 | |
| Alternative names | Gorp, scroggin, schmogle |
|---|---|
| Type | Snack |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Main ingredients | Dried fruit, grains, nuts, sometimes chocolate |
Trail mix is a type of snack mix, typically a combination of granola, dried fruit, nuts, and sometimes candy, developed as food to be taken along on hikes. Trail mix is a popular snack food for hikes, because it is lightweight, easy to store, and nutritious, providing a quick energy boost from the carbohydrates in the dried fruit or granola, and sustained energy from fatty nuts.
The combination of fatty nuts, raisins and chocolate as a trail snack dates at least to the 1910s, when outdoorsman Horace Kephart recommended it in his popular camping guide Camping and Woodcraft.[1]
Other names
In New Zealand, trail mix is known as scroggin.[2] Some claim that the name stands for sultanas, carob, raisins, orange peel, grains, glucose, and nuts or alternatively sultanas, chocolate, raisins and other goodies including nuts; but this may be a backronym.[3]
The term gorp is often used by campers and hikers in North America. Some claim it is an acronym for "good ol' raisins and peanuts."[4] The Oxford English Dictionary cites a 1913 reference to the verb gorp, meaning "to eat greedily".
In Germany, Poland, Hungary, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, and several other European countries, trail mix is called student fodder, student oats or student mix in the local languages. It usually does not include chocolate.
Ingredients
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Common ingredients may include:[5][6][7]
- Granola
- Breakfast cereals, such as Chex
- Carob chips
- Chocolate candies, such as chocolate chip, chocolate chunks, and M&M's
- Peanut butter chips
- Dried fruits, such as raisins, cranberries, apricots, apples, banana chips, sultanas or candied orange peel
- Crystallized ginger
- Yogurt chips
- Marshmallows
- Nuts, such as almonds or cashews
- Legumes, such as peanuts or baked soybeans
- Pretzels
- Rye chips
- Seeds, such as pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
- Shredded coconut
Popular mixes
There are common trail mix varieties, which can be made at home, or bought pre-mixed from supermarkets by numerous producers.[8][9][10]
- Asia mix (sometimes called Zen mix): peanuts, sesame sticks, rice crackers, and soybeans.
- Cape Cod trail mix (sometimes called Northeastern): almonds, cashews, and dried cranberries.
- Hawaiian trail mix (also known as Tropical): pineapple, mango, banana chips, coconut, and cashews.[11]
- Mexican trail mix (also called Sweet and Spicy): mango, sunflower seeds, pepitas, raisins, and chili powder.[12]
- Monster trail mix (or Peanut Butter and Chocolate): peanut butter chips, peanuts, M&M's, and sometimes either or both raisins and cranberries.
- Omega-3 trail mix: cashews, walnuts, raisins, cinnamon apples pieces.[13][14]
- Santa Fe trail mix (also known as Southwestern or Hatch): toasted corn, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, pistachios, and New Mexico chile powder.[15][16]
See also
References
- ^ Kephart, Horace (1916). The Book of Camping and Woodcraft. The Macmillan Company. p. 196.
A handful each of shelled nuts and raisins, with a cake of sweet chocolate, will carry a man far on the trail, or when he has lost it.
- ^ Harper, Laura; Mudd, Tony; Whitfield, Paul (2002). Rough guide to New Zealand. Rough Guides. p. 1023. ISBN 1-85828-896-7 – via Google Books.
- ^ "World Wide Words: Gorp". World Wide Words. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
- ^ Olver, Lynne. "The Food Timeline-history notes: muffins to yogurt". The Food Timeline. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
- ^ Lederle, Davida (2023-04-19). "How To Build a Healthy Trail Mix". The Healthy Maven. Retrieved 2026-01-19.
- ^ U.S. Department of Agriculture (September 9, 2019). "Commercial Item Description: Trail Mix" (PDF). Agriculture Marketing Service. Retrieved February 6, 2026.
- ^ Nutrition and Food Services (January 2022). "Create Your Own Trail Mix" (PDF). U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Retrieved February 6, 2026.
- ^ Hirsch, Mia (October 23, 2017). "The 10 Best Target Trail Mix Options, Ranked". Spoon University. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
- ^ Pollick, Michael (May 20, 2020). "The best trail mix". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
- ^ Pierre, Danielle St. (June 2, 2022). "12 Best Trail Mix Snacks of 2018 - Healthy Nut and Fruit Trail Mixes". Best Products. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
- ^ "Tropical Trail Mix Recipe for a Hawaii Road Trip". Silly America. September 22, 2019. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
- ^ "Mexican Spiced Trail Mix". Mel & Anth. September 18, 2018. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
- ^ "Gluten Free Omega 3 Trail Mix Recipe". Marine Corps Nomads. December 8, 2017. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
- ^ "Omega 3 Trail Mixes for Healthy Snacking". Nature's Garden. February 8, 2021. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
- ^ "Santa Fe Trail Mix Recipe". Food.com. September 18, 2008. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
- ^ Sparx, Matt (August 2, 2021). "Here's All the Hatch Chile Flavored Things You Can Get at Sprouts". New Country 99.1. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
