So, you’re going for a hike, hey? Good for you, is what I’ll say. Hiking is a great form of exercise, and you get to be connected with nature.
But because hiking requires energy, it can be tiring.
This means you’ll need to get extra boosts of energy to help you complete your hike, whether it be surmounting a mountain or traversing through some woods.
A great source of energy is, in fact, candy.
Yes, that’s right. Isn’t this just the best news you’ve had all year?
You get to hike whilst packing your bag up with some candy snacks to get you going.
But this doesn’t just mean you can eat any old candy on your hike.
You need to select the best candy for hiking.
Today, I’m going to tell you all about it.
Contents
Best Candies For Hiking
Time for a top 5 list. Today it’s all going to be about the best candy for hiking.
I’ve tried to offer you some variety here by listing candies from different candy families, e.g., chocolate.
Some of these candies will also be specifically designed for eating before exercise.
Others will be candies that are designed to just be amazing…and normally be eaten on the couch in front of the TV.
But these candies also have their other uses, including providing the energy required for exercise. In this case, hiking.
Bear in mind that all of the candies on this top 5 list can be purchased from Amazon.com.
I buy all of my candy from Amazon because they offer great accessibility to bulk buying at money-saving rates.
Amazon is also very fast when it comes to delivery. It’s part of the reason they’ve become so successful.
Now, without further ado, here is my top 5 list of the best candies to take on a hike with you!
Honey Stinger Organic Energy Chews
Let’s start with a top brand that designs its candy specifically for internal energy production.
They use organic ingredients, such as juice concentrates and honey, to create these tasty chews that give you the quick burst of energy you need in no time.
They’re also versatile and suitable for consumption before, during, and after your hike.
If you’re looking for some of the best energy-production candy for your hike, then Honey Stinger is certainly that!
- DELICIOUS A little sweet, a little tart, the perfect fruity combination in a 12ct box; These bite-sized soft Energy Chews bring a juicy fruit flavor for quick, sustained energy on-the-go
- ENERGY Made for pace-setters and go-getters for a quick energy boost; With 23g carbs per serving and ingredients intended for quick uptake, energy chews are the perfect portable fuel to keep you going without weighing you down
- RACE-READY Energy Chews are portable, poppable, and easy to digest, making them a must-have on race day; It’s the perfect snack to throw in your gym bag or take with you while running and biking, or to scale up your home gym workouts
- QUALITY INGREDIENTS An excellent source of Vitamin C; USDA Organic; Carbs to boost energy; Sodium to help replenish electrolytes post-exercise; and a blend of natural sweeteners replenishes glycogen stores, improving the capacity for endurance
- PROVEN More than 1,000 pro and college teams plus a generation of endurance athletes prepare, perform and recover with Honey Stinger to help achieve their performance goals and feel better along the way.
SKRATCH LABS Energy Chews
Straight into another internal energy production brand now, with SKRATCH LABS.
These energy chews are fantastic; they also contain caffeine for an additional boost!
I love the fac they are available in five different flavors (blueberry, matcha green tea/ lemon, orange, raspberry, sour cherry, or you can get a variety pack if you wanted to mix it up.)
They are gluten free, dairy free and suitable for vegans too.
They’re also small and easy to carry, which is a recurring theme you’ll see in this list, and for a good reason.
- REAL BLUEBERRIES: Skratch Labs Energy Chews are made with real ingredients, like blueberries and real matcha green tea powder, for a refreshing burst of flavor that tastes great and fuels your workout.
- EASY TO DIGEST: Unlike sticky and gooey energy gels or blocks, our chews are designed to be easy on your stomach, with a unique drop shape that helps them digest quickly for fast and sustained energy when you need it most.
- DEVELOPED FOR ATHLETES: Whether you're running, cycling, hiking, or hitting the gym, Skratch Labs Energy Chews are the perfect fuel for athletes of all kinds. Use them during workouts or races to help maintain your energy levels and push your performance to the next level.
- VERSATILE ENERGY SOURCE: Skratch Labs Energy Chews are a great alternative to traditional energy gels and blocks, with 70 calories, 20g of carbohydrates per serving and 50mg of caffeine, along with both glucose and fructose to speed up the absorption of energy in your body. Perfect for quick energy during any activity.
Peanut M&Ms
Time to talk about some normal candy brands now that also have their uses when it comes to internal energy production.
If you’re allergic to nuts, you might want to keep scrolling because this one isn’t for you.
If you’re not, and you love peanut M&Ms, then stick around. M&Ms, as we know, are great for snacking.
But the M&M peanut range is excellent for energy snacking. These gorgeous delights are rich in carbohydrates, a key compound required for the production of energy in our bodies.
They’ll provide a long, sustained energy release to keep you going strong until the very last yards of your hike.
Did I also mention that they’re delicious? A wonderful combination of sweet and salty peanuts that will make you look forward to every hike.
- Easter candy, Christmas candy, Halloween treats
Haribo Gummy Bears
Most gummy candies are good for providing you with energy for a hike, so long as they contain a high calories and sugar content.
However, why not go for the market’s leading gummy candy Haribo Gummy Bears? They’re easy to eat and amazingly fruity in flavor.
They come in those serving packs, which are the perfect size for taking on a hike.
They’re also quickly and easily digested, which is key for internal energy production. As they are easily digested, the energy is provided to your body very quickly.
This is the perfect level of release for a hike as it is a cardio activity where you will need new sources of energy.
- GUMMY CANDY ASSORTMENT – A classic treat that is both chewy and fruity, this candy mix comes with 100 fun size bags of gummy bears to satisfy your sugar craving.
- BULK CANDY INDIVIDUALLY WRAPPED – These fun size Gummi Gold-Bear packs are individually wrapped which makes for great pinata stuffers, the perfect candy dish for office desk, an easy snack, and a fun addition to school lunches.
- REUSABLE PLASTIC CANDY JAR – Ideal for candy buffets, this candy mix comes packaged in a plastic tub with lid. This reusable candy container can be refilled with bags of candy and even makes a great spare change jar.
- WHOLESALE CANDY SUPPLY – Tub measures 7.5 x 5.25 x 8.25 inches and is filled with 100 mini packs of gummy bears. Each fun size pack contains about 5 or 6 gummy bears.
- PERFECT FOR ANY OCCASION – Great for Halloween, Easter baskets, birthday parties, Christmas stocking stuffers, and anyone with a sweet tooth.
Hershey’s Mr. Goodbar and Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Bar
I’m kind of cheating here by giving you two candy bars, although they are both made by the same company, Hershey’s.
One of them is obviously a dark chocolate alternative for anyone who might prefer that option.
Starting with the Mr. Goodbar is a delicious snack to enjoy at any point during your hike.
It will give you a quick energy boost, but it will also give you, through its nut content, the necessary proteins for a sustained amount of energy.
Then there’s the dark chocolate bar.
This bar is great for energy release during a hike because it avoids what is known as the crash after a sugar rush.
I chose Hershey’s Dark Chocolate bars because they are tasty and beneficial in many other ways other than just providing energy for a hike.
They also contain antioxidants such as flavanols, catechins, and polyphenols that are all good for your body.
What Makes A Candy Good For Hiking?
A candy that is good for hiking must be sealed, lightweight, easy to digest, containing antioxidants, high in sugar, and high in calories.
Sealed
It’s going to go in your bag, so make sure it’s a sealed candy. Otherwise, it will get dirty in your bag.
Trust me; you don’t want to pull out a dirty piece of candy when you’re desperate for some energy.
So make sure your candy is wrapped or sealed, or if it is loose, put it in a sealed bag yourself!
Lightweight
Don’t back heavy jawbreakers. These aren’t useful for hiking for several reasons, but one of those is that they’ll put too much weight in your hiking bag.
You want to hike as lightly as possible. So the candy you should pack should also be lightweight.
Avoid heavy candies or packing too much candy that it adds too much weight to your hiking bag.
Easy To Digest
As we know, when we eat something, our body has to digest it. That’s how our body derives nutrients and energy from food to give us energy.
But the process of digestion actually requires energy itself. After all, your body is performing an action when you digest food.
So, if you eat something, a candy, for example, that is easy to digest, then your body will use up less energy performing this task.
That will mean you are left with more energy afterward to spend on the rest of your day.
So it is, therefore, best to stick to candies that are easy to digest.
At the same time, a candy that is easy to digest will be digested more quickly. This means you get that energy boost you’re looking for…quicker!
So a candy that is easy to digest will be much more convenient when you need that boost of energy on a hike.
Contains Antioxidants
Your hiking candy is going to need to contain a couple of key ingredients/compounds.
One of those is antioxidants.
This is because we need molecular oxygen for us to produce more energy at the cellular level.
However, the process of acquiring this doesn’t always go too smoothly.
Antioxidants help to ensure that it does.
Dark chocolate is often rich in antioxidants!
High In Sugar
I’m sure you’ve heard the term sugar rush, yes?
This is the name we give to that buzz of energy we receive after eating some sugar. So sugar can be a good short-term source of energy.
Sugar achieves this as it is a carbohydrate. A very powerful one.
The higher in sugar a candy, the more quick energy it will supply.
But remember, don’t eat too much sugar. Because what follows a sugar rush is very often a big crash.
This is caused by the sugar and caffeine when it comes to chocolate bars, quickly being completely released.
Candy is a quick source of energy, after all. It’s quick to come, and it’s quick to leave.
If you don’t like the sound of the crash, then I would recommend sticking to dark chocolate.
Dark chocolate contains cocoa butter which will still give you the lasting energy boost you need without the crash.
The cocoa butter does this by releasing the sugar and caffeine much more slowly.
Higher Calorie
Calories are energy at the end of the day.
Quite often, the more calories you eat, the more energy you will have.
Although some foods and candies, despite being high in calories, will actually cause fatigue. So you have to get the types and amounts right.
When your body digests and absorbs, food/candy energy is released. This energy is what is called calories.
If you eat more calories than your body requires, then it will store the excess amount as fat. So don’t go too heavy on the candy eating.
You need calories/energy for your hike, whether it be at the start of the hike or during a break along the way when you’ve expended some of your energy.
So a candy that is high in calories will be fit for both of these purposes.
However, I wouldn’t advise you to eat a chocolate bar on either side of the workout. Maybe just one or the other and get your other calories from something like pasta.
How Much Candy Should You Take Hiking?
You should aim to bring enough food/candy that will provide you with 200-300 calories per hour to eat. Though, it will depend on how long the hike is and what level of intensity it is as well.
Of course, how much candy you should take on your hike will depend on how long your hike is.
For the average hike, it is advised that you eat between 200-300 calories per hour.
If your hike is a bit longer and a bit more intense, then definitely aim to hit at least 300 calories an hour.
An intense hike that is about 5 hours in duration will probably require around 1500 calories in total.
So take however much candy will help provide you with 200-300 calories per hour on your hike.
Don’t overpack because you don’t want any unnecessary added weight. But don’t under-pack either because you don’t want to run out of your energy source.
You perhaps shouldn’t solely rely on candy to provide you with these calories. There are other sources that we will discuss…
Other Things To Consider When Taking Candy Hiking
You should consider taking other snacks as well as candy to share the calorie burden.
So you don’t just need to rely on candy to get your energy boosts. Instead, there are plenty of other snacks out there that will provide you with the energy you need.
Here is a list of some of the other great hiking snacks you should pack:
- Nuts
- Nut bars
- Fresh fruit, especially oranges, bananas, and apples
- Energy bars and gels
- Granola bars
- Jerky
Finally
Right, have you got your boots on?
Your raincoat?
Map?
Compass?
Hiking bag containing energy-boosting candy and other snacks?
Great. Looks like you’re good to go.
Related Guides:
Hello, I’m Matthew, a candy expert and enthusiast with over a decade of experience in the candy industry. My passion for candy started at a very young age. Since then, I have worked in numerous, large candy stores, and have been fortunate enough to try out hundreds of brands of candies, different types and flavors. In addition to my work, I enjoy sharing my extensive knowledge with others, and decided to create Sugar Stand in order to do so. My mission is to make the world a sweeter place, one candy at a time.