The Ideal gluten free snack for hiking is easier than you might think. For all the many things you can no longer eat, this idea is simple, nutritious and easy.
For years I tried many different snack ideas, some bought, some I made myself. Most of them were great, but not ideal because they can be time consuming to make or expensive to buy, you might get tired of them, they may not keep well … any number of disadvantages.For me, the ideal snack is easy to buy, compact (a little goes a long way), nutritious, healthy and stores well both on the shelf at home and outside even if frozen or over-heated in the sun.
I have tried granola, which I generally prefer to make myself. I used to make it with oats, but found I can not tolerate oats very well. That was when I was wheat free, not gluten free. I also found that the more I ate the hungrier I became, quite the opposite of what I was trying to do!
Cliff Bars were a staple for years, but I got so tired of them, I couldn’t face eating them any more. They may still have a place in your back pack if you aren’t yet tired of them. If you like them, take my advice and avoid eating too many of them too often, or you will grow to hate them.
I then tried nuts and dried fruit. I found that there are only so many nuts I can eat at a time. Although nutritious, they are not the whole answer.
Dried fruit, on the other hand, really hits the spot. Surprizingly, dried fruit can get you a surprizingly long way by eating rather less than you might think. Dried fruit is totally different from fresh fruit because it is so concentrated. It stores well, freezes well, and doesn’t mind being out in the heat.
Dried fruit should be gluten-free, but you have to be careful. Many brands warn that the fruit is packaged in the same factories using the same equipment as is used to handle gluten-contaminated foods. It is hard to know how risky such dried fruit is.
Your best bet is to get per-packaged fruit that is labeled gluten-free.
What is your favorite gluten-free snack for hiking? Does dried fruit work for you?