The Best Trail Snacks

With hunting season coming to a head, long days in the field, and heavy pack outs, we’ve got to think about fueling so we can hunt hard and keep our bodies feeling strong.

With so many opportunities to hunt, hike, climb, and adventure comes more time spent away from the kitchen, and meal planning, snack prep, and nourishment become a bigger task.

Now snacks are my jam, and even on a typical day of running around town, shuffling kids to practice, and work, I try to keep good options on hand. But fueling becomes a little more critical when you’re pushing your body through the mountains, and not having the right food sources can lead to hitting a wall, losing energy, cramps, and more!

As you get out, I want to encourage you to plan and pack snacks to support your body mentally and physically. Give yourself the boost to stay in the mountains, on the bike, running the trails, or enjoying the outdoors longer.

Here’s a list of my top snack choices:

Grass-Fed Meat Sticks - protein is your friend! Keep your muscles strong and give them protein to repair and keep you going. These make good midday pick me up!

Heathers Choice Packaroons - Top-quality ingredients that pack an energy punch and satisfy your cravings for something on the sweet side. These come in handy when your energy is starting to fall. FYI, the Sweet Coconut is my number 1 pick.

Epic Meat Bars - Protein, protein, protein. Small and easy-to-grab protein options are a must when you’re on the go. Epic bars have a variety of choices, including game meat.

String Cheese - I didn’t include a link here because these can be found just about anywhere. On top of going well with your meat bar or pork sticks, they’ve got a decent balance of macros and calcium.

Trail Mix - There are many ways you can make or buy trail mix, be careful to shy away from those packed with mostly peanuts or M&M’s (or do if you want a sweet treat and a few more calories). A combo with a variety of cashews, almonds, walnuts, and seeds is a good choice.

Pack Out Bar - This is a well-balanced bar with 240 calories and 20g of protein. The fact that they’re delicious is a win-win!

Don’t forget to pack along some Energy & Focus with Hydrate & Recover while you’re at it. The combo is fantastic and can give you that extra energy to make the most of your hunt; however, the Hydrate & Recover is a must! Don’t wait until your muscles are tired and you’re cramping, have one a day and stay ready for anything!

As always, enjoy a discount on all Wilderness Athlete products with the code NOEXCUSES at checkout!

Want to stay ahead of the snack game? Backcountry Fuel Box is a subscription-based box and sends out a variety of new items monthly. I don’t love subscriptions, but this is one I do enjoy getting! They come with a combo of snacks and meals that allow you to try them before buying in bulk! Find them here.

I could geek out on snacks all day, but I’ll leave you with the list above to get you started and on your way to adventuring. Have fun and soak it up!