Don't know what to bring on a hike? We have 7 handy tips for you

Tired of having the same snack options on your hikes? Or don't know what to take with you? Preparing meals for hikes can be hard for a lot of people. Snacks need to be nutritious, balanced and preferably packable. In this article, we'll cover our top tips for just such meals. We'll show you that there are plenty of options and introduce each option, their nutritional values and the reasons why we recommend these particular options.

What's the best snack for on the go?

There are several factors to consider when deciding what to take with you on a hike. How long are you going for? If it's a multi-day hike, will there be somewhere along the way to replenish your food supply? Are you staying out overnight, or do you have accommodation set up where you can have a hot meal in the evening? This can all affect your food choices. We'd still recommend these foods that we think are versatile:

Whole wheat baguette

Day hikes allow us to take fresh food without having to consider shelf life. An important aspect of this meal is the sub-foods for preparation. If we want the meal to be balanced, we need to have all macronutrients represented. The source of carbohydrates could be a baguette or other bread, and we definitely recommend choosing whole grain. Although white bread is somewhat unfairly demonized today, whole grain alternatives often have lower glycemic index and contain slightly more vitamins or minerals. As a source of protein we can use, for example, good quality cheese and ham, which It is a good idea to keep the meat content as high as possible and the salt content as low as possible. Top the baguette with vegetables and you have a good-quality, nutritious takeaway.

Dried meat

As a quick source of protein on the go, we can choose dried meat or jerky. It's a great option to get wholesome animal protein on a hike. The nutritional values of jerky are higher than those of conventionally processed meat due to the lower water content. Since the production process of jerky is relatively gentle, there is no significant reduction in the biological value of the nutrients. In a 100g of average dried meat we find approximately 33g of protein and up to 30g of fat, but the specific nutritional values vary from product to product. Compared to conventional processing, however, the drying method has several advantages for longer journeys. The meat has a long shelf life even without cold storage, so it can be taken on a journey of several days. Another advantage is that the dried meat is light and storable. If you don't know how to choose jerky, we have compiled a ranking of the best products on our website .

Instant products

By instant products, we usually think of industrially processed foods with no nutritional value. However, there are easy exceptions, which we will introduce below. We choose this type of food for its simple and quick preparation, for which we only need water.Instant products are basically essential for multi-day hikes. They are light, quick to prepare and, if chosen correctly, nutritionally valuable.For smaller snacks we can choose, for example, porridge or multi-ingredient proteins. Oatmeal is a great source of polysaccharides. However, it is important to choose a product that does not contain too many preservatives and added sugars. On our website you can find, for example, a review of the instant drink Shake-it, which contains not only oatmeal, but also chia seeds, unroasted cocoa and rice protein. The multi-ingredient protein serves as a great protein supplement. You can reach for any protein product you have at home, and allbut a multi-ingredient protein will serve you better because of its longer saturation time. We've ranked the best products in our ranking of quality multi-ingredient proteins.

Nuts and seeds

Nuts and seeds are another option for a light, stackable and nutritionally packed snack. Nuts are also used in a regular diet as a source of healthy fats, namely unsaturated fatty acids, which include omega-3 fatty acids. Many commonly available nuts contain more than 50g of fat per 100g. Smaller portions are enough to fill us up, which speaks volumes about their practicality for travel. However, nuts are not only a source of fat, they also contain vegetable protein, up to 20g per 100g of product, and fibre, which provides even better satiety. Nuts and seeds can then be added to dried fruit or protein for a balanced and healthy meal.

Nutritional values of foods were taken from the Calorie Tables.

Fruits

If you feel tired on a hike, it's a good idea to reach for a quick source of energy. Simple carbohydrates, which are quickly released into the bloodstream, are just that from where it's just a short journey to the muscles and other organs that need to replenish nutrients. It is these carbohydrates that are perfectly provided along the way, such as fruit. But that's not the only benefit of fruit, we also find plenty of minerals and vitamins in it. If it is a day trip and we are not limited by space and shelf life, it is always better to reach for fresh fruit. If we are going for several days, we opt for dried, and here we have a choice of several product variants, which differ most significantly in the way they are processed.

Protein bars

If you hike regularly, you've probably packed a protein bar. But have you made the right choice? The bars you normally find in the supermarket don't have the ideal ingredients. They have a lot of added sugar, preservatives and contain a small amount of protein. The amount of protein is a crucial parameter to watch out for when counting a bar as a complete snack. Protein fills us up well and serves as a source of energy for a longer period of time. If you are wondering how to choose such a bar, we have compiled a ranking of the best protein bars on the market.

Canned

If you don't want all the food you have with you on a multi-day hike to be 'powder', definitely reach for a canned. Canned food has a long shelf life and is very nutritious for its volume. Of the canned food, we usually choose food that will provide plenty of protein. Tuna, for example, is a great choice. One can of tuna will set you back a few pennies and contains over 20g of quality protein and healthy fats. If you're not a fan of tuna, just choose a can with a different type of meat. Again, it's important to make the right choice, so look for products containing the least salt and preservatives, but the highest percentage of meat. For example, Aktin sells quality (not only) meat products suitable for travel:

If you take food other than those mentioned above on your hikes, we'd love it if you'd post your favourites in the comments. You will not only inspire us, but also other readers.