The Best Trail Foods to Bring for Hiking that Will Boost Your Energy

In hiking, it’s better to eat small snacks intermittently than eat three heavy meals. This is so you’ll avoid feeling sleepy or sluggish during your hike. For your light and regular snack time, one food that you can bring is banana chips, which contain plenty of fiber, potassium, and iron that can help you stay energized during your hike. You can also mix it with other dried fruits or nuts for a healthier snack.

Read: 10 Healthy Snacks You Can Eat on the Go and Where to Buy Them

Achieving a balanced diet is a challenge especially when you’re hiking, and often proteins are the ones we leave out. But you don’t have to bring a piece of pork or chicken just to get your required serving of protein during your hike. You just have to pack a small can of tuna for your hike.

Aside from being a great source of protein, tuna also has Omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin B-12 which both help in longevity and digestion. But moderation is still necessary as canned tuna may also contain mercury, an element that can be dangerous if consumed in large amounts.

Trail mix is literally just a mix of various kinds of nuts, dried fruits, and sometimes chocolate, meant to be taken along during hikes. It became a popular hiking snack because it carries every nutrient you need in one convenient pack.

Nuts are a great source of proteins and fat that can help sustain your energy during hiking. Some trail mixes also contain granola, a source of much-needed carbohydrates that burns slowly in your body and will help fuel you longer. Chocolate and dried fruits are also added to give it a sweet kick and to give you more energy.

Although cereals are known to be breakfast staples, they are also a great food choice to bring on a hike. You can forget your milk at home and just bring your cereals as it is and chow them down when you need a quick snack.

Cereals are made of whole grains and are a great source of carbohydrates that will give you your needed energy during your hike. Just make sure to select cereals that are made of whole wheat fiber to maximize its health benefits.

Hard-boiled eggs are also popular snacks during hiking. They are known for their high-protein content and other important nutrients such as Vitamin A and D, Phosphorus, and Zinc, among others.

If you ever choose to bring hard-boiled eggs on your hike, do remember that they spoil much faster compared to the other items on this list, so it would be best to eat them first.

Read: 6 Healthy Snacks You Can Buy from Your Favorite Convenience Store

Water should always be part of your hiking must-haves, but a delicious way to rehydrate during a climb is by eating jelly instead. Jellies serve as a fun snack for kids, but at the same time, they can also quench your thirst because of their water content. Aside from being hydrating agents, the sugar in jellies also serves as an energy booster that can keep you going during a long, tiring day.

After packing the necessary trail food for your hiking trip, you can also choose to bring your favorite comfort snack on your journey. It can be your favorite chocolate or candy or your preferred brand of chips, just make sure they are easy to pack and won’t get squished inside your hiking bag. Bringing comfort food along can make your journey enjoyable and can give you the necessary encouragement by indulging you for a little while during a long arduous assault.