Christmas Snacks

I can't believe that by this time next week Christmas will be, for all intents and purposes, over. So we really only have another seven days to soak it all in, including noshing on once a year snacks like Nuts and Bolts.

Our version of Christmas Nuts and Bolts omits the nuts. A casualty of the nut-free environment my kids now occupy at school. As such our Nuts and Bolts might more aptly be called cereal mix, since it relies heavily on cereals - Shreddies, Chex and Cheerios. I tend to call it snack mix. Here is how you make it:

Christmas Snack Mix

4 cups shreddies
4 cups chex
3 cups cheerios
1 cup pretzels (I like to use Alphabet Pretzels)
6 tbsp butter
2 tbsp wooster sauce
1 1/2 tsp seasoned salt
3/4 tsp garlic powder

Combine the cereals and pretzels in a large microwave safe bowl. In another smaller microwave safe bowl, melt the butter. Add wooster and seasonings, stir to combine. Drizzle over the cereal/pretzel mix, stirring well to coat. Heat in microwave for 6 minutes, stopping every 2 minutes to stir. Spread mixture on paper towels to cool, store in airtight container(s).

This year I jazzed up one batch of our Christmas Snack Mix by adding some peppermint M&Ms, which add some nice colour and are a great sweet complement to all the salty goodness that is snack mix.


I give out a lot of snack mix this time of year. People seem to love receiving it and it's a real no-brainer to make. Our next batch of snack mix will be extra special because I'm pulling out all of the stops and adding...Bugles! Remember Bugles? I once loved Bugles. I haven't seen them in stores for years. A friend at work mentioned them this week and I couldn't stop thinking about them...then he offered me two whole bags of my own, acquired during a trip to the States. Which I left in my office Friday, or I would have included them in this batch of snack mix. Which makes for a great excuse to make more next week.