Mixed nuts: not your parents' mix

[JAZ]

I go through stages with buying salted snack nuts, and I guess I've been out of the market for a while, but it seems to me that there are a lot more combinations available these days than there used to be.

When I was a kid, mixed nuts came in two varieties: regular -- with peanuts, or "deluxe" -- without them (and much more expensive because of it). You could get just almonds or just cashews, or just peanuts, but the two choices were pretty much it as far as mixtures went.

Now, if you check out the nut aisle at your grocery store, or (for instance) the Planters Nut site, you'll find the usual mixes (also in honey-roasted and "lightly salted") but also specialty mixes. I just found a mix of cashews, almonds and macadamia nuts from Planters, for instance, which is quite possibly the only nut mixture I will ever buy from now on (no need to discreetly push aside the pecans and Brazil nuts).

I'm not sure if this wider selection is a result of the new craze of nuts and health, but I'm all for it. Has anyone else noticed this trend? Any other great mixes out there I need to try?

[Toliver]

I'm not sure if this wider selection is a result of the new craze of nuts and health, but I'm all for it. Has anyone else noticed this trend? Any other great mixes out there I need to try?

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I think it's more a matter of niche marketing, or upscale marketing, if you want to call it that.

Check out your local Target's nut/snack aisle. They offer quite a range of interesting nut products under their Archer Farms line.

[Kent D]

I noticed the tub of nuts we bought the other day (Planters, I believe) had added walnuts to the mix. I guess my tastes have broadened as I've aged -- I'm finding I like even the Brazil nuts now.

[Chris Hennes]

I think this has been my favorite snack food "trend" of the last few years. In particular, they've got some mixtures where they use pistachios as the "filler" now instead of peanuts. Well hell, that's my kind of nut mix, I love pistachios! I still wish they'd leave the Brazil nuts out it, though, I just don't care for them.

[heidih]

A while ago I started to see promos for Sahale products. They are nut and sometimes dried fruit combos with quite interesting flavors. Pricey though. I prefer going to the Middle Eastern or Indian market and getting their house blends.

[BeeZee]

If you have a Trader Joe's market near you, they have several unique nut combos that incorporate spices. Since their stock rotates in and out, hard to tell you what to look for, but they are featuring one now that has dried rosemary if you like that flavor. And they seem to have cashews featured in a lot of the mixes (which is a good thing in my opinion).