The Best Hiking Snacks for Kids (and Parents) That Keep the Family Fueled Up
Applying the old clichè of how an army marches on its stomach to a family with young kids trying to travel, hike, bike, or just get through the afternoon is a tired comparison by now, but any parent who has tried to keep kids on the go when they are hungry (or tired) knows that it sure is apt. Hungry kids are not happy kids, and unhappy kids make for unhappy times. When you and the family are out there on the trail, you’re burning through many more calories than usual, so you need lots of healthy, portable hiking snacks to keep everyone moving.
Wondering how many calories hiking burns per hour? There’s actually a pretty wide range, per HealthLine, depending on the grade of the hike and the size of the person, but an average-sized adult hiker can expect to burn an average of 450 calories per hour of hiking. And while the kids will burn fewer calories hiking than mom and dad, proportionally, they’re cruising through their body’s fuel, too — long story short, you all need great hiking snacks. Here are our go-to foods to bring with us on the trail.
RIND Snacks
These dried fruit snacks are unique in that they are made from the entirety of the fruit. Like even the rinds, as the name suggests. You might think that would not taste good but actually, the opposite is true. Naturally sweet, rich in vitamins, and popular with kids and adults alike, always bring a bag of this stuff along.
Ithaca Hummus Squeeze
Yes, it’s hummus in a squeeze pouch. Which means you can bring along crackers or even bread and make a fancy snack or simple sandwich on the go anywhere you go and get (or dole out) some energy thanks to those nutrient-dense chickpeas. The only drawback is it should be kept chilled up until shortly before use.
Dino Bars
One of our all-time favorite bars ever for three reasons: 1, they are healthy and calorie- and nutrient-dense. 2, the kids love them. 3, because of an ingenious potato starch “wrapper” on the bars, they are non-sticky, and thus great for on-the-go eating.
True North Granola
This granola is delicious on its own by the handful, a ready-made trail mix as-is, but it’s also great used as the base for a homemade trail mix with nuts and dried fruit and chocolate and all. Also try it in yogurt or cereal.
Setton Farms Pistachio Nut Blend
Nuts are a great source of energy (and healthy fat) and this blend of nuts tastes great, so the kids will dig in with gusto, gaining the fuel they need to log more miles. Now, mixing these nuts with the aforementioned granola? That’s just a total win.
Forager Project Organic Berry Berry Cashewmilk Yogurt
Like with the on-the-go hummus, the only issue with these non-dairy yogurt pouches is that they need to be chilled until shortly before enjoyment. But they are more than worth adding a cold pack to your backpack, being a delicious, nutritious, and mess-free way to keep the kids powered up.
Ozery Bakery Super Seed Crunch Clusters
Sweet enough to keep kids coming back for more, healthy enough so that parents won’t kind, and packed with enough nutrients and calories to keep the whole family moving, these little clusters from Seedwise are a perfect trail snack. And they come in several different flavor varieties.