4 Tasty Tips to Make Your Own Road Trip Trail Mix

Your road trip is only as good as the homemade trail mix you pack for it. I know this from firsthand experience after recently hiking Joshua Tree National Park.

After a fabulous week of good eats, good drinks, and good memories in nearby Palm Springs, my body craved a bit of activity beyond reaching for sunscreen at the pool. But after indulging in far too many poke bowls, Brandini toffee, and coconut-based cocktails, the thought of a heavy granola or protein bar sitting in my stomach, despite its energy-boosting properties, was flat-out nausea-inducing.

Luckily, my Airbnb was near a grocery store, so I purchased a variety of healthy ingredients to make my own homemade trail mix. And not just any trail mix, but a cheesy ranch recipe from a site called Sweet C’s. Not only was it different from the norm, but noshing on it, both in the car and in the park, was an unexpected highlight for the palate. It was also economical—I made enough to feed five people and it was cheaper than what any pre-packaged bag would have cost per person.

You, too, can enjoy the coveted crunch of an easy-to-make trail mix and customize it to your liking. Here are four quick tips to consider before you bust out the big bowl and get to mixin’.



MAKE IT THEMATIC
Whether it’s a nod to a region’s cuisine with curry for India, wasabi for Japan, or barbecue for the South, it’s quite easy to pile on the seasonings of your choice to establish a bit of snacking cohesiveness. Most trail mix components can stand up to and complement these bold, statement-making flavors, which reimagine (and frankly, enhance) the taste of more plain and basic ingredients like pretzels, peanuts, and rye crisps.

Consider a country for inspiration. Or, experiment with more creative themes based on color or even lifestyle like green pistachio, kiwi, and dried pea mix, or an island-inspired coconut, mango, and banana chip combo. You can also deconstruct famous desserts like strawberry shortcake with dehydrated strawberries, white chocolate pieces, and vanilla wafers.



INCORPORATE EXOTIC DRIED FRUITS AND NUTS
Raisins, cranberries, and almonds—we know ‘em, we love ‘em, and, frankly, we’re bored by ‘em. Here is a wonderful opportunity to introduce new and exciting dried fruits and nuts into your trail mix for necessary flavor departures. More exotic ideas include dragon fruit, guava, or even passion fruit for an unexpected tartness. The same approach can be taken for nuts with options like Brazil nuts, baru nuts, and nutrient-dense pili nuts. A simple Google search will yield a world of trail mix opportunities since practically any fruit can be dried and any nut can be imported.



MIX SWEET AND SALTY
Sweet and salty is one of the most beloved flavor profiles in culinary history and easily translates into a trail mix. Your instinct may be to simply add M&Ms and call it a day, and while this is a certifiably delicious move, it lacks a bit of inspiration. Take one stroll down your grocery store’s candy aisle and grab anything from Sno-Caps and butterscotch chips to Reese’s pieces and even Swedish Fish. You’ll be surprised to see just how many bite-sized confections line these shelves and just how many can complement savory ingredients.

CONSIDER A GLAZE
It may take a bit more effort than mixing a bunch of random ingredients with a spatula, but consider coating your trail mix with a glaze. It not only imparts a more aggressive flavor, but can also stick larger pieces of ingredients together, much like a granola, which is fun to eat since it jam-packs every ingredient into each bite. Ideas include balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, honey, and maple syrup—but be sure to research if the liquid requires an additional element like melted butter so that it thins out and better adheres to everything that’s going into the mix.

If you take these ideas to heart, you’re guaranteed to create a trail mix that’ll satisfy your palate for your next road trip.