I don’t think I will ever tire of reminding you snacks are the key to happy little travellers!
Whether it be healthy snacks to get you through a road trip, keeping little ones occupied at 38,000 feet or anywhere away from home, snacks are fuel for your little ones – and timing them well, with the right blend of carbs and protein ESSENTIAL! Remember, not all snacks are created equal!
This post is part of our hiking with kids & outdoor adventures series
What makes a good hiking snack?
The key to a good hiking snack is that it really needs to deliver some long-lasting energy. Far more than just staving off the munchies like normal travel snacks, hiking snacks need to met some of our special criteria to make the list!
- Focus on proteins as well as carbs for long-lasting energy
- They can be sweet, but avoid overly sugary snacks that will potentially give them a high, followed by a sugar crash!
- Easy to eat by hand without any utensils
- Light and fits in our hiking day packs
- Travels well without refrigeration for a few hours
Easy hiking snacks – store-bought ideas
If you’re just an occasion hiker or travelling away from home then you may find store-bought snacks work best. Some of our favourite easy hiking snacks for kids include:
- Trail mix
- Dried fruit
- Beef jerky
- Mixed nuts
- Dried fruit bars
- Mixed pretzels
- Apples, bananas, oranges
- Punnet of mixed berries
- Crackers & tuna (needs knife/spreading tool)
Do consider though that store-bought pre-packaged hiking snacks will undoubtedly come with protective wrappers – most likely plastic – which then needs to be thoughtfully disposed of after your hike. We always take a trash bag tucked away in our hiking backpack for exactly this reason.
Find more on the best hiking backpacks and carriers suitable for family hikes here
Homemade hiking snacks
If you are looking at being regular hikers, no doubt the cost of all these packages snacks (not to mention the waste you need to bring home with you) can soon add up.
Not being brilliant in the kitchen ourselves, we’ve turned to the experts for tips on the best homemade hiking snacks your kids (and will even get involved with making – we know how much more inclined kids are to eat something when they’ve had a hand in creating it!
Best Homemade Hiking snacks
No-Bake Blueberry-Almond Oatmeal Bars with White Chocolate
These addictively delicious no-bake oatmeal bars feature crunchy almonds, sweet-tart blueberries and creamy white chocolate. All wrapped up in a nutrient-rich little package that’s super quick and easy to make before you head out for a day of adventure!
Power Through the Day with Homemade Muesli Bars
Looking for a sweet snack that is also healthy? This Easy Muesli Bar recipe contains the goodness of oats and plenty of fiber to power you through the busiest (or hungriest) of days! *Contains Nuts
ANZAC Slice Recipe
A twist on the traditional Anzac Biscuit, this oat and coconut slice travels well and will keep the little ones going on their hike.
Homemade Granola Bars
If you have a busy lifestyle, this whole wheat cookie makes the perfect grab and go breakfast as well as a healthy snack that can be enjoyed during outdoor activities.
Vegan Fruit & Oatmeal Bars
This Vegan Fruit & Oatmeal Bar is a kid's healthy lunch box idea. It's allergy-friendly- nut-free, refined sugar-free, egg-free, gluten-free and dairy-free.
Homemade Granola Bars {Chewy and Chocolate-y!}
These homemade Granola Bars are chewy, crispy, and loaded with mini chocolate chips. Super quick and easy to make, without preservatives or high fructose corn syrup, and unbelievably delicious!
Perfect Gluten Free Blondies Made with Almond Flour
These blondies made with almond flour are a delicious treat that’s balanced with protein from the almond flour for sustained hiking energy.
Apricot Sunflower Seed Rice Krispie Treats
These Apricot Sunflower Seed Healthy Rice Krispie treats are healthier and a unique variation of the standard rice Krispie square. They also make a great bake sale item!
Kid-Friendly Energy Bites
These kid-friendly Oat Bites are perfect for hiking! They're easy to make, can be made in advance and stored in the freezer and pack well. Make 1 or all 3 different flavours.
Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Balls
Pucker up! If you love the flavor of lemon poppy seed muffins, then you’ll adore these Lemon Poppy Seed Balls. They’re a healthy snack with real food ingredients and no refined sugars.
Healthy No Bake Energy Bites
Healthy no-bake energy bites are great to have on hand for a quick snack. Easy to make and grab when you need. *Contains peanut butter
Strawberry Funfetti Energy Bites
Delicious, healthy, and packed with energy-boosting properties, these Strawberry Funfetti Energy Bites are also fun and totally kid-friendly! They're perfect for packing to take on hikes and can also be frozen for a quick snack any time.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Ball
These chocolate peanut butter protein balls are as simple as stirring the ingredients together, rolling them into a ball, and then eating them! Kids can do it in a matter of 5-10 minutes. We like to chill the balls and then grab them and go. They're perfect for hiking because it offers high protein and energy in just a small bite (portable and snack size)! *Contains peanut butter.
Bliss Balls Recipe
Kids can make these easy bliss balls all on their own as no knives, stove or microwave are needed - just measuring spoons! They pack and travel great and can be made with nut butter or sunflower seed butter for a nut-free version.
Blueberry and Peach Oatmeal Cookies
Healthy oatmeal cookies full of juicy fresh blueberry, peach and maple flavor, with a crispy crust and chewy inside. Great on the go snack for kids and adults!
Almond Flour Banana Muffins: Easy Protein-Packed Gluten-Free Snacks
Gluten-free almond flour banana muffins are packed with healthy protein and fats, so they will keep your kids full while hiking. This recipe contains nuts, but you could double the number of pumpkin seeds and skip the nuts if you're looking for a nut-free snack.
Peanut Butter and Banana Muffins
These light and fluffy peanut butter and banana muffins make a delicious and filling snack for kids on the move, or a protein-packed grab and go breakfast option. *Contains peanut butter
Banana and Cinnamon Vegan Oat Cookies
When you need a quick and healthy snack box treat, give these easy banana and cinnamon vegan oat cookies a try! Made with only nutritious ingredients, they are naturally sweetened with fruit, and power-packed with goodness to keep you sustained for hours!
Baked Oatmeal Cups
Baked oatmeal cups are a great hiking snack for when you're on the trails (they store well). Not only are they really easy to make but they are customizable. You can add chocolate chips, nuts, coconut, protein powder, apple sauce... I share a lot of healthy and delicious options in the recipe! Can't wait for you to enjoy these on your next hike!
Air Fried Gluten Free Crackers:
These Crunchy, Savory, Vegan Gluten-Free Crackers use only few ingredients and are so easy to make at home. You are going to love the irresistible flavor of these low carb protein-rich crackers. These gluten-free crackers are perfect as a pre-dinner nibble either with a dip or a chunk of cheese or even with a hot cup of tea. Made with whole-grain, nutrient-dense ingredients, these gluten-free vegan crackers will keep you coming back for more.
Cashew Clusters with Almonds - a Sweet and Salty Snack
Coconut clusters are made with almonds, cashews, chia seeds and are naturally sweetened for a healthy portable snack.
Healthy Homemade Fruit Snacks (with veggies!)
Made with pureed fruit, vegetables, honey and grain-fed gelatin these homemade fruit bites make for a delicious snack on the go.
5 Flavored Banana Chips
Banana chips are a yummy, crispy, healthy snack. They are perfect for a mid-afternoon bite to eat, aside in your kids’ lunch boxes, or anytime you want something light and flavorful. And the best part is, with 5 different flavors to choose from, you are bound to find the flavor your family loves the best!
Baked Apple Chips
These baked apple chips are yummy, easy to store in food containers, and healthy.
Air Fryer Popcorn Chicken
Crispy Air Fryer Popcorn Chicken make the perfect protein snack when you are out and about. If you’ve got picky kids who only like chicken, you want this recipe in your repertoire.
Protein Snack Pack
Fancy a full meal? These Protein Snack Packs are filled with hard-boiled eggs, almonds, hummus, and crunchy veggies. An easy and delicious Lunch Meal Prep Solution perfect for any protein lover, these fantastic little protein snack packs are perfect for school lunches, post-workout snacks, or picnics in the park.
Transporting your hiking snacks for kids
There’s nothing worse than putting all the amazing effort into creating healthy snacks for your trip then discovering everything is crushed and broken at your rest stop!
To prevent this from happening, we use small bento box-style containers. If you are taking anything that’s been freshly baked, an insulated box can be a great way to keep them fresh and ready to eat! Small individual boxes are easier to fit in a backpack than a larger lunch box.
Make sure you pick a micture of savoury and sweet snacks and allow enough for your return journey too, little legs can tire more during the second half of a long hike.
Hiking drink bottles for kids
And don’t forget, of course, liquid refreshments too. This is the most important thing you’ll pack out hiking with kids.
They can either take their own small water bottle that can attach to a backpack, or older kids may prefer their own wearable hydration pack. If you’ll be topping up along the way from rivers and streams, we always recommend choosing a filtered water bottle that removes impurities.
Water is always best, of course, but we sometimes let our kids have an extra few drops added of flavour enhancer with electrolytes as a special treat when we are doing active outdoor adventures (just read the labels, some described as ‘energy’ rather than ‘sport’ have a small amount of caffeine).
Learn more about hiking with your family
Before you set off on the trails with little ones, it’s important that you are prepared for what lies ahead. Be it short nature trails close to home or longer day hikes, you’ll want to read:
- Hiking with Toddlers – how to make it fun!
- Hiking with babies – essential gear you’ll want to prepare
- Hiking with your dog – extra preparation you’ll need before hitting the trails with your 4-legged kids
- Best hiking shoes for toddlers – do they need a specialised boot or sandal? We talk you through the benefits of each shoe type and when you might need something more sturdy than a trainer.
- Best gift ideas for kids that love hiking, camping & the great outdoors – give your outdoor-loving kids something super practical.
- Essential Family Hiking Packing list – gear recommendations for the whole family + includes our downloadable family hiking pack list.
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