5 Ingredient (or Fewer!) Solutions for When You're Feeling Snacky

The easiest, lowest-lift appetizer? Snack mixes. We partnered with Boxed.com to bring you 3 versions you can follow or riff on from our editor Lindsay-Jean. Get 15% off your first order, and free delivery, from Boxed.com with the code Food52.

I always feel like I need to use a million ingredients in homemade snack mix. I think it's because it's kind of the ultimate Not Recipe: Throw in a little of this, a little of that, a handful of that—I get this compulsion to add everything in the pantry in a rowdy clean-out to make things not-boring.

So, I think it's good to be reminded that you don't need to a truckload of different bits and bobs to make this low-key appetizer sing—our editors Ali and Sarah have told us just that in the past. (See here and here.)

And it's true, you can! You can rustle up great snack mixes—from savory to sweet (and savory and sweet) —with as little as 5 ingredients (or even less!). Our editor Lindsay-Jean loves them and is convinced they're guaranteed to make everyone happy. She came up with a few combos to get you going, but you can always play with ingredient amounts to suit your tastes.

Commit these 3 mixes to memory and you'll be able to riff on their profiles all year long:

Wasabi Soy Sauce Popcorn Snack Mix with Roasted Seaweed

What's in it: Popcorn, soy sauce, coconut oil, wasabi almonds, roasted seaweed

Why Lindsay-Jean loves it: "I will always choose salty over sweet, plus I'm a sucker for soy sauce and wasabi anything, so this might be my spirit snack mix."

What to swap in (or add!) when you want to change it up: Wasabi peas, rice crackers, dry-roasted peanuts, and/or Rice Chex

Sweet N' Salty Chocolate Peanut Butter Mix

What's in it: Peanut M&M'S, mini pretzels, Reeses Puffs cereal, and roasted and salted peanuts (this one is extra easy—there's no need to coat anything!)

Why Lindsay-Jean loves it: "Who doesn't love peanut butter and chocolate?! And for the one person who doesn't, they can eat the pretzels. Like I said, everyone's happy!"

What to swap in (or add!) when you want to change it up: Reese's Pieces, another type of M&M's (Peanut Butter, Milk Chocolate, Pretzel), another peanut butter cereal (Peanut Butter Puffins, Peanut Butter Captain Crunch), mini marshmallows, or chocolate chips

Tropical Sunset Snack Mix with Coconut, Cinnamon, and Apricots

What's in it: Diced dried apricots, coconut flakes or toasted coconut chips, Life (or Chex) cereal, cinnamon, and coconut oil

Why Lindsay-Jean loves it: "This one is sweet, but not overly so, and though it seems especially simple, it's surprisingly addictive—as proven by my husband who declared that he could eat it all day long."

What to swap in (or add!) when you want to change it up: Cashews, another dried fruit or two (pineapple, mango, papaya, golden raisins), pepitas, a different cinnamony/nutty cereal (Cinnamon Puffins, Honey Nut Cheerios), yogurt-covered raisins

What's in your favorite snack mix? Tell us in the comments below!

Groceries, all boxed up and at your door. We partnered with Boxed.com (and ordered from them, too!) to bring you a series of posts this summer that covers everything from summer snacking, to grilling, and back to school. Get 15% off your first order, and free delivery, from Boxed.com with the code Food52.