Light Weight Hiking Food Ideas

• The weight of your backpack is important when hiking.summer hike image by Galyna Andrushko from Fotolia.com
  
  Packing for a long or short hiking trip can sometimes be challenging. You want to make sure you have all the supplies you need, but do not want to be weighed down by them. The most important item is water so you don't become dehydrated, but food is vital as well since it gives you the energy to continue the hike.
  
  

Freeze-Dried Food

• If you're going on a long backpacking trek or just want your pack to be extra light, try freeze-dried meals. These foods come in packages at most sporting good stores. Freeze-drying removes most of the water from food, making it ultra light. When you're ready to eat, rehydrate the food with water and it will come back to life for a filling meal. These meals are usually more expensive than other foods but they have a long shelf life. Freeze-dried meals include chicken teriyaki, beef stew, lasagna with meat sauce and macaroni and cheese. Snacks and desserts come in varieties like blueberry cheesecake, raspberry crumble and ice cream sandwich.
  
  

Dried Food

• Beef jerky is the perfect hiking food because it's small, light and packed with protein. It's also easy to hold and eat while you're hiking. Divide some up into small sandwich bags and you have an instant lightweight snack. However, be careful of the sodium content on some jerky. The more sodium content in the food, the more your body will want and need water.
  
  Dried fruit is also a good lightweight item to bring along on a hike. Most fruit has high water content, making it heavy, so when you dry the fruit, you still get the vitamins and nutrients without the weight. Again, it's something that can be eaten while still hiking and comes in many different varieties. Mix the fruit with nuts (called a gorp) for a snack with more protein.
  
  

Food Bars

• Granola bars are an easy snack to bring on a hike. Most varieties are made out of pure ingredients like rolled oats and fruit. The bars are often filled with good carbohydrates and protein, making them a fast fix for hiking. They are also widely available and come in many varieties. When buying granola bars, look at the nutritional label to find out how much extra sugar and sodium might be in the bars. Sugar will give you energy for a small amount of time but will also make you crash and feel tired. Too much sodium could lead to your body needing more water.
  
  Energy bars are small, compact and are full of good carbohydrates, fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals. These bars come in several varieties and are individually wrapped. They're perfect for hiking because they don't take up much room, are relatively light and can fill you up. They can be more expensive than granola bars, but they offer more of a nutritional punch. The fiber and protein will give you the kind of sustainable energy that sugary snacks don't provide.