
Regardless of the date or origin, trail mix is a very popular, convenient and nutritious snack. It was intended to be consumed as a non-perishable, nutrient-dense portable food to take on journeys such as camping, hiking, biking and road trips. If you’ve ever been a Girl Scout and went camping or on hikes, you always had a pocketful of “gorp”, or “good old raisins and peanuts” in your pocket.
Many people love eating trail mix. They are likely to spend a lot of money buying the many different brands, the newly labeled higher-priced “organic” brands, or they will spend hours making their own trail mix from complicated recipes. To me, trail mix is quite simple - nuts, dried fruits and, if you’re so inclined, some kind of chocolate.
The popularity of munching on trail mix has not decreased since the 50s and 60s and there are a myriad of recipes to date. These are all high-energy foods, with enough protein to help build and maintain muscle, just enough complex carbohydrate to give you a boost when a quick burst is needed, and healthy fats to carry you throughout the entire day. And the chocolate? Well, that’s your treat!
Instead of buying a pre-made brand of trail mix, try making your own. Then, try the Peanut Butter Pudding Cup recipe in Flavorful Fortified Food – Recipes to Enrich Life and top the pudding with a generous handful of trail mix!