat and staying in stock was hard. Since I was earning a good salary, this would have been a Godsend! Thanks for filling us all in on a great resource!	36
PDCRUMBAKER 5/6/2009 8:58:45 AM	I have a young grandson with dietary restrictions, and he's beginning to get tired of the same old snacks. I think I'll send him some customized mix with his name on the packets and then, after the first batch, get together with him for a day to make his own customized snacks with computer labels. Nice jumpstart for him, I think.	35
LADYPHOENIX61 5/6/2009 8:33:18 AM	I don't plan to try trail mix! I've seen them and they look like rabbit or rodent food!	34
MDTWEETY 5/6/2009 8:20:19 AM	What a cool idea! A tad expensive though....but I would love to try it!	33
MYTURN11 5/6/2009 8:15:18 AM	I like the idea of customizing, but the cost is way too high.	32
WENDYRS 5/6/2009 7:48:57 AM	I'm not really a Trail Mix eater, but this sounded interesting. The variety of foods sounded really good. I don't live anywhere near a Whole Foods, and finding health food stores are pretty tough, but this would be a good option if I DID eat Trail Mix. Thanks for the review!	31
JEWITCH 5/6/2009 7:00:49 AM	It sounds good but a bit expensive.	30
WOLFGIRL09 5/6/2009 4:13:32 AM	I book marked it and I will definitely give it a try! I might try the option in post # 2. Working 3rd shift, I find it hard to get to the store before they close. At the end of shift I don't want or feel up to shopping. So this may be the way to go for now.	29
SPRING4FAL 5/6/2009 1:34:04 AM	Tasted it. Liked it. Probably won't buy it because of the hefty price tag but I do like the idea of being able to make my own mix. I find trail mix to be too high in calories for a regular snack. It is hard for me to be satisfied after such a small serving. I appreciate the company for allowing us to sample their products and decide whether it fits into our lives or not! Thanks you SP for providing this at the convention. You all ROCK!	28
BUDBABE10 5/6/2009 1:18:55 AM	I have NEVER heard of this, but I probably would not buy them. Way too pricey & I'll make my own snack.	27
KAREN-1328 5/6/2009 12:46:58 AM	I would not buy them . . . there are lots of other healthy foods to eat !!	26
SPARQUEE 5/6/2009 12:39:50 AM	This is an item that I would not buy. May be convenient but it's too expensive. I would make my own.	25
LASPOSA2BE 5/5/2009 10:09:50 PM	Waste of money and it equals loads of packaging for the landfills. There are easy ways to figure out the calories of any fruit or nut online. Tons of places list calories. All you do is add up the calories then divide them. Heck, you could even make a recipe on Spark and have it figure it out for you for FREE.	24
BOOPBETTY7 5/5/2009 10:07:45 PM	I might just like this idea because I do some of my own mix and this would be ideal for a change.	23
CHRISTMASRAIN 5/5/2009 10:05:01 PM	I love this idea. However, I will create my own trail mix at Whole Foods or try those at Fresh-n-Easy. I like fresh foods that I make or 'create'.	22
KABRY123 5/5/2009 9:24:03 PM	we have a tough time finding fresh goodies up here... so I think I may order some for the summer camping and hiking season and for when we travel.	21
TRAILTRODDER 5/5/2009 9:05:25 PM	I'm a big hiker and have bagged my own mix for years. I'll stick to my own!	20
CPHAYNES 5/5/2009 8:37:43 PM	Think it is a great idea for some people. I buy different nuts and dried fruit in bulk and make my own portions each day.	19
NENA2561 5/5/2009 6:51:27 PM	I am with the others...it is pretty pricey but I do know some times you have to pay for good stuff. Isn't it sad that when you are trying to eat healthy it cost so much more? Good thing it is garden season and I will be able to grow my vegies cheap and use up a lot of calories doing it :)	18
4-1HEALTHYCYNDI 5/5/2009 6:07:12 PM	I like the idea. I just don't order over the internet. The mixes I "tried" on the website have come in at about the same as I find in the stores.	17
OTTRA702 5/5/2009 6:05:44 PM	Plus, I assume you'd have to pay shipping...too expensive for me!	16
LUCYSMOM09 5/5/2009 6:00:21 PM	Only 1.99 and ONLY 165 calories!! At least the one they gave us to eat at the convention. I know because I ate every delicious morsel and had to save the wraper to record it to my nutrition that day. Loved the STOP test we did with it. Select - Taste - Observe - Pause. I try doing this now with all my food.	15
CASSIE80 5/5/2009 5:09:20 PM	"Each bag of trail mix is only $1.99"...ONLY?! That's ONLY one serving! Too much moolah for me and I'm happy with the variety of trail mix that Fresh & Easy and Target carry.	14
SOURDOUGHGIRL 5/5/2009 4:48:13 PM	Still sounds pretty expensive to me so I will give it a pass.	13
HOPE2BE 5/5/2009 4:40:39 PM	I like lots of nuts and dried fruit. I even like coconut. Pretzels sound good and so do those round flat dark brown biscuits which I can't remember the name for it.	12