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Whether you’re pushing towards the summit or just enjoying a steady trek through the trees, your energy on the trail is only as good as what’s in your day pack. Hiking snacks are much more than a rewarding treat for your hard work—it’s time to start thinking about them as fuel.
The best hiking snacks I've tried don't ever give me that dreaded dip in energy and instead fill my tank to keep a confident pace. I’m a lover of moderate hikes (ones that feel challenging enough without totally depleting my body), and these are the seven best snacks that keep me going through every mile.
Discover the 7 best hiking snacks to bring on your next excursion below!
Wild Fox
Wild Fox Sea Salt Roasted Cashews
Made with three simple ingredients (cashews, avocado oil, and sea salt), the thing I really enjoy about these buttery-textured roasted cashews is how well-salted they are. They're not overly punchy, but still have a sodium kick I find helpful on hotter trail days. Simply delish.
Fishwife
Fishwife Albacore Tuna in Olive Oil
Amazon
Perfect Bar Peanut Butter Protein Bars
As far as I'm concerned, Perfect Bars are... perfect. They're sweet, provide me with the ideal amount of mid-hike fuel, and keep quite well in my bag. One bar packs in 17 grams of protein, too, which makes my muscles happy. They come in so many fun flavors, though the OG peanut butter one is my absolute fave.
Munk Pack Peanut Butter Probiotic Protein Bars
Sugary snacks just aren't it when it comes to adventuring on the trail. Too much sugar tends to slow me down and make me feel sluggish—a feeling that's really hard to beat when there's multiple miles still ahead of me.
Since I still love a sweet treat, low-sugar options like these protein bars are a great grab-and-go snack. Each one has 10 grams of protein and 18 grams of whole grains with just 1 gram of sugar. They're also formulated with prebiotics and probiotics for added gut health benefits.
Chomps Grass-Fed Original Beef Jerky Snack Sticks
Chomps' beef sticks are my real tried-and-true hiking snack. If I don't have anything else, one of these will give me the energy I need to complete whatever trail I'm on. Though I think the original flavor is the best one, they also come in flavors like jalapeño, smoky BBQ, and salt & pepper.
Amazon
Stellar Snacks Maui Monk Pretzel Braids
These pretzels are great for a trail-side crunch, but their texture isn't even the best part. Each bite is dusted with a tangy, yet sweet seasoning blend that makes it hard to not eat the entire bag.
Amazon
Brami Lupini Beans Snack Packs
One of these shelf-stable packs of lupini beans has 4 grams of protein—just enough fuel to power your hike without weighing you down. The sea salt flavor is simply sublime. Aside from shoveling them straight into my mouth, I also love to pack these for camping trips to make a quick 'dense bean salad' with canned chickpeas and diced cucumbers.
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