Best Puppy Chow Recipe (Muddy Buddies) (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between Muddy Buddies and puppy chow? ›

Puppy Chow vs Muddy Buddies

Muddy Buddies is actually the official name of the recipe marketed by General Mills, the maker of Chex cereal. Names like “puppy chow” and others have become layman's terms for homemade versions like this one.

What Is Puppy Chow? “Puppy chow” (a.k.a. muddy buddies) is the name for a homemade candy or snack that's made with cereal, chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar. General Mills sells their own version of the popular treat, but it's easy to make at home with just a few ingredients.

Chex Cereal: Make sure you start with fresh cereal, not an opened box that went unfinished. This will ensure your Muddy Buddies stay crunchy and don't taste stale.

“Muddy buddies” (a.k.a. puppy chow) is the name for a homemade candy or snack that's main ingredients include cereal, chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar.

This quick, no-bake puppy snack mix will also answer to other names such as Muddy Buddies, Muddy Munch, Monkey Munch, or Reindeer Chow. Think of it as sweet chocolate and peanut butter Chex mix. You need only pantry basics to make a big batch of this snack, so you might have already have everything on hand.

How Puppy Chow Got Its Name. Chex cereal, originally made by the Ralston Purina Company, debuted in grocery stores in 1937. Because the company referred to their dog food as “dog chow” and cat food as “cat chow,” they jokingly called their new cereal line “human chow,” according to Taste.

Whether you call it muddy buddies or puppy chow, this classic is always guaranteed to be a crowd favorite. Rice Chex cereal is coated with a combination of melted chocolate and peanut butter, then tossed in powdered sugar for the ultimate easy sweet snack.

Puppy chow, also known as monkey munch, muddy buddies, muddy munch, reindeer chow, or doggy bag, is the name for a homemade candy made in the United States, primarily in the Midwestern States.

Puppy chow is a party staple in the Midwest, but not everywhere else. Puppy chow — a snack mix made of Chex cereal covered in melted chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar — is often a fixture at parties. People outside of the Midwest have often never heard of it, and they don't know what they're missing.

Easy answer: yes, your sack of dry dog food will go stale much faster if you leave it open. Unopened dry dog food tends to have a shelf life of around 12-18 months, but once you open it, you should aim to use it up in about 6 weeks.

Do muddy bites need to be refrigerated? ›

How should I store Muddy Bites? Room temp is completely fine but we recommend to seal the bag (using the zipper on the bag) if you don't eat them all to ensure freshness next time you enjoy! We've also heard people put them in the freezer for a nice cold treat.

Make Ahead Instructions: Chex mix tastes freshest when served within 2-3 days of making it, but it will last stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Freezing Instructions: Chex mix freezes great! Store in freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months.

Whatever the name is, puppy chow and muddy buddies are made of the same basic ingredients of cereal, peanut butter, chocolate, and powdered sugar.

Make sure you don't overheat your chocolate/peanut butter/butter mixture! This will keep the chocolate from burning and becoming clumpy. Before you begin, prep a parchment-lined baking sheet and a bag filled with powdered sugar so you can move quickly.

In 2002 General Mills developed Muddy Buddies, the same recipe as Puppy Chow. But it can't be said that General Mills invented the recipe since Midwesterners recall seeing it and eating it long before the early 2000s.

Puppy food does have slightly higher levels of calcium and phosphorous when compared to most adult dog foods. Puppy food also has a higher fat and protein content, meaning there are more calories per bite than the adult version of the same brand.

Muddy buddies can go by a lot of alternate names; you may have heard them referred to as puppy chow, monkey munch, reindeer chow, or doggy bag. They get the crazy names from their appearance, sometimes looking like dog food or animal treats.

Peanut Butter Puppy Chow Blizzard^® Treat. Available at participating DQ^® restaurants. For people, not puppies.

The puppy chow belt runs through the Dakotas, Iowa, Nebraska, and Wisconsin, fanning out into the surrounding areas.