The sun is out and festival season is in full swing, so it’s time to start thinking snacks. Because when you’re running across a muddy field desperately trying to catch the headliner’s set, you’ll need something to keep you going.
We’ve got you sorted. Here you’ll find the best 5 healthy snacks and drinks to fuel your hiking, festivals, sightseeing, and any other summer adventures.
Top 5 On-The-Go Healthy Snacks
The best on-the-go snacks contain slow-burning carbohydrates for energy, protein for muscle repair and fullness, and a little bit of salt to boost your electrolytes and support hydration.
1. Trail Mix
The all-time classic hiking snack! The traditional trail mix is made with a variety of nuts, seeds, dried fruits, and small bits of chocolate. This means that it’s packed with healthy fats, fibre and protein, but still has some sugar to give you a quick boost.
Make sure to check the label when buying pre-made trail mix. They’re often high in added sugar and salt, so look out for ones with unsalted nuts and no-added-sugar fruit. You can also try making your own at home!
2. Baked Protein Cookie
Want a cookie with more to it than just sugar and chocolate? Try one with added protein to make you feel more satisfied!
3. Popped Crisps
Lightly salted snacks are great when you’re exercising, especially if it’s hot outside so you’re sweating more. As an electrolyte, the salt helps your cells absorb water to keep you feeling hydrated.
Most popped, baked or air-fried crisps are healthier than traditional crisps because they use less oil and therefore contain less fat.
Our Popped Protein Crisps also contain 11g of plant-based protein per pack to support muscle growth and help you feel full for longer.
4. No-bake oatmeal energy bites
When it’s too hot to have the oven on, you need to make these no-bake oatmeal energy bites. They’re packed with slow-burning carbs and protein to give you all the fuel you need.
Just mix together vanilla vegan protein powder and rolled oats, then add organic peanut butter to those dry ingredients and combine together.
We recommend adding in some raw cacao nibs or vegan choc chips to really up the texture and sweetness. Roll the mixture into balls and refrigerate overnight.
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5. Fresh fruit and veggies
Fruit and vegetables have a very high water content so they’re some of the most hydrating snacks you can have. They’re also practical - you don’t need to bring any bulky containers or worry about crumbs with an apple or banana.
They’re packed with vitamins and minerals to fight off fatigue and support your heart and brain health.
Top 5 Drinks For Hikes, Festivals, And More
The drinks you bring when you’re out and about should contain all of the same nutrients as a good hiking snack. Plain water is always good for hydration, but you can also try drinks with added electrolytes, carbs, protein or caffeine.
1. Electrolyte sports drinks
As mentioned earlier, electrolytes are vital for keeping you hydrated during exercise.Sports drinks made with water and electrolytes are great for doing long hikes or high-intensity exercise, when you need some extra support to stay hydrated.
Watch out for extra sugars or caffeine in these drinks though, which can have negative effects if you have too much.
2. Vegan Protein Shakes
Protein shakes are popular for a reason - they’re quick and easy to make, and can be tailored to exactly match your macro goals. But did you know they could be vegan?
Just add a scoop of Vegan Protein Blend (our faves are the chocolate and cereal milk flavours) to plant milk of your choice and shake.
3. Clear Vegan Protein
Not a fan of thick or milky drinks when you’re hiking? No problem - Clear Vegan Protein powder has 10g of protein per serving but makes a light juice-like drink when shaken with water.
It’s made with real fruit and extra B vitamins for an added nutrition boost. You can try it in Lemon & Lime, Pineapple & Grapefruit, our limited edition Jelly Belly flavours, and more!
4. Low-sugar energy drinks
Caffeine isn’t for everyone, but is okay for most people in moderation.
Caffeinated energy drinks can give you the energy boost and focus you need to complete that last mile of a tough hike, or keep you awake during a long weekend of camping.
Low-sugar energy drinks means you avoid the crash you often get with sugary versions.
5. Tea
If energy drinks aren’t your thing, then try tea for an alternative lower-caffeine hit. At a summer festival you probably don’t feel like drinking anything hot, so try chilled or iced teas instead. Bring it along in a flask or reusable bottle, and enjoy hydration with an extra energy boost.
Experiment with fruit or herbal teas for a more refreshing on-the-go drink. Green tea, for example, is full of polyphenols (micronutrients with antioxidant properties) which can help support your health1.
Take Home Message
Next time you’re packing for a festival or hike, make sure you’ve got some of these drinks and snacks! Just remember to stay hydrated and get a balance of protein and carbs.
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FAQs
What are high energy and high protein snacks?
Classic trail mix made with nuts and seeds is both high-energy and high-protein.
What snacks give you energy?
If you haven’t eaten in a while, almost any healthy snack will give you some level of energy boost. But the best energising snacks are full of carbohydrates (our bodies’ preferred energy source) and vitamins. Wholegrain carbs are better than refined carbs for longer periods of exercise, since refined carbs that are higher in sugar will give you a quick spike in energy and then a crash. Vitamins such as vitamin B12 (which needs to be supplemented in a plant-based diet) can help reduce fatigue and maintain normal energy levels.
What are some healthy to-go snacks?
In this blog we’ve rounded up our top healthy to-go snacks, including: fresh fruit and veggies, trail mix, energy balls (with peanut butter, oats and protein powder), and popped or baked crisps.
What snacks should you take on a hike?
On a hike you need snacks with wholegrain slow-burning carbohydrates to maintain consistent energy levels, and protein to support muscle growth and repair. Just for practical reasons, you’ll also want something that doesn’t shed loads of crumbs or melt on hot days!
How do you eat healthy at a festival?
The biggest tip for eating healthy at a festival is to bring food you’ve prepped at home, since you can tailor it exactly to your nutritional needs and it’ll most likely be lower in added fat, salt and sugars than food at the festival. But that’s not always practical, especially for a 3 or 4 day event. So generally go for fruit, vegetables, and meals with whole foods like beans or brown rice.
- Afzal, M., Safer, A. M., & Menon, M. (2015). Green tea polyphenols and their potential role in health and disease. Inflammopharmacology, 23(4), 151–161. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10787-015-0236-1
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