6 Snacks To Take Hiking

There’s nothing worse than hiking on an empty stomach. Aside from feeling hangry (a disturbing mixture of anger and hunger), if you are not completely satisfied in the food department you will have lower levels of energy, disorientation, and greater difficulty completing your hike. To avoid running into this situation it is important as part of your hiking preparation to prepare or purchase snacks ahead of time.

I ran into a post on Reddit recently where a hiking enthusiast asked the Hiking Subreddit community what are the best snacks for hiking, and at first I thought, “That’s a no brainer”, but soon after realized I had to jog my brain for the answer. This led me to believe that many other people likely have this same question when they are getting ready to take a weekend hike. So here comes the purpose of this blog post, helping you decide which snacks you’ll want to take with you on your next hike. If you are a picky eater like I am, browse through my recommendations below to decide which food/s will be the winner to curb your hunger on your next hike.

6 Snacks To Take Hiking

1. Beef Jerky – Beef jerky is one of my top go-to hiking food staples. Not only is it recommended by me, but more importantly it also gets the seal of approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture as an ideal hiking food. Beef jerky is packed with protein, and these thinly sliced strips of dried beef are easy to pack and lightweight to transport. It quickly refuels the body and is nonperishable as well. Store your jerky in an airtight bag or flavor to preserve the delicious flavoring.
   

   (Photo: Flickr)

2. Trail Mix – Nuts, dried fruit, and candy, oh my! Trail mix packs in the delicious flavoring that satisfies my salt urges throughout the hike and gives me something to look forward to on a break beneath a shaded tree. Usually trail mix contains items such as pretzels, crackers and other complex carbohydrates that help fuel the body and replenish the electrolytes lost in sweating. Transport your trail mix in small plastic bags and you will find it doesn’t even add much weight to your backpack. Add nuts and seeds for additional protein.
   

   (Wikipedia)

3. Protein Bars – Perhaps the easiest item to purchase last minute is a protein bar. Protein bars, as the name suggests, provides your body with the protein you need to stay motivated and dedicated throughout the entirety of your hike. I would recommend selecting a protein bar that has at least 20 grams of protein in order to tide you over for a few hours. My favorite brand of protein bars are Quest Bars, particularly the cookie dough and mint chocolate chip flavor. It tastes more like a treat than anything else!
   
4. Dried Fruit – Dried fruit is available for purchase at most larger convenience stores, although I’d recommend Trader Joes in particular. You can also dry fruits such as apricots, bananas and pears at home prior to your hike. Dried fruits are a great source of fiber, calories and energy, and dehydrating them removes excess water so they are lighter in your pack. Ever had a rotten, brown banana? Drying your fruit eliminates the chance of fruit bruising, spoiling, and spilling in your gear.
   

   (Wikipedia)

5. Tuna And Crackers – If you can handle the smell and taste of tuna, then tuna and crackers are an ideal hiking snack for you. Grain is a good source of carbohydrates and tuna contains high protein and is a sufficient meal, especially if you add cheese to your crackers as well. Nix buying tuna in a can and instead buy tuna that comes in foil pouches. This weighs less, is less likely to spoil, and easier to pack. Don’t forget a Zip-loc bag for your trash; if you’ve been around tuna then you are well aware of its smell.
   
6. P3 – Oscar Mayer’s new P3 Portable Protein Packs are pleasurable, perfect, and pristinely packaged. Six P’s make for a great on-the-go snack featuring Oscar Mayer selected meats, Kraft natural cheeses, and Planters nuts. Most selections of P3, depending on the meat and cheese you select, range between 12-14 grams of protein. With meat choices such as rotisserie chicken, Applewood smoked turkey, and delectable ham you can’t go wrong with any of their offerings.