Hiking Nutrition: What to Eat Before, During and After a Hike

Food is fuel on the trail, and running low shows up fast: heavy legs, a foggy head, a sudden bad mood halfway up a climb.

What you eat before, during and after a hike has a big effect on how strong you feel and how well you recover.

You do not need a special diet or a complicated plan.

A few simple principles about timing and food choices will keep your energy steady from the trailhead to the drive home.

How Your Body Uses Fuel on the Trail

Hiking is a long, moderate effort, and your body powers it with a blend of carbohydrates and fat.

Carbohydrates are stored in your muscles and liver as glycogen,

which is quick to use but limited. Fat is a much larger energy reserve,

but your body releases it more slowly.

On a long or steep hike, your glycogen can run low, and when it does, energy drops sharply.

Endurance athletes call this bonking or hitting the wall. Eating small amounts of carbohydrates regularly keeps that reserve topped up,

while fat and protein help you feel satisfied and keep your energy steady over many hours.

The harder and longer the hike, the more this matters. A flat hour-long walk needs little planning,

but a full day with thousands of feet of climbing can leave you running on empty if you only eat at lunch.

The Night Before and the Morning Of

For a typical day hike, there is no need to load up on pasta or eat a huge dinner.

A normal, balanced evening meal with some carbohydrates, protein and vegetables is plenty.

Go easy on alcohol, which can leave you dehydrated and sluggish the next morning.

Breakfast matters more.

Aim to eat about one to two hours before you start walking, so your stomach has time to settle.

Good choices combine carbohydrates with a little protein and fat:

• Oatmeal with nuts, seeds and fruit
• Whole-grain toast with eggs or nut butter
• Yogurt with granola and berries
• A breakfast burrito with eggs, beans and cheese

Stick to foods you know agree with you.

The morning of a big hike is not the time to try a new dish or an unusually greasy meal.

If you have an early start and a long drive, pack breakfast to eat on the way.

If you normally start the day with coffee or tea, have your usual cup.

Skipping it on hike day can bring on a headache that is easy to mistake for dehydration or the effects of altitude.

Snacking on the Trail

The key to steady energy is to eat small amounts often instead of one big lunch.

Many hikers aim for a snack about every hour, and more often on steep climbs or in cold weather.

Do not wait until you feel hungry or tired, since by then your energy is already dipping.

Good trail foods are easy to carry, hard to crush and slow to spoil.

Mix carbohydrates for quick energy with fats and proteins for staying power, plus something salty on warm days:

• Quick carbohydrates: dried fruit, fresh fruit such as apples or oranges, pretzels, crackers, energy chews and bars
• Longer-lasting energy: nuts, seeds, nut butter, trail mix, cheese and chocolate
• Protein: jerky, hard cheese, roasted chickpeas, and tuna or salmon in pouches
• Real-food meals: wraps, sandwiches, rice balls or cold noodle salads for a longer lunch break

Variety helps. Flavors that taste great at the trailhead can become hard to face after the fifth handful,

so bring a mix of sweet and salty, soft and crunchy.

To make regular eating automatic,

keep a day's worth of snacks in your hip belt pockets or a small bag at the top of your pack,

and tie eating to your breaks, such as a snack at every trail junction or every rest stop.

If a snack is hard to reach, you will skip it.

A Simple Fueling Timeline

Here is how a full day of hiking nutrition fits together:

Adjusting for Heat, Cold and Altitude

Hot Weather

Heat often dulls your appetite, but you still need fuel.

Juicy fruit, salty crackers, pretzels and nuts are easier to eat than heavy, dry foods, and salty snacks help replace what you lose through sweat.

Avoid foods that melt into a mess, or pack them in a sealed container.

Cold Weather

Your body burns extra energy to stay warm, so eat more often in winter.

Fat-rich foods such as nuts, cheese and chocolate are dense and satisfying, and a warm drink from an insulated flask makes breaks more comfortable.

Keep snacks in an inner pocket so they do not freeze solid.

Higher Elevations

Many people lose some of their appetite at altitude.

Carbohydrate-rich foods tend to be easier to eat, and small, frequent snacks work better than large meals.

Sensitive Stomachs

Hard effort can make digestion sluggish, especially on steep climbs.

If you tend to feel queasy on the trail, choose simple, familiar foods, eat smaller portions more often,

and save heavier meals for flatter stretches or longer breaks.

Refuel After the Hike

Recovery starts when you get back to the car.

Within an hour or two, have something with both carbohydrates and protein, such as a sandwich, a smoothie,

yogurt with fruit or a glass of chocolate milk.

A proper meal with vegetables, grains and protein later in the day helps your muscles repair and gets you ready for the next outing.

Keep a cooler or a snack bag in the car so you are not tempted to skip this step on the drive home.

Along with food, drink enough fluids to make up for what you lost on the trail.

If you plan to hike again the next day, recovery matters even more, so eat a full dinner rather than just a snack.

Pack Smart and Stay Food-Safe

A simple way to pack the right amount is to count your snacks before you leave: one for each hour you expect to be out,

plus a couple of spares for delays.

Perishable foods, such as meat sandwiches or soft cheese, spoil quickly in a warm pack.

Eat them early in the day, keep them cool, or choose shelf-stable alternatives.

Pack food in reusable containers or bags, and carry out every wrapper, peel and crumb,

since fruit peels and nutshells take a long time to break down and attract wildlife.

Never feed animals, and keep food secured when you step away from your pack.

In areas with bears or other wildlife that seek out human food, check local rules about food storage.

If you have food allergies or a medical condition that affects what you eat, plan with that in mind and carry any medication you need.

Fuel Well, Hike Well

Good hiking nutrition is mostly about timing.

Eat a sensible breakfast, snack a little every hour, mix quick carbohydrates with longer-lasting foods, and refuel with carbohydrates and protein afterward.

Adjust for heat, cold and altitude, and you will have the energy to enjoy every mile.