Best Food to Take Hiking: 3 Steps to Planning Your Trail Meals So You Don't Starve
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As some who has hiked thousands of miles throughout my life, including as a park ranger at two National Parks, I have eaten my fair share of trail meals. From snacks to lunches to dinners for overnighters, here is some of the best food to bring hiking and how to prep beforehand to make sure you pack the right thing.
Tip 1: The best food to take hiking provides energy and nutrition
If you’re wondering what the best food to bring on a hike is, all the best hiking snacks give you both energy and nutrition. You'll want food that can sustain you for a long, strenuous hike and provide you with filling nutrients that will keep you going!
Focus on four elements: protein, fat, salty, and sweet—all the components of the best hikers trail mix.
When I worked at Yosemite and got paid to hike all over the park, I lived off of a few staple items: grapes (sweet), beef jerky (protein/salty), summer sausage (protein/fat), cheese (fat), green olives (salty/fat), crackers (salty), protein bars (protein/sweet), and nuts (fat/salty). It was like a portable little charcuterie board!
Other calorie dense foods for hiking lunches include sandwiches, meal bars (I love going to REI and getting a variety of their 10 for 10% off energy meals and snacks), protein drinks, and wraps.
Along with all those hiking snacks, I drink lots of water and drinks with electrolytes, such as Body Armor’s strawberry banana drink—especially important when hiking in a desert location, such as Utah’s National Parks.
Tip 2: Bring hiking food that will boost your morale
I've had many rewards at the top of a mountain or the end of a strenuous hike—often in the form of views, of course, but also with treats! Nothing hits quite like the semi-squished cookie you've been saving in your pack all day and can finally eat on your halfway point.
My favorite foods to bring when hiking that really feel like rewards are cookies, candy bars, and sour gummy worms (just be cautious about elements that may get melty). A popular treat amongst hikers is gummy bears: they're chewy, juicy, sugary, and bear-shaped!
Of course, you don’t have to wait for the halfway point or the peak of the trail to enjoy your snacks. Pack your snacks close to your chest or within arms reach, so they are always there when you need a boost without needing to stop and take off your entire pack.
Another part of keeping up your morale is taking care of yourself physically, which can definitely be hindered if your pack is too heavy. Be sure to not over pack and consider lightweight backpacking food, such as freeze-dried meals.
Additionally, if you will be sleeping overnight at any point during your trip, there may be certain food storage requirements, depending on the area. For example, when hiking in Yosemite, all food and smelly items must fit inside an approved bear canister. If you pack too much food, you may not be able to fit it all in, exposing you to bears.
Tip 3: Pack non-perishable hiking food
Non-perishable food is especially important for multi-day hikes, but even day hikes may require hiking lunch food that won’t spoil. I have hiked for only a few hours, just to find my cherished grapes squished, warm, and nearly inedible. (I was really hungry, so of course I still ate them...)
Some great foods to bring hiking that won’t spoil, have minimal prep on the trail, and are nutritious include applesauce pouches, peanut butter sandwiches, jerky, nuts, and dried fruits.
Easy backpacking foods that are great for multi-day hiking are freeze-dried food pouches, ramen, summer sausage (just keep in mind that once opened, it should be eaten within a few hours), oatmeal, tortillas, and tuna.
What's your go-to hiking snack?? Let me know in the comments!
Check out my Hiking Tips page for more helpful guides to a variety of hiking topics.
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