What's your favorite trail snack?

I rather enjoyed stopping for ice cream while hiking out from a weekend near Italy Pass on the Pine Creek Trail in the Sierra last fall :).

Pro Bar

peanut butter and chocolate sandwich, only if I go more than 6 miles.  I have major hydration problems during the hike because of drooling.

Peanut Butter (Creamy) straight out of the jar. And also canned Mandarian Oranges slices.

OH oh I knew there was something else, almost forgot as I rarely get a chance to take it, over smoked chunks of salmon.  They almost become candy like.  These must be in an airtight bag, like 2 Ziplocs in an airtight bag.  Or my fury friends will come looking.

Much as I would love ice cream, the warm and dry sensations detracted from the enjoyment too much.  I generally just suck hard candies - don't need to stop.  If I plan a lunch stop, canned tuna or chicken or ham or salami on a bagel, sometimes with cheese.  High quality jerky is also yummy.   On short trips lunch includes fresh fruit.  On day hikes lunch expands to a picnic of all fresh foods, and includes wine.

Ed

Mine is just plain old almonds, no flavor, no roasting, just almonds. Great source of energy and very delicious.

Callahan maybe you will like those (I don't like fish so I can't enjoy it)

http://www.patagonia.com/us/shop/salmon-jerky-provisions?k=5h-1H

I didn't had one for years, but I think my all time favored is 'Bumper Bars'

http://www.cookietime.co.nz/bwc.html

now those are good as well: appenzeller biberli...

and what I really eat when in the trails? I really enjoy dried apricots, mango, apples (one's made a compote out of them) and the so. Can't enjoy raisins any more, had too many of them in a short period of time.

Wasabi covered peanuts: 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000J3MG7I

I guess this is old fashioned, but one of my favorite trail snacks is actually granola.    I like that I can eat it "piecemeal".  There's something about being able to sit for a while, casually snacking while gazing at a spectacular view, or just the forest.  And I like that I can eat as much or as little as I want at any given point (as opposed to, say, a granola bar, which by design of the packaging tends to get eaten all at once).

I have a couple favorite granolas.  One is Quaker Natural Granola (with raisins).  I especially like the big chunky pieces, as opposed to the fine "dust" found in many granolas.  The other is one sold by a local grocery chain, "Lucky".  It includes various nuts & grains as well as M&M's which really hit the spot while on the trail :).

I've never considered snacking on the trail, but was curious to note what you folks enjoy.

I consider a snack a pleasurable experience, but concern for it's tying-up my blood in digestion I haven't given the matter any thought. I usually take a pinch of bee pollen when in need of energy which usually lasts about a half-hour and eliminates muscle cramps if stressed. A paired granola bar of about 180 calories is taken for lunch.

Perhaps a trail mix of nuts, chocolate, sunflower seeds, cranberries, raisins, etc. would do the trick for me while "smelling the roses", enjoying a grand view or taking a well needed rest.

Hey Rick, the Wasabi covered peanuts are great! they work even better with beer! :) 

Cashews, Jerky any type and tropical trail mix sold at wally world is great..

VEL seed bars. 360 calories each. No filler, just mixed seeds and fruit held together with honey. Two plus a dried fruit snack, and you've got a meal. The only place I've ever seen them is at Costco.

My wife's homemade Pumpkin Bread is number one. Not really a bread, more like cake but the best for a quick break & treat.

Otherwise, something I really enjoy while on the move and that gives me a decent energy boost is 1)the organic version of Fig Newtons & 2) good old fashioned Raisons (no peanuts, I'm weird about hard & soft stuff together).

Callahan, you just made me think, one of my favorite breakfasts at home is peppered smoked Salmon. I hadn't even considered it but that would be an awesome trail breakfast before a hike. Except for the fact that I'd wake up with seven or eight bears sitting around my food hang looking exhausted. Maybe the next paddling trip that I'm camped on an island in the middle of a large lake...

Performance said:

I've never considered snacking on the trail, but was curious to note what you folks enjoy.

I consider a snack a pleasurable experience, but concern for it's tying-up my blood in digestion I haven't given the matter any thought. I usually take a pinch of bee pollen when in need of energy which usually lasts about a half-hour and eliminates muscle cramps if stressed. A paired granola bar of about 180 calories is taken for lunch.

Perhaps a trail mix of nuts, chocolate, sunflower seeds, cranberries, raisins, etc. would do the trick for me while "smelling the roses", enjoying a grand view or taking a well needed rest.

 I don't think most simple sugars &/or carbs tie up blood for digestion. Not enough to counter the rise in blood sugar from a proper refueling anyway.

JerseyWreckDiver said:

 I don't think most simple sugars &/or carbs tie up blood for digestion. Not enough to counter the rise in blood sugar from a proper refueling anyway.

I have to agree. I've got worn out hikers going again quickly with just one Sunrype fruit bar. 

Very basic gorp - peanuts, cashews, raisins, craisins and m&m's.

bheiser1 said:

I rather enjoyed stopping.. ..near Italy Pass on the Pine Creek Trail in the Sierra last fall :).

Bill:
Now don't go blabbing off about Pine Creek!  That is one of my favorite alternates when the Bishop Creek venues are all booked up.  Granite Park and whereabouts is a good base camp for rock climbing, away from the crowds.

Ed

Denis you said it . i would add the almonds but the tropical trail mix from wally world  has them . little heavy to carry but well worth it .

Carbs do not tie-up the blood as much as do protein and more intensely as do fats.

I previously posted here at Trailspace, the occasion of hiking with a friend that prior to our hike ate a hamburger. He had to stop a number of times during the hike complaining of sluggishness and weakness which he rarely exhibits. So much for not tying-up ones blood.

When fatigued - a common low blood sugar condition, it is clearly aided by ingestion of sugar, preferably natural sugar, not processed sugar. Carbs, notably complex carbs are probably the most efficient. I believe that cold rolled oats are the best of the lot. 

So, the digestive process ties-up blood to aid the digestive process in a smaller to greater extend depending upon the type of food ingested.

The ultimate trail snack from hell: beer and pizza. 

We were doing a through hike in the Sierras that required a food pick up in town, along with one of the participants quitting the trip.  We sent him off over lunch, then schlepped back up the hill with our provisions for the next leg of the trip.  Those seven miles back to camp were the longest of my life!  Sluggish doesn't do justice to the sensation of B&P in the gut; heck a snail passed me mid trail!  Never again.

Ed 

Performance said:

Carbs do not tie-up the blood as much as do protein and more intensely as do fats.

I have to agree with this one. Porridge made with trail mix is my breakfast before a day of hiking, but the 'beer and pizza' sounds like a killer!

a boiled egg is my favorite for lunch snack with a few peanut butter crackers for desert. while still walking i like one of the trail mixes from walt mart, i keep a zip lock on a caribiner looped on the shoulder strap and get a handful from time to time.

earl

Walmart's Great Value brand Cajun Trail Mix: can't beat it.

Honey roasted nuts or granola, also cheddar cheese bites.

littlenecks w/red hot and vinegar

or cherrystones w/red hot and vinegar

or kipper snacks

Maybe the " dont swim for thirty minutes after you eat" comes from this weakness you guys described after eating and not the " or you will get a cramp and drown" that we all heard while growing up maybe a different truth to an old wives tale

I adore smoked, spiced almonds. I also love Wasabi Maple Walnuts. Roasted chickpeas are another favorite. I'm diabetic so I take snacking quite seriously... keeping my blood sugar levels balanced during physical activity is  extremely important. 

The value of trail snacks cannot be over estimated on cold, wet trips.  The furnace needs to be fueled.  A Clif bar can make the difference between someone wanting to give up and to keep going.

I like smoked trout, crackers, smoked oysters and dried fruit.  Spicy nuts are great if you have enough water along.

choosing what to take for snacks is probably my favorite thing about the trip. my pawpaw's homemade beef jerky is probably my first choice. next in line would be chocolate covered granola bars.

I'm with alan, only even more basic...straight up three-item gorp (peanuts, raisins and m&ms). I like to think of myself as a purist.

In cold weather, its KitKats; they don't freeze.  Otherwise its Gummi Bears; pure energy. 

alan said:

Very basic gorp - peanuts, cashews, raisins, craisins and m&m's.

 OMG I ahve not heard it called GORP in decades and love it!

I usually like a cliff bar - peanut butter. It is easy to pack and hits the spot. I also use electrolytes in my water. I dehydrate easily in the weather here and that helps my energy level.

I made my own GORP this morning :D.  Dark Chocolate M&M's, Mixed Nuts, Cut up pieces of Dark Chocolate bars, Reese's Pieces, ... guess I must be anticipating liking the taste of chocolate out there :).

p.s. the iPhone spell check things "gorp" really means "gory".

i always bring a variety of trail snacks.  call me fickle.  i always have a few clif bars.  raw almonds or cashews are my favorite nuts, raisins and dried apricots are my favorite fruit.  i tend to avoid anything chocolate in the summer because it tends to melt and get messy; yogurt covered raisins hold up a little better and have similar sugar/carbs. 

i used to bring some jerky too for a little protein but have moved to tanka bars and tanka wild sticks - native american recipe of buffalo meat, cranberries, wild rice, relatively low fat and sodium compared to jerky or more processed options.  alternatively, i'll find a good hard salami and slice pieces off.   

I used to pop boutique hard candies for on-trail energy, but a recent diagnosis of diabetes will force me to resort to nuts, raisins, and other slow release energy sources.

Leadbelly: where does one purchase Tanka Bars?

Ed

Ed I just googled the tanka bars. They are a pretty small native american company. I dont see any walk in style retailers, just a small handful of distributors handle. That said they look amazing, perfect for you being newly diagnosed diabetic. They mention the benefits for you on their site. You might have access to one on the vendors, none of my new england vendors have them. Im gonna order some plus some of the buffalo dogs. Im gonna try to dogs as a healthier dog for my customers.

Ed... you'll likely find that things with diabetes are much different on the trail than at home and you can get away with a little more. I'm diabetic (diagnosed in 2009 and reversed in 2011). I've sent you a private note. 

The tanka bars must be catching on. I just saw an ad for them on a wedsite that has nothing to do with hiking or natural food. It was on a celeb gossip site my wife loves, I just happened to see the large ad over her shoulder.

a package of turkey or beef sticks with a small cup of nacho cheese or salsa

hotdogman said:

The tanka bars must be catching on. I just saw an ad for them on a wedsite that has nothing to do with hiking or natural food. It was on a celeb gossip site my wife loves, I just happened to see the large ad over her shoulder.

 I hope they are catching on...unfortunately, with internet ads, if your computer has been looking at something like....TANKA BARS.....the feedback is sent to google or yahoo or whatever controls the datamining and ads not having to do with where you subsequently happen to be browsing, but the prior history will pop up. Yes, you may have been targeted.

Here are my current favorite trail snacks---

The mighty Probar!!  And peanut butter is very good.

And I'm currently into these Dale bars with 22 grams of protein---and vegetarian.

And then it's fun having a pocket full of these dried mangos from Living Tree Community Foods.

And for a sit down snack, there's nothing much tastier than these San-J black sesame rice crackers.  Just ordered a couple more boxes for a September trip.

Then there's these dried papaya spears by International Harvest---great while-hiking trail snack.  And not soaked in sugar either.

Then there's the usual Larabar, peanut butter cookie being my fave.  Cashew Cookie ain't bad either.

And then there's your basic red apple with almond or cashew butter.  A perfect meal. 

There's nothing much better than eating these nut butters with fresh fruit like apples---or spreading on cinnamon raisin bread, as below.

This is always part of my standard load on long backpacking trips and I take two loaves.

Here are my current favorite trail snacks---

Oops, a repeat post.

Tipi and others. You may like this site for vegan recipes. She has all type of recipes for making your own larabars, etc

http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/chocolate-covered-recipes/fudge-baby-mania/

http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/chocolate-covered-recipes/special-diet-recipes/

Thanks for the link.  If I bookmark "Chocolate Covered Katie", Little Mitten may get the wrong idea ha ha ha.

Tipi, that is funny.  Show Little Mitten the link 1st before you bookmark it.

The No-Bake Oreo cookies are really good.

http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/06/11/no-bake-oreo-cookies/

I just cleaned out my day pack. I found uneaten trail mix and beef jerky as well as a Prower Bar wrapper. That says it all.

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