Quick, Easy, and Trail-Ready Lunches Perfect for a Day of Hiking

When To Pack Lunch For Day Hiking

If you’re new to hiking, you might be wondering: Does it even make sense to pack a lunch for a day hike? How long does the hike need to be before you bring a lunch?

There’s no one right way to do it as long as you pack enough calories overall. I often stick to convenient snacks like trail mix or bars for short hikes under a couple hours, even if my hike spans lunchtime. On the other hand, a nice lunch can really elevate your enjoyment of a short hike, especially if there’s a scenic viewpoint or summit involved. For longer hikes (say more than ~4 hours) it can be tough to get enough energy from snacks alone, and you’ll likely welcome a longer break for eating some “real food” anyway.

Whether you pack a lunch or not, remember to also pack plenty of hiking snacks! These should be easy to eat during quick breaks or even while you’re walking. The key with hiking is to eat before you get hungry so never experience a dip in energy.

Important note: Not all foods will stay fresh and safe to eat during hours of hiking. Many of these hiking lunch ideas involve meat, which is best kept refrigerated until you’re ready to eat it. You can most likely get away with a couple hours in your pack, but if your hike is long or you want to play it safe make sure to choose non-refrigerated options.

Easy Day Hiking Lunch Ideas

A good hiking lunch contains a mix of macronutrients: carbohydrates, fat, and protein. All of these are needed to keep our bodies moving energetically, prevent us from feeling hungry, and help us recover quickly. The best hiking lunches are also packable (won’t squish or crunch), space-efficient, not too messy to eat, and taste good even when cold.

Tortilla wrap with deli meat, cheese, and lettuce: This one is super easy to prep and carry and has all the nutrients needed to fuel your hike. Slather an extra-large tortilla with your favorite condiments, layer in some sliced deli meat and cheese, and add a leaf of lettuce and slice of tomato for some crunchy freshness. To make it more filling, I like to add a few slices of avocado or smear some guacamole on the tortilla. If you’re really feeling fancy you can chop it up into bite-size “pinwheels” but this makes it harder to carry.

Bagel and cream cheese: I suppose this is technically a breakfast food, but why not eat it for lunch? It packs lots of calories into a small package and is super-easy to prep and carry.

Tortillas, hard cheese, salami: This is the rare day hiking lunch idea that works as a backpacking lunch too, and is perfect for a long day hike and/or hot weather. Hard cheeses (like aged gouda or aged cheddar) and hard salami last days without refrigeration and handle heat well, so you don’t have to worry about them spoiling while you hike. You can slice everything at home first, or just bring the ingredients and a pocket knife to feel like you’re “cooking” in the wild. (Be sure to bring a container for the open packages in case you don’t eat them all – but you probably will.)

Picnic spread: If you want to make your hike all about the lunch break, you can pack an entire picnic! You might call this a trail charcuterie board or an appetizer or tapas-style lunch, but to me it’s about packing bite-size portions of fresh finger foods with a fun amount of variety. Ideas: crackers (pack in a tupperware to protect), cheese, salami, grapes, apple slices, smoked salmon, olives, . You can pre-slice things at home or bring a pocket knife and do all the prep on-trail. Be sure to bring some napkins and a few paper plates to spread everything out on, and containers for bringing home any unfinished portions.

Snack lunch: Similar to a picnic spread but easier to prepare, a snack lunch is just an abundant array of hiking snacks that you can eat in a single lunchtime sitting. I recommend protein bars, trail mix or nuts, dried fruit, nut butter packets, string cheese, beef jerky or meat sticks, and maybe a fresh apple or orange to round it out.

Burrito: Any kind of burrito makes an excellent hiking lunch. Make your own from scratch, microwave one from the freezer, or buy one at Chipotle (yum…). You could wrap it in foil to try and keep it warm, but this only works for the shortest hikes. In my experience a cold trail burrito is tasty too, especially on a hot day.

Prosciutto and cheese rolls: You can make these in a few ways, but the easiest is to wrap some prosciutto (thin-sliced salty dry-cured ham) around a stick of string cheese or rolled up cheese slice. The salty prosciutto tastes extra good in hot weather. Pre-chop them into bite size pieces at home, or just pack the whole thing and bite off chunks on the trail. I like to add a source of carbs to this one, like wrapping the whole thing in a tortilla or eating the slices on crackers, for a more balanced hiking lunch.

No-fridge lunch boxes: If you’re still looking for ideas, pretty much any of these lunchbox ideas would work well as a trail lunch because you don’t have to worry about leaving them out of the refrigerator for a few hours before eating them. The combination of finger foods, variety, and fresh ingredients is perfect for satisfying hiker hunger.

Sandwiches for Hiking

If you thought it strange that the above section didn’t include any sandwiches, that’s because they merit their own entire section! Sandwiches are one of the easiest, most common, and most popular day hiking lunch options. They’re portable, nutritionally varied, easily customizable for different tastes, and you probably make them at home all the time anyway.

Pretty much any sandwich can be a hiking sandwich. Personally I like to avoid the messy ones and those that are usually served hot (like BBQ pulled pork) but even those can work if you pack them carefully. For a cold sandwich just layer up your favorite bread (slathered in condiments), deli meat, sliced cheese, some crunchy lettuce, and anything else you prefer. Below are a few of my personal favorites.

Any of these hiking sandwiches can also be turned into a wrap. Just substitute in an extra-large tortilla for the bread.

Peanut butter and jelly: If you haven’t eaten a PB&J sandwich since you were a kid, this is the perfect time! Peanut butter sandwiches are great for longer hikes because there’s no risk of spoiling if they sit in your pack a little too long. Really slather on the peanut butter, don’t be shy, as this is what will keep you feeling full. Jelly adds some delicious sweetness, or you could use honey. To add more protein try sprinkling some hemp hearts or flax seed. For a fancier vibe and a different taste try sunflower butter or cashew butter instead.

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BLT: The combination of salty bacon, crunchy lettuce, and juicy tomato hits the spot any time, but it’s especially delicious on the trail. Make sure you pack it well (see below for ideas) so the tomato doesn’t squish out.

Pastrami and swiss on rye: Pastrami, or any salted meat, can taste especially good as a hiking lunch on a hot day. Your body loses electrolytes as you sweat, and eating salty foods is a good way to replenish them. Add some mustard or mayo, and maybe even some coleslaw, for a restaurant-grade sandwich in the middle of nowhere. If you don’t like rye bread, sub in any bread you prefer.

Your favorite sandwich: Turkey and cheddar? Ham and swiss? Sourdough or sprouted wheat bread? Tuna or chicken salad? Whatever you enjoy the most will make the perfect hiking sandwich.

Vegetarian and Vegan Hiking Lunches

If you’re vegan or vegetarian, you probably already have your go-to favorite lunches. Many of these will work perfectly fine for hiking too! Here are a few highlights that are similarly quick, easy, and satisfying on the trail. Many of them also make excellent healthy hiking lunches for anyone looking to eat more veggies and complex carbs.

Bean burrito: Beans are an excellent source of both protein and slow-burning carbs, perfect for a vegetarian or vegan hiking lunch. Add some rice, corn, pico de gallo, and vegan or regular cheese and you’ve got a balanced and satisfying trail meal.

Pasta salad: Fresh cool pasta salad can be a surprisingly good hiking lunch. Just it ahead of time and carry it in a plastic tupperware container (don’t forget a fork!). Go heavy on the fresh veggies like cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers for a healthy hiking lunch. Pasta salad is great with mozzarella or parmesan cheese, but if you’re vegan you can obviously leave these out or add your favorite substitutes.

Falafel pita wrap: Here’s a hearty and healthy hiking lunch everyone can enjoy, and it also happens to be vegan-friendly. The chickpeas in falafel provide a perfect blend of carbs, fats, and proteins to keep you feeling energetic. Vegans can skip or modify the sauce, but everyone will enjoy plenty of fresh veggies like tomatoes and cucumber for their refreshing crunch. Just be sure to wrap your pitas well when you pack them, as they can be messy.

White bean salad: Similar to pasta salad but with even more protein, this super-healthy vegan hiking lunch is easily carried in a tupperware container and eaten with a fork while perched on a log. You can flavor it in any number of ways, such as this recipe with fresh oranges (perfect for a hiking lunch in my opinion) or this option with bell peppers and sundried tomatoes.

Peanut butter and jelly sandwich: If you haven’t eaten a PB&J sandwich since you were a kid, now is the perfect time! Peanut butter sandwiches are great for longer hikes because there’s no risk of spoiling if they sit in your pack a little too long. Really slather on the peanut butter, don’t be shy, as this is what will keep you feeling full. Jelly adds some delicious sweetness, or you could use honey. To add more protein try sprinkling some hemp hearts or flax seed. For a fancier vibe and a different taste try sunflower butter or cashew butter instead.

Keto Hiking Lunches

Keto and low carb hiking food isn’t a common choice for most people. Those of us not currently on a ketogenic diet feel much better on the trail when we eat some carbs for quick energy. However, when I experimented with a keto diet I wanted to maintain it while hiking, which meant packing a low-carb lunch and keeping my heartrate within my fat-burning zone. So if you’re on a low-carb or ketogenic diet and want to maintain it during your day hike, here are some keto hiking lunch ideas.

Low-carb tortillas with cheese and salami: An easy tortilla substitution makes this popular hiking lunch keto-friendly. Almond flower tortillas are a popular low-carb option but aren’t very durable in a backpack. I like these “carb balance” tortillas instead, though they’re low calorie so you may want to pack extras.

Cobb egg salad: Normally I wouldn’t recommend a regular green salad as a hiking lunch, simply because it’s not hearty enough (you need calories out there!). But a cobb egg salad like this one is keto-friendly and has plenty of protein and fat for a filling and satisfying meal. Don’t skimp on the avocado, egg, bacon, and cheese! Pack in plastic tupperware and don’t forget a fork.

Fish or tuna packet with cauliflower rice: This is a simple yet filling keto hiking lunch that doesn’t require much prep. Combine any packet of protein (I like salmon) and some pre-cooked seasoned riced cauliflower with some chopped or cooked veggies to make it even more healthy and delicious.

Keto bento box: Literally any of these keto lunch box ideas would taste amazing on the trail and make for a healthy hiking lunch as well. The combination of easy-to-eat finger foods, freshness, and variety makes this style of lunch especially fun as the centerpiece of a hike.