Trail mix
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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 fat 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.<ref name="Kephart">Template:Cite book</ref>
Other names
In New Zealand, trail mix is known as scroggin.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> 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 goodies including nuts; but this may be a backronym.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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
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)
- Yogurt chips
- 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.<ref name="Hirsch 2017">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Pollick 2020">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Pierre 2022">Template:Cite web</ref>
- 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.<ref name="Silly America 2019">Template:Cite web</ref>
- Mexican trail mix (also called Sweet and Spicy): mango, sunflower seeds, pepitas, raisins, and chili powder.<ref name="Mel & Anth 2018">Template:Cite web</ref>
- 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.<ref name="Marine Corps Nomads 2017">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Nature's Garden 2021">Template:Cite web</ref>
- Santa Fe trail mix (also known as Southwestern or Hatch): toasted corn, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, pistachios, and New Mexico chile powder.<ref name="Food.com 2008">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Sparx 2021">Template:Cite web</ref>