Spring offers favorable weather conditions for enjoying outdoor activities such as camping, birdwatching, hiking, and fishing. The choice of food makes these adventures more enjoyable. However, a challenge arises when planning on the type of food to take along. Snacks give a quick boost of energy when outdoor camping. And, with the current product-saturated marketplace, avoiding snacks loaded with additives and preservatives is essential, as such mystery ingredients can slow you down and make you feel sluggish.
No matter where you’re camping, snacks offer a better camping experience to any adventurer.
This article highlights six healthy and delicious camping snacks that make your camping more adventurous and healthier.
Granola Mix
Granola mixes include a blend of dried fruit and nuts that gives you a fantastic feeling and boost of energy. Although readily prepared granola mixes are sold at most local grocery stores, you can easily make yours at home.
Something interesting about homemade granola mix is that you have endless possibilities. Mix cereal grains, nuts, and dried fruit, then add more flavor with dark chocolate to get a creative and delicious homemade snack. It is also a good option for family trips as kids can pick their favorite mix for fun.
Jerky
Besides being an excellent protein source, jerky is low in sugar, fat, and carbohydrates. With no nitrates and preservatives, jerky is a good snack option for road trips and camping. Additionally, jerky is lightweight for easy transportation in your backpack.
Choose jerky snacks with a unique barbecued flavor where each piece is flame-grilled to give it a faint charbroiled taste. To ensure long-lasting freshness and taste, wrap each bite individually. Jerkies are a perfect selection if you want to enjoy clean animal protein.
Healthy Chips
Although chips are considered not good health-wise, this notion mostly applies to traditional potato chips loaded with assorted preservatives and sodium. Fortunately, several healthy options can satisfy that savory crunch while you are camping in Mississippi or any similar beautiful campsite.
These healthy chip alternatives include coconut or kale chips that come in various tasty flavors and are available in most grocery stores. They are lightweight, making them a great food item for any camping trip or hike.
Carrots
You don’t have to carry only dried or packaged snacks on your road or camping trip. Vegetables such as carrots are suitable alternatives that you should consider for a balanced diet. When kept far from direct heat in cool ice packs, carrots can last long during your outdoor camping.
As root vegetables, carrots are sturdier than leafy greens and rich in fiber and vitamins. You can find small carrot packs in your nearest grocery store that you can buy as perfect camping snacks.
Consider cooking or boiling the carrots at the campsite for a more delicious camping meal. You can go further in your creativity by roasting the carrots using a pan over the campfire and adding them to a mouth-watering soup.
Dried Fruits
Dried fruits like raisins, cranberries, and apricots are excellent camping snacks. Apart from being rich in vitamins, carbs, and fiber, dried fruits contain fruit sugar. They are a stellar snack choice for family outdoor camping and road trips where you can satisfy your kids’ cravings for sugar without compromising their health.
Apples
Have you considered apples for your camping snack? Apples are excellent fresh fruits that you can carry to your campsite since they store well without a refrigerator. They are also hardy fruits that cannot easily damage when packed in a backpack.
After prolonged eating of packaged and dried foods, the juicy apple freshness will give you an exciting break. Besides the fresh apple fruits, consider dried apples and applesauce to add variety to your meal. You don’t have to take fresh apples with you if you have apple chips, sweetly baked and flavored with cinnamon sugar.
Closing Remarks
While the above list of camping snacks is not exhaustive, it gives you a starting point for more creative but healthy options. The key is choosing a combination that fits your camping style and diet. Since most snack alternatives are higher in processed carbohydrates, remember to carry enough proteins like nuts and jerky to help in energy-boosting. Well-balanced snacks during your camping period will promote glucose levels and improve metabolism. It also limits overeating during the day, which can make you feel sluggish.
