What is Trail Mix & How to Make a Healthy One That You’ll Love

Updated on April 24, 2025

Trail Mix

Trail mix is one of the most convenient and satisfying snacks around—quick to grab, easy to store, and packed with energy-boosting goodness. Whether you’re running out the door, prepping for a family outing, or simply need something to keep the afternoon hunger pangs at bay, trail mix can be a lifesaver.

But here’s the thing: not all trail mixes are actually healthy. Many commercial blends are filled with added sugars, excessive salt, and preservatives that defeat the whole purpose of a wholesome snack. The good news? You can easily make your own version at home—with ingredients you trust and flavours you love.

In this post, we’ll look into what trail mix really is, its fascinating backstory, what makes a mix genuinely healthy, and how you can whip up your very own custom blend. Let’s get into it.

What Exactly Is Trail Mix?

Trail mix is a blend of nuts, seeds, dried fruits, and optional add-ins like chocolate, popcorn, or cereal. It was originally created for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts looking for a compact, non-perishable, high-energy snack.

Today, it’s more than just fuel for the trail—it’s a pantry staple for many health-conscious eaters. With the right balance of ingredients, it offers a great mix of protein, healthy fats, fibre, and natural sugars to keep you going throughout the day.

Depending on where you are in the world, trail mix goes by a few other names:

  • In New Zealand and parts of Australia, it’s known as scroggin or schmogle
  • In Germany, Poland, Hungary, and several other European countries, it’s called student food or student snack—because it’s a favourite among university students for its convenience and brain-fuelling nutrition.

No matter the name, the concept is the same: a tasty, energy-rich mix that you can take anywhere.

A Quick History of Trail Mix

The roots of trail mix date back more than a century. One of the earliest known references came from Horace Kephart, a US outdoorsman and writer, who suggested mixing nuts and dried fruits as a handy snack for camping and hiking in his 1910 book. Since then, the idea has taken off globally, evolving into countless variations.

Hiking trail sign

Originally created for practicality, trail mix has since found its way into lunchboxes, office desks, gym bags, and road trips. It remains a go-to snack for people who want something quick, satisfying, and not overly processed.

Is Trail Mix Actually Healthy?

Trail mix can be very healthy—but it depends on how it’s made. While the base ingredients (like nuts, seeds, and dried fruits) are naturally rich in nutrients, many store-bought versions sneak in not-so-great extras like added sugars, salt, and artificial ingredients.

Let’s break it down. A healthy trail mix should provide:

  • Sustained energy from natural carbs, protein, and fats
  • Essential nutrients like magnesium, zinc, fibre, and omega-3s
  • A satisfying texture and flavour to curb cravings without guilt

The best way to make sure your trail mix is healthy? Make it yourself. That way, you control the ingredients, the portion sizes, and the flavour profile.

Trail mix may be a convenient and nutritious snack but on the other hand, you need to understand it may be bad for you. Allow me to elaborate…

The Good. Trail mix is mainly made up of nuts and seeds. The common ones are walnuts, almonds, cashews, peanuts, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. Most nuts and seeds have similar nutritional profiles. Let’s look at a few substantial nutrients and how your body benefits from them.

1. Protein

Nuts are a good source of plant-based protein. Thus, consuming them can help you meet your needs for protein, especially if you’re on a plant-based diet. Protein is necessary for building bones and muscles. On top of that, protein can increase your feeling of fullness and keep you energized.

2. Healthy Fats

Most of the fats found in nuts are monounsaturated fat and, omega 3 and 6 fatty acids which are polyunsaturated fats. These fats help improve cholesterol levels, reduce your risk of heart disease and may also help decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes (1). 

3. Fibre

Fibre provides various health benefits and nuts give you lots of them.

  • Relieve Constipation. Fibre increases the size and weight of the stool and softens it, making it easier to pass. As a result, reducing your chance of constipation.
  • Healthy Gut. Even though your body cannot digest or absorb fibre, the bacteria in your colon happily do so. These are good bacteria that are important for your gut health. A healthy gut microbiome improves your overall well being. 
  • Healthy Weight. Naturally, high-fibre foods are more filling than low-fibre foods thus you’ll eat less and feel fuller longer.
  • Reduce Cholesterol. The soluble fibre in nuts and seeds can help lower cholesterol levels. It mainly affects and lowers your LDL “bad” cholesterol.
  • Control Blood Sugar. Soluble fibre can slow the absorption of sugar and help improves blood sugar levels.

4. Antioxidants

Nuts and seeds are excellent sources of antioxidants and are needed to combat oxidative stress by neutralizing free radicals. When the level of free radicals become too high in your body, they cause harm. Usually linked to diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes. 

How Bad is Trail Mix For you

While the main component of a trail mix is healthy nuts, dried fruits in the mix may not be as healthy. Dried fruits are high in sugar and calories. Consumed excessively can harm your health. But dried fruits are not all bad as they can boost your nutrients and fibre intake. Just be mindful to eat in a small amount. 

Nevertheless, the real harm stems from the fact that most store-bought prepacked trail mixes are loaded with salty nuts and dried fruits such as banana chips which may be fried instead of dehydrated. This brings us to the next point you should know.

Trail mix with candies

The Downsides of Store-Bought Trail Mix

Although convenient, many pre-packaged trail mixes are designed for shelf life and taste—not nutrition. Here’s what to watch out for:

  • Sugar overload – Candied fruits, chocolate-covered bits, and yoghurt coatings may taste good, but they quickly turn your healthy snack into a sugar bomb.
  • Excess salt – Salted nuts and seeds can push sodium levels up, especially if you’re snacking regularly.
  • Refined oils – Some nuts are roasted in cheap vegetable oils, which aren’t ideal for your heart.
  • Preservatives and artificial flavours – These are common in cheaper mixes to enhance shelf life and appearance.

Always check the label. The fewer ingredients, the better—and if they’re all whole, recognisable foods, you’re on the right track.

Why Make Your Own Trail Mix?

Making your own trail mix might sound fancy, but it’s actually super simple—and totally worth it. Here’s why:

  • You get full control – No more mystery ingredients or unnecessary additives.
  • Customisable to your taste and needs – Whether you want high-protein, low-sugar, nut-free, or indulgent with a touch of dark chocolate, you can mix it your way.
  • Fresher and tastier – Homemade always tastes better. Full stop.
  • Budget-friendly – Buying ingredients in bulk often costs less than repeatedly buying pre-made bags.

Once you make your own blend, you’ll wonder why you ever settled for store-bought.

How to Make a Healthy Trail Mix

Creating a great trail mix starts with choosing the right ingredients—and striking a tasty, balanced blend of flavours and textures. Think sweet and salty, crunchy and chewy, rich and light. Here’s how to get it right.

Make your own trail mix

Start with These Building Blocks

Each ingredient plays a role in taste, texture, and nutrition. Mix and match from the categories below:

1. Nuts (The Heart of the Mix)

Almonds, walnuts, cashews, peanuts, pistachios

Packed with protein, healthy fats, and essential nutrients to keep you full and energised.

2. Seeds (Tiny But Mighty)

Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, flaxseeds

Loaded with minerals, fibre, and healthy fats—perfect for an added nutrition boost.

3. Dried Fruits (For Natural Sweetness)

Raisins, cranberries, apricots, mango

Look for unsweetened, sulphite-free options to keep it clean and wholesome.

4. Crunchy Extras (For Texture & Fun)

Granola clusters, popcorn, cereal squares

Add that crave-worthy crunch without the deep-fried guilt.

5. Sweet Add-Ins (If You Fancy)

Dark chocolate chips, cacao nibs, coconut flakes

A small handful of the good stuff makes your mix feel like a treat.

A Simple Ratio to Follow

To keep your mix balanced and nutritious, follow this rough ratio:

  • 40% nuts
  • 20% seeds
  • 20% dried fruit
  • 10% crunchy extras
  • 10% sweet add-ins (optional)

This gives you a lovely balance of macronutrients and keeps sugar content in check—especially important if you’re snacking mindfully.

Trail Mix Recipe Ideas

Need inspiration? Here are a few tasty blends you can try or tweak to your liking:

🔋 Energy Boost Mix

Almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, cacao nibs

🌴 Tropical Crunch

Walnuts, coconut flakes, dried pineapple, banana chips, sunflower seeds

🍫 Sweet & Salty

Roasted peanuts, raisins, pretzel bits, sunflower seeds, dark chocolate chunks

🫐 Berry Nutty

Almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, dried blueberries, granola clusters

Variety of trial mixes

How to Store Your Trail Mix

Once your mix is ready, keep it fresh by storing it in an airtight container or jar. It’ll stay good for 2–3 weeks at room temperature. If you’re in a humid climate, refrigerate it to keep the nuts from going rancid.

For longer storage (or if you’ve made a big batch), pop your mix in the freezer. It’ll last for months and stay crunchy and delicious.

Is It Cheaper to Make Your Own Trail Mix or to Buy It

So you ask – isn’t it cheaper to make your own? Not necessarily so.

Trail mixes can be as cheap or as expensive depending on how you build them. Should you really want to find out which is cheaper, you’ll need to compare apple to apple. 

This means separating each component of your store-bought trail mix and weighing them. And then, you’ll have to buy those ingredients to find out the costs. This leads to the next point.

Do you have easy access to bulk or loose purchase? Some stores have a minimum amount to purchase and because you’re not actually buying in bulk, just in loose form, there aren’t a significant amount of savings. For these reasons, you may end up paying more and be left with leftovers especially the dried fruits.

While nuts and dried fruits can keep pretty well in the fridge, you’ll be surprised to find a small bag of them at the deep corner a year or two later. This happens to me all the time. My bad.

Anyway, the money spent may not be the main issue although relatively important. The real deal is the quality of the ingredients and their healthiness. 

Store-bought prepacked trail mixes have a long expiry date and what does this tell you? Some sort of preservatives may be added. This can be avoided when you make your own trail mix. 

On top of that, you get to choose your favourite ingredients for making yours. With prepacked, you may not like certain nuts or seeds in them. Although there are large varieties in the market, you’ll need to spend some time looking at them all to find your preferred one.

The Verdict

Is it cheaper to make your own trail mix or to buy depends on the ingredients you’re going for. For example, pecans are definitely more expensive than walnuts. So are pistachios.

If you have easy access to bulk/loose ingredients stores, that’ll be great but be mindful of the amount you’re buying. The more you buy, the more savings you enjoy but remember to use them all. Also, the prices may differ every now and then, and from store to store so you’ll have to check them out. 

Hmm, isn’t it more convenient to buy prepacked? Tell us what say you in the comments sections below. We love to know.

Above all, quality is as important if not more, than the savings. 

A handful of trail mix

In a Nutshell

Trail mix is more than just a snack—it’s a smart, adaptable, and nourishing option for anyone looking to eat well without sacrificing convenience. Whether you’re fuelling your workout, satisfying a mid-morning craving, or packing snacks for the kids, a homemade trail mix is a wholesome, no-fuss solution that you can truly feel good about.

And the best part? You don’t have to settle for boring or overly sweet mixes ever again. With just a few ingredients, you can whip up something that’s uniquely yours—tailored to your taste, your goals, and your lifestyle.

Now that you know what trail mix is and how healthy it is, would you choose trail mix for a snack? Or would you rather choose our local Malaysian snacks or tea-time kuih-muih? Let us know your answer below. 

Hey, I love our kuih-muih. If healthiness is your concern, trail mixes are the clear winner. With the trail mix, healthy snacking is possible. Having said so, you don’t need to give up our local delicacies but add trail mix to your everyday snacking delights. Granola is another good option. Read more here.

Have a favourite mix? Or a clever way to use trail mix in your breakfast or snacks?
Share it in the comments below! And don’t forget to tag us on Instagram @oatznmore with your creations. Let’s inspire each other to snack better.

Please share this article with anyone you think may find this information useful. Click the share button!

Learn more

Hey, before you go, I found some healthy trail mixes which you may want to look into

For US Shoppers, Shop on Amazon (Affiliate link*). Here are a few choices you may consider buying.


For my fellow Malaysians, buy on Shopee or Lazada. Either buying nuts separately to build your own or ready-to-eat trail mix, there is an excellent selection with thousands of customer reviews. But hey, check out our wholesome, homemade granola clusters on the Oatz N More Shop — made in small batches, free from preservatives and artificial flavourings, and full of real, natural goodness.

*I receive a small commission at no extra cost to youThis allows me to enjoy a cup of coffee while writing and sharing more articles like this one. Read about the Affiliate Disclosure here.

Happy shopping and thanks for reading.

Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links as part of the Amazon.com Services LLC Associate Programs and other affiliate services. This means that oatznmore.com receives a small commission by linking to amazon.com and other sites at no extra cost to the readers.

Medical Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or medical professional, and this post should not be taken as medical advice. Please do your own research. The material on this blog is provided for informational purposes only. It is general information that may not apply to you as an individual and is not a substitute for your own doctor’s medical care or advice.

4 thoughts on “What is Trail Mix & How to Make a Healthy One That You’ll Love”

  1. Good day to you. I must say did not know much about trail mix before, but from all that you have provided, I think it’s far more important than some snacks. With healthy fats, protein, antioxidants and most importantly fiber, the trial mix can contribute much to our well-being. This is helpful, thanks for sharing.

  2. I am so happy that I found this page. Your suggestions for ready-made trail mixes look inviting. Your guide on how to build a healthy trail mix is excellent.
    I will be making a batch up soon and will add chocolate chips instead of M&M’s with some walnuts, pecans, sesame seeds, and raisins.

    1. Use dark chocolate if you may as it is made up of 50-90% cocoa solids. Cocoa contains a high amount of flavonoids which are powerful antioxidants.

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