Five Foods to Take With You When Hiking

You’re not planning on dragging bags worth of food around with you on your hike. It’ll just weigh you down and slow your progress.

What you need are some foods that will keep you going without taking up too much room.

Before looking at those, let’s take a look at what your food needs for it to work well for hiking.

The Features of Great Hiking Food

Your hike is not the place to start a diet.

You’re on your feet constantly, which means you need a steady stream of calories that your body can burn for fuel.

Calorific foods help you to combat fatigue and headaches. Just make sure you combine them with plenty of water.

It’s important that you like the taste of whatever you take too. You don’t want to start experimenting with new foods when you’re miles away from home. Try everything that you’re thinking of taking before you head out. If you don’t like the taste, don’t waste space on it.

In terms of nutrition, you’re looking for protein and complex carbohydrates. The occasional snack works well for a quick burst of energy. However, you can’t hike for long periods if you’re just relying on simple sugars.

Finally, there’s the bulk issue. You only have a limited amount of space to carry all of your kit. Filling your bag with food means less space for the hiking essentials. Plus, it will just weigh you down and cause fatigue. Look for foods that you can repackage easily into plastic baggies. Avoid bringing bulky cardboard boxes along.

With all of that out of the way, here are a few foods that you might consider bringing along.

First things first - remember to keep hydrated at all times. We have a great selection of water bottles online.

Food #1 – Fruits and Veg

Fresh foods are generally out of the question when you’re hiking. Most fruit and vegetables will only last a day in your backpack.

Carrots are a little heartier though. They can last for about four days before you have to get rid of them. Consider chopping some up and keeping the pieces in small baggies. They give you a nutritious snack to chew on while you hike. Plus, you can eat them raw.

As for the rest, you can get dehydrated vegetables that last a lot longer than fresh foods. Dried fruits also work well.

Food #2 – Instant Soups

Lugging tins of soup around isn’t an option when you’re hiking. They’re far too heavy. Instead, you should go for instant soups.

They come in slim packets, which makes them easy to pack. They barely weigh anything and they’re really easy to cook. All you need is a little bit of hot water and you have a meal.

Food #3 – Wholegrain Cereal Bars

Whole wheat is an excellent source of complex carbohydrates. Cereals are a good source of wheat, but you obviously can’t take an entire box with you.

Thankfully, there are plenty of wholegrain cereal bars for you to choose from. Better yet, many manufacturers add fruits, nuts, and other nutritious ingredients into their bars. That makes them ideal both for a quick breakfast and as energy-boosting snacks during the course of the day.

Food #4 – Nuts

Nuts are a great source of calories, with many also packing plenty of fibre and protein. They’re also small enough to pack into little baggies, so they won’t take up much space.

Take a good mixture of nuts with you as each type has its own nutritional benefits. A quick handful with give you a quick boost. Plus, you can use them as a seasoning for large meals.

Peanut butter is also an excellent choice. It’s versatile, tasty, and offers plenty of protein.

Food #5 – Pasta and Rice

These foods are the two carb-heavy staples for hiking. They’re easy to make and serve as great “main” meals.

You can pack them into individual baggies for portion control and they’re non-perishable. But it’s the ease of preparation that makes them an enduring favourite. Much like with instant soups, you just need hot water to prepare both pasta and rice. Stick to wholegrain varieties to ensure you’re getting plenty of complex carbs.

Those are just a few of the staple foods that you should take with you when you’re hiking.

Also, check out hiking stoves & cookware online.

Happy hiking,

Tentworld