We all know the best way to a person’s heart is food. So whether you’re packing for someone else, or you just want to treat future you, make sure those tasty bags of protein and sugar will keep you going and more importantly, keep you happy.
What ever you take you must actually like. If you hate raisins, I don’t care if they are light weight and high energy, switch them out. Take dried apricots or chocolate pieces. Trail mix should be energy high and TASTY! It will only keep your energy up if you actually eat it.
1. Pecan Nuts
An under rated nut and my all time favorite. It’s soft and its shape keeps me entertained while eating it. There are a lot of health benefits of pecans. For hiking the important things are they are calorie dense, plus a good source of fibre and iron.
2. Pineapple Cubes
Quick sugar rush. They are sweet and add a bit of moister to the mix. They make a nice addition or alternative to sultanas. If you’re going for a longer trip this can help keep your energy high without a dry mouth. There are lots of types of dried berries and fruits that can add that bit of texture and flavour to the mix. Try a few out to find your favourite. Dried mango is a regular beside the pineapple cubes.
3. Peanut M&M’s
I mean this is pretty much a health food right! A delicious healthy nut, with all those good fats and protein, wrapped up in tasty chocolate packaging. I like to throw in a few chocolate pieces/m&m’s a day and keep them as treats for when I need a bit of a push.
4. Jordan Almonds
Almonds alone a pretty great which can go into any combination of scroggin. It’s smooth and delicious with a flavour that doesn’t get sickly. Also one of the cheaper nuts and not because it lacks nutritional value. However if you can great hold of these sugar coated almonds they add something different and certainly gets me excited to stop for a snack.
5. Wasabi Peas
A little bit of spice and surprise in the bag. I like to put peas in my sweet or salty scroggins. The salty kick helps to fight off cramp and keep your salts up on a sweaty day of walking. Plus it can give your taste buds that buzz a lot of light weight meals don’t have. They have a flavour which mixes with the sweetness of the rest of the bag to give you… well, think salted caramel with a twist.
If you’re not a fan of the spice or just don’t have any wasabi peas around they salted peanuts add that similar salt boost.
6. Banana Chips
I mean pretty much as good as a bag of kettle crisps in the bush. That is not true, I’m sorry for lying to you. But they are yet another texture and keep really well, without tasting old. They contain a lot of fat and they can be a good source of fibre and potassium to help you body processing.
7. Peanut Butter/Chocolate Drops
I discovered this in the US where they had peanut butter drops, but chocolate drops also work well. They added a creaminess to a dry scroggin bag.
They do have a habit of melting in hot weather, but that can even glue together you scroggin in a yummy bite sized lumps if the mornings are cooler etc.