Growing up, popcorn was one of our favorite family snacks during movie nights together with my dad. We would settle in for one of our favorite movies or TV shows and my dad would fill a giant purple bowl with fresh, air popped (not microwave) popcorn and we’d all share it. My siblings and I are all grown now, but we still enjoy a big bowl of popcorn when we’re visiting Dad.

While we probably enjoyed more than an ample serving of melted butter on top of our popcorn, without the butter popcorn is actually a relatively healthy snack and is a good way to satisfy the munchies. In fact, popcorn provides three times more fiber per 1-ounce serving than other snack foods, such as pretzels or potato chips and is considered a whole grain. Instead of the traditional popcorn and butter, try this Popcorn Trail Mix for your holiday snacking needs.

Madeline and I enjoyed making this recipe for Popcorn Trail Mix together, and of course eating it for and afternoon snack! Whole grains, dried fruits, nuts and seeds are all part of a healthy snacking diet. This mixture combines sweet and salty for ultimate satisfaction.

Popcorn Trail Mix

serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 envelope Orville Redenbacher Natural Simply Salted 50% Less Fat, popped
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
2/3 cup raw, unsalted almonds
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup diced dried apricots

Directions:

Sprinkle hot, freshly popped popcorn with cinnamon, tossing to coat evenly. In a separate bowl, combine the sunflower seeds, pepitas, almonds, cranberries, and apricots. Mix well. Toss the nut, seed, and fruit mixture with the popcorn. Divide evenly among 4-6 snack sized bowls.

If you’d like to chat more about healthy holiday snacks, join me at the #gno Twitter party on Monday, December 6 to chat about healthy holiday snacks. Click here for more details.

Before you enter the giveaway PLEASE read the rules.

Giveaway (1 winner):

Orville Redenbacher Gift

• Orville Redenbacher’s popcorn varieties (a mix of Light Butter, Cheddar, Kettle Corn, and Lime and Salt)
• Popcorn Bowl from Crate and Barrel
• Healthy Snack Recipe Mix-ins (Nuts, raisins, chocolates, dried cranberries, honey and recipes from the Orville Redenbacher’s website)

The Rules:

• Tell me what your favorite HEALTHY holiday snack is.
• Tweet the following: Check out #Orville Redenbacher’s #giveaway on @momitforward http://bit.ly/g1y4PR win healthy holiday snacks! http://bit.ly/hAM4Zl PLS RT
• You may NOT enter using multiple email addresses. Automatic disqualification.
• Additional entries must leave a separate comment.
  
• Contest ends December 10, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. EST.
• Contest open to US States only.
• Winner will be chosen via random.org and will have 3 days to respond before disqualified and a new winner chosen.

Extra Entries: Additional entries can be earned by doing any of the following, giving you a total of 3 entries. Leave a separate comment for each of your entries.

• Visit the Orville Redenbacher’s website and leave a comment on this post about what dish you would most like to prepare during the holidays.
• Tweet the following: Looking 4 healthy snacks? Visit the #Orville Redenbacher’s site 4 ideas on how 2 snack healthy during the holidays! http://bit.ly/dEVaGf

This giveaway is brought to you by Mom it Forward and Orville Redenbacher. I was compensated for being part of the Healthy Holiday Snacks campaign.