The Best Hiking Snacks To Energize You On The Trail
When I’m hiking I’m a snack girl. I would much rather have some snacks stuffed into my hip belt to munch on while I’m walking than stop and take off my pack to eat a meal. If I’m backpacking I will often just eat a good breakfast, graze on snacks during the day and then eat dinner at camp. When you’re hiking, depending on the terrain, you can expect to burn 500+ calories an hour, so having good snacks is vital to keep your energy up! To me, the best hiking snacks are salty or sweet, but not sticky or melty. They also have to be sturdy (I don’t really want to eat a bag of crushed potato chips), relatively inexpensive, and non-perishable. So if you’re looking for some snack ideas keep reading…
1) Dried fruit
I love packing dried fruit when I’m hiking. It is relatively cheap, non-perishable and so good! It is a good source of carbohydrates, easy to digest, and a healthier alternative to candy. My personal favorite is dried mangoes, but my friends love dried apricots, cherries, and bananas. One cup of dried mangos has approximately 510 calories. You can also make dried fruit cheaper at home in the oven or a dehydrator if you have one. The bulk section of most grocery stores also have lots of dried fruit options.
2) Peanut M&Ms
In high school, I was obsessed with Mount Everest and I read so many stories about all the mountaineers who climbed it. One thing that always stuck with me was that a lot of them mentioned eating peanut M&Ms in the “death zone”. The climbers feel so sick and have no appetite but they could eat just a few peanut M&Ms and get some energy. They are also just super delicious and my go-to movie theatre snack. One cup of peanut M&Ms has almost 900 calories, they have lots of carbs, 44 grams of fat, and 16 grams of protein, a great hiking snack!
3) Jerky
A classic camping and hiking snack, jerky is super lightweight and just the right amount of salty and chewy. Jerky is a salt bomb that can help when you need some electrolytes. Just be careful not to eat too much or you’ll be super thirsty. Jerky is a great source of protein and fat, keeping you full for much longer. One cup of beef jerky has around 400 calories, 26 grams of fat, and 33 grams of protein. As a vegan, I don’t eat meat jerky but there are great brands of plant-based jerky like Noble Jerky and Beyond Meat which are really tasty.
4) Granola bars/ Protein bars
Granola bars are a great portable snack full of carbs to help give you a boost of energy on the trail. There are hundreds of different granola bar brands and flavors that you can try or you can even make your own at home! Often I will find a granola bar recipe and just roll the ingredients into balls to make it super easy. You can keep it simple and choose something like Lara Bars, which usually have around 5 ingredients or less, or choose something like Cliff Builder Bars and have more of a meal replacement.
5) Trail Mix
The OG for a reason, trail mix has to be the most well rounded hiking snack out there. One cup of trail mix has around 700 calories, 44 grams of fat, and 21 grams of protein. Again the bulk section of the grocery store will often have several varieties to choose from, or you can buy your favorite ingredients and add them together to make your own mix. Also, I’m told it’s rude to pick all the chocolate pieces out of the bag and leave the raisins for everyone else…
6) Peanut butter pretzels
Peanut butter pretzels are a snack that I can’t keep in my house because I love them too much. Salty, sweet, and crunchy these hard pretzels are one of my favorite snacks. In 28 pieces of peanut butter pretzels there are 500 calories, 22 grams of fat, and 16 grams of protein. These pretzels are pretty light considering how many calories they have, so you can pack a lot. My dog also loves them so I’ll toss her one or two while we’re hiking (not too many because they are salty). You can buy them in a huge plastic tub which you can keep in your car so you can eat them on the drive home :P
7) Liquid Nutrition
If you find that you have minimal appetite hiking, or need a quick boost of energy, there are various “energy” drinks you can try. These aren’t your typical energy drinks like Red Bull, but nutrition powders that mix with water. Initially created for endurance athletes, they contain appropriate carbohydrate and electrolyte ratios to keep you energized and hydrated while exercising. They are also designed to be easy to digest and not upsetting to your stomach (no one wants to deal with that on the trail). Brands like Tailwind Nutrition (not sponsored) make them in various flavors and with or without caffeine. One serving of Tailwind has approximately 200 calories.
There are so many more great hiking snacks like gummy candies (I like Sour Patch Kids), crackers, cookies, nuts, gels, chocolate, fruit leathers etc. These listed are my true favorites, no affiliate links on this page! Remember to stay hydrated when eating your snacks, and to combine them with good hearty meals to maximize your energy on the trail! If you have any amazing snacks that you love and I should try please let me know!