A good hiking snack should do more than stop your stomach from rumbling. The best trail snacks are easy to pack, travel well, give you lasting energy and, most importantly, are something you actually enjoy eating.
Making your own hiking snacks at home can also be a great way to save money and avoid relying on highly processed commercial snacks.
Here are seven simple trail snack ideas that are easy to prepare before your next hike.
1. Homemade Energy Bites
Energy bites are one of the easiest hiking snacks to make. They’re compact, filling and easy to customise depending on what you have in the pantry.
Try combining:
- Rolled oats
- Peanut butter
- Dates or date syrup
- Coconut
- Chopped nuts
- Seeds
- A little cinnamon
Mix everything together, roll into small balls and refrigerate until firm.
For hiking, make them fairly small so they’re easy to eat while walking.
Trail tip: If you’re taking them on a multi-day hike, avoid ingredients that require refrigeration and make sure the finished bites are completely dry and firm before packing.
2. Homemade Trail Mix
Trail mix is a classic hiking snack for a reason. You can make a batch in minutes and change the combination depending on what you enjoy.
A good homemade trail mix might include:
- Peanuts or almonds
- Cashews
- Pumpkin seeds
- Sunflower seeds
- Raisins or dried cranberries
- Dried mango or apple
- Coconut flakes
- A small amount of dark chocolate
The trick is to combine something crunchy, something chewy and something slightly sweet.
For longer hikes, portion your trail mix into individual bags so you can grab one when you need it.
3. Spiced Roasted Chickpeas
If you’re looking for a savoury alternative to sweet hiking snacks, roasted chickpeas are worth trying.
Drain and rinse cooked chickpeas, then dry them thoroughly. Toss them with a little oil and your favourite spices before roasting until crisp.
Try combinations such as:
Smoky: paprika, cumin and black pepper
Spicy: chilli, paprika and cumin
Herby: oregano, rosemary and black pepper
Allow them to cool completely before packing.
Trail tip: The crispier they are, the better they keep. Any remaining moisture will reduce their shelf life.
4. Dried Fruit & Nut Packs
Sometimes the simplest hiking food is the best.
Make individual snack packs using a combination of dried fruit and nuts.
Try:
Apricot + almond + pumpkin seeds
or
Dried apple + cashews + raisins
or
Dried mango + peanuts + coconut
Dried fruit provides quick carbohydrate energy while nuts and seeds add fat and protein, making the combination more satisfying than dried fruit alone.
5. Homemade Savoury Snack Mix
Not everyone wants sweet snacks on the trail.
Make your own savoury mix using ingredients such as:
- Pretzels
- Roasted peanuts
- Seeds
- Wholegrain cereal
- Roasted chickpeas
- Coconut chips
Toss everything together with your favourite seasoning.
A little smoked paprika, cumin, chilli or dried herbs can completely change the flavour.
This is also a great way to use up small amounts of ingredients already sitting in your pantry.
6. Homemade Fruit Leather
Fruit leather is a great way to turn fresh fruit into a lightweight hiking snack.
Blend ripe fruit into a smooth puree and spread it thinly onto a lined dehydrator tray.
Dehydrate until the surface is dry and flexible rather than sticky.
Once completely cooled, cut it into strips and roll them up for easy packing.
Good combinations to try:
- Apple & cinnamon
- Mango & ginger
- Strawberry & apple
- Peach & apricot
Because fruit leather is lightweight and compact, it’s particularly useful when you’re trying to keep your pack weight down.
7. Peanut Butter & Date Energy Squares
For something a little more substantial, try making simple energy squares using dates, peanut butter, oats and nuts.
Blend or process the dates until they form a sticky paste. Mix with peanut butter, oats and chopped nuts, then press firmly into a lined tray.
Chill until firm before cutting into small squares.
Wrap the individual portions and keep them somewhere cool and dry.
They’re particularly good for longer days on the trail when you want something more substantial than a handful of nuts.
What Makes a Good Hiking Snack?
When choosing food for a hike, think about more than calories.
A good trail snack should ideally be:
Lightweight – You don’t want to carry unnecessary water or packaging.
Easy to eat – Snacks that can be eaten while walking are especially useful.
Energy dense – Nuts, seeds, dried fruit and other compact foods can provide plenty of energy without taking up much space.
Shelf stable – For multi-day hikes, choose foods that don’t require refrigeration.
Enjoyable – This one is often overlooked. If you don’t enjoy eating something at home, you probably won’t enjoy it halfway up a mountain.
Make Your Own Hiking Snacks
Making your own hiking snacks is a great way to experiment with flavours and find out what works for you.
Start with a few simple ingredients, make small batches and test them on your shorter hikes before relying on them for a multi-day adventure.
And remember that snacks are only part of your trail food plan. For longer hikes, you’ll also need proper meals that provide enough energy and nutrition for the days ahead.
That’s where Hungry Hiker comes in.
Our dehydrated hiking meals are designed to be lightweight, easy to pack and simple to prepare on the trail — so you can spend less time worrying about food and more time enjoying the adventure.
