According to the American Dietetic Association, hiking can burn over 300 calories per hour. In addition to bringing plenty of water and staying hydrated, the right kind of food during a hike can help boost energy levels and provide needed nutrients for the rest of the hike. It is important to bring food that can be prepared quickly, will not get damaged easily and can be eaten on the go.
Fresh Fruit
Fresh fruit is easy to pack, is filling due to its high fiber content, and is free from excess packaging. OutdoorPlaces.com recommends fruit that can be packed with hiking gear in a backpack and can withstand vigorous activity. Apples or oranges are examples. Soft fruits like bananas and plums can be smashed more easily, making them less ideal for a hike.
Trail Mix, Dried Fruit and Granola
Trail mix is a quick and easy food to make at home and pack into bags for bringing on the hike. Typical foods in trail mix include dried fruits, sunflower seeds, nuts, chocolate chips, Cheerios and granola. Granola is also a great hiking food on its own, as it provides fats and carbohydrates. Trail mix also provides fats, carbohydrates and sugars, making it an energy-dense food for hiking and a convenient food to throw in a hiking pack. When eating trail mix with dried fruit, drink plenty of water to help digest the fruit; without enough water, the body can become dehydrated.
Energy Bars
Energy bars are easy foods to bring on a hike. NJHiking.com suggests trying different kinds of energy bars to see which flavors and textures are best. Some are more candy bar-like and have a tendency to melt in hot temperatures, while others are less likely to do so and are made from peanuts, dried fruit or granola.
Tuna and Crackers
Packaged tuna fish and crackers are suitable foods to bring along on a hike. Crackers provide carbohydrates and tuna fish is high in protein. However, cans of tuna fish add extra weight to the pack; HikingDude.com recommends sealed pouches of tuna fish, which are lighter in weight and easier to handle on the trail.
Beef Jerky
Beef jerky is another dried food that hikers can pack. As with dried fruit, when eating beef jerky it is important to drink plenty of water to digest the food more easily. This food takes up little room in a pack, is lightweight, and is filled with carbohydrates, fat and protein.
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