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Everyone needs a good snack (or three) to munch on while hiking or a decent lunch to enjoy during a nice break.
I'm not typically much into eating while I hike; it's just not my thing. But now that I am accomplishing longer and harder hikes I'm definitely in need of some good energy food. I'm not a fan of straight-out store-bought goods (it doesn't help that I'm picky about them), so I've been trying to get creative on coming up with some yummies.
The most important part of your hiking "food" is your water. I cannot stress enough how important it is to stay hydrated while hiking. For more information, visit the Water & Hydration link to the left.
It is very important that hiking snacks are not only healthy, but high in protein. Protein usually comes from meats, beans and nuts. These proteins are esential for your body to repair the muscles and ligaments that receive damage in small amounts during exertion like hiking. If you don't get enough protein, then those muscles will start to break down despite the exercise you're getting, which will result in a loss of muscle mass.
Quick, Easy, and Inexpensive Snack Ideas:
Sometimes finding a good snack for hiking treads a fine line between quick, convenient, healthy, and inexpensive.
 TRAIL MIX: There's always the fallback of GORP (Good Old Raisins and Peanuts). If that's not to your liking, try a different type of trail mix; we like to make our own "homemade" trail mix. We hit the bulk bins at our local grocery (if your usual grocery doesn't have bulk bins, try a nearby natural grocery like PNC), and I let them make their choices from the nuts, dried fruit, and just a little candy (like m&m's, Reese's Pieces, or chocolate chips). We mix the whole lot together and I store it in a plastic cereal container in the fridge. My oldest child is pickier, and so she makes her very own mix, and we keep it in a separate smaller container in the fridge as well. Keeping the mixes chilled helps to keep everything fresh. A few items to add to your trail mix for the best energy results without a high fat content are bananas, apricots, peanuts, granola, and crackers. Another version of trail mix is called SCROGGIN (S- Sultanas; C- Chocolate; R- Raisins; O- Orange peel (candied); G- Ginger (crystallized); G- Glucose (as in barley sugars or similar); I- Imagination (seeds, dried apple, dried apricot, etc..); N- Nuts (non-salted)).
JERKY: Beef jerky is another quick hiking snack that is chock-full of the essential
proteins that your body needs. However, many of these meats are also high in fat (thereby increasing your calories per ounce) as well as sodium. Try biltong, which is a similar alternative. I recently ordered a good selection of jerky and dried foods from a few etsy sellers, and my favorite by far was BeezersBistro. I highly recommend their Garlic Ginger and Spiced Orange Beef Jerky. Mmmmmmmmmmmm.... They also sell biltong, and it's pretty darn tasty (a little salty, a little tart, and lots of flavor).
FRUIT: Fresh fruit is always a great way to go; as a matter of fact some fruits, such as apples, pears, peaches, plums, and grapes, provide some of the natural sugar and hydration your body needs. The only downsides to fresh fruits are 1) the peels, pits, or cores that must be packed out and 2) it can be tricky to store them securely in your pack so they don't get mashed or bruised. Try slicing your fruit up beforehand to help minimize these downsides. Dried or dehydrated fruit is another good option, but remember to increase your water intake to make up for it! BeezersBistro on Etsy makes an excellent dehydrated pineapple- it's literally like eating candy, and is made from nothing but pure pineapple (no added sugar). In addition the mango, cantaloupe, and honeydew are all pretty tasty too!
ENERGY/POWER/GRANOLA BARS (Luna Bars, Clif Bars, Power Bars, etc): These handy bars can provide a quick energy boost in a convenient form. There are hundreds of different brands, flavors, and variety of ingredients on the market today. Many brands can be purchased at your local grocery (try the health food section). These can vary in taste in texture, so you may have to try a few before you find some you like.
LÄRABARS: I have to admit, these are my favorite bar-type food; the delicious combination of unsweetened fruits, nuts and spices is divine. Each bar is made from 100% whole food, and they are gluten, soy, and dairy free (wholly vegan and kosher). I buy these at my local grocery in the health food section and also at REI (REI had a greater variety). My all-time favorite flavor (so far) is Cherry Pie.... Mmmm....
GRANOLA: Loaded with fat and carbohydrates, this yummy snack is great as either an addition to trail mix or as a stand-alone snack. Granola comes in a variety of flavors, and is often mixed with nuts, honey, and dried fruit.
PEANUT BUTTER: Peanut butter is an excellent source of protein and far, as well as going well with a lot of other foods. Try a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (added bonus of sugar from the jelly and carbs from the bread- freeze your sandwich ahead of time, and it will be thawed out by the time you're ready for it), put it in crackers, dip fruit into it, or just eat it straight. Some manufacturers offer a squeeze-tube type of package for convenience, but be cautious that these don't get opened accidently in your pack. An alternative is to purchase a small-sized reusable container and spoon your peanut butter into it. Tupperware makes these great little containers called Smidgets that are perfect for peanut butter.
TUNA FISH: Tuna is another great source of protein and Omega-3 fatty acids. You can spread it on crackers or eat it in a sandwich. Be cautious in sandwiches, however, if you use mayo- remember mayo should always be kept chilled. You can save weight in your pack (and the can opener) by purchasing the foil packets of tuna instead.
CHEESE: Cheese is another good source of protein, with the addition of calcium. Sliced cheeses are handy, and hard cheeses can be cut into chunks ahead of time for easy packaging. However, be careful about keeping your cheese chilled. Hard cheeses are hardy enough for the trail, and can survive a moderate amount of heat. Sharp cheddar is a favorite hard cheese.
BREAD SUBSTITUTE: For a good substitute for sandwiches, try using tortillas or pitas instead of traditional sliced bread. This is a great way to prevent that dreaded "sandwich smash" effect that your poor bread can suffer which jouncing around in your pack. Another alternative is to store your sandwich in a plastic container.
For a great hiking calorie calculator to see how many calories you need for your workout, click here.
Packaging:
- Remember, PACK IT IN, PACK IT OUT! Leave no trace, and do not leave any food or packaging behind, including apple cores, fruit skins and food scraps, buried or otherwise.
- Food packaging is important when you're hiking. Apple cores and banana peels need to be packed away and brought back out with you. Even sandwich baggies can be a hassle. I've invested in some plastic bowls with snap-up lids that the kids can re-use for their trail mix. The snap-up lid makes it handy for them to snack and walk at the same time.
- I also bought some plastic sandwich containers (both types of containers were bought at Target for $1 each) to prevent that dreaded "sandwich smoosh." As an added bonus, apple cores or banana peels can be stuffed into the sandwich container when lunch is done. Tupperware makes some really nice sandwich containers. The benefit of these over the ones I use are that the lids are connected by a
 hinge-like piece of plastic so they won't get separated. Another option is to use reusable sandwich or snack bags such as the ones found at WasteNotSaks on Etsy. Did you know that reusable sandwich bags have the potential to take the place of more than 1,000 plastic baggies in each of their lifetime? Wow! This can not only save you money, but also help the environment.
- Always avoid glass containers of any sort. Not only does glass add dreaded weight to your pack, but it can also break. When I was a child I was carrying a glass bottle of a fizzy fruit drink and it broke in my pack, and the drink coated me from the waist down. I was fighting off bees the entire way home. It was a nightmare.
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