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