sprite’s fave trail snacks
3 simple ideas for fueling your adventures
Ingredients for multiple snack ideas
During the summer of 2023 I decided to focus on how to properly fuel my body for the rugged adventures I crave. I began feeling a shift from the youthful ability of endless adventures on mere water and a Cliff bar to the need for substantial support to make the hardcore parkour time in the mountains feasible. All day adventures now required some serious planning. And some serious protein.
If I’m being really honest with myself, even that 50k I ran a decade before this epiphany could have been easier with some better trail snackies. Here I am, finally gaining and dispersing a whiff of wisdom. I hope it helps you at least in some small way. My three go-to adventure snacks trend towards heavy protein because that’s what my body responds best to. I’ve also noticed that 7-miles of running or 10-miles of hiking (on intense terrain) tends to be my re-fueling baseline.
Maybe your body needs other types of sustenance while moving and there’s potential for a lot of checks + balances to figure that out. Cheers to your efforts! It will pay off in the backcountry. Maybe keep a journal to record when you begin to feel hangry on the trail and how your body responds to various food choices. All of the recipes I’m sharing can be altered; catered directly to your sensibilities. For now, give these ideas a try and let me know what you think. Bon appétit on the trail!
one: energy bites
Peanut Butter Balls
Whether you prefer creamy or crunchy peanut butter or a nut alternative butter, these versatile bites pack a punch. Add chia seeds or ground flax for even more nutrients while on the go.
Peanut butter energy balls (or bars!) have been a longtime staple for me since they can be prepared fuss-free, are highly adaptable to tastes and desires, and are a quick option to grab from the fridge while rushing out the door on the way towards adventure. I’ve made balls and bars without a recipe, simply mixing trail mix from a bag into peanut butter and squirting a bit of honey into the mixture.
However, for your sake I sleuthed out a great option that details alternatives to nut butters and how to make with or without a food processor. Enjoy several healthy iterations from Ambitious Kitchen with their 5-Minute Protein Peanut Butter Energy Bites recipe. I especially appreciate that it outlines some points for me to you so I don’t have to, such as a wide arrange of possibilities to add in or change.
Perfect bars can be found in your grocery store’s refrigerated section.
Also, if mixing up protein bars is too much work for your busy lifestyle, then check out Perfect Bars. They live up to their name. Not a single processed or unwanted ingredient and the tastiest treat around! (Again, I am not endorsed by the brand. I’m merely a taste tester turned super fan.) These high protein treats are sweet, light, and guilt-free. Enjoy!
Two: upscale your pb+J
Kodiak pancake or flapjack mixes include protein powder with conscientiousness towards your health. The brand is Sprite’s go-to for oatmeal, flapjacks, and more on a regular basis.
Another discovery during that summer includes baking pancakes with Kodiak cakes flapjack mix, slathering on peanut or almond butter, topping with fresh hucks or raspberries, then folding over into a breakfast sandwich. I always ate one immediately and packed the other for the trail. The high protein flapjack mix gave me the freedom not to worry about adding meat. Also, the versatility of fun recipes from the company inspired me to take new and interesting treats along for the adventure. I’m going to try the Lemon Blueberry Baked Oatmeal shown below next!
Since I didn’t make these peanut butter & jelly sandwiches with pancakes rather than loaf bread recently in order to take pictures, I’ll outline a short how-to for you:
Mix pancake mix, milk, and egg according to the directions and bake in a skillet. I pour out half the mixture for each pancake. You may want smaller portions though.
Let cool slightly. Slather favorite nut butter on one side and top with fruit. Or slather half with nut butter and the other half with jelly/jam.
Fold in half like a taco and enjoy! Or save for later.
Let me know what variations of this you create and how it worked for you. Recounting this inspires me to create my own versions. Maple bacon bar, anyone?
Kodiak offers more than 200 breakfast recipes to try before getting your adventure on! Check out: kodiakcakes.com to find what fuels you.
three: protein, protein, protein
Meat is the easiest, quickest source of protein.
Until I can convince hubby to invest in a Traeger and smoke jerky for me, I’ll have to be that awful human who packs single use plastic wrapped meats. Please blame the companies and not the consumer, thanks. Anyway, no matter the season, meat sticks or bars simply require no prep and can be the quickest energy source while in action.
A few of my faves are Chomps, Epic, and Tanka. These options seem to be the cleanest and best sources of protein. Maybe this year I’ll attempt taking cold fried chicken or leftover burgers. What do you think? It certainly seems ideal. When in a pinch, what ends up in your pack?
Some important notes:
All of these can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the fridge. Therefore, it’s not necessarily easier to prep for a specific season or type of run/hike/adventure. Make each how you want and test them out. There are no right or wrong ways for any of these options.
I am not endorsed by any of the companies or their products. That would be cool though!
If you have any allergies or sensitivities, know that these companies and recipes offer alternatives for you to try. Pay attention to the labels and warnings. Find a great alternative you’re itching to share? Great! Send it along.
Questions? Comments? Concerns? Answers? Please share!