Thanksgiving Snack Mix (AKA Turkey Feed)
Thanksgiving is all about the food. And giving thanks…that too. If you're looking for a fun and simple snack idea for kids then you need this Thanksgiving Snack Mix – AKA Turkey Feed.
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It's not overly commercial. I don't have to stress because I'm behind on my gift-buying. I don't have to make anyone a costume or worry about the cats knocking down my Christmas decorations. And, it's all about the food, which is something I can always get on board with. I love all the Thanksgiving food. The cranberries. The stuffing. The gravy. The turkey and ham. The pie. Thie side dishes. Oh, how I love the side dishes.
Thanksgiving Snack Mix – Something for Little Hands to Do
But you know what I don't love? Dealing with my whiny kids who don't understand why we're eating at a different time than they usually do. I always have good intentions of organizing Thanksgiving crafts or games to keep my small humans occupied while I'm cooking the biggest meal I cook all year but somehow, that never seems to happen.
This easy Thanksgiving snack mix (we call it Turkey Feed Snack Mix) is a lot of fun for my kids to put together and eat. Even the youngest kids can do this on their own.
Turkey Feed Snack Mix is both something to do and something to eat. It keeps hands busy and it's mostly nutritious.
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What's in Thanksgiving snack mix?
My Thanksgiving snack mix recipe uses crunchy cereal, nuts, pretzels, pumpkin seeds and Reese's Pieces, which are my favorite candy ever. Refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this page. You can substitute whatever you like. If you don't want nuts, you can add extra cereal, Bugles, small crackers, or raisins.
I pre-measure the ingredients and put out some different storage containers and let the kids go to town. They'll put it in individual snack portions, divide it, fight about who has more Reese's Pieces…you know the drill. It passes the time and gives me some peace. At least that's the idea.
Turkey Feed is also a fun addition to your dessert table, especially if you're serving your desserts buffet-style. And, isn't that the best way? People can graze and help themselves to seconds, and thirds, and…well, who's counting? Calories don't count on Thanksgiving anyway! Put this Thanksgiving snack mix in a jar with a scoop or fill a pretty glass dish. It's also a great munchie for those Thanksgiving football games everyone likes to watch.
Thanksgiving Snack Mix (Turkey Feed)
Ingredients:
2 cups mini pretzels
1 cup corn square cereal
1 cup Reese's Pieces
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (raw, shelled)
1/2 cup unsalted dry roasted peanuts
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Directions:
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Store in a re-sealable container or plastic bag. You can also package this up as a party favor or a gift (provided nut allergies aren't an issue) or set it out for guests to munch on. It's totally addictive, though, so be careful you don't spoil your dinner. If you are worried about nut allergies, you could always make a couple of substitutions for the peanuts and pecans, such as sunflower seeds and popcorn. Get creative!
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What an easy and festive snack for the season! This is sure to be a hit!
As soon as I saw your gorgeous images of the Turkey Feed Snack Mix, my tummy started rumbling with joy! This afternoon when I’m grocery shopping for the week, I’m picking up all of the ingredients to make this fun and tasty recipe. Thank you so much for sharing it!
I love how you snuck the healthy nuts and seeds into your turkey feed. Pretty tricky. My kids will love it.
I handed the recipe over to the kids and they had a blast making it – one discovered a love of seeds that they had never had before.
This is the perfect fall snack mix! Everyone in the family loves it and it’s so easy to throw together.
Cannot wait to make this next week!! This looks so good!
You had me reeses pieces! The fact that you added pumpkin seeds just makes this a winner.