The Best Allergy Friendly Hiking Snacks

'Tis the season for summer! The snow is finally melting off the mountains, more and more trails are opening up everyday and I've got the bug to head to the mountains. I started really getting back into hiking over a year ago. Through hiking I've made some great aquaintances and friends.

Everytime I hike I get someone asking me what I'm eating. It can be tricky packing for an all day hike when you have food intolerances. Luckily there are plenty of allergy friendly hiking snacks on the market.

Here are some of my favorite gluten free hiking snacks and food intolerance hiking snacks. These will get you through the day and feeling good on an all day hike. They are also easy to find at your local health food store and even at most of your local grocery stores.

1. Beef Jerky: Beef jerky is a classic american hiking treat dating back to the days of covered wagons. Krave Jerky is one of my favorites. I love their new flavored jerky sticks for shorter hikes and a bag is my favorite on longer hikes.

2. Protein Bars: Allergy friendly protein bars are pretty hard to find. And then there is...the taste and texture. These two brands have been my favorite so far, but I've got a couple of other bars I'm sampling so if you find any you like, let me know! ThinkThin offers a gluten free allergy friendly protein bar. My favorite flavor is the maple almond. they are also the most inexpensive bar at $1 on sale to about $1.69 each. I've also recently been introduced to the Garden of Life Protein Bars. they are more expensive at $2+ per bar, but the taste is pretty good.

3. Fruit Bars: Fruit bars are easily and so compact to throw in my bag. They don't take up a lot of space and are a great natural pick me up. If I have the room I love to throw in a real apple or orange but if I'm short on space I'll throw in a Clif Rope. 

4. Something Sweet: Anyone on a longer hike knows that you just start to wear out a little and a pick me up is so nice to have thrown in your bag. I just got introduced to YumEarth liqurice bites and the individual serving sized packs are perfect to slip into my backpack. If you love sour stuff try the strawberry lemonade but the pomegranate liquorice is to die for. So good! I also love NuGo bars. The chocolate mint is my favorite.

5. Trail Mix: Trail mix is something I usually opt to make--especially if I'm with the kids. I love our peanut butter and jelly trail mix, our caramel apple trail mix (sub dried apples for fresh), and our chocolate lovers trail mix. But in a pinch for me I'll take along a bag of Woodstock Farms trail mix.

6. Sports Drink: Always bring lot's of water along. I love my Camelbak for the ability i have to carry lot's of water. However, sports drinks are good when you need to replace lost vitamins, minerals and electrolytes. Honest offers a line of organic sports drinks and even  If you don't want to carry along extra bottles, try a single serving powder.

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