When you’re traversing hills and valleys on a backpacking trip, it’s great to take a breather every so often to enjoy a delicious snack and refuel your body for the climbing, descending and sweating that lies ahead.
Below, you’ll find 10 great snacks for backpacking that are lightweight, convenient and packed full of energy and nutritional value:
- Energy bars. Take your pick from choices such as Clif Bar, PowerBar and Larabar. Alternatively, make your own energy bars. Lots of recipes are available online -- check out this recipe for an oats and sun-dried bananas bar and this recipe for a hot fudge brownie bar.
- Pouches of salmon, tuna or chicken. These great snack foods are packed full of protein. Eat alone, or use as a topping for crackers. Best of all, the super-convenient pouch eliminates your need for carrying a can opener.
- Dried fruit. Apricots, dates, bananas and cherries are delicious treats!
- Jerky. Purchase your favorite kind of jerky, or make your own with help from a food dehydrator.
- Powdered sports drinks. Take a break from plain water and take in essential electrolytes by sipping on a sports drink mixed from a powder. An alternative to powdered sports drinks are hydration tablets, which also provide electrolytes and other nutrients.
- Trail mix. Customize your own trail mix by combining your favorite nuts, dried fruits, chocolate candies, pretzels and more. The options are limitless!
- Peanut butter. Spread a little of this on a bagel or tortilla for a calorie-dense (read: energy-dense!) snack laden with protein and good fat. Keep this snack lightweight by choosing a peanut butter in plastic packaging, rather than the heavier glass options.
- Breakfast pastries. Flaky breakfast pastries are super lightweight and super high in calories, which you’ll need to keep going strong on the trails all day long.
- Snickers bar. Treat yourself with this old backpacking snack standby, and keep your energy levels up.
- Wraps. Create a high-energy sandwich roll-up with a tortilla and the fillings of your choice. Our pick? A peanut butter and banana wrap.
What snacks do you bring on the trail to keep your hunger satisfied, keep your taste buds happy and keep your energy levels up?
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