Trail mix is something of a hit and miss with most people. I personally like most trail mixes even if they don’t contain any chocolate. I have to put my foot down at dried mango though. I can’t stand that stuff.

Anyway, the majority of trail mixes contain an assortment of nuts, a bit of granola, and raisins or other small pieces of dried fruit such as papaya or coconut. Some trail mixes contain chocolate also. Typical nuts include peanuts, almonds, and cashews. Brazil nuts, pecans, and walnuts are usually reserved for mixed nuts as opposed to trail mix.

Coconut and chocolate trail mixes are particularly delicious, although maybe not as healthy as other options. Many popular trail mixes include M&M’s. Don’t be that person that only eats the M&M’s out of the mix and leaves the rest for everyone else. People don’t usually like that, and may consider pushing you down a mountain.

Tail mix makes a great snack when hiking or doing any sort of physical activity outdoors because not only is it lightweight and easy to store, but it’s quite nutritious as well. Carbohydrates from the dried fruit provide a quick boost of energy while the nuts provide sustained energy from the protein and fats.

Gorp is another term for trail mix that some hikers use. It’s commonly understood to be an acronym for “good old raisins and peanuts”, or alternatively “granola, oats, raisins, peanuts” in honor if its common ingredients. As mentioned earlier however, different trail mixes may contain M&M’s, chocolate chips, and different nuts as well as or instead of oats and granola.

The Oxford English Dictionary cites a reference from 1913 to the verb gorp, which means “to eat greedily”. I just think it’s a silly word.