Best Keto Snacks for Hiking: Top 10 Choices Hikers Swear By

Hiking is not an easy thing to do. Especially if you are just starting to hike, you will realize pretty quickly that it takes a lot to stay energized while hiking. If you do not know the right type of snacks to take with you, chances are high that you will feel exhausted and hungry for the majority of your hike. But there is something that you can do to prevent this from happening – that is using keto snacks for hiking.

Keto is a diet that is not new but has recently become very popular. The diet favors fatty, low-carb foods over foods that contain a lot of carbohydrates. If you are planning on taking a hiking trip soon, you can pack some keto snacks like cured meat and meat sticks, cheese, nuts, granola, and so on. So, let’s get right into the list and see which are the best keto snacks for hiking you need to know.

1. Meat Sticks

One of my all-time favorite keto snacks for hiking is the meat sticks. You can take them on any hiking or camping trip because they do not weigh that much but they give a lot of energy. This is due to the high amount of fat they contain as well as protein, while they are still low on carbs.

There are quite a lot of manufacturers that produce meat sticks from all kinds of meat. If you can find some that are keto-friendly, we suggest you go with them. It might be a good idea to still check the ingredient list and their nutritional information just for the sake of making sure that there are no ingredients rich in carbs in it.

Even though these are healthy snacks, you should still eat them in moderation. Too much of anything is not good for you and the same goes for meat sticks. Also, pack an extra water bottle if you are planning on eating meat sticks because all that sodium in them will surely make you thirsty.

2. Cured or Canned Meat

While meat sticks are a great thing to snack on while you are hiking, you can also take some cured or canned meat to eat on your breaks. Since both cured and canned meat do not need to be refrigerated at all times, they are a great option for longer, overnight hiking trips.

Some of the best cured meats that you can get are salami, bacon, pepperoni, and sausages. Aside from these options, we recommend that you always take canned tuna or salmon. Fish contains a lot of healthy omega 3 that your body can benefit from, while we consider fish to be quite tasty as well.

Keep in mind that these foods, mainly sausages and canned fish, can be a bit heavy. This means that you should think about how much of them you can take without bringing too much weight on the trip. Think of it as meal prep – that way, you can save yourself from bringing too many things that you will end up returning home.

3. Hard Cheese

Hard cheeses, especially the cheese with vacuum-sealed packaging, are a great choice for hikers. They do not need to stay in the fridge for a while after opening them and they are also quite easy to eat on a hiking trail. By as much as nibbling on the cheese from time to time, you can keep your energy at a high level.

The best keto-friendly cheeses that you should consider taking on a hike include goat cheese, blue cheese, and parmesan cheese. There are a ton of delicious cheese crisps that you can also consider, while you can get some cream cheese and mix it up with some granola for a nice trail breakfast.

The majority of these cheeses do not contain any carbs at all but they are quite rich in fat and protein. If you decide to go with these or any other cheese for your hiking trip, make sure that they do not contain a lot of lactose and that they are not difficult to digest. After all, we would not want you to feel sick at a time when you need to be having so much fun.

Important: Hard cheese is not suitable for lactose intolerant people!

4. Nuts and Seeds

A container of trail mix or packets of nuts and seeds is something that you must take with you on hiking trips. You can get a ready-made mix from the store or you create it yourself by mixing macadamia nuts, pecans, almonds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and so on.

I would recommend nuts and seeds as a snack even if you are just sitting at home after a long day of hiking. They contain so many vitamins, minerals, fibers, and healthy fats, but what is even better is that they contain a lot of protein. The protein will help you feel strong and energized at all times.

Again, we would like to point out that some ready-made trail mix options can contain a lot of sugar. So, make sure that you check the nutritional information for sugar, carbs, or gluten before buying the mix.

5. Dark Chocolate

Regular chocolate might not be the best option for someone on a keto diet, but dark chocolate is a better option that you can certainly use as part of the diet. Dark chocolate is also something that you can take on a hiking trip as it is quite easy to pack, will not weigh you down, but will give you a lot of energy.

Any chocolate with at least 70% cocoa can make a great keto-friendly snack. However, you should still be mindful of the amount of dark chocolate that you eat because this type of chocolate can contain some carbs. If you are trying to limit your daily carb intake, you might have to stick to smaller portions of 30 or 50 grams.

6. Keto Granola and Keto Bars

Not all types of granola are suitable for people who are on a keto diet. It has to be a special type of granola – one that contains low-carb nuts, some seeds, and unsweetened coconut shreds. Store-bought granola can contain a lot of carbs and sugars, so you might be better off preparing your own keto granola.

As for the keto bars, they are usually high in protein but do not contain any dairy, gluten, or sugar. Instead of sugar, most manufacturers rely on stevia as the healthier option with less calories.

Our favorite keto bars are the ones that contain chocolate, coconut, or peanut butter, but you can also try other flavors and decide which you like best. The keto granola and keto bars are very lightweight and you can easily fit them in a pocket or your backpack.

7. Olives

Olives are a great option because you can use them both as a hiking snack on its own or a hiking side dish to go with your lunch. You do not even have to take the entire packet – you can take as many olives as you want and repack them into a container. Just make sure that the container seals right or you will be chasing the olives all over your backpack.

I would have to mention that you should stick to green olives instead of black ones as they are considered as the healthier option. Since there are so many types of green olives, we do not doubt that you will be able to find some that you will like. My recommendation is to try Kalamata olives which are considered as black olives but are still very healthy

The reason why you need to take olives on hikes is that they are rich in antioxidants and vitamins. Eating them regularly can make your bones stronger and you need that if you want to have pain-free hiking experiences.

8. Pork Rinds

Pork rinds contain so much fat and protein that they are the perfect choice for hikers on a keto diet. They are pork skins that have been sliced, boiled, drained, and deep-fried. They are very tasty, they do contain a lot of sodium, so you need to be careful not to eat too many of them while you are hiking. Otherwise, you will be craving water maybe even too often.

This snack is not that heavy when packed, you can easily find it in most stores, and it comes at affordable prices. My tip is to keep it in an air-tight container at all times because it can go stale quickly if you leave it out in the open. Also, try to eat it shortly after opening it as the snack can also go bad if not refrigerated.

9. Avocado

Considering that they contain a lot of healthy fats and practically no carbs, avocados are another great and fresh snack that you should consider. You can prepare some keto-friendly fat bombs or wraps with the avocado or take the entire avocado on your trip. Either way, you will benefit from the healthy nutrients that it contains.

It is a good idea to put the avocado in a container and keep it like that during your trip. If you put it in the backpack without protecting it, it might get bruised. When you want to eat it, just cut it into slices or use a spoon to scoop the inside.

10. Hard-Boiled Eggs

Eggs are one of the ingredients that you can use on a keto diet. Scrambled or fried eggs are tasty, we will give you that, but they are pretty difficult to pack for a hiking trip. If you are planning on taking a short hiking trip, you can take some hard-boiled eggs that you prepare at home.

Of course, you will need to put the boiled eggs in a container and eat them within a day of cooking them. Otherwise, they might go bad and you might get an upset stomach from eating them.

An interesting fact is that fresh eggs tend to last a lot longer than hard-boiled ones. If you are planning a longer hiking trip or even a camping one, you can take fresh eggs and prepare them whenever you want. Just make sure that you put them in a container that seals well and that you put saltwater or rice in it to keep the eggs from breaking.

To prepare them, you will not need anything aside from water, a fire, and a pint of salt. That pint of salt will help you peel them more easily if you are planning on hard-boiling them.

What Is the Keto Diet All About?

Now that you know all about the best keto snacks for hiking, we want to focus on the keto part only. If you are someone who does not know what the keto diet is about, we strongly recommend that you read more about it. This diet is one of the healthiest ways to lose weight without feeling hungry all the time or compromising your energy levels.

In a keto diet, the foods that you eat contain a lot of fat and little to no sugar. The body uses the fat from the food and converts it into ketone molecules, which is where this diet gets the name from. By switching to this diet, you will be able to stabilize your sugar levels while also keeping your health intact.

If you want to switch to a keto diet altogether, you should know that you will need to say your farewells to bread, pasta, sugar, rice, and junk food. Instead, you will need to focus on foods like meat, eggs, vegetables, as well as some natural fats like butter.

Even if you are hesitant to try this diet out, we would still recommend that you go for it. You have nothing to lose but a lot to gain. We hope that this article convinced you to give it a shot – it can change your life and teach you how to love the food you eat and how to use it in a way that helps your body and your health.

More about the keto diet you will find on sites like Healthline.com.