Best Lunchs and Snacks to Pack for Hiking
Last Updated: July 13, 2025
Deciding what the best lunches and snacks for pack for hiking can be overwhelming. It’s something that I always struggle with! Your lunches and snacks need to survive being stuffed in a backpack, it needs to be safe to eat without refrigeration, and you want it to fuel your adventure and your taste buds. Luckily for you, I’m here to share my favorite hiking lunches and snacks for your next adventure that meet all of the criteria above.
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Before I give you some of my favorite recipes and ideas for hiking lunches and snacks, here’s a quick note:
This blog post is not intended to be nutrition advice. You know your body, you know what you like to eat and if you have any allergies to certain foods! This post is meant to be a general guide to packing hiking lunches and provide you with inspiration. I am here to hopefully give you some inspiration and some new ideas to try out on your next hike. 😊
What to Consider When Packing for a day Hike
There are some unique challenges that should be taken into consideration when deciding what to pack for a lunch when going on a day hike. Backpacking meals are another thing entirely, so for this blog post we will focus exclusively on day hikes.
Packing a snack and lunches is inherently different from packing a lunch for a regular picnic for a couple reasons.
In this section we’ll go over the unique obstacles that a hiker has to take into account when planning a lunch menu for a day hike, and in each section I’ll give you tips to overcome each one, and a personal example as well.
Not sure what else you need to pack for a day hike? Check out my guide here:
Pack a lunch that can withstand being tossed around in a backpack
As you’re cruising along the trail and climbing over rocks and across rivers you’re likely to jostle things around in your pack. You’ll want to make sure you pack a lunch that isn’t too delicate and won’t get smooshed beyond your ability to enjoy it.
Snack Fails
A great example of packing STURDY snacks… a friend of mine suggested I pack some Pop Tarts, so I picked up a pack of my favorite flavor and tossed it in the body of my bag along with the rest of my gear, not thinking twice about it.
By the time lunch came around, those babies were smooshed, broken, and essentially nothing by a sugary dust in a foil packet. To say I was disappointed was an understatement!
Oh- and I was quite hungry all the way back to the car!
tip:
Make sure that what you pack is sturdy enough to not get squished by the dozens of other gear in your backpack.
Pack a lunch that doesn’t require heavy or bulky packaging
A big consideration when putting together a daypack is the weight of it all, so make sure you’re packing lunches (either from the store or home made) that don’t have lots of bulky plastic or is made from heavy materials, such as glass.
Snack Fails
On my first trip up the Franconia Ridge Loop I had no idea how important weight was, especially for a long mile day, and I LOVE pickles! Without giving it much thought, I put a literal mason jar FULL of pickles into my backpack for a 8+ mile hike.
YIKES.
-1,000,000/10.
Tip:
And if you have a small pack, you’ll want to make sure the packaging needed for your lunch doesn’t take up all the room in your backpack and isn’t more than 1 pound.
Make sure that your lunch can keep for several hours without refrigeration
If you’re planning to hike for 8 or more hours, you’ll
Packing perishable foods like mayo-based sandwiches or cold cuts might sound delicious, but on a warm day hike, they might make you sick. Without proper cooling, items like meat and dairy can spoil within just an hour or two—especially when temps hit 70°F or higher.
That means that by the time you make it to the summit your food could cause you to become sick with food poisoning – which is not only miserable but also potentially dangerous when you’re far from help.
You have two options:
- Pack shelf stable foods that don’t need to be kept cold
- Eat your perishable food within 2 hours TOPS
- Pack a cold pack- see tip below!
Snack Fails
On one of my first solo hiking trips ever I planned a long, hard slog up in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The summit took me about 4 hours to get to the summit and the blazing heat, and waiting for me in my bag was a chicken salad sandwich- yum!
However- I didn’t have it on ice, and by the time I got back to the trailhead I was not OK, and I spent the rest of the next day on the couch cuddling a bucket.
Don’t let this happen to you!
Tip:
To be extra smart with your weight and space, either fill up a plastic Nalgene bottle buy a single use plastic water bottle and put it in the freezer the night before your hike. While packing your lunch, put your perishable item on top of the frozen water bottle either in a plastic bag or in a lunch box, that way you’re keeping the item safe for eating later AND you will have extra water as the ice melts.
Always pack enough food for an emergency
Ensuring that you can be self reliant should you get lost or stranded is always a top priority when packing your bag. Packing extra food is one of the essential ten of hiking and should be something that you always pack. I like to pack enough food for an extra meal or two as a precaution should I become stranded.
Tip:
I always keep a dry bag containing most of the “Essential Ten”. For the extra food list item I have some trail mix, granola bars, and dried fruit that always stay in my bag. That way, I don’t ever have to think about it.
Not sure what else is in the “Essential Ten”? Feeling lost on what to pack for a day hike? Check my guide below:
What Nutrition to Focus on for Hiking
When you’re hiking, your body needs quick energy, sustained fuel, and hydration support. That means:
- Carbs to keep your energy up (think tortillas, fruit, trail mix)
- Protein to stay full and support muscles (like jerky or nut butter)
- Salt to replace electrolytes lost through sweat
The longer and hotter the hike, the more important it is to pack a balanced mix of all three — and to avoid foods that spoil easily in warm weather.
Staying well fed on a hike is important, as your body needs fuel to keep you going up the mountain and reach the top, and the best place to get that energy is by making sure you’re eating enough nutritious food.
Here’s a list of my go-to lunches and snacks that keep me fueled and feeling good on the trail.
Need some inspiration on outfits for wear out on the trail? Check out these posts for some ideas:
My Favorite Lunches and Snacks to Pack for Every Hike
Now that you know what kinds of nutrients your body needs on the trail, let’s get into the good stuff—actual food ideas. These are my go-to hiking lunches and snacks that are easy to pack, satisfying to eat, and won’t spoil quickly. Whether you’re heading out for a short day hike or a long climb, these trail-tested picks will help keep your energy up and your stomach happy.
Snacks
I would argue that a hiking lunch is really more like a series of small snacks between gasps for breath. Not all snacks were made equal though! Here is a list of my fail-proof, go-to snacks that are easy to toss in a pack.
- Trail Mix
- My favorite is the Trader Joes Almonds, Chocolate and Cashew bag
- Granola
- I’ve started making my own with this recipe. Just toss it in a bag and you’ve got carbs and protein!
- Nutter Butter cookies
- Oreo cookies
- Dried fruit
- My favorite is the mangos from Trader Joes
- Cliff Bars
- Beef Jerky
- Dill pickles (repackaged!)
Tip:
I usually make a quick stop at a gas station on my way to the trailhead and get the Oreos, Nutter Butters, a Gatorade, Cliff bars, jerky, and sometimes even little bags of pickle chips.
Lunch
In my humble opinion, there’s no better place to enjoy a lunch than the top of a mountain with a view. Maybe that’s what hiking is really all about- eating food in beautiful places. Either way, you’ll want to make sure that the work is worth the reward.
Packing a lunch that is delicious is always a priority for me, but it can be hard to know what is best and it can feel a bit overwhelming about what to pack.
After trying many different combinations, here are my FAVORITE, tried-and-tested go-to lunches for hiking:
- PB&J
- Italian cold cut sub
- Pasta salad
- All of my favorite recipes are below!
- Tuna fish wrap
- Turkey and bacon sandwhich
- BLT
- Dip with crackers, chips and baby carrots
- The dip could be hummus, tzatziki sauce, or even buffalo chicken dip!
- Cold cuts and cheese board
- Trail pizza
- This is great for backpacking too! Simply buy some naan or flatbread, pack a small jar of marina sauce, some shredded cheese, and some cold cuts and then make a little pizza right at the summit.
My Favorite
Pasta salad recipes to pack for a day hike
Don’t Forget to Pack a Drink with Electrolytes
You need more than just WATER!
When you’re sweating for hours on the trail—especially in warm weather—you’re not just losing water, you’re also losing electrolytes like sodium and potassium. That’s why it’s essential to pack more than just plain water. Drinks like Gatorade, Liquid I.V., or CURE powder can help replenish what your body loses through sweat, keeping you energized and preventing things like muscle cramps or dizziness.
I never leave a yummy beverage like this at home.
Not only does it help my body stay in the best physical health, it helps me emotionally as well.
Whenever I see a big uphill section right in front of me and I feel like I couldn’t possibly take on another steep section, I reach for my Nalgene full of Liquid IV. It tastes really good and I like to think that it’s my power up. Like in a video game when you get a supercharge to help you beat the bad guy, my cold Nalgene full of electrolyte drink is my way to beat the big, bad hill.
Lunch Packing Hacks to Save you Time, Weight, and Headaches!
- Use travel shampoo containers for sauces. This will reduce the packaging and weight needed to pack a whole bottle.
- Use reusable plastic bags, not containers. They save you money in the long run, they tend to be more leak proof in my experience, and they take less room and weight than a glass or even a plastic container.
- Don’t forget to pack the extras! Packing a cloth napkin and a hiking and camping spork make all the difference. Seriously, you don’t want to be wiping your fingers all over your nice hiking clothes, and it’s best to avoid single use items such as paper napkins and plastic utensils.
- Pack out what you pack in. This means that you shouldn’t be planning to leave anything behind, even apple cores! I like to bring an empty bread bag to hold all of my trash in one bag that I can toss as soon as I see a legal trashcan.
Keeping in mind these tips to reduce the weight and space your lunch takes up in your pack, and the key nutrients to pack for, deciding on a delicious lunch has never been easier.
The FAQ
Most Common Q’s
So let me know in the comments; what idea are you most excited to try out?
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