Trail mix explained

Trail mix
Alternate Name:Gorp, scroggin, schmogle
Country:United States
Type:Snack
Main Ingredient: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

Common ingredients may include:[5] [6] [7]

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]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Kephart, Horace . Horace Kephart . 1916 . . The Book of Camping and Woodcraft . Camping and Woodcraft . 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..
  2. Book: 2002 . Rough guide to New Zealand . 1023 . Laura . Harper . Tony . Mudd . Paul . Whitfield . Rough Guides . 1-85828-896-7 . Google Books.
  3. Web site: World Wide Words: Gorp. World Wide Words. 2023-04-08.
  4. Web site: The Food Timeline-history notes: muffins to yogurt . . Lynne . Olver . Lynne Olver . 2023-04-08.
  5. Web site: Lederle . Davida . 2023-04-19 . How To Build a Healthy Trail Mix . 2026-01-19 . The Healthy Maven . en-US.
  6. Web site: Commercial Item Description: Trail Mix . U.S. Department of Agriculture . Agriculture Marketing Service . September 9, 2019 . February 6, 2026.
  7. Web site: Create Your Own Trail Mix . Nutrition and Food Services . U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs . January 2022 . February 6, 2026.
  8. Web site: Hirsch . Mia . The 10 Best Target Trail Mix Options, Ranked . Spoon University . October 23, 2017 . July 29, 2022.
  9. Web site: Pollick . Michael . The best trail mix . Chicago Tribune . May 20, 2020 . July 29, 2022.
  10. Web site: Pierre . Danielle St. . 12 Best Trail Mix Snacks of 2018 - Healthy Nut and Fruit Trail Mixes . Best Products . June 2, 2022 . July 29, 2022.
  11. Web site: Tropical Trail Mix Recipe for a Hawaii Road Trip . Silly America . September 22, 2019 . July 29, 2022.
  12. Web site: Mexican Spiced Trail Mix . Mel & Anth . September 18, 2018 . July 29, 2022.
  13. Web site: Gluten Free Omega 3 Trail Mix Recipe . Marine Corps Nomads . December 8, 2017 . July 29, 2022.
  14. Web site: Omega 3 Trail Mixes for Healthy Snacking . Nature's Garden . February 8, 2021 . July 29, 2022.
  15. Web site: Santa Fe Trail Mix Recipe . Food.com . September 18, 2008 . July 29, 2022.
  16. Web site: Sparx . Matt . Here's All the Hatch Chile Flavored Things You Can Get at Sprouts . New Country 99.1 . August 2, 2021 . July 29, 2022.

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