Hey, Trail Mixers!
If this ultimate treat for the road is one of your favorites, then today’s Blog is definitely right up your alley. I’m posting about ‘Trail Mix Day’ in advance today in order to give you enough preparation time before August 31 arrives. Be sure to get to the store for all your ingredients ahead of time so you can have your trail mix made up and ready to enjoy ON National Trail Mix Day.
You might hear a bunch about when it was invented or who gave trail mix its name. You might see dates that go back to 1968 or even 1910, but, truthfully, trail mix is ANCIENT!
Ideal for any outing, from hikers to soldiers, this lightweight, long-lasting, easy-to-store, protein-packed, nutritious, and tasty snack has been a popular favorite among nomadic tribes thousands of years ago. It wasn’t called Trail Mix back then, but it was essentially the same thing. From scouts to pioneers, hunters and cowboys, people have always put their own spin on this ancient high-energy Travel Snack.
Requiring no special storage nor cooking preparation, many different cultures resorted to this snack as it was the easiest method of storing food for long periods of time. Native Americans had an interesting spin on this snack. They called it pemmican: dried buffalo, moose, and caribou meat along with berries. It lasted the Natives months and delivered lots of energy in a tasty and satisfying, little snack.
You’ll find a wide range of trail mix variations. The snack has gathered a number of names as well. Here are just a few:
Scroggin
If you wanted trail mix and you lived somewhere like New Zealand or the United Kingdom, you would ask for some ‘Scroggin’.
Studentenfutter
German for ‘student feed,’ this snack is not only popular for hikers, it’s also known to be a cheap snack among on-the-go students who are looking for an affordable, yet nutritional, snack.
GORP
It’s been called GORP by many, which according to some, stands for Good Ol’ Raisins and Peanuts—OR—Granola Oats, Raisins, and Peanuts—OR—Gobs Of Raw Protein. But then, it’s also been said that Scroggin stands for Sultanas, Carob, Raisins, Orange peel, Grains, Glucose, Imagination, and Nuts.
However, trail mix likely gets its name Gorp from the verb listed in The Oxford English Dictionary which means, ‘to eat greedily.’
No matter what you call it, be sure you to find some for yourself whether you get creative and make your own or if you just enjoy a packaged mix from the store. Click here for the creative inspiration of over 80 trail mix recipes! And, as always, thanks for reading.
- John