Long hikes through the woods or mountains can be strenuous but very rewarding. Being able to see and identify wildlife, plants and trees of all kinds is practical and will help you to become familiar with your natural surroundings. Carrying plenty of water in your backpack is important but there are also foods that will boost your energy levels and keep you hydrated through an all-day hike.

Typically, an all-day hike can last anywhere between 6 to 8 hours, break time included, when started early in the morning. For a hike this long, 3 or 4 -20 ounce bottles of water is sufficient, with sips being spread out over the length of the hike and not gulped all at once. Not all state parks have water available at different spots throughout a hiking trail; some of the smaller parks have such amenities but again, it is always best to bring your own water bottles when starting out on a hiking trip.

In addition to the water, foods like nuts and dried fruits are ideal to snack on while hiking. Commonly known as trail mix that is sold in small bags in grocery stores, these snacks contain enough nutrition to last one more than a few miles. Carrying two bags of trail mix in the backpack will fill up a hiker’s stomach. The next best thing to trail mix is fruit. Fruit that has a high water content can be thirst quenching on a long hike. Plums, grapes, melon slices, strawberries, peaches, nectarines, oranges are all tasty and can be enjoyed during rest breaks by the side of the trail. With the exception of oranges, pack the fruit in plastic food containers so that they do not bruise or leave stains inside the backpack.

Avoid packing soda cans (soda promotes thirst instead of quenching it) and excessively salty foods (like potato chips and pretzels) for the hiking trip. These foods are fine to eat after the hike is finished for the day. After a 14 mile hike, eating a meal high in protein and carbohydrates is important to replenish the calories burned off.  

Ingredients:

¾ c. cashews

1 c. walnuts

1 c. raisins

¾ c. peanuts

¾ c. disconnected coconut

¾ c. amber chips

Utensils:

large bowl

airtight container

Directions:

1. Mix all capacity in a ample bowl.

2. Store in an closed alembic and refrigerate.

*Banana and Almond Butter – Almond butter  , a good alteration for Peanut butter and it is rich in Protein. Banana good source of Vitamin C and Potassium.

* Trail Mix – A combination of Almonds or cashews or pumpkin seeds , cereals, raisins , unsweetened dried cranberries. These mixtures offer  a healthy fats and fibers.

* Oatmeal – It does makes one full stomach for its a source of soluble fiber.

*Peanut Butter Sandwich  - So convenient for it doesn’t need to be in refrigerator and time saving to prepare.

* Cottage Cheese and Berries  - A memory enhancement food. A combo that gives a balnace in sweet and savory

*Crackers and low fat topping.

* Apple and  Cheese

*Granola Bars -Made out of fruits and bars.

*Hummus and Veggies

*Smooththies _ – A store bought brand mix.

*Edamame – A soybeans in a pod ,very rich in Protein

*Tortilla Roll up

*Wasabi Peas and cranberries

*Apples and Almonds

*Warm Milk

*Pretzels with cheese 

*Chips and dip – not all Chips are bad , Pop chips are low in calories and have 1/3 lesss fat than most chips.

The nutrional value of this mix is 82 calories, 3 grams of fat, 3 mg of cholesterol, 12 g of carbohydrates, 1 g of fiber, and 2 g of protein per each 1/4 cup serving. It is a healthy mixture of foods that kids will find tasty and that they will not mind eating.

ALMOND RAISIN SNACK MIX

4 cups of oat square cereal, preferably presweetened

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

2 tablespoons melted butter

1 cup raisins

dash of salt

Heat oven to 300 degrees. Combine cereal and nuts into a 15×10x1 baking dish or pan.

In a bowl. combine melted butter, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Drizzle this mixture over the cereal and stir to coat cereal and nuts evenly.

Bake for 20 minutes, stirring once. Cool in pan for 20 minutes.

Stir in raisins , let cool  and enjoy! Makes 5 cups.

Basic Trail Mix: With the right ingredients available, you can make this trail mix in a few minutes. Use dried fruits, mixed nuts and granola in the desired proportion. You can also increase the amount of some ingredient if you like it more. If you will use home-dried fruits, make sure no moisture should be present when you store the trail mix as it might get contaminated with air and lead to germination.

Toss and Go Trail Mixes: Listed are some ingredients that you can mix, toss and you are ready with a trail mix of your own. You can use Dates, Coconut shreds, Peanuts, Sesame seeds, Dried Fruit bits, Walnuts, Banana chips, Raisins, Pistachios, Oat squares etc. Mix some or all of them, toss for a while in a dry container and put the mix in an air-tight pack to avoid it being clammy and inedible.

Fruit berries trail mix: This mix contains a combination of dried or freshly cut fruits and berries. It has the highest nutritional value as it does not contain cholesterol and only an insignificant amount of fat. But as it is easily digestible and leaves you hungry in a short time, it is recommended that you should consume this kind of a trail mix when you are out on a fun picnic and not when you have decided to trek or hike all day long. You can use various fruits & berries for this; clean the fruits carefully, slice them and add berries accordingly.

Chocolate nuts trail mix: This mix is a combination of some artificially flavored confectionery with chocolates. Again, it is easy to prepare, takes no time and makes a great snack for your outing or else. As it’s called chocolate nuts trail mix, we would use chocolate in a higher ratio than other ingredients; of course it’s not necessary and you can experiment to come up with a tastier trail. Blend marshmallows, chocolate chips, chocolate dragées and roasted chocolate nuts and store in an air-tight container before consumption.

Image by Augapfel via Flickr

References: 

http://hubpages.com/hub/Simple-Trail-Mix-Recipes

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/trail-mix-recipe/index.html

http://100caloriebags.com/magazine/100-calorie-trail-mix.php

Prep and Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1) Desired amount of Tortillas

2) Vegetable Oil

How to

With a brush, brush oil on one side of tortillas.  Stack the tortillas greased side up. Cut tortillas into eighths and place them on a cookie sheet, not touching. Cook the chips in a oven preheated at 350 degrees.  Cook the chips until they are lightly brown and crispy.  Be sure to keep an eye on the chips because they burn quickly.

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Image via Wikipedia

Traditional Trail Mix

(adapted from Gone-Ta-Pott.com)

3 cups of rolled oats

1/2 cup of raisins

1/2 cup of apricots

1 cup wheat bran

1/4 cup of vegetable oil

1 cup powered milk

1 cup of honey

1 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans

1/2 cup of slivered almonds

1 cup sesame seeds

1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In large mixing bowl, mix together almonds, oats, coconut, wheat bran, sesame seeds, pecans or walnuts and powdered milk. In small mixing bowl, stir the honey and oil togheter until well blended, then pour into large mixing bowl. Using two spoons toss till ingredients are well combined. Take ingredients and pour onto a lightly greased baking sheet, spreading out evenly.

Bake until golden brown, stirring every 10 minutes. Immediately, put into large mixing bowl and stir in the raisins and apricots. Let it completely cool and place in airtight container.

Simply Fruity Mix

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup raisins

1 cup dried banana slices

1 cup almonds

1 cup cashews

Mix ingredients together and place in airtight container.

Spanish Trail Mix

(from Epicurious.com)

2 cups whole natural almonds

1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1 teaspoon finely grated orange peel

1 cup 1/3-inch cubes dried apricots

1 cup 1/3-inch cubes pitted dates

1/2 cup 1/3-inch cubes smoked spanish chorizo (about 3 ounces)

1/2 cup 1/3-inch cubes manchego cheese

Toast almonds in large dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, occasionally shaking skillet, 10 to 12 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then smoked paprika and orange peel; toss. Remove from heat. Transfer almonds to bowl; cool. Toss with apricots, dates, chorizo, and cheese.

Spicy-Sweet Asian Nut Mix

(from RachaelRayMag.com)

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 cup chow mein noodles

1 cup peanuts

3/4 cup wasabi peas

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the sesame seeds and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Stir in the sugar and, when just dissolved, stir in the soy sauce, then the chow mein noodles. Quickly spread evenly on the prepared baking sheet; let cool. Crumble the sesame mixture into a bowl and toss with the peanuts and wasabi peas.

Crunchy Cereal Trail Mix

(from FoodNetwork.com)

1 ½ cups puffed rice

1 1/2 cups puffed wheat

1 ½ cups Wheat Chex cereal

1 cup puffed millet

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup shredded coconut

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup honey

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss the puffed rice, puffed wheat, Chex, puffed millet, oats and coconut on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake 5 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the honey, cinnamon and salt. Pour the butter mixture over the cereal mixture and gently stir with a rubber spatula. Return to the oven; bake until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool completely; store in an airtight container.

- Margaret Price

Image via Wikipedia

Ingredients

    1 pkg. active dry yeast
    1 cup warm water
    2 1/2-3 cups all-purpose flour
    2 tbsp. salad oil
    1 tbsp. sugar
    6 tbsp. baking soda in 6 cups water
    Coarse salt

Methods/steps

In a bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add 1 1/2 cup of flour, the oil and sugar. Beat for about 3 minutes to make a smooth batter. Gradually stir enough of the remaining flour (about 1 cup) to form a soft dough. Turn out on floured board and knead until smooth and satiny (about 5 minutes), adding flour as needed to prevent sticking.

Place dough in a greased bowl, turn to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled (about 1 hour). Punch dough down, divide into twelve pieces. Shape each into a smooth ball by gently kneading. Then roll each into a smooth rope about 18 inches long, and twist into a pretzel shape. Make a heart shape, and twist rope around itself at the top of the heart and put ends underneath the bottom of the ‘heart’.

Place slightly apart on a greased baking sheet. Let rise uncovered until puffy, about 25 minutes. Meanwhile, in a 3 qt. enameled or steel pan (not aluminum) bring soda water mixture to a boil, adjust heat to keep water boiling gently. With a slotted spatula, lower 1 pretzel at a time into pan. Let simmer for 10 seconds on each side, then lift from water, drain briefly, then sprinkle with coarse salt and let stand, uncovered till all have been simmered. Bake in a preheated 425 degrees oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to racks, serve warm with butter or mustard. Or let cool completely, wrap airtight, and freeze.

To reheat, place frozen pretzels on ungreased baking sheets and bake in preheated 400 degrees oven for about 10 minutes. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

*1 (8 oz) carton of ricotta cheese
*1 (8 oz) carton of cream cheese
*½ tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
*¼ cup of powdered sugar
*1 pt of fresh raspberries or strawberries
*1 package of egg roll wrappers
*¼ stick of melted butter
*Vegetable, canola, or peanut oil

Optional Ingredients:

* Whipped cream, ice cream, or cool whip
* Fresh berries of choice – strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, etc..
* Mint leaf  
* Drizzle of chocolate syrup

Method:

1. Preheat oil to 350 degrees in a deep frying skillet, kettle, or fryer.
2. Mix first four ingredients together in a bowl.
3. Place 1-2 tbsp of mixture into the center of an egg roll wrapper.
4. Place 5-7 whole raspberries or quartered strawberries atop the cream cheese mixture.
5. Brush all four corners of the egg roll wrapper with butter.
6. Fold and roll wrapper as you would to make an egg roll. (Most packages have directions for rolling the wrapper if you don’t already know how.)  
7. Repeat steps 3 through 6 until all the ingredients have been used.
8. Fry 2 or 3 of the “Fake It Like You Made It Crepes” at a time, frying until just golden brown. 
9. Top with topping of choice and serve.

Tip: Be careful not to fry the “Fake It Like You Made It Crepes” too long. They have a tendency to burst when over-fried.

The shop on the corner or hotel class shop – although it is not the place to shop and to return to his comfort zone of nutrition may be the only option in many cases, if you just need to make the best out of it, at least until I can get to another store that wiser decisions. Always remember that your macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates and fats). Try to make decisions that are as healthy as possible for each group. Some ideas can be canned nuts or seeds, nuts or trail mix in bags. Do you have something to attack, choose pretzels over chips, and remember to stay away from sweets like cookies and cakes. If you need to curb your sweet tooth, grab a chocolate bar that has at least some peanuts in it (and remember everything in moderation). Finally, remember to pick up a couple bottles of water to keep hydrated throughout the day.

Food stalls at the airport – Finally, take a look at the rise and endless delays at airports when their way to or from a trip. My first advice would be to try to bring your own food with you for your time at the airport. It will satisfy you, and closer to his comfort zone to buy something there. If you have to choose between the options of the airport, try to go to a restaurant, if available, and what is unhealthy. If you travel with a group, be sure to first to be tempted by all other orders, and more importantly, they are full, stop eating!

I think we all agree that eating well and staying in your comfort zone for malnutrition is difficult at any time, but especially when you travel.

Try following these simple tips and hopefully will help to make it real when you are away.

My name is Dale Bateman. For over 10 years I have helped ordinary people (like us) to achieve your fat loss with my common sense approach to health and wellness. I truly believe that the long-term loss of fat can not be contained by the incorporation of what I call my three components of fat loss.
These are fitness, nutrition and motivation. Without these three components, is preparing to fail. Every week, my blog a new message, the original of these three components. In addition, you can subscribe to my free weekly newsletter and a free five-week e-course “5 steps to the loss of their first five books.”