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The Right Food Choices for Your Day Hike By: Jonathan Bille  |
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 If you’re like me you just can’t wait for the warm weather to hit the trails and enjoy a day hike through your favorite place. A day hike is not only great exercise but it’s also a great way to experience the wonders nature has to offer.
But perhaps one of the biggest questions day hikers have is what food to bring along for the hike? Since there’s no refrigeration and carrying a cooler filled with ice really isn’t an option, picking the right foods to take along can be a real challenge. You want foods that will not only be nutritious, but they also need to be good tasting and convenient to carry throughout the day.
The next time you’re planning a day hike, consider taking along some of the following foods to keep you feeling great and full of energy:
Water: No one should need to be reminded about the importance of having plenty of water for the hike, but it may surprise you how many day hikers try to get through the day drinking soda. It’s just not the same. Water is hands down the best thing to drink on your hike. How much you will need depends on you and the intensity of your hike. The rule of thumb is to take more water with you than you think you’re going to need, that way you don’t run out.
Fresh fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables don’t last long without refrigeration, but they last plenty long enough for a day hike. Consider packing your backpack with apples, oranges, grapes, strawberries, carrots, celery or any fruit or vegetable you love to eat.
Energy bars: If you’re the kind of hiker who doesn’t like to stop for long, energy bars make a great choice of food to take with you for the hike. Their biggest selling point is that they are very convenient. A few energy bars in your pack will ensure you’ve got something to keep your belly full for your hike.
Nuts and trail mix: are great choices for a day hike because they make the perfect snacks that are not only delicious, but also easy to carry. Just make sure their not to salty.
Other favorites: The more you hike, the more you’ll discover what you want to have with you for the day. Some other hikers love include can chicken and tuna, peanut butter & jelly, crackers, cheese, and dried fruits like raisins.
The end of the trail: A lot of day hikes have an eventual destination that you’re hiking to reach, a waterfall, a cave, a beautiful view, etc… and once you’re their, you’ll probably want to stay a while and enjoy the view. I personally like to take something special to enjoy once I’ve reached the destination. So I always pack a little coffee so that once I get where I wanted to go I can sit back and enjoy a fresh cup of coffee. For me, it makes the hike just a little more special. Not to mention that the caffeine helps motivate me for the hike back. You probably will want to choose something else, but I definitely recommend bringing something you can enjoy at the destination of your hike. It’s just one way to make the hike that much more special.
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