Celebrate National Trail Mix Day Every August 31
Every August 31 we celebrate that mix of dried fruit, chocolate, nuts and more that we call trail mix. Believe it or not, this handy snack has its own day: National Trail Mix Day.
We don’t know who created this day or when. But all we really need to know to celebrate today is what kind of trail mix we want!
And there’s actually quite a few varieties to choose from. So you’re sure to find one that’s perfect for you. And you can either make it yourself or buy your favorite. But making it yourself means you can customize it just right.
A Bite of Trail Mix Trivia
Trail mix has been around for a long time and is popular with hikers and others who need easy-to-carry, energy-dense snacks. You get an energy boost from the carbs and sustained energy from the protein. So you can keep going on the trail (or stay awake in grueling meetings, we suppose).
Exactly who created it is a bit of a mystery, though. You’ve probably heard that two surfers first mixed peanuts and raisins together to create a trail mix in 1968. Now that might be true, but it couldn’t have been the first trail mix.
Why? Because Jack Kerouac had his characters talking about trail mix in his 1958 novel The Dharma Bums.
Not everybody calls it trail mix. Some people call it gorp. In New Zealand and Australia you may hear it called scroggin. Germans may call it studentenfutter.
Ingredients in trail mix can vary widely. Nuts and dried fruits are pretty standard, although the kinds of nuts and fruits vary. Other ingredients may include:
- Seeds (like sunflower seeds)
- Cereal
- Pretzels
- Chocolate chips or chocolate candies (like M&Ms)
- Granola
- Shredded coconut
Scroll down for some ideas on celebrating this unofficial, energy-boosting holiday.
How to Celebrate National Trail Mix Day
Now you know the only way to celebrate this day is by eating trail mix!
(you do know that?!).
But what if you don’t like trail mix? Well, there are so many different ways to make it, surely you can find one you do like.
And you should definitely be making it yourself. That way you know exactly what’s in it.
So try one or more of these recipes:
- Trail Mix (Alton Brown): Uses about 3x as much fruit as nuts (by volume, not weight).
- Goji Berry Trail Mix: Goji berries and dried apricots with a blend of nuts and seeds.
- Tropical Trail Mix: Not your usual trail mix, with pineapple and paypaya.
- Rainforest Trail Mix: Macadamia nuts, pineapple, coconut, banana and more.
- Temptation Trail Mix: A homemade version of Trader Joe’s Tempting Trail Mix. With dried cherries, peanut butter chips, cashews and more, it’s definitely tempting!
- Cajun Trail Mix: Just a blend of nuts (no fruits or other ingredients) with a little kick. Probably not spicy enough to be called Cajun, but still good.
- Texas Cowpoke Trail Mix: Pretzels, peanuts, fruit and cereal flavored with honey and cinnamon.
If you must buy a trail mix, try to make it a high-quality mix:
- Trader Joe’s Omega Trak Mix with Fortified Cranberries: Contains dried cranberries, roasted salted almonds, walnuts, roasted pumpkin seeds, roasted salted pecans, dry roasted salted pistachios.
- Wild Roots 100% Natural Trail Mix Coastal Berry Blend: Contains cashews, almonds, cranberries, blueberries and yogurt chips.
- Braga Organic Farms Trail Mix: Ingredients include almonds, walnuts, pistachios, raisins and dried cranberries.
- Woodstock Farms Organic Campfire Trail Mix: Made with organic dried fruits, peanuts and seeds.
And now that you’ve got your yummy trail mix (or mixes), why not bag it up and take it with you on a hike or bike ride?
