This is a sponsored post on best day hike snacks written by me on behalf of ADM. All opinions are 100% mine.

I never used to cook before the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world in 2020, but during much of the lockdown, like everyone else, I was forced to stay home. And as gyms and restaurants shut down (with very few restaurants offering healthy take-out options), I had to find a way to stay fit, so I decided to hike more often. This led me to my quest to find the best day hike snacks.

Creating nutritious day hike snacks

I started hiking almost every week in the outdoors to supplement the lack of a gym workout. I also started experimenting with new recipes for my day hikes, in an effort to eat healthier snacks.  The pandemic made me aware of what I had been putting into my body and I wanted to find more natural plant-based ingredients and create snack recipes for my day hike that were both nutritious and delicious. And thanks to ADM’s expertise, I was able to create nutritious day hike snacks that also tasted good.

Why ADM

ADM is a leader in the development of ingredients and flavors for foods and beverages. Their customers range from huge global food brands to tiny, cutting-edge startups. According to ADM’s expert research, one of the best day hike snacks should incorporate an ingredient like dried apricots, that’s both tasty and nutritious.

My day hike snack recipe

On a recent hike to the iconic Lands End trail in San Francisco, California, I made my own healthy trail mix consisting of dried apricots.  Dried fruits like apricots make the best day hike snacks because they can taste like candy without the unhealthy processed sugars. Dried apricots can also be a good source of vitamins and minerals.

Choosing the right ingredients for your snack

When choosing ingredients for day hike snacks, look for food items that have fructose vs man-made sugar. Fructose works in combination with the soluble fiber of a fruit to break sugar down gradually (keeping the body’s glucose stabilized), while it converts it into energy for the body. Dried apricots are also an excellent source of dietary fiber!

Iron is also an important mineral for hikers. While fresh fruit is not necessarily a good source of dietary iron, dried fruit is because the nutrients become concentrated. Dried fruit also contains Vitamin C, which improves the absorption of plant-based iron and thus makes for a great day hike snack.

Did you know one cup of dried apricots provides 94% of your body’s daily need for Vitamin A and 19% of its iron? They also contain potassium and antioxidants and have been known to lower cholesterol and improve digestion. Dried apricots are fat free, low in calories & high in flavor!

I also added in some nuts including almonds and cashews and finally topped it off with some chocolate nibs. The combination along with the dried apricots was just divine and honestly the best day hike snack for my hike.

This recipe I created along with ADM’s healthy snack options for this summer, including dried apricots, helped ensure I had enough energy to enjoy my hike, including the many stairs I encountered on the trail. Keep in mind, for day hike snacks, you want nutritious, tasty, easy to pack food that gives you energy. Dried fruit like apricots is less bulky than fresh fruit and has a much longer shelf life, making it one of the best day hike snacks.