When you're on the track and your energy levels begin to drop what you need is a handful of trail mix to get you over that next hill.
We love trail mix – or as some of us call it, scroggin – it’s lightweight, portable and full of energy-dense ingredients like dried fruit, nuts, and chocolate. Just perfect for trailside noshing. There are no rules for trail mix – combine whatever sounds good! Let's start off by looking at what goes in trail mix and then we'll give you a dozen trail mix combos.
Nuts: These pint-size nutritional dynamos are loaded with healthy unsaturated fats, protein, fibre, antioxidants, vitamin E, and other essential vitamins and minerals. Whether they’re raw or roasted, go for unsalted, unsweetened nuts to keep sugar and sodium under control. Our favourites: almonds, pistachios, cashews, peanuts, and walnuts (higher-calorie macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, pecans, and pine nuts are also good options in moderation).
Seeds: If you have a nut allergy (or you’re just looking to mix things up), seeds provide many of the same nutritional benefits as nuts. Sesame seeds, for example, are good sources of phosphorus, mono-unsaturated fats and omega-6 fats – which are basically great for your body. Our favourites: hemp (yes hemp!), sunflower, sesame and flax.
Dried fruit: Dried fruit can be a great source of fibre, antioxidants, calcium, and vitamins A, C, and K. But the grams of sugar can add up quickly, so pay attention to the ingredient lists and serving sizes. Look for dried fruits with as little added sugar and as few preservatives as possible. Some varieties, like cranberries, are naturally quite tart and almost always sweetened with cane sugar or apple juice. If you’re concerned about added sweeteners, it’s also pretty easy to make your own dried fruit in the oven. Our favourites: dried apples, cherries, cranberries, goji berries, blueberries, strawberries, apricots, raisins, banana chips, figs, pineapple chunks, mango, and dates.
Grains: Add some complex carbohydrates to your custom blend for some fibre and a little crunch. Choose whole grains whenever possible and avoid highly processed cereals that add unnecessary sugar and sodium. Our favourites: shredded wheat cereal, pretzels, whole-grain cereals like Cheerios or bran flakes, whole-wheat crackers, granola, toasted oats, puffed rice cereal, and air-popped popcorn.
Sweets: Sometimes we all need a little something sweet to round out the mix. When going the chocolate route, choose dark varieties for extra antioxidants. Our favourites: M&M’s, chips of various kinds (chocolate, peanut butter, carob, butterscotch), cacao nibs, yoghurt-covered raisins, chocolate-covered coffee beans, mini marshmallows, or chocolate-covered nuts.
Savoury extras: Once the building blocks are all set, adding spices is a great way to change up the flavour a bit. Season your mix with sea salt, curry, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, or cayenne pepper. You can even create your own mix of spices. Our favourites: wasabi peas, coconut flakes, sesame sticks, dried ginger, and coffee beans.