Easy, healthy food ideas for camping
When hitting the trails for a hike, what you eat can significantly impact your energy levels, enjoyment, and overall experience. While the convenience of grabbing processed snacks from the store is tempting, packing your own snacks is a far better choice. Here’s why:
1. Nutritional Superiority
Homemade snacks are often more nutritious than their processed counterparts. Processed snacks typically contain high levels of sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats, along with preservatives and artificial additives. By packing your own snacks, you can ensure they are rich in essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, protein, and complex carbohydrates. For example, homemade trail mix with nuts, seeds, and dried fruit provides a balanced mix of protein, fiber, and healthy fats, offering sustained energy without the crash that often follows sugary snacks.
2. Control Over Ingredients
When you make your own snacks, you have complete control over what goes into them. This control allows you to avoid ingredients you may be allergic to or wish to avoid for health reasons, such as excessive sugar, sodium, and artificial additives. You can opt for organic ingredients, ensure your snacks are free from genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and tailor your snacks to your dietary preferences, whether you're vegan, gluten-free, or following another eating plan.
3. Better Energy Management
Hiking demands a steady supply of energy. Homemade snacks like energy bars made from oats, nuts, and honey provide a slow release of energy, keeping you fueled over a longer period. In contrast, many processed snacks are high in refined sugars, leading to quick spikes in blood sugar followed by energy crashes. This can leave you feeling tired and sluggish, which is the last thing you want during a challenging hike.
4. Cost-Effective
Buying processed snacks can add up, especially if you hike regularly. Making your own snacks can be more economical in the long run. Buying ingredients like nuts, seeds, and dried fruits in bulk can significantly reduce costs, and you can make large batches of snacks at a time. This not only saves money but also reduces waste from packaging.
5. Eco-Friendly
Packing your own snacks is an environmentally friendly option. Processed snacks often come in single-use plastic packaging, contributing to environmental pollution. By making your own snacks and using reusable containers, you can reduce your environmental footprint. Opt for beeswax wraps, stainless steel containers, or silicone bags to store your homemade treats.
6. Taste and Variety
Homemade snacks can be more delicious and varied compared to store-bought options. You can experiment with different flavors and combinations to suit your taste preferences. Whether it's a savory mix of roasted chickpeas and spices or a sweet blend of dried berries and dark chocolate chips, the possibilities are endless. Personalizing your snacks ensures that you enjoy every bite, making your hike more enjoyable.
7. Connection to Your Food
Preparing your own snacks fosters a greater connection to what you eat. It encourages mindfulness about your food choices and appreciation for the effort that goes into preparing nutritious, delicious snacks. This connection can enhance your hiking experience, as you take pride in nourishing your body with wholesome, homemade foods.
Easy Homemade Snack Ideas for Hiking
Here are some simple and nutritious snack ideas to get you started:
Trail Mix:
Combine nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and a touch of dark chocolate or coconut flakes.
Energy Balls:
Blend oats, nut butter, honey, and mix-ins like chia seeds, dried fruit, or cocoa powder. Roll into bite-sized balls.
Homemade Granola Bars:
Mix oats, honey, peanut butter, and your favorite nuts and seeds. Press into a baking dish, chill, and cut into bars.
Veggie Chips:
Slice vegetables like sweet potatoes, beets, or kale. Toss with olive oil and bake until crispy.
What makes portable eats…
Meals that are shelf-stable, lightweight, nutritionally dense, and most importantly require little cooking or are ready to eat. Smart backpacking food is packable, nutritious, and easy to make.
Consider the following lightweight, easily packed foods that both optimize protein, carbs, fat and gives enough calories to keep you going.
Tuna, Chicken, and Salmon Packets
Packed full of protein and healthy fats, protein pouches require little space in your backpack and can quickly be eaten on the go.
Beef Jerky and Dried Meats
Hard, dried meats like salami, summer sausage, and various types of jerky don’t need to be refrigerated and provide a quick source of protein.
Cheese
Many are shelf-stable and can handle a few days outside of the refrigerator. String cheese, individual cream cheese packets, and cheese and nut combos can all be consumed without worrying about keeping them cool.
Granola, and Energy Bars
Choose bars that are nutritionally- and calorie-dense, to help keep your energy up or when you need a quick boost of energy.
Just Add Water Meals
Most just add water meals involve a carbohydrate base, some kind of fat, vegetables, protein, and spices or seasonings. With dried carbs, powdered fats, dehydrated vegetables, and more they are lightweight and easily packable.
Instant Oatmeal and Granola
Use the oatmeal packets as a bowl, just add hot water, and you’ve got a warm breakfast or snack in minutes.
Trail Mix, Nuts, and Dried Fruit
A camping classic, trail mix, nuts, and dried fruit are a smart way to keep some calorie boosts on hand. Make your own or buy packs—either way, they fit easily in backpacks.
Peanut and Almond Butter
They have it all—calories, fat, protein, carbs, and sodium— make sandwiches beforehand, they’re also a great alternative to energy bars.
Tortillas
They are compact, and easy to stack. Fill them with cream cheese, peanut butter, chicken or fish packets.
Dark Chocolate
It’s full of antioxidants, caffeine, and low in sugar.
Make-Ahead Meals
These are an easy way to bring a little comfort into the great outdoors. What are make-ahead meals? They’re meals that you prep almost entirely at home so that when you’re at your campsite, you can quickly heat them over a fire or camp stove.
Coffee and Tea
Really? What trip would be complete without it :)
