The 6 Best Snacks for Hiking for One and Multi Day Trips

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Hiking is a fun way to explore new territory, enjoy the outdoors, and get some exercise. But when you hike you will be expending a lot of energy, especially if you go to areas with a higher difficulty of terrain.

If you want to make sure that you are getting enough nutrients to stay energized when blazing new trails during hot summer days then you are going to need to make sure you bring some snacks that are packed with nutrients you will need some of these best snacks for hiking.

Best Snacks for Hiking

How to pack food for hikes

The first thing you will need to determine is how long you are going to be on the trails. If you are only going out there for a few hours, then you can pack pretty much anything you want. Conversely, if you are going to be on the trails for several days at a time, then you will need to be more deliberate with the foods you choose to bring on your trip.

One day trips

As earlier stated, one-day trips allow you more options because you aren’t going to be worried about your food spoiling. This means sandwiches, fresh fruits, and yogurts can be on the list of things you pack. These are all great things to eat when stopping at a place with a beautiful view. If you are packing fresh foods, then you want to be sure you bring a freeze pack, so your food doesn’t go bad.

Multi day trips

When you are going on multi day trips packing snacks becomes far more important. You want to be sure that you have enough nutrients to get you through your hike, but you also don’t want to pack too much weight.

I’ll go through some of my favorite snacks to eat that are lightweight but still pack enough nutrients inside of them to fill you up and keep you going that next mile

Beef Jerky

This is probably the most popular snack for people on the go. It is packed with protein, so it’ll fill you up quickly, and your body won’t feel the need to eat after you have finished the bag. If you want to save money, you can make your beef jerky. The beauty of making your own jerky is that you can infuse it with whatever flavors you want to.

The downfall to beef jerky is that it doesn’t take long before you begin to get tired of all that chewing.

Dried Fruit

Dehydrated fruit is an excellent way to get the natural sugars that fruit has to offer without carrying giant tubs of fruit with you. Dry fruit will not spoil, and it maintains the same great flavor no matter how long you have it. Some great fruits to dehydrate are bananas, berries, and apricots.

Bananas are ideal for natural sugars that help you get a boost of energy. Berries are great for fiber and help your body feel fuller and keep your digestive system in order while on this limited diet. Apricots – well I just love the taste of dehydrated apricots.

Starkist Tuna Packs

One terrific source of nutrients that you can take with you nearly everywhere you go. I’m talking about tuna packs. It is extremely small so it’s great for long hikes and it offers an enormous amount of protein without putting too many calories into your body. This is great for times when you need to expend large sums of energy.

Tuna is light enough snack that you won’t get bogged down from ingesting too many calories while still being nutrient dense and provide a consistent source of energy

Ritz Crackers

Crackers are an excellent source of sodium and carbohydrates. They are of course delicious, and they can be a good addition to the tuna that you pack with you.

Ritz crackers are also very good for those times you just need a high amount of calories. Of course, being that they are crackers they get crushed and turn into crumbs pretty often, so be sure to put them somewhere that they don’t get ruined.

Salmon Packs

Similar to tuna packs, the difference is that salmon is even more densely packed with nutrients, and it tastes so much better. Salmon is a terrific source of protein, and the omega fatty acids are great for stopping inflammation, which is almost a guarantee when going on long hikes.

Tortillas

Tortillas are the absolute best when hiking; they can house your salmon, tuna, or even both. When you’re out hiking, there will be moments that you stop for a significant amount of time, this is when you can make the most use of tortilla shell.

Through some salmon and crushed crackers in there, add a little bit of hot sauce, and you got yourself a delicious meal (this is only delicious when out in the middle of nowhere).

Omissions

You may have noticed that I didn’t mention energy bars or granola bars. I have done so for a reason. Energy bars, while sold as nutrient rich and healthy, get most of their calories from refined sugars and high fructose corn syrup.

I am of the opinion that you are best served eating clean foods to maintain optimal function in your body and mind. I hope you like our options for the best snacks for hiking.

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Meet the Author

'Mountain Man' John

'Mountain Man' John is a Survival and Preparedness enthusiast who loves everything outdoors. He has a passion for learning anything and everything to help sustain his and his families way of life post SHTF. He frequently shares his knowledge on a variety of topics from his hands on DIY projects, learning new skills such as hunting and trapping along with reviews on his Survival related purchases - Prepping has been in his family for generations, it's in his blood.