Trail mix is a staple snack for everything from hiking to an afternoon break at the office. When you reach for a tasty handful of nuts and fruit, have you ever considered how this popular health snack came to be? Here are a few facts about the history of trail mix and its popularity today:
- For thousands of years, Native Americans ate a version of trail mix that included dried buffalo meat.
- Today’s popular trail mix combinations include nuts, dried fruit, and sometimes chocolate.
- This modern version of trail mix is attributed to Horace Kephart in his camping guide published in the 1910’s.
- Another version of trail mix history is that our modern mix originated when two California surfers made an energy mix with peanuts and raisins in 1968.
- In the past, trail mix has been referred to as “GORP” – which stands for “Good Old Raisins and Peanuts” or “Granola, Oats, Raisins, Peanuts.”
- Its no wonder surfers and hikers have turned to trail mix, or “gorp,” which is considered to derive from “eats greedily”…perhaps trail mix is just that good and irresistible!
- Most likely, the trail mix combos that we know are European in origin. In Denmark, the mix is known as studenterhavre, which means “student oats.”
Why Trail Mix is Popular Today
As a timeless classic with long history, it is a testament to the nutritional benefits of trail mix that this snack is a popular health food today. The tasty combination of nuts, seeds, and dried fruit provides a great balance of carbohydrates and protein. It’s a lightweight snack that is easy to carry, offering a quick boost and sustained energy from the healthy fats in the nuts.
If you are looking for a healthier alternative to the Standard American Diet bagged snacks (such as chips and cookies), then trail mix is a great solution. The nuts and seeds curb hunger with nutrient-dense calories, instead of leaving you wanting something else to eat after munching on a bag of chips. This is because a bag of chips contains empty calories and are packed full of sodium and saturated fats. With calories that are much more dense, trail mix provides you with a greater amount of lasting energy, as well as the nutritional benefits found in nuts, seeds, and dried fruit. For a healthier alternative that will keep you going throughout the day, snack on trail mix…and ditch the chips!
Trail Mix is a Timeless Snack
The convenience of trail mix will never go out of style! This timeless, fashionable snack is a great way to support your health. Whether you need something to eat on-the-go, or you are reaching for a healthy snack at home, keeping trail mix on hand is a simple solution that will never go out of style.Though it has changed over the years, the core of any good trail mix remains nuts, seeds, and dried fruit. Yet because of its versatility, you can personalize trail mix to include all kinds of things, including chocolate pieces, pretzels, grains, and dried corn – the list is endless!
This American tradition of trail mix comes in a variety of options– so head over to naturesgarden.net to select your preferred trail mix. Be sure to check out our nuts & seeds and dried fruit selections so you can personalize your own trail mix! Perhaps you may want to add some tropical fruits like mango to give your trail mix the taste of summer!