A big challenge to prepare for a day-hike is identifying the most appropriate hiking food (snacks, meals, or liquids) to pack.
While the ready-to-go, dehydrated meals might seem practical, they are far from being the most appetizing option.
Here are nine of the more appetizing hiking foods to keep the energy upon the trails:
Beef Jerky
A simple snack to stay full of energy is the salty protein strips known as beef jerky. This light snack isn't in need of refrigeration and is great when combined with a healthy selection of trail mix.
Energy bars
An energy bar gives a quick and convenient solution to get a boost of vitamins and minerals while on the go. Certain bars can taste quite nice and include flavors like kiwi lime, orange, and lemon.
Dried soup
Dried soup is easily prepared with a suitable heat source and water. There are many in the market so test several different options at home to make sure they will be an accepted meal choice when hiking.
A potato leek soup is certain to go well with wild mushrooms or similar.
Tuna and crackers
Eating crackers and breads on the trails is great to up the intake of carbohydrates. Use tuna or similar topping to give a high source of protein. Other great toppings include cheese and peanut butter.
Plus, when traveling take the foil pouches in place of the tins for the lightest weight option.
Peanut butter is easily added to crackers, tortillas, or bagels. And it is a great source of fat, protein, and carbs. A single tbsp of peanut butter has about 182 calories.
If planning to take a jar of this classic backpacking staple, make sure to use the lightweight plastic jars in place of the heavy glass.
Sausage and cheese rolls
Fill hard rolls with sausage and cheese (cheddar or Gouda ideally) to provide a quick snack that is packed with fat and protein to up the energy.
Instant pancakes
Eating instant pancakes can be quite time-consuming to prepare but is certain to provide a refreshing change to the more typical hiking food options.
Trail mix
A store-bought trail mix is a simple and convenient food option to eat while hiking.
While some of the pre-packaged foods can be higher in calories than is ideal, when you are outside exercising the excess calories are much easier to burn off.
Dried fruit
On a short day-hike, packing two or three pieces of fresh fruit in the backpack shouldn't take up much space - and it gives extra water for hydration.
But, for the multi-day hike fresh fruit isn't always a practical option. In this situation, it benefits to buy or self-dry several different types of fruit. Fruit is low in calories, low in fat and has great vitamin content.
Pick-up trash
It is essential to avoid leaving trash behind on the trails, especially when traveling in the backcountry, so make sure to take along several zip-loc bags or similar to place the discharged pouches until back in normal civilization.