Outdoor Adventures – Yes, You Can!

Fuel your summertime outdoor adventures with the convenience of delicious and nutritious fruits and veggies!

Parks and trail systems are open, and getting outside is a great way to relax, refresh, and reenergize. But, fueling your outdoor adventures doesn’t have to include bars and gels. Fruits and veggies that offer portability, sturdiness, and easy storage are a delicious way to fuel your fun.

Portable fruit like apples, oranges, and bananas are a great choice for bike rides and hikes. Just be sure to pack out all peels and cores. Litter begets litter and an orange peel on the trail is an eyesore.

Dried and freeze-dried fruits are a portable and lightweight snack or addition to trail mix. On big hikes or camping trips, dried and freeze-dried fruit is a great way to add nutrition and flavor to oatmeal.

Pouches or snack packs of fruit like peaches, applesauce, grapefruit, and oranges are a sweet and juicy treat.

Pouches of pickled green beans or cucumbers are salty, crunchy, and refreshing.

For day trips and shorter outdoor adventures, sturdy vegetables like cut carrots, broccoli, and snap peas will last a few hours outside of refrigeration.

Car camping trips afford more flexibility.  Seasonal summer melon doesn’t require refrigeration until cut, so bring a juicy watermelon or cantaloupe to save on cooler space.  The same goes for hard squash, peppers, tomatoes, onions, and potatoes.

Power Potatoes! One of my absolute favorite foods for hiking or mountain biking are boiled and salted potatoes. When I tire of sweet bars and trail mix, potatoes provide the potassium, sodium, and carbohydrates I need. Just boil fingerling potatoes until fork tender and toss with enough olive oil to make coarse kosher salt stick.