6 Great Tips for Trail Mix on a Hike

• Food and water basics for day hiking with children
• Hiking: A great time to snack between meals
• Great snack ideas for your hike with kids
• Gorp recipe
• Kiddie Mix Gorp recipe
• Know your berry before eating it when day hiking with kids

Learn about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

Get kids motivated to hike: Make trail mix

Even if you’re excited, the kids’ calls to instead buy the latest video game may drown out your announcement that a family hike is planned this weekend. What to do? One tried and true possibility is to have kids make trial mix.

But don’t stick to the tried and true peanuts, raisins and M&Ms. Sure, that’s tasty, but after a few outings, it can be a bit dull. Instead, purchase a variety of ingredients and let kids experiment by mixing them in small amounts – say a small disposable paper cup – and then letting each try samples. They they can make a large bag of the favorite mix, or each child can make their own.

Trail mix ingredients generally consist of five parts – nuts/seeds, dried fruit, candy, cereal, and a spice. Some common base ingredients in these categories include:
• Nuts/seeds – Almonds, cashews, peanuts, pecans, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts
• Dried fruit – Banana chips, candied orange peel, dried apples, dried apricots, dried blueberries, dried cranberries, dried peaches, raisins
• Candy – Butterscotch chips, chocolate chips, M&Ms, Peanut butter chips, Reese’s Pieces, Skittles, sweetened coconut
• Cereal – Apple Jacks, Cheerios, Cheetos, Chex cereals, Fruit Loops, granola, kettle corn, popcorn, pretzels, Wasabi peas
• Spice – Cayenne pepper, chili powder, cinnamon, curry powder, garlic powder, onion powder

About half of the trail mix should consist of nuts/seeds. All nuts/seeds should be shelled. A spice isn’t needed but can add some extra flavor and kick to a what can be an otherwise dry mix; always use a light amount of spice.

Materials: Trail mix ingredients, disposable paper cups, sealable plastic bags to mix and store ingredients

Ages: 4 and up

Learn about more than a hundred other hiking diversions for kids in Hikes with Tykes: Games and Activities.

Pack fresh veggies as alternative to trail mix for hiking snack

Fresh vegetables make a great alternative to trail mix on a day hike.
Photo courtesy of Photoree.

Sometimes you just get tired of eating trail mix on a hike. Or maybe the kids are allergic to peanuts. Or quite likely they pick through it and eat only the chocolate bits.

A good alternative to trail mix, on cooler days at least, are fresh veggies. Besides filling you up, they’re packed with nutrition, often more so than the gorp that we fill with M&Ms and marshmallows.

When selecting vegetables for the trail, opt for those that will remain the freshest the longest. Generally, that will be carrots, celery and radishes. Bell peppers – whether the red, orange, yellow or green kind – come in a close second.

To improve the odds of them remaining fresh, always select the freshest ones when purchasing them at the supermarket or farmer’s market. No blemishes should appear on them either.

How you cut and pack the vegetables before the hike also can go a long way to helping them to retain their freshness. For example, carrots and celery will better retain their moisture and crispness if they aren’t peeled and if the cuts are large. For radishes and bell peppers, take the larger over the smaller ones. In the case of radishes, remove only the stems (tops) and tails (bottoms).

Resist the temptation to rinse radishes and peppers. Doing so removes a protective layer that otherwise would keep them fresh.

Placing the vegetables in a folded but unsealed plastic bag with a moist paper towel also helps them remain crisp.

Learn about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

Great kid’s recipe for day hike snack: Autumn Mix Gorp

This summer trail mix can be turned
into a hearty autumn mix by instead
using popcorn, pretzels and candy
corn. Photo courtesy of  Wikipedia.

Have kids help you make homemade trail mix, also known among backpackers as gorp. Here’s how to make an autumn mix variety of gorp. You’ll need 8 cups of popcorn, 4 cups of pretzels, and 2 cups of candy corn. Mix it in a large bowl or pour into a gallon-size re-sealable zipper bag and shake.

More great day hike food ideas for kids:
g Trail mix recipe for kids: Gorp balls
g What do with leftovers on a day hike with kids

Find out about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

Bring healthy snacks when hiking with kids

Among the many wonderful things about hiking, at least for the kids, is that snacking between meals isn’t frowned upon. Unless going on an all-day hike in which you’ll picnic along the way, you want to keep them fed, as hungry children can lead to lethargy and whininess. It’ll also keep toddlers from snacking on the local flora or dirt.

Before hitting the trail, you’ll want to repackage as much of the food as possible as products sold at grocery stores tend to come in bulky packages that take up space and add a little weight to your backpack. Place the food in re-sealable plastic bags.

Bring a variety of small snacks for rest stops. You don’t want kids filling up on snacks, but you do need them to maintain their energy levels if they’re walking or to ensure they don’t turn fussy if riding in a child carrier. Go for complex carbohydrates and proteins for maintaining energy. Good options include dried fruits, jerky, nuts, peanut butter, prepared energy bars, candy bars with a high protein content (nuts, peanut butter), crackers, raisins and trail mix (called “gorp”). A number of trail mix recipes are available online; you and your children may want to try them out at home to see which ones you collectively like most.

Salty treats rehydrate better than sweet treats do. Chocolate and other sweets are fine if they’re not all that’s exclusively served, but remember they also tend to lead to thirst and to make sticky messes. Whichever snacks you choose, don’t experiment with food on the trail. Bring what you know kids will like.

Give the first snack within a half-hour of leaving the trailhead or you risk children becoming tired and whiny from low energy levels. If kids start asking for them every few steps even after having something to eat at the last rest stop, consider timing snacks to reaching a visible landmark, such as, “We’ll get out the trail mix when we reach that bend up ahead.”

Read more about day hiking with children in my Hikes with Tykes guidebooks.

Useful kid food rules for day hikes

Whenever going on a day hike with children, be sure to bring along snacks. Kids who exert energy will get hungry, and they’ll probably need to take in some nourishment to keep going.

Great snacks to bring include trail mix, granola bars, dried or peeled fruit, beef jerky and crackers. A picnic lunch also can be fun, though it’ll require carrying more food in your backpack.

Some basic food guidelines to follow when day hiking with kids include:
g Bring lots of different kinds of food that your children like – You never know what your children might be in the mood to eat, and that they eat is better than not at all.
g Don’t try new foods – Kids can be finicky, so bring something you know they’ll eat. Try out new trail mix recipes before leaving for the trail.
g Keep eating times consistent with those at home – If you have a regular morning snack time or will be hiking during lunch, offer food during at about the same time when on the trial. Kids’ stomachs are accustomed to eating at those times. At the same time, however, when kids get hungry, feed them regardless of the time.
g Remember adult food – You don’t want to end up eating goldfish crackers and kid-sized nutrition bars because it won’t fill you. Consider bringing whole fruit and hardboiled eggs for yourself.

Read more about day hiking with children in my guidebook Hikes with Tykes.

'Hikes' author's article runs in Seattle Backpacker Magazine

My article “Motivation – Get the Family to Hike This Summer!” appeared in Wednesday’s Seattle Backpackers Magazine. The article lists some activities parents can do to get their reluctant kids excited about an upcoming day hike. Among the activities are crafting homemade gear, making trail mix, and watching videos (Yes, you read right, “watching videos”). Seattle Backpackers Magazine – based out of Seattle, as you might guess – is an online source for backpacking, hiking, climbing and camping.

Read more about day hiking with children in my guidebook Hikes with Tykes.

Putting on gear during a day hike with kids

Once you arrive at the hiking area, you’ll want to strap on your own gear – and that’s not so easy to do when you’re also trying to watch little ones and making sure they don’t discard clothing or gear you just make sure they had.

Double check so you haven’t left something valuable in the vehicle that needs to be taken on the trail, such as maps you used to reach the site, your mobile phone, your wallet, and trail mix your kids talked you into munching on early. Once you’ve done that, get your gear on.

When putting on the backpack, tighten the waist belt snug, then shift the pack as high on your shoulders as you can and tighten the belt again. This will provide better stability when walking and keep most of the weight on your hips rather than your shoulders, which would be tiring.

If you have a baby carrier, put on your fanny pack first, then situate and buckle up the child in the carrier. Next, put on the carrier, grab the trekking pole, and gather the kids around to go over safety rules (more about that in an upcoming blog entry!).

Read more about day hiking with children in my guidebook Hikes with Tykes.

Trail mix recipe for kids: Gorp balls

Ingredients used to make trail mix also can be used to make
gorp balls. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

Have kids help you make homemade trail mix, also known among backpackers as gorp. Here’s how to make a variety of trail mix known as gorp balls.
g Ingredients – 1/3 cup each raisins, apple chips, dried apricots, dates and coconut, 1/2 cup sesame seeds, 1/3 cup walnuts, 2 cups peanuts, 1 cup chocolate chips, 1/3 cup honey, 1/2 cup peanut butter
g Preparation – In a large bowl, mix all ingredients, except for chocolate chips, honey and peanut butter. In another bowl, melt chocolate chips, honey and peanut butter for a minute in microwave. Mix the two bowls of ingredients. Shape mixture into balls. Refrigerate to harden.

Read more about day hiking with children in my guidebook Hikes with Tykes.

Trail Mix Recipe: Kiddie Mix Gorp

Have kids help you make homemade trail mix, also known among backpackers as gorp. Here's how to make a kiddie mix variety of gorp. You'll need 4 cups of Chex cereal, 1/2 cup of dried fruit bits (apple chips, banana chips, or dried cranberries), 1/2 cup raisins, 1/2 cup salted peanuts, and 1/2 cup M & Ms. Mix it in a large bowl or pour into a gallon-size re-sealable zipper bag and shake.

Read more about day hiking with children in my guidebook Hikes with Tykes.

Trail mix recipe for kids: Gorp

Have kids help you make homemade trail mix, also known among backpackers as gorp. To make basic gorp, you'll need 1 cup each of salted peanuts, raisins, and M&Ms. Mix it all in a large bowl. Add other ingredients (sunflower seeds, cashews, granola) as you and your children desire. Portion out.

Read more about day hiking with children in the guidebook Hikes with Tykes.

Great snack ideas for your hike with kids

Trail mix also is known as "gorp" among hikers.

When day hiking with kids, bring a variety of small snacks for rest stops. You don’t want kids filling up on snacks, but you do need them to maintain their energy levels if they’re walking or to ensure they don’t turn fussy if riding in a baby carrier. Go for complex carbohydrates and proteins for maintaining energy. Good options include dried fruits, jerky, nuts, peanut butter, prepared energy bars, candy bars with a high protein content (nuts, peanut butter), crackers, raisins and trail mix (called “gorp”).

A number of trail mix recipes are available online; you and your children may want to try them out at home to see which ones you collectively like most.

Salty treats rehydrate better than sweet treats do. Chocolate and other sweets are fine if they’re not exclusively served, but remember they also tend to lead to thirst and to make sticky messes. Whichever snacks you choose, don’t experiment with food on the trail. Bring what you know kids will like.

Give the first snack within a half-hour of leaving the trailhead or you risk children becoming tired and whiny from low energy levels. If kids start asking for them every few steps even after having something to eat at the last rest stop, consider timing snacks to reaching a seeable land-mark, such as, “We’ll get out the trail mix when we reach that bend up ahead.”

How much food should you bring? Enough so each child can have a couple of snacks over a couple of miles is a good rule of thumb, but the older the child and the more difficult the terrain, the more food you’ll likely need. Each child is different, of course, and may require more or less as the eating habits and metabolism dictate.

Many hikers use food to create a fond memory of hiking. Says Jackie S., of Brevard, N.C., “Bring a special snack to enjoy upon reaching your destination. When my two daughters and I hit the summit or take a break at the waterfall we’ve just walked an hour or more to see, we break out a package of freeze-dried blueberry cheesecake. After a long hike, it’s like eating in a gourmet restaurant.”

Read more about day hiking with children in the guidebook Hikes with Tykes.