National Trail Mix Day with Kids!

Trail mix, also called GORP, has been around for thousands of years. Trail mix is a high energy mix of food that usually does not need to be specially stored and you usually do not have to cook it before you eat it.


Indians had Pemmican which was dried animal meat with some animal fat and some berries. This was used to make rubbaboo which is s stew thickened with flour water and maple.

Two acronyms for the word GORP, an alternate name for trail mix, are Good Old Raisins and Peanuts and Granola Oats Raisins and Peanuts. .

Q. Whats Trail Mix called in around the world?
A. In Australia they call trail mix Scroggin.  In Germany it is known as Studentenfutter (students food)

Usually Trail mix is a blend of fruits, nuts, and grains. Some add different flavors and chocolate.

Common ingredients include:

Nuts, such as peanuts or cashews

Dried fruits such as cranberries or raisins

Dried Bananas

Seeds, such as sunflower seeds

Chocolate chips or M&M's

Breakfast cereals

Shredded coconut

Carob chips

Pretzels

Granola

There are many mixtures and recipes for granola/trail mix. We love to make our own trail mix too and then we have it on hand at the house. Our recipe that we have made up to fit our own wants and needs consists of old fashioned oats, lots of nuts, dried fruit, sometimes shredded coconut and whatever we can find at a good price or what is in season. We then use a little water and a little Agave mix and bake for 20 minutes and it is delicious. Throughout the year we change our recipe a little to add a few carob chips or sometimes pretzels. The kids love to make this as it is really easy. Trail mix is a very healthy snack to keep around for the kids.