MOR Snacks: Healthy, Made-In-Utah Trail Mixes

Snacking can make or break your diet, and sometimes, less can be MOR….as in MOR Snacks. I was invited to sample this new healthy option in the trail mix/protein bar markets, made a few miles away from me in Centerville, Utah. (And I have a 20% off coupon code that you can use to order!)

Created by Morley Baker of Salt Lake City, these are a simple-but-flavorful mix of nuts, freeze-dried fruit bits, and crunchy nuggets of dried cheese. There are no added sugars and no preservatives.

To me, they seemed like an ideal munchie — a hint of salt, a hint of sweet, with a nice crunch from the nuts and dried cheese. In the past couple of years, I’ve managed to lose more than 25 pounds, so I’ve become more aware of what satisfies my snack cravings without piling on a lot of empty calories.

There are currently three options, although their names may change beginning in January.

  — Tundra is a mix of almonds, dried cheddar, dried pepper jack cheese, pecans and walnuts.  A 1.6-ounce bag is 285 calories and 25 fat grams. Since it’s nuts and cheese, the high fat content is to be expected. Nuts contain a lot of “good” fat, and walnuts are especially high in healthy Omega-3 fatty acids. Also, it’s low-carb, with just 5.6 grams of carbs, and 10.2 grams of protein.

— The Vineyard mix has almonds, freeze-dried apple and grape bits, dried cheddar, and walnuts. Compared to the Tundra mix, this one is lower in calories (168) and fat (11.9 grams). It’s also bit higher in carbs — 11.8 grams — and lower in protein, at 5 grams.

 — Fjord (inspired by Norwegian fjords) is a mix of freeze-dried bits of apple, dried Gouda cheese, and walnuts.  It is 181 calories, 14.3 grams of total fat (2.7 grams saturated fat). Total carbs are 8.4 grams, and 6.7 grams protein. 

Baker told me he came up with the idea as an alternative to protein bars. As a cyclist and runner, Baker became tired of the many protein bars he ate during workouts.

  “The bars lost their appeal,” he said. “I wanted to eat real food while on my bike. Just pure, whole ingredients — nothing added.”

Besides a workout snack, I can see stashing a few bags in the car, since they are shelf-stable. Having a satisfying munchie might stave off the lure of drive-through fast food when you’re heading to or from work, out running errands, or chauffeuring kids to games and lessons.

  Prior to MOR snacks, Baker started Eatables, delivering a nut and dried-fruit product to company breakrooms.

  “With the start of Covid, we shut that operation down,” Baker said.

  He and his wife, Madie, came up with the idea of trail mixes that used freeze-dried fruit instead of dried fruit. He feels that freeze-dried fruit is healthier because it doesn’t need added sugars or preservatives.

“This creates a much cleaner, more natural, and healthier product,” Baker said.

  I liked both the freeze-fried fruit and the crunchy dried nuggets of cheese, which add flavor and texture. I also like the minimalist packaging, which allows you to see what’s in the bag.

  You can buy and try MOR snacks at a number of Utah stores (listed below), but the best price is through a subscription at https://morsnacks.com. An added advantage is avoiding rummaging through retail stores during a pandemic.

  “Customers who subscribe will get their first shipment for free, and we offer an ongoing discount for subsequent orders,” Baker said.

  A box of 12 1.6-ounce bags is $29.95 — that’s $2.50 per bag. I’d suggest buying a few packages at a store, or ordering a sampler box to form your own opinion, before committing to a subscription.

Baker gave me a coupon code — chewMOR — that you can use to get 20% off on your subscription order at https://morsnacks.com/discount/chewMOR.

  So far you can buy MOR snacks at Bowman’s Market in Kaysville, Counter 35 in Salt Lake and Lehi; Pirate O’s in Draper, Scheels in Draper, Smith & Edwards in Ogden and West Jordan; Snowbird Ski Resort, Stein Ericksen Lodge, The Store at The Gateway and in Holladay;  and Alta Ski Resort. Baker expects to expand his products to more retail stores beginning in January.

My dietitian friends would likely warn you that even “healthy” snacks contain fat and calories. So instead of adding MOR snacks to your existing daily diet, SUBSTITUTE them for some of the processed, high-fat, high-carb snacks you’re already eating. A handful of potato chips with dip, or cookies, for instance. That way, you’re taking in the same amount of calories (or even fewer), but you’re getting better nutrition.

  I asked about the variety names, since Vineyard, Fjord, and Tundra are not your average-Joe snack terms.

 “We’re a big outdoors company and love spending time outside,” Baker said. “Those names were originally chosen to represent the climates/regions we felt aligned with the snack. We are going through a rebrand and those names will all be changing starting mid-January with our next round of inventory.”

  Personally, I’m all for name changes, since customers may not feel that familiar with terms like “Tundra” or “Fjord.” It will be interesting seeing what the rebranding comes up with.

And personally, I’m looking forward to seeing more of MOR.

Disclosure: I was given samples of MOR snack mixes to try. This was NOT a sponsored or paid post. My opinions are all my own.