Styling and Photography by LAURIE MOSCO

Home is where the heart is AND where the snacks are made! Homemade snacks are still holding strong with 17% of consumers making them (National Confectioners Association).  And with major business hubs like New York City only reporting 50% of workers back in the office, the homemade trend is sure to continue (CNBC). But lives are getting busier.  Help make their homemade snacks a home run with premium ingredients and mix-ins that cut down the prep time.

Raise the Homemade Snack Bars

In the homemade snack space, homemade snack bars are the biggest category by far, with 23% of consumers baking their own snack bars instead of buying them (National Confectioners Association).  Whip them into a frenzy with fun and flavorful ingredients that make their homemade bars easier — and tastier.

Consumers are nuts about indulgences when snacking (National Confectioners Association). Cause a stir by serving up nut and seed butters, the foundation of most snack bars, with indulgent flavors. It can be a classic combination like chocolate and peanut butter found in Peanut Butter & Co Dark Chocolate Dreams Peanut Butter, or for the more exotic, chocolate and coconut like Barney Butter Cocoa + Coconut Almond Butter.   

Some of the appeal of homemade snacks is the ability to customize for dietary requirements.  A big requirement at the moment is low sugar, with 50% of consumers looking to lower their sugar intake (Candy Industry). Butters that tout their low sugar status like Barney Butter Bare Smooth Almond Butter, or for those looking to cut down on fat AND calories, Peanut Butter & Co Original Peanut Powder will send health nuts into a frenzy.  Make sure those with nut sensitivities can get in on the low sugar trend with Once Again Lightly Sweetened Sunflower Seed Butter. For a low sugar butter alternative, recommend Deglet Dates.

Better-for-you ingredients aren’t reserved for nut butters. Lots of customers prefer all their homemade snack ingredients to be wholesome.  Make sure you offer the king of wholesome grains and seeds — Bob’s Red Mill.  Their Brown Flaxseed and Gluten Free Old Fashioned Rolled Oats are favorites for snack bars and protein balls.

Now on to the fun part – the fixings!  Inflation prices have customers watching their wallets, making granola and nut mixes that offer multiple items in ONE mix is a way to bring big flavors on a small budget.  Nassau Candy’s Anti-Oxidant Mix, full of hearty roasted unsalted almonds, Brazil nuts, roasted unsalted cashews, raw hazelnuts, raw pistachios, AND blueberries, cherries, strawberries, and golden raisins packs all their sweet and salty favorites.  Nassau Candy’s Crispy Cranberry and Pecan Granola with tangy, sweet dried cranberries and crisp pecans brings on the fall cobbler flavors they’ll instantly fall in love with.

60% of consumers are looking to eat more protein too (Food Business News).  One way they’re adding more protein is through protein powders in their snack bar recipes. Supercharge your homemade snack ingredient selection with a variety protein powders like plant-based Bob’s Red Mill Hemp, or Almond Protein Powder.  If they’re looking to add a little dairy to their diet too, there’s Bob’s Red Mill Whey Protein.  

Soup Up Their Snack Mixes and Dips

Snack bars are not the ONLY thing homemade snackers are snacking on.  57% of snackers are looking for something that can be eaten on the go (whether at home or at the office), so think poppable snacks that are easily portable in a snack bag or container (National Confectioners Association). We love custom snack mixes with fun and unexpected mix-ins.

Slightly sweet and salty snack favorite,  Lesser Evil Himalayan Sweetness, makes the perfect blank canvas to add nuts, dried fruit, and other already mixed snack mixes. Pair with Sahale’s Sea Salt Bean + Nut Mix full of  chickpeas, fava beans, lentils, almonds, and pepitas with just a touch of sea salt for a sweet and salty crunch packed with protein.  If they’re feeling a bit fancy, glam up their mix with Urbani Black Truffle Luxury Mixed Nuts, featuring roasted almonds, cashews, walnuts, and pecans sprinkled with a black truffle infused salt.  Or spice things up with the hot flavors of Nassau Candy Cajun Hot Mix with its blanched peanuts, Cajun corn sticks, Cajun sesame sticks, roasted redskin peanuts, chili bits, and Cajun seasoning.  For a little sweet heat, opt for Nassau Candy’s Sweet Wasabi Mix, and its medley of dried cranberries, butter toffee peanuts, wasabi peas, and roasted cashews.

Everyone loves a good cheese platter, but that’s not necessarily convenient when snacking on the go.  Find ways to inject charcuterie flavors into portable snack pairings like cheesy, nutty Parm Crisps Original Snack Mix, with real parmesan cheese crisps, and chewy, tangy Amore Sun Dried Tomatoes. For the ultimate mix, sprinkle in smoky, savory Nassau Candy Party Mix’s blend of unsalted peanuts, hickory smoked almonds, garlic sesame sticks, mini pretzels, and honey roasted peanuts.

Like snack bars, everyday permissible indulgences are important to snack mixes, too.  They can be everyday indulgent items AND limited-edition ones like chocolatey, salty seasonal Lesser Evil Dark Chocolate Himalayan Pink Salt Popcorn.  Add it to Nassau Candy’s Jazz It up Mix full of chocolate covered raisins, honey roasted peanuts, honey roasted sesame sticks, dried cranberries, and white chocolatey chips for a symphony of rich, chocolatey, sweet flavors. Or for a mix with a more exotic, earthy feel start with Lesser Evil seasonal flavor, White Chocolate Matcha Popcorn, and add  Nassau Candy Sea Salt Sensation Mix with its tangy, sweet combination of  dark chocolate sea salt almonds, roasted salted cashews, raw pecan halves, dried cranberries and golden raisins. If they’re looking for a balance between indulgent and not so indulgent, then recommend Nassau Candy Unsalted Mixed Nuts; a blend of roasted almonds, raw Brazil nuts, roasted cashews, raw hazelnuts and raw pecans.  They pair well with the sweeter flavors of the Lesser Evil popcorns.

As the world continues to open up, parties and gatherings are back on the table.  So are homemade dips.  Jarred veggies make it easy for consumers to dive back into dip making. Bright, colorful vegetables full of bold flavor like Cucina & Amore Sliced Tricolor Jalapenos or Pickerfresh Pickled Veggie Slaw, with its gherkins, carrots, red pepper, onion, and celery are begging to be added to sour cream, cream cheese, or any spreadable cheese for an instant dip.  For some sweet and spicy flavors sporting a deep red hue, opt for Bornibus Piquillo Peppers as a dip add in.

Homemade snacks are still a major player in the snack field.  Be their homemade snack MVP with a line-up of unique mix-ins that reduce prep time.

Check Out Our All-Star Lineup of Homemade Mix-Ins

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