You don’t need to rely on chips and junk food to make it through your hiking trip. Making healthy and delicious snacks from home is quite easy, no matter whose tastes you have to cater to. Here are five easy recipes for simple and delicious trail snacks that will keep kids, meat eaters, and vegetarians, all equally happy on the trail!
The Classic Trail Mix
Trail mix is popular with hikers because it is extremely easy to make. All you do is mix equal portions of your favorite nuts, your favorite seeds, your favorite small chocolates and your favorite dried fruits and you’re ready to go. Most people believe that you are supposed to have raisins, peanuts, sunflower seeds and candy-coated chocolate in your trail mix, but why make it boring for yourself? Experiment with different combinations and see what you like best. Best of all, this hiking snack recipe requires very little preparation; all you need to do is buy each of these from the grocery store.
For the Kids: Peanut Butter and Jelly Bites
Kids just love peanut butter and jelly, so this recipe is perfect for picky eaters. Here’s what you need:
- 1 ¼ cups rolled oats
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened applesauce
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1 ¼ cup raisins
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla (optional)
All you do is put it all in a food processor, pulse it a few times, add about 2-3 tablespoons of water and pulse it a couple more times until everything sticks together. Next, spoon it out onto parchment paper like you would cookies, then put it in the refrigerator. When you decide you want some, take them out of the fridge, put them in a bag and your hiking snacks are ready.
Are You Vegan? Dates Stuffed with Nut Butter
These deliciously healthy trail snacks for hiking trips are sure to delight. All you need are some Medjool dates and your favorite peanut butter, almond butter or any other nut butter. Medjool dates are large, soft and easy to pit and fill. They’re also not terribly sweet, so they won’t overwhelm the flavor of whatever you put inside. Alternatively, you can just stuff nuts into the dates; many people like peanuts, pecans or walnuts.
Middle Eastern Charm: Chicken Shawarma Wraps
If you want a recipe for hiking snacks with variety, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s what you’ll need:
- 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- ¾ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- A pinch of cayenne pepper
- Salt and pepper to taste
Slice up your chicken into pieces and set aside. (Think shish kebab.) In a separate bowl, mix ¼ cup olive oil and all the spices listed. Pour over your chicken pieces, mix it all up and let it marinate for at least an hour. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray, then put your chicken onto the cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes or until cooked through. Take the chicken out, let it cool a bit, then chop it up with a knife. If you like it crispy, take some of the chicken and fry it up in a skillet with some olive oil. From here, all you need to do is put the chicken in a tortilla or thin pita bread and top with tahini, onions and tomatoes, if desired.
If You Need Sweet: Dark Chocolate Nut Clusters
Sometimes you just need trail snacks for hiking trips with that hint of chocolate. These aren’t hard to make, either.
- ¼ cup unsalted roasted nuts
- 1 ounce dark chocolate (70-80% cocoa is best)
All you need to do is melt the chocolate and mix it with the nuts. Once the two are thoroughly mixed, spoon them onto parchment paper and stick them in the refrigerator until they’re set. When you’re ready to go, just put them in a bag or container and you’re all set.
