25 Camping Snacks for Every Type of Snacker

There's nothing quite like being out in nature, surrounded by the beauty of the great outdoors...with your favorite snacks and beverage in hand. After all, everyone knows camping is all about the food! It's so important, in fact, that we'd go so far as to say the camping snacks can actually make or break your trip.

Before we dive into the full list of camping snacks, we want to share this super fun, creative idea: DIY tackle box charcuterie! This is genius because it keeps everything organized, it's easy to grab and go, and it's so customizable! You can create a low-carb version, vegetarian or vegan, meat lovers, or a kid-friendly charcuterie box. The sky is the limit!

Healthy Camping Snacks

Fueling your body with nutritious food is essential when you're camping. Even if you're mostly hanging out around the campfire and not necessarily doing much hiking or exploring, getting a good mix of healthy fats, protein, and fiber, plus an optimal amount of calories and carbs, is important to maintain energy levels. Plus, even people who love junk food will get burnt out on it after several days!Here are some of the best healthy camping foods that are nutritious, simple, and easy to pack.

• Beef jerky

• Fresh cut fruit (for bonus points, dip it into yogurt or make fruit and yogurt parfaits!)

• Hard-boiled eggs

• Dehydrated fruit or veggie "chips" — shockingly easy to make yourself with a simple dehydrator!

• Make your own trail mix bar: put individual ingredients (which are all healthy camping snacks in their own right, too!) in their own containers or baggies, then set them out and let everyone create their own custom mixes. Some of the best trail mix ingredients include:

  • Nuts
  • Seeds
  • Dried fruit
  • Pretzels
  • Chocolate or butterscotch chips
  • Dry cereal (Cheerios and Chex are excellent!)
  • Shredded coconut
  • Goldfish
  • Small chocolate candy, like M&Ms or mini peanut butter cups

Kid-friendly Camp Snacks

Snacks are never so important as when you're camping with kids. There are a few things you need to take into consideration, however. First, you want something fairly easy to eat that won't be too messy. Second, you want something nutritious that will give your kids the energy they need to explore and play. You also want something tasty that will keep them coming back for more — and of course, the more fun, the better!

• String cheese
• Ants on a log: the classic healthy snack where you spread peanut butter on celery and put raisins (the "ants!") on top
• Peanut butter & jelly roll-ups
• Fruit kebobs: q simple but clever way to make eating healthy more fun! Pro tip, start each skewer with an apple (softer fruits tend to slide right off!)
• Mini bagels with cream cheese or jam
• Apple "pizzas": core and thinly slice whole apples to create circular disks, then top with peanut butter, Nutella, or your preferred topping and add a few chocolate chips
• Deli roll-ups: roll a slice or two of your favorite deli meat around a piece of string cheese. Pickle spear optional!

Vegan & Vegetarian Camping Snacks

Whether you're vegetarian or just trying to eat less meat, there are plenty of great meat-free camping snacks that will satisfy your hunger and give you the energy you need to explore. Veggie snacks are often lighter and you usually don't have to worry too much about keeping them cool. Here are some of our favorites:

• Dried fruits and nuts
• Vegetable chips: these days, there are all kinds of delicious vegetable chips on the market. From kale chips to beet chips, there’s sure to be a flavor that you love.
• Veggies & hummus
• Popcorn
• Buffalo cauliflower bites — surprisingly simple to make and a delicious alternative to chicken wings!
• Peanut butter & banana rollups
• S’mores: dessert or snack, no camping trip is complete without s’mores!

Make-ahead Camping Snacks

*Photo credit: Bigger Bolder Baking

• Homemade granola bars: there are countless variations and they're all totally customizable, but we love this one!
• No-bake energy balls: perfect for when you need a little boost of energy and easily packable!
• DIY trail mix
• Homemade fruit leather: a MUCH healthier alternative to store-bought versions and they have just TWO ingredients!
• Old-fashioned popcorn balls: these sweet-and-savory treats are fairly simple to make, and they're always a huge hit!