Trail mix made with peanuts, raisins and M&M's
Trail mix is a type of snack mix, typically a combination of granola, dried fruit, nuts, and sometimes candy, developed as a 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 fat in nuts. The combination of 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.
Other names[]
In New Zealand, trail mix is known as scroggin or schmogle. In Australia, the term "scroggin" is used almost exclusively, although in more recent years, "trail mix" has been imported into the jargon from the US. Some claim that the name stands for sultanas, carob, raisins, orange peel, grains, glucose, and nuts or alternatively sultanas, chocolate, raisins and other goody-goodies including nuts; but this may be a backronym.
The American term gorp is often used by campers and hikers in North America. Most recognize gorp to be an acronym for its four main ingredients, "granola, oats, raisins, and peanuts." Some claim it's an acronym for "good ol' raisins and peanuts." The Oxford English Dictionary cites a 1913 reference to the verb gorp, meaning "to eat greedily," so the acronyms may be folk etymology or backronyms.
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[]
Common ingredients may include:
- Breakfast cereals such as granola
- Carob chips
- Chocolate candies, such as chocolate chip, chocolate chunks, and M&M's
- Dried fruits such as raisins, cranberries, apricots, apples, banana chips, sultanas or candied orange peel
- Ginger (crystallized)
- M&M's or other similar candies
- 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 are commonly made at home, or can commonly be found pre-mixed in supermarkets by numerous producers.
- 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.
- Mexican trail mix (also called Sweet and Spicy): mango, sunflower seeds, pepitas, raisins, and chili powder.
- 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.
- Santa Fe trail mix (also known as Southwestern or Hatch): toasted corn, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, pistachios, and New Mexico chile powder.