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Trail Mix: 10 of the Most Tasty Recipes

Trail mix is a tasty treat for your outdoor activities. And it's one of the Cub Scout Six Essentials. Use one of these 10 great recipes to make your own!

Trail mix recipesTrail mix has been around forever! Seriously, the ancient nomads used a precursor to the modern day version. They had to figure out a way to carry their food as they moved from place to place, so many of them preserved food by drying it.

The first mention of trail mix in the modern era was in the 1910s when Horace Kephart recommended it in The Book of Camping and Woodcraft, a camping guide he wrote.

It wasn't until 1968 that a commercial product was introduced. The California company Hadley Fruit Orchards claims that it was the first one to produce “trail mix.”

Trail mix is one of the Cub Scout Six Essentials for outdoor activities. It will give our guys a good boost of energy when they start lagging behind on the hiking trail.

Did you know that trail mix has its own day? National Trail Mix Day is celebrated on August 31st every year. These fun days of the year were probably created by some marketing department to sell something, but I love them!

You can buy trail mix, or you can make your own. Here are 10 delicious recipes that I know you'll want to make!

apple cinnamon pumpkin trail mix

Apple Cinnamon Pumpkin Seed Trail Mix for On the Go
by Adventures of Mel

My friend Mel made this mix that's perfect for the fall! “Apple cinnamon pumpkin” sounds like a crisp autumn day.

sweet & salty trail mix

Sweet & Salty Trail Mix Recipe
by Turning The Clock Back

Diane uses her sweet and salty mix to stay fueled up throughout the day.

taco trail mix

Crunchy Taco Mix
by Around My Family Table

Wendy switches things up with this spicy, gluten-free recipe! I would have never thought about a spicy version.

praline pecan trail mix

Praline Pecan Crunch Snack Mix
also by Around My Family Table

In this version, Wendy gives us more of a traditional recipe. This one does take a little time in the slow cooker, but it will be worth the wait.

grain free trail mix

Grain-Free Snack Party Mix
by The Organic Dietitian

Sara uses plantain chips rather than cereal in her grain-free recipe.

pumpkin seed cherry trail mix

Pumpkin Seed Cherry Trail Mix
by Cooking in Stilettos

Aly's recipe sounds yummy–if you like cherries. Not me! 🙂 But I could leave the cherries out and just add more dried cranberries.

mesquite smokehouse trail mix

Make fudge in a bag after your next hike!

Slow Cooker Mesquite Smokehouse Snack
by The Seasoned Mom

Blair used smokehouse-flavored almonds and mesquite marinade mix for this savory recipe.

almond joy trail mix

Chocolate Almond Joy Snack Mix
also by The Seasoned Mom

I think this is my favorite! Blair had me at “Almond Joy.” Her 5-year-old son helped prepare the mix, so I know our Cub Scouts could make this one.

pumpkin spice trail mix

Pumpkin Spice Trail Mix
by The Country Chic Cottage

Angie's pumpkin spice recipe uses vanilla almond bark to coat the cereal.

happy trails trail mix

DIY Happy Trails Trail Mix
by A Bride on a Budget

Lisa gave bags of this nut-free version as favors at her wedding. It's perfect for those with nut allergies.

easy kid trail mix

Easy Kid Trail Mix
by Penny Pincher Jenny

Chocolate cereal and mini marshmallows make this recipe a favorite with the kiddos!

Yummy stuff! Which recipe do you think you'll make first?

Yours in Scouting,
Sherry

P.S. If you're going hiking, read these posts for some cool Cub Scout hiking ideas.

Cub Scout Six Essentials for Hiking | Cub Scout Ideas

Wednesday 21st of October 2020

[…] because I can convince myself that the M&Ms are healthy. ? You can purchase trail mix or you can make your own. 5. Sun Protection – We all know how important sunscreen is–even when it's cloudy. […]

Cub Scout Six Essentials Game ~ Cub Scout Ideas

Tuesday 11th of August 2020

[…] food. The Scouts can make trail mix, or you can purchase these individual serving […]

Leanne Iscaro

Sunday 17th of December 2017

Wonderful ideas! Just what I needed for a kids holiday part. Thanks!