Chex Mix: Is It Vegan?
They’re undoubtedly a road trip must-have, but are Chex Mix vegan? Let’s find out…
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What is Chex Mix?
Chex Mix is a type of grainy snack mix that includes Chex breakfast cereal (courtesy of General Mills) as a key component and the inspiration behind its name.
Wheat Chex cereal was introduced in 1937 and Rice Chex in 1950 by Ralston Purina in the United States and has many recipes and variations.
Types of Chex Mix Available
In the United States you can find the following flavors of Chex Mix:
Savoury
- Traditional
- Cheddar
- Buffalo Ranch
- Spicy Dill
- Bold Party Blend
- Sour Cream & Onion
- Peanut Lover’s
- Hot ‘n Spicy
- Jalapeño Cheddar
- Chipotle Cheddar
- Soul Food
- Italian Herb & Parmesan
- Cherry & Crunchy Nuts
- Extreme Sweet and Spicy Sriracha
- Extreme Habanero
- Ghost Pepper
- Honey BBQ
- Strawberry and Cranberry Walnut
- Sauerkraut
- Nacho Fiesta (now discontinued)
Sweet ‘n Salty
- Caramel Crunch
- Honey Nut
- Trail Mix
- Malted Mix
Sweet
- Turtle Shell
- Dark Chocolate
- Peanut Butter Chocolate
- Brownie Supreme
- Snickerdoodle
- Cookies & Cream
Is Chex Mix Vegan?
Despite the many types, at present there are only two that are suitable for vegans – Traditional Chex Mix and Ghost Pepper Chex Mix.
Original Chex Mix Ingredients
- Whole Wheat
- Degermed Yellow Corn Meal
- Enriched Flour (wheat flour, niacin, iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid)
- Vegetable Oil (soybean, rice bran and/or canola)
- Sugar
- Rye Flour
- Salt
- Maltodextrin
- Yeast
- Spices
- Color Added
- Dextrose
- Distilled Monoglycerides
- Baking Soda
- Yellow Corn Flour
- Trisodium Phosphate
- Calcium Carbonate
- Autolyzed Yeast
- Dried Onion
- Dried Garlic
- Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
- Barley Malt Syrup
- Fumaric Acid
- Citric Acid
- Caraway
- Disodium Inosinate
- Disodium Guanylate
- Natural Flavor
- Sodium Diacetate
Ghost Pepper Chex Mix Ingredients
- Whole Wheat
- Degermed Yellow Corn Meal
- Enriched Flour (wheat flour, niacin, iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid)
- Vegetable Oil (soybean, canola and/or rice bran)
- Sugar
- Rye Flour
- Salt
- Spices
- Maltodextrin
- Dextrose
- Dried Garlic
- Yeast
- Yeast Extract
- Dried Onion
- Paprika Extract (color)
- Distilled Monoglycerides
- Baking Soda
- Yellow Corn Flour
- Trisodium Phosphate
- Calcium Carbonate
- Citric Acid
- Natural Flavor
- Caramel Color
- Barley Malt Syrup
- Fumaric Acid
- Caraway Sodium Diacetate
Why are So Many Chex Mix Types Not Vegan?
Many of the other Chex Mix flavors contain the following non-vegan ingredients:
- Whey
- Dried cheddar cheese
- Dried parmesan cheese
- Dried Romano cheese
Some vegans take issue with the practices behind food colorants, refined sugar, canola oil, and factory-produced chemicals, because the ethics and resources behind them are often unclear or unsustainable.
Is Chex Mix Healthy?
Chex Mix is fine to be enjoyed in moderation. It contains a lot of sodium (salt), which means too much consumption is not good for you. Flavors containing cheese or sweet products are likely to be high in sugar and fat, therefore are less healthy than the original Chex Mix.
How to Make Healthy Vegan Chex Mix
Ingredients:
- Olive oil
- Worcestershire sauce
- Salt
- Paprika
- Onion and garlic powder
- Wheat and Rice Chex
- Multigrain Cheerios
- Pretzels
- Peanuts and cashews
- Popcorn
What You’ll Need:
- Two baking sheets
- Cooking spray
- Measuring cups and spoons
- A small bowl and teaspoon (to mix together the seasonings)
- A large bowl and large spoon (to mix everything together)
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray
- Stir together the olive oil, Worcestershire, salt, paprika, onion powder and garlic powder until combined. Use your small bowl for this.
- Stir together the cereals, pretzels, peanuts and cashews. Drizzle with the seasoning mix and toss to evenly coat. Do this in your large bowl.
- Transfer the mixture to the two prepared baking sheets and spread into one even layer. Bake for 1 hour or until mix is lightly browned.
- Let the mix cool
- Fold in your popcorn
- Enjoy!
- Store in an air-tight container or ZipLoc bag for 5-7 days max.
Conclusion
If you’re a fan of the original Chex Mix (and you’re vegan), luckily you can enjoy this treat! You can also indulge in the Ghost Pepper Chex Mix too, as it doesn’t contain meat, fish, or dairy components.
There are multiple types of Chex Mix recipes available, including healthier options. You can always make your own version too.
The original and Ghost Pepper Chex Mix should both be enjoyed in moderation due to their high sodium content.
