Today is National Trail Mix Day, celebrating the portable snack for hiking, traveling and eating on the go.
Trail mix works especially well outdoors because it is lightweight, shelf-stable and doesn’t need refrigeration or cooking. Dried fruit provides quick carbohydrates, nuts and seeds add protein and longer-lasting fats, and chocolate or other sweets can offer a fast energy boost. The mix is also calorie-dense, so hikers can carry fuel without adding much weight to a backpack. Versions vary endlessly, but raisins, peanuts and chocolate were already recommended for campers in the early 1900s, long before packaged trail mixes became common.
For a trail mix that fits any craving, Mama Bear Outdoors shares more than 25 combinations, from tropical fruit, nuts and seeds to chocolate-peanut butter, s’mores and even beef jerky, plus a simple gorp (Good Old Raisins and Peanuts) made with Cheerios, raisins, peanuts and chocolate candies.