The Best Snacks for Hiking

We here at Sporked are fans of the big ol’ outdoors. We like the trees, we like the amnimals, and we like nature pottying just as much as the next person, but most of all, we love us some outdoorsy, portable snacks—especially if they taste really good. Here is our list of the best foods to take with you on a hike.

Nature Valley Sweet & Salty Nut Almond Granola Bars

Everyone knows that granola bars are among the best snacks for hiking. Fewer people know, however, that these Sweet & Salty Nut granola bars from Nature Valley are the best tasting granola bars out there. Senior writer Jordan Myrick pointed out that the “almond butter dip that coats the bottom of the bar tastes more like frosting than almond butter,” and that these are the best granola bar they’ve ever had in their entire life. So take one of these and take a hike!

GoMacro Sunny Uplift (Cherries + Berries)

Sometimes what you want when you hike is some of that good ol’ stick-to-your-ribs (a thing my parents always used to say) protein. Also, sometimes you happen to be vegan. Well, never fear because so is this protein bar, which managing editor Gwynedd Stuart described as “bursting with berry flavor” and “full of chewy dried cherries that make it nice and tart.” Whether you’re vegan or not, give this one a try next time you commune with nature.

Old Trapper Old Fashioned Beef Jerky

It’s no secret that beef jerky is one of the best snacks for hiking. Humans of almost all cultures and backgrounds have taken dried meat with them on all sorts of nature excursions. You too can embrace the history of the hike with Sporked’s favorite beef jerky: Old Trapper Old Fashioned Beef Jerky. Good Mythical Morning Writer Kalyn French described this one as being like “if you cooked beef in bacon fat, then jerkified it,” and if that doesn’t sound like the most delicious thing ever to you, I don’t know what to tell you. (Or maybe you’re vegan. If so, respect.)

Elevation Chocolate Peanut Butter High Protein Bars

Hey, what’s this? More protein-packed hiking snacks? You betcha. This doozy of a protein bar from Aldi has a whopping 20g of protein and tastes like, and I quote, “a Rice Krispies treat meets a Reese’s Cup.” What more do you need to hear?!

Water

Stay hydrated!!!! Story time: One time, on a family trip when I was in fifth grade, we saw these hikers trying to get to the bottom of the grand canyon, but they only brought, like, two Dasani water bottles on an 11-mile hike in the desert and had to be picked up by some dudes on mules so they didn’t die of stupidly not bringing enough water (and also choosing Dasani?!). Don’t be them. Fill up a Nalgene or bring plenty of bottled water.

Trader Joe’s Roasted & Salted Fancy Mixed Nuts

Hold on to your seats, kids. This one’s nuts. No really, it is. And it’s good nuts, too. This is like trail mix but just the nuts (and only the good ones). That’s right, it’s a mix of cashews, almonds, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, and pecans (no peanuts). Editor-in-chief Justine Sterling called it the “platonic ideal of mixed nuts,” which is, from now on, what I shall be calling any sort of family gathering.

Water

Do NOT die-drate.

Welch’s Mixed Fruit Snacks

Not everyone is a salty gal. Not everyone is trying to win the award for maximum protein. Sometimes all you want on a hike is lil burst of sweetness, and what better way to do that than with a lil packitty pack of fruit snacks. And these Welch’s fruit snacks are “the most classic, fruit snack-y tasting fruit snacks you can possibly imagine,” according to Jordan. These gummies have wonderful flavor and texture, and honestly brighten any room they fruit snack into.

BRING WATER, THX 🙂