10 Healthy, Portable Foods to Bring on Your Next Camping Trip

“Oatmeal provides complex carbohydrates for adequate and lasting energy before a day of hiking or exploring,” says Hoerr. “Also, they’re lightweight, compactible, and easy to prepare at a campsite.”

High-quality carbs are a still solid energy choice for activity, according to research from 2022, and although protein and fat are still important, carbs are an essential macronutrient to keep energy up during high-intensity exercise because they’re broken down rapidly.

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Nut butters are energy dense, says Hoerr, which means they can boost your calories without making you feel overfull. They’re rich in heart-healthy fat, protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals, so they’re nutrient dense as well, according to Hoerr.

On a recent trip backpacking through Yosemite, Hoerr discovered that adding a packet — individual pouches are convenient and less messy than trying to eat from a jar, she says — to her morning oatmeal kept her sustained through elevation-gain hikes until lunchtime.

The “individual packets” theme continues. These are ideal healthy foods to bring camping because they’re easy to fit into those smaller spaces in a pack, and can be tucked into jacket pockets so you have them handy for snacks when you need them most.

“Listen to your body for signs it’s needing more food right now,” suggests Hoerr. “You might be getting light-headed, or the activity is feeling harder than it should. Those are signs you’re lacking in energy. Packets of tuna or chicken are shelf-stable and have so many great flavors now that you can eat them on their own.”

An example with a variety of flavors is StarKist Tuna Pouches. The company also offers them with salmon and chicken. Their lemon pepper packet, for instance, has 17 g of protein. Natalie Allen, RD, a clinical assistant professor for biomedical sciences at Missouri State University in Springfield, says the formula for how much daily protein you need is 0.8 g per kilogram of weight, she says. To get your kg, divide your weight in pounds by 2.2. Generally, Allen says, women need 60 to 70 g of protein daily and men need 70 to 80 g, but higher levels of activity may boost that amount.

If you’re not a fan of meat, or are on a plant-based diet (such as a vegan or vegetarian one), protein powder provides a way to get your fix of this nutrient. Consuming protein in powder form can also be ideal for hiking because it’s lightweight and you can mix it with the water you already have. And you don’t have to bring the whole container, of course: Just put a few scoops into a sealable plastic bag for easy travel.

“Ideally, spread out your protein throughout the day,” Allen suggests. “For example, if your protein needs are 60 grams (g) a day, aim to get 20 at each main meal, rather than trying to load up all at once. This will help you maintain satiety.”

When you're camping and being active, you may not have set mealtimes, so a protein shake can make it easier to pace your protein intake.

If you’re looking to go plant-based instead of using whey as your protein powder source, Allen suggests pea protein, which is widely available. For example, good options are Naked Pea or even making your own powder in advance.

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The concentrated sweetness of dried fruit like raisins, dried apples, and prunes makes it a welcome go-to snack on the trail. Dried fruit also offers a quick carb fix to fuel activity, says the Brooklyn, New York–based Jackie Newgent, RDN. The fruit maintains its vitamins and minerals in the dehydration process, she adds, so you’ll be getting a nutrient-dense snack.

“The nutrients are more concentrated ounce per ounce, which means they’re packed with beneficial bioactive compounds,” Newgent says. “Be sure to check ingredients, though, since some sugars and preservatives may be added, and it’s best to get options where you're just getting the fruit.” For example, she suggests avoiding sugars like corn syrup or sucrose and preservatives like carrageenan and potassium bromate.

A ¼-cup portion of packed raisins provides 32.5 g of carbs, along with 340 milligrams (mg) of potassium (6 percent of your daily value or DV), 2.8 g of fiber (10 percent of the DV), and 1 mg of iron (6 percent of the DV), according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Seeds of any kind are a lightweight snack, and these two options are particularly lightweight, making them a good healthy food choice for camping, says Hoerr. Bonus: Nuts and seeds add healthy fat that keeps you full for longer.

What’s more, seeds such as sunflower seeds can help reduce inflammation. A review noted that sunflower seeds contain phenolic acids, flavonoids, and tocopherols, which have all been associated with beneficial effects on inflammation. Although inflammation is a necessary natural process to some degree, too much of it has been linked to numerous diseases, according to another review of research — including arthritis, asthma, atherosclerosis, and autoimmune diseases. In the long term, exercise reduces inflammation, but does create a spike in the short term, according to other research. So it stands to reason that snacking on healthful options such as seeds may help mitigate that effect, the aforementioned study suggests.

One option Hoerr always takes camping is prepackaged granola or energy bars, because they’re so easy to find and can get smushed at the bottom of a pack and still be ready to eat. But if you’re at the grocery store and looking for some snack-size granola bars or protein bar options, prepare to spend some time. With so many options, it can feel like this should be your first campsite, so you can read every label.

Hoerr suggests looking at ingredients lists to get as little added sugar as possible — under 6 g of added sugar is best — and ideally choose ones sweetened naturally with dried fruit. This will give you the carb-loading boost you need for activity, without extra sweeteners or preservatives. Because they have options to check off these boxes, Hoerr tends to load up on Lärabars. For example, an Apple Pie Lärabar has no added sugar and 25 g of carbs. Hoerr likes that the ingredients are just nuts and fruit, and there are others that are similar. For example, check out RXBars.

RELATED: The 9 Best Protein Bars for Every Diet

If you’re hiking, consider your hydration levels. Even at a leisurely pace, it’s an endurance event, says Hoerr, especially when you’re carrying gear. She suggests drinking more water than you think you need, particularly in cooler climates, since you may not notice thirst as much in those situations.

Along with water, consider replacing electrolytes you might lose through sweat. Hoerr likes Nuun tablets because they’re easy to store and can be dropped into a water bottle when needed, but there are others on the market as well, like Ultima and Tailwind.

When you’re relying on a cookstove, grains that take time to cook can feel like a chore, which is why Hoerr relied on quick-cooking options like quinoa and instant brown rice on her Yosemite trip.

For example, when you’re tired after a hike, you can whip up a healthy dinner in less than 15 minutes if you opt for quick grains and a packet of chicken or tuna.

Why bring whole grains in the first place? Options like quinoa are packed with fiber, which is helpful for keeping digestion on track — an issue many people have while traveling, whether it’s to a campsite or a spa. According to the USDA, 1 cup of quinoa has 5 g of fiber, which covers 18 percent of your DV.

RELATED: Eating Whole Grains May Help Lower Type 2 Diabetes Risk, Study Finds

Whether you put some pieces into a mix with nuts, seeds, and dried fruit, or simply delight in a few squares as an after-hike treat, dark chocolate simply tastes better when you’ve been hiking all day. Worried about it getting melted? Unless you’re in very hot and humid conditions, you’ll likely be safe. Dark chocolate has a higher percentage of cocoa in proportion to milk fat compared with milk chocolate, so it has a higher melting point.

Plus, research from 2022 found that cocoa contains more phenolic antioxidants than most foods — another powerful way to keep inflammation in check.