Trail mix has long been an essential snack of outdoor enthusiasts and city-dwellers alike. Because trail mix is so customizable, the nutritional value of each batch varies widely. Like so many things in life, you get out of trail mix exactly what you put into it. Here are a few tips to making healthy trail mix.
"Nuts 1" is Copyrighted by Flickr user: steffenz (Steffen Zahn) under the Creative Commons Attribution license.
Peanuts
A good source of healthy fats and protein, peanuts are a staple of most trail mixes. When making your own trail mix, avoid "honey roasted" or otherwise sweetened peanuts, which can sneak unnecessary sugar into the mix.
Other Nuts and Seeds
Varying the nuts in trail mix is a good way to add different flavors and textures to your mix. Almonds, shelled sunflower seeds and crumbled walnuts are good ingredients for trail mix.
Raisins
Raisins are rich in fiber and add sweetness to trail mix. Raisins are sweet enough, so make sure that the raisins you use don't have sugar added to them.
Dried Fruit
Dried fruit is a way to add flavor to your trail mix. In addition to the standard raisins, other fruits like dried cranberries, mango and pineapple will keep your taste buds on their toes. Be careful when selecting dried fruits: many have sugar added to them.
Sweets
Many people think that trail mix isn't complete without chocolate. If you feel that your trail mix is lacking in the sweets category, opt for antioxidant-rich dark chocolate chips or dark chocolate M&M's.
About The Author
Billy Brown is an outdoor sports writer living in Northern California.
An avid rock climber and trail runner, he's been writing about outdoor activities, fitness and gear for 5 years. He regularly contributes to The Record Searchlight, uncooped.com, and trails.com as well as other print and online publications. He has a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Simpson University and is a NASM-certified personal trainer.
