I thought this week would be a good time to discuss trail snacks. A couple weeks ago I encouraged you to get outdoors and do some hiking. One of the things I recommended you always bring with you is food for the day or trail snacks.
Trail Snack options
You never know when you’re going to get a craving for some munchies and if you are at 8,000-9,000 feet or in the middle of nowhere there are probably not a lot of options to choose from. This is why you need to bring your own options with you. Things like…
| Dried Fruits | Apples, Apricots, Bananas, Blueberries, Cherries, Cranberries, Dates, Mango Pineapple, Prunes, Raisons, Strawberries |
| Granola | bars or crumbles |
| Nuts | almonds, cashews, macadamia, peanuts, pecans, pistachios, walnuts |
| Jerky | beef, pork, turkey, deer, etc. |
| Energy / Protein Bars | name a flavor and someone makes it |
| Trail Mixes | There are so many varieties of this. Walmart’s Great Value brand alone has over 10 blends you can buy or you can make your own mix. |
Individual Packages
These days you can find just about anything packaged in individual, portion controlled sizes. They are great for the quick grab and go without needing to think about it. Also, if you are like me and struggle with portion control these are for you. Just keep in mind that you are paying a higher cost for the convenience and remember to throw the wrapper/packaging away properly and not along the trail.
Consider buying bulk
If you want to keep costs down and reduce packaging waste, consider buying in bulk and dividing up into your own bags or containers. This way you can create your own portion sizes and use reusable containers if you want. You can also create your own mixes of dried fruits, nuts, crackers, pretzels, etc. I use Walmart and Costco for the best prices generally but also keep an eye out for sales at other stores.
Kids Options
Many companies have gotten wise to the challenge of getting kids to eat healthy snacks and have developed specific product lines to appeal to younger palates. CLIF Kid, Gourmet Nut, KIND, Larabar and RXBAR all have kid specific products. (links below)
My Current Stash
Typically over winter my stockpile of trail snacks diminishes as I snack on what is left over from the previous season. Then each spring I keep an eye out for sales so I can stock back up for the upcoming season. Below is my current selection I have to choose from when packing my backpack for a day or weekend trip.
Notice I’m missing dried fruits, jerky and nuts. I decided this year to ditch the individual packages and buy in bulk at Costco and make my own mixes and portion sizes. I’m also breaking out my ancient Ronco food dehydrators that I haven’t used in 30 years to see if they still work so I can start making banana chips, apple chips and more once again. Stay tuned for a future article on how that goes.
Links to popular trail snack companies
Here is a list of snacks, energy/protein bars, dried fruits, nuts, trail mixes and more with links to the manufacturer or product web page. While researching this article, I discovered so many additional flavors and varieties of some products I’m familiar with and like, but have never seen on store shelves before. I’ll be placing some online orders here shortly to try them out.
Have a favorite? Anything I missed that should get a mention? Let me know in the comments below.
Last Updated on August 16, 2022
