27 Healthy Snacks to Pack for a Hike

July 11, 2020

Stay energized on long hikes with these healthy snack recipes. These snacks can easily be packed for a quick bite while you hike. Whether it’s energy balls, granola bars or a snack mix, these sweet and savory snacks will keep you motivated. Recipes like Tropical Fruit & Nuts Snack and Banana-Peanut Granola Bars are satisfying, healthy and easy to eat while on the trail.

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Fruit Energy Balls

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Make a big batch of these no-bake energy balls to keep on hand when hunger strikes or you need a healthy pick-me-up. Source: EatingWell Magazine, March 2019

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Tropical Fruit & Nuts Snack

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With 4 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber, this healthy packable snack can help you feel full until your next meal. Source: EatingWell Magazine, March/April 2017

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Peanut Butter Energy Balls

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These healthy peanut butter and chocolate energy balls deliver a mixture of simple and complex carbohydrates to help fuel you up whenever you need a little boost. They're no-bake and easy to make with ingredients you probably have on hand, like oats and nut butter. Feel free to experiment with different mix-ins--for example, dried fruit or chopped nuts--in place of the chocolate chips and coconut. Source: Eatingwell.com, August 2019

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Good Old Raisins & Peanuts

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Good Old Raisins and Peanuts, or GORP, is simple as can be, but this blend of sweet and nutty flavors can't be beat. Pack in small snack bags for on-the-go munching. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Super-Seed Snack Bars

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Thanks to a mix of pumpkin, sunflower, hemp and chia seeds, these healthy snack bars are packed with protein, fiber, minerals and healthy fats. Because these bars pack well, they're great for taking along on all-day adventures. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Summer 2019

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Salsa Snack Mix

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This homemade snack mix is easy to prepare--crunchy crackers, cereal squares, and miniature pretzels are flavored with a zesty salsa-inspired seasoning mix that takes just minutes to throw together. Bake until crisp and then set it out at a party or offer it to your kids for a fun after-school snack. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Smoky Pumpkin Seeds

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Smoked paprika and garlic powder punch up the flavor in this easy roasted pumpkin seeds recipe. Source: EatingWell Magazine, October 2019

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Banana-Peanut Granola Bars

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These healthy, homemade granola bars are reminiscent of peanut butter-and-banana sandwiches. Be sure to look for dried banana, not banana chips. The chips are cooked in oil and, if not stored properly, can have an off taste. We tested several sticky sweeteners, including maple syrup and honey, but found brown rice syrup held the bars together the best. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September/October 2017

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Everything Bagel Microwave Popcorn

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Full of umami-rich flavors inspired by the classic bagel, this easy popcorn snack is sure to make your mouth water. Source: EatingWell.com, November 2018

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Air-Fryer Crispy Chickpeas

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Air-fried chickpea snacks are intensely flavored and incredibly crunchy. Drying the chickpeas is essential to a good crunch, so don't skip this step. If you have time, leave them out on the counter to dry for an hour or two before frying. Source: EatingWell.com, January 2019

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Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars

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Full of oats, chocolate chips and chia seeds, these oatmeal bars are perfect for an on-the-go snack. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Sweet & Spicy Slow-Cooker Snack Mix

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With both sweet and spicy flavors to entice your taste buds, this slow-cooker-prepared snack mix is easy to make and great to have on hand for game days, parties, and after-school snacking. Remember to stir it every so often, as directed, to keep things from sticking together. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Apricot-Sunflower Granola Bars

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Easy to make at home, these nut-free granola bars can be adjusted to your taste preferences. Simply vary the add-ins to your taste, swapping 2 cups of any combination of small (or chopped) dried fruit, seeds and/or chocolate chips for the apricots and seeds in this version. We tested several sticky sweeteners, including maple syrup and honey, but found brown rice syrup held the bars together the best. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September/October 2017

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Munch & Crunch Cereal Snack

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Mini pretzels, puffed corn cereal, and salty soy nuts provide taste and crunch in each handful of this 5-minute snack mix. The most difficult part of this recipe will be trying not to eat too much of it--it's that yummy! Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Coconut Fruit & Nut Bars

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With just five ingredients, these simple, no-bake energy bars are tastier than any bars you can buy! Dates, cashews, almonds and coconut whir up in the food processor for an easy homemade version of a Larabar. Pack one up for a healthy snack for work, or send some off with your kids for an energizing snack before soccer practice. Source: EatingWell.com, October 2018

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Toasted Paprika Chickpeas

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Toasted chickpeas are now a popular vegan snack, but why spend extra money buying them at the health food store when you can easily make them yourself? They're delicious as a snack but also make a wonderful salad topping. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Dried Apples

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This healthy oven-dried apple recipe is perfect if you want to make dried apples at home and don't have a dehydrator. Great for lunchboxes or as a snack, homemade dried apples are easy to make in the oven and are high in fiber and nutrients. To retain the fiber from the peels and to save time, we skip the step of peeling the apples first. We also skip coring--the star-shaped core makes a pretty shape in the center of each dried apple. For crispy apple chips, bake the apples about 1 hour more. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September/October 2013

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Savory Date & Pistachio Bites

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A touch of sweetness from the dates and raisins paired with crunch and nuttiness from the pistachios make these bites perfect for an on-the-go snack or as an accompaniment on a cheese board. Source: EatingWell Magazine, November/December 2018

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Cherry-Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

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Skip the granola bar options at the grocery store--they're easy to make at home! You can vary the add-ins to your taste, swapping 2 cups of any combination of small (or chopped) dried fruit, nuts and/or seeds for the chocolate, cherries and coconut in this version. We tested several sticky sweeteners, including maple syrup and honey, but found brown rice syrup held the bars together the best. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September/October 2017

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Roasted Spaghetti Squash Seeds

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When you prepare spaghetti squash, don't throw away the seeds! You can roast them into a crunchy, healthy snack--just like roasting pumpkin seeds. The seasoning mix in this recipe is a mix of spicy, salty and sweet, but feel free to experiment with your own flavor combinations. Source: Eatingwell.com, September 2018

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Chocolate Pretzel & Cherry Popcorn Balls

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These popcorn balls are made with agave nectar and peanut butter and are spiked with chocolate covered pretzels and dried cherries for a special treat. Try making them for your Halloween party this year. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September/October 2011

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Peanut Butter, Blueberry & Oat Energy Squares

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These one-bowl, no-bake energy squares ensure a quick way to refuel during long meetings, tough workouts or that mid-afternoon energy slump. Feel free to swap the blueberries for your favorite dried fruit and the pistachios for your favorite nut--but keep the maple syrup as is; we found using less than 1/2 cup resulted in crumbly bars. Source: EatingWell Magazine, May/June 2018

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Chile-Lime Peanuts

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These spicy nuts were inspired by ones sold by street vendors across Mexico. If you can only find salted peanuts, omit the added salt. Add the maximum amount of cayenne pepper if you want an extra hit of spice. Source: EatingWell Magazine, November/December 2010

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Blueberry-Cashew Granola Bars

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Coconut extract gives these homemade granola bars tropical-inspired flavor. Feel free to swap the blueberries, cashews and flaxseeds for any combination of your favorite dried fruit, nuts or seeds. We tested several sticky sweeteners, including maple syrup and honey, but found brown rice syrup held the bars together the best. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September/October 2017

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Oat and Nut Crunch Mix

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This sweetly spiced mix of oat cereal, almonds, and dried cherries is handy to keep around for snacks or breakfast. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Toasted Almonds with Rosemary and Cayenne

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Make a double or triple batch of these savory nuts to give them as gifts for the holidays. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Barbecue Snack Mix

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This crunchy snack mix has just the right blend of sweet and savory spices to make it completely addictive. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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