Pepperoni Crunch Snack Mix
Oyster crackers shaken with popcorn seasoning, plus a handful of pepperoni. No cooking, no water.
- calories
- 420
- weight
- 3 oz
- cal / oz
- 140
- protein
- 13 g
- serves
- 1, scales
- prep
- 5 min
- cook
- 0 min
- total time
- 5 min
- water
- none
- cost
- $
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Snack
- No cook
- Backpacking
- Day hike
- Car camping
- Bikepacking
- Canoe / raft
- Nut free
- Eat in the bag
- Pre-mix at home
- Shelf stable
- Dump and stir
Ingredients
| Oyster crackers | 2 cups | |
|---|---|---|
| Olive oil | 1 tbsp | a dropper bottle beats spray butter on the trail |
| Popcorn seasoning | 2 tsp | cheddar, ranch, or dill all work |
| Pepperoni slices | 2 oz | shelf-stable stick sliced at home, or the pre-diced kind |
Method
- Put the crackers in a quart freezer bag with the air still in it.
- Drizzle the oil over the crackers, seal, and shake until they look barely damp.
- Add the seasoning, seal again, and shake for another ten seconds so it sticks.
- Drop in the pepperoni and eat straight from the bag.
The original used spray butter, which is a can you do not want in a pack. Oil from a dropper bottle does the same job: it gives the seasoning something to grip so the powder ends up on the crackers instead of in the bottom of the bag. Water works too and adds no weight, but it also makes the crackers soften, so oil is the better trade.
Pepperoni is the reason this counts as food and not just a salty crunch. A dry-cured stick keeps for days without a cooler and brings fat and protein that crackers alone do not. Slice it at home; sawing pepperoni with a pocket knife on a windy ridge is not worth it.
Packing
Do the oil and seasoning at home the morning you leave, then add the pepperoni. Seasoned crackers keep about a week in a sealed bag before they go stale. Pepperoni can ride in the same bag once the crackers are dry to the touch.
Variations
- Swap the crackers for pretzel sticks if you want something that holds up better to being crushed.
- A tablespoon of grated hard cheese in with the seasoning adds fat and clings to the oil.
https://camprecipes.com/classic-recipes/pepperoni-crunch-trail-mix