Salty Sweet Honey Mustard Popcorn Snack Mix

This Salty Sweet Honey Mustard Popcorn Snack Mix is quick and easy to make, and perfect for parties, homemade gifts, and school lunchboxes!

When my father-in-law passed away last January, I was incredibly moved by all the women who rushed to support my mother-in-law. Everyday, it seemed like someone showed up with tea, an offer for a walk, a box of cookies, a roast chicken, or her favorite Indian take-out.

I asked one of them how she had first met my mother-in-law 30 years ago, and she responded, “Oh, I was her dental hygienist.”

I was blown away. I mean, I have a hard enough time making friends with my peers, let alone my healthcare providers!

But it turned out that my mother-in-law and her dental hygienist had kids the same age, and so they became friends.

It was then that I realized something. These women were my mother-in-law’s mom squad. All these years later, they are still supporting each other.

Since then, I’ve made an effort to push myself outside my comfort zone and socialize with women I really like but don’t necessarily know very well. It can be awkward and uncomfortable (suggesting getting together feels like asking them out on a date!), but I have never regretted it, and after a while I’ve gotten more confident and it has become easier.

And if I ever do feel shy, there is a tiny voice in my head whispering, your mother-in-law made friends with her dental hygienist. You can ask this woman if she wants to meet up for a run. 

This past weekend, I invited a bunch of other mothers from the neighborhood over for a clothing swap. I was a little nervous, but I tried not to stress too much, clean too much, or make too much food. Surprise, surprise, I have a tendency to do that 😉

In the spirit of keeping things casual and easy, I made this Salty Sweet Honey Mustard Popcorn Snack Mix.

I’m not even the hugest fan of snack mixes (I’m more of a cheese plate girl, thank you very much), but I find this version totally irresistible. The ingredients are so easy. It’s just:

Popcorn
Pretzels
Chex cereal
Butter
Honey
Yellow mustard
Dry mustard powder
Worcestershire sauce
Onion and garlic powder
Salt

Toss the popcorn, pretzels, and Chex in a big bowl. Melt the rest of the ingredients in a saucepan, pour over, and toss to coat. Lastly, bake in a low oven for about 40 minutes until it’s ultra crispy and your kitchen smells divine.

Side note: a few of my girlfriends are dairy-free, so I actually made this with Earth Balance and it came out great!

This recipe was a huge hit at the clothing swap. Way more importantly, I feel like I strengthened these new, fledgling relationships, and I was reminded of that great CS Lewis quote:

“Friendship is born at the moment when one person says to another: What! You too? I thought I was the only one.”

#squadgoals