Trail Food

Hiking might just be synonymous with hunger, especially when you have children! When hunger strikes and you are deep into a hike, it is essential to have satisfying snacks at the ready.

Throughout the years, we have relied on the following snacks to get us through hot days, cold winter outings and kilometers of local or Alpine hikes. There is an old saying that goes, "Everything tastes better outside," and we have to agree. Eating outdoors is such a delight!

Hydration:

Water!

Hydration is key for all excursions. Please always make sure everyone has their own water bottle for every hike and that the water bottle is large enough to sustain you throughout the duration of your journey!

If you have a dog, make sure to bring plenty of water for your pet's needs too. While, Switzerland does have a lot of public drinking facilities, never rely on water being available during your excursions.

Tea:

Hot tea on a cold day is an absolute must! Our favorite wintertime tea is Bengal Spice, which offers a warm, rich blend of cinnamon and spice flavors. With a spoon full of honey, this tea is the perfect treat on a chilly day!

Electrolytes:

We are at the point as a family that our adventures are becoming longer and more strenuous. With that in mind, we are considering adding a bit of a boost to our regular water and are in search of a natural electrolyte drink to add into the mix. While we are still searching, we do sometimes (the adults only at this point, our children are still refining their taste buds) mix lemon or lime, a pinch of salt and honey to our water. It's delicious and provides what we need to keep going!

Meals:

Our go-to meals that pack well and conveniently are sandwiches. We adore a good peanut butter and jelly on whole grain bread, which offers up all the goods in terms of fat, carbs, fiber and protein. The mixture of sweet and salty is delicious and hearty enough to stay with us as we hike.

To mix things up, we love to purchase a fresh baguette, a delicious Swiss cheese and some tasty mustard to create the perfect sandwich on the trail. The ingredients for this sandwich can be found in most Alpine or local villages and makes for a scrumptious meal.

Hello there!

If you see someone on the trail with a baguette hanging out of their bag, it might just be us! Stop and say hi!

Snacks:

Snacks are essential when hiking! Here are a few tips for perfect trail snacks:

apples, oranges, cut veggies, trail mix (nuts, seeds, dried fruit), dried mango, crackers and cheese (if it's not too hot or else the cheese becomes a slimy mess), hard boiled eggs, homemade banana bread, homemade cookies and/or granola bars. Popcorn is also a great snack and the salty flavor is often quite welcome for those that do not like sweet snacks, especially while exercising!

Favorite Snack Tip:

For the ultimate, albeit slightly messy snack (keep these in their own container and bring wet wipes), get yourself some good quality dates, a nut butter (peanut is our favorite, but almond or other nut butters work well too) and coconut flakes.

Simply cut the date open, remove the seed, spread some peanut butter down the middle and shake some coconut flakes over the nut butter. Holy goodness, this is such a delicious treat your kids might just think they are eating a candy bar! Yum!

Another insider tip from someone who just discovered the absolute deliciousness of dried mulberries, get yourself some! These little tasty treats are amazing, pack well, are super light, high in antioxidants and pack a serious punch when it comes to Vitamin C. Add some nuts or another dried berry and you are good to go!

When packing food, it is best to pack goods that are durable, unless you plan to eat your snack early into your hike. Apples tend to be far more robust than pears, and dried fruit is rich in carbohydrates for a quick energy source and easy to pack. When you crave a salty snack, consider nuts, seeds, crackers and/or popcorn.

Once we arrive at our hut or overnight accommodation, we tend to indulge in traditional Swiss meals because let's get real, there is nothing better than Berghaus food after a long hike! Fresh salads, soups, Rösti or Alpermacroni with a side of applesauce all bring us tremendous joy! There is something so delectable about the savory meals that replenish all that was lost while hiking!

Happy trails and here's to good grub!