Whether you are going on a hike for fitness or for fun, you want to make sure you have enough food for the trip.
When it comes to any physical activity like hiking, proper nutrition is indeed essential. Eating the right foods can give you sufficient energy to tackle any trail without getting tired easily. Aside from being energy boosters, they can help improve your joints to reduce the risk of injuries. Food can also help you recover quickly after a very strenuous hike. Therefore, it’s important to prepare the foods you’ll bring ahead of time for your next hiking adventure.
There are no fast food options around, and you can’t just cut the hike short because you still have to walk back, so you’ll want to have the following.
Water
Water is absolutely necessary. Bring enough of it, especially if you know there’s no running water in the area you plan to hike in.
Since hiking can be considered a strenuous physical activity, you need to consume at least 500ml of water per hour throughout the trip.
However, it’s crucial to know that the amount of water to drink during a hike may vary depending on some essential factors. These can include your body weight and composition, duration of the hike, weather conditions, and the trail difficulty. If you want to ensure you bring an adequate amount of water, consider these factors before going on a hiking trip.
If there is a spring in your hiking trail, make sure you bring a filter so that you can comfortably drink the water. If not, try to bring a large bottle of water so that you can quench your thirst. Other beverages like sugary ones will only make you thirstier, so that’s not a good idea right now.
Jerky
It would be wise to bring along some jerky on your trip. This should provide enough energy to keep your hike going. You don’t have to refrigerate these, and they taste pretty good. What’s even cooler is that there are many options out there for you. There are common jerky options like beef and pork, but there’s also chicken and fish, so look for what you love.
However, if you’re looking for other meat snacks option aside from jerky, then you might want to try biltong. It is cured meat originating from South Africa, which can be considered one of the best meat snacks you can take with you during your hiking trip. Although biltong seems to be the same as jerky since they’re both dried, they’re actually different in terms of the processes involved, cuts of meat and the ingredients, flavor profiles, and textures.
Thus, if you also consider bringing biltong, along with jerky to your next hiking adventure, you may check out some online shops that offer good quality biltong and jerky products.
Meat Bars
If you want to step your dried meat game up a bit, you could just buy or make meat bars. These bars will have meat and a lot of fat and maybe some fruit. You’ll definitely feel good during your hike with these bars because they can keep you satisfied. The small amount of fruit and the protein in the meat should give you a lot of energy, too.
Granola Bars
If you’re not really into meat, you can also choose granola bars. These bars have fruit, nuts, and seeds sometimes. All of this is going to give you some energy and is going to satisfy your hunger. Not all bars are created the same. Be sure to pay attention to ingredients, and stay away from stuff that’s too processed or bars with preservatives. The more natural your bars, the better for you.
Dried Fruits
Dried fruits are essential. Sometimes, what you want during your hike is something sweet, and if that’s what you crave, then this is your best bet. No refrigeration is needed, and storing them is pretty easy. It might be a good idea to bring along a mixture of dried fruit, from grapes to mangoes. You’ll be surprised how happy you’ll be if you have a lot of choices.
Fruit
If your hike isn’t going to be that long, then it’s okay to bring some fresh fruit along, but make sure the fruit is easy to carry and store. Bananas work but only if you can place them in a safe area where they won’t be bruised. Apples and oranges are good choices. Stay away from fruits that are too delicate, like berries or peaches.
Nuts and Seeds
You are going to want to bring along some nuts, too. You can mix your nuts and dried fruit if you want, but some people prefer to keep these separate. These are easy to store and pack a lot of energy. On top of all that, they are also fatty and nutrient-rich. All of this is good since you’re going to be doing some heavy physical activity. Try to make sure you’ve got a mixture of different nuts to have some variety.
These are some of the most important foods to have during a hike. Of course, you can always add to this list, like you can bring along some sandwiches if you aren’t going to be out there too long.
