Updated August 2026

August 31st is National Trail Mix Day. Why not make your own blend with the options below? We have a “signature mix” that people like so much, they request it as hostess gifts instead of another bottle of wine.

Below:

> What is trail mix?

> The history of trail mix.

> Make your own trail mix.

> Create a trail mix party bar.

> Fun ways to use trail mix.

Elsewhere on The Nibble:

> The year’s 90 snack holidays.
 
 
1. WHAT IS TRAIL MIX?

Variations of portable energy food have been carried by mankind since the beginning, and the concept of mixing nuts and dried fruit has been popular for millennia.

“Trail mix” as a concept for a modern, portable energy snack is relatively new.

The term refers to a mixture of high-energy foods such as dried fruit and nuts, combined with other ingredients. Chocolate chips, M&Ms, sunflower or pumpkin seeds, and breakfast cereals (Cheerios, Chex, granola) are popularly added.

Before the name evolved to trail mix, it was called gorp.

Trail Mix vs. Snack Mix

While the terms trail mix and snack mix are often used interchangeably and their ingredients frequently overlap, they’re distinct in these key ways:

• Function: Trail mix is formulated as high-density fuel for sustained physical exertion (like hiking). Snack mix is designed for casual, low-exertion grazing and flavor variety.
• Core Base Ingredients: Trail mix typically relies on raw or dry-roasted nuts, seeds, and dried fruits, often accompanied by dark chocolate chips/chunks or M&Ms. Snack mix centers around processed grain components like cereal (those previously mentioned plus Froot Loops or other kid-focused types), cheese crackers, mini pretzels, popcorn, M&Ms, marshmallows, and other candies (see a list of them in the *footnote).
• Flavor & Texture Profile: Trail mix balances chewy, sweet, and crunchy elements with simple, natural saltiness. Snack mix prioritizes crispiness, crunch, and heavy savory/salty seasonings (e.g., ranch, barbecue, Cheddar, or garlic powder).
• Nutritional Composition: Trail mix delivers higher caloric density, healthy fats, protein, and natural carbohydrates for quick energy. Snack mix is generally higher in sodium and refined carbohydrates, with lower protein and fiber.

 
The story of snack mixes is for another time. Here’s how trail mix came to be.
 
 
2. THE HISTORY OF TRAIL MIX

1968. Two California firms, Hadley Fruit Orchards and Harmony Foods, claim that trail mix was invented in 1968 by two California surfers, who blended peanuts and raisins together for an energy snack.

But in the U.S., the birth of “trail mix” actually happened more than 10 years earlier.

1959. Trail mix is mentioned in Jack Kerouac’s 1958 novel, The Dharma Bums, when characters plan meals for a hiking trip.

To appear in a book published in 1958, it needed to be around a few years earlier.

But the concept of gorp is easily earlier than that:

1910s. In Europe, the combination of nuts, raisins, and chocolate as a trail snack dates at least to the 1910s, when outdoorsman Horace Kephart recommended it in his popular camping guide. An Oxford English Dictionary listing of 1913 cites Gorp as a term for trail mix often used by hikers, an acronym for “good old raisins and peanuts.”

In modern times, some people back-acronym gorp to “granola, oats, raisins, peanuts.”

Even earlier than that:

1833. In Denmark, a mix known as studenterhavre (“student oats”) has an 1833 citation. Studenterhavre consists mainly of raisins and almonds, but at Christmas, chocolate pieces are added.

Mixes are popular in other countries as well.

• Wikipedia notes that in Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland, Scandinavia, and other European countries, trail mix is called student fodder/Studentenfutter, student oats or student mix. It usually does not include chocolate.
• In New Zealand and Australia, trail mix is known as scroggin.

 
Modern Trail Mix

Trail mix continues to be a popular snack—especially among hikers, campers, and people on the go. It’s lightweight, easily portable, and requires no refrigeration.

It’s a better-for-you snack at home, school, or work. It can be made in batches and portioned into snack bags.

And while there’s no paucity of packaged trail mix, it’s fun to make your own. You get exactly what you want, and it’s much more economical.
 

[8] If you could pick only 6 ingredients for your trail mix, what would they be? (photo © The Nibble)
 
 
3. MAKE YOUR OWN TRAIL MIX

Keep experimenting with ingredients and proportions until you have your “signature” trail mix recipe. Then consider it as general gifts and stocking stuffers.

We’ve included candy, a “crossover” from snack mixes, on this list.

• Candy: butterscotch/peanut butter baking chips, candied orange peel, candy-coated sunflower seeds, carob chips, chocolate-covered espresso beans, mini marshmallows, Reese’s Pieces, toffee, yogurt clusters.

[1] An elegant mix from Vital Choice (photo © The Nibble | Hannah Kaminsky).

[2] Can you add popcorn to trail mix, or does popcorn push it into the snack mix category? Here’s the recipe (photo © Delicious Meets Healthy).

[3] If you want to store trail mix, it’s best to keep the nuts and fruits apart. Even dried fruits have moisture that will soften the nuts Here’s the recipe for this nuts, seeds, and dried fruits mix (photo © Taste Of Home).

[4] Start the day with trail mix on your yogurt (photo © Back To The Book Nutrition).

[5] Trail mix adds flavor and texture to a plate of waffles (photo © The Nibble)

[6] For a party bar, there are many styles of goodie/favor boxes from plain to elaborately decorated. More affordable are reclosable zip plastic poly bags, an elevated version of the Ziploc snack bag (photo © PH Panda Hall | Amazon).

• Cereal – Breakfast: Cheerios, Chex, Corn Flakes, graham cracker cereal, granola, mini Shredded Wheat, rolled oats.
• Cereal – Other: corn nuts, popcorn.
• Chocolate: chocolate chips/chunks, M&Ms plain or peanut.
• Dried fruits: apples, apricots, banana chips, blueberries, cherries, coconut flakes, cranberries (Craisins), dates, figs, mangoes, mulberries, pineapple, raisins/sultanas.
• Exotica: crystallized ginger, goji berries, Japanese rice crackers, seaweed crisps, sesame sticks, wasabi peas.
• Legumes: dried chickpeas, edamame (soybeans), peas.
• Nuts: almonds, cashews, flavored nuts, pecans, pistachios, walnuts, or other favorite.
• Proteins: jerky bits (chickpeas, edamame, and pumpkin seeds also add protein).
• Salty snacks: mini cheese crackers, pretzels, sesame sticks.
• Seeds: chia, hemp hearts, pumpkin seeds (pepitas), sunflower seeds.
• Spicy: chili-flavored nuts, curry-flavor chickpeas, crystallized ginger.

 

[9] There are numerous ways to set out a trail mix party bar (photo © Avery).
 
 
4. SET UP A TRAIL MIX PARTY BAR

It fits into any gathering where food is casual, interactive, and portable, from kids’ birthdays and game nights to rustic weddings and corporate offsites—and even wine and cheese get-togethers.

Let guests make their own party favors! Set up a table with:

• Different trail mix ingredients.
• Plastic snack bags or small goodie bags or boxes.
• Scoops for filling the bags (we used our set of measuring cups).
• Wide Sharpies so people can easily see whose bag is whose.

 

[10] Trail mix is a colorful, crunchy garnish for yogurt (photo © The Nibble).
 
 
5. MORE WAYS TO USE TRAIL MIX

It’s more than a snack!

• Baking: Fold whole or coarsely chopped trail mix directly into batters for banana bread, zucchini loaves, muffins, scones, and chocolate chip cookies to provide complex texture and flavor. Bind trail mix with honey, maple syrup, nut butter, and rolled oats, then press into a baking dish to make sliceable, portable granola bars or bake it on a sheet pan to create clusters of chunky granola.
• Breakfast: Bowl and Yogurt Topper. Sprinkle trail mix over warm oatmeal, chia seed pudding, smoothie bowls, or Greek yogurt to add immediate crunch, healthy fats, and natural sweetness without preparing multiple separate toppings. Also see Pancakes, below.
• Cheese and Charcuterie: Scatter trail mix around cheese platters and charcuterie boards as an effortless pairing component alongside sharp cheddar, brie, goat cheese, and cured meats.
• Chocolate Bark: Spread melted dark, milk, or white chocolate over parchment paper, press a generous layer of trail mix across the top, sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt, and break into decorative bark once chilled and set.
• Grains: Stir nut-and-fruit-heavy trail mixes into warm wild rice, quinoa, farro, or couscous dishes, giving savory grain bowls a traditional pilaf-style contrast of sweet dried fruit and toasted nuts.
• Ice Cream and Frozen Desserts: Warm trail mix in a skillet with a touch of butter and brown sugar to caramelize the ingredients, then spoon the mixture over vanilla ice cream, frozen yogurt, or fruit sorbet.
• Nut and Seed Butters: Process nut-and-seed-heavy trail mix in a high-powered food processor until it releases its natural oils and turns into a rich, lightly textured spread perfect for toast, fruit slices, or crackers.
• Pancake, Waffle, and French Toast Garnish: Fold trail mix directly into pancake batter before pouring it on the griddle, or scatter it over freshly cooked waffles and French toast alongside butter and warm maple syrup.
• Roasted Proteins Crust: Create a crust by finely chopping or pulsing trail mix in a food processor. Blend with fresh herbs or breadcrumbs, and press the mixture onto chicken breasts, pork tenderloin, or salmon fillets before roasting for a savory-sweet, crispy coating.
• Salads: Toss trail mix into mixed green salads, grain bowls, or slaws, where the dried fruit complements tangy vinaigrettes while the roasted nuts and seeds add a rich texture.