This is a guest post from the favorite GF-by-necessity hiker in my life.
I’ve learned a lot about being gluten-free since I was forced to adopt a diet I never expected or wanted five years ago. The first few hiking trips out west after my diagnosis were difficult to navigate as I struggled with extra fatigue from a lack of good trail snacks and not knowing how to keep utensils and dishes safe for me to use (pro tip: have a completely separate set of everything to reduce the risk of cross-contamination). And since the last thing anybody wants is to be battling gluten exposure while on the trail, it’s vital to get snacks and even meals that are safe for celiac and non-celiac gluten allergy sufferers (not to mention tasty; it’s hard to eat when you don’t like your food).
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Thankfully, over the last few years, I’ve discovered a lot of great brands out there that fit my criteria for “good” hiking food: 1) Protein, protein, protein, 2) Won’t break the bank (too badly), 3) Actually taste decent (although I’m told my taste buds are a little conditioned to like gluten-free food at this point), and 4) Aren’t so sweet you’ll get a sugar high if your teeth don’t tingle out of their sockets first.
Best Gluten-Free Snack Brands for Hiking
1. KIND Snacks
The majority of KIND Snacks are certified gluten-free (I’ve read that some of their oatmeal snacks may not be certified but are likely safe… I’ve never had an issue, but check the label). My favorites are the Dark Chocolate Cherry Cashew and the Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Nut Bars (protein!). I’d love to try out some more flavors on future hiking adventures. The nut bars tend to be my preference because they are not as sweet as the oatmeal-based ones, plus I think they taste better (but that’s a personal preference and I did like the Peanut Butter Protein Breakfast Bars the one time I got them). The Chocolate Almond Flour Brownies are nice for a tasty treat too.
2. Bobo’s
Bobo’s Bites were one of the earliest gluten-free snacks I stumbled across. These are a bit on the sweeter side and don’t stack up so well on the protein side, but they are excellent for actually being filling. My favorites are the Strawberry Stuff’d Oat Bites and the Apple Pie Stuff’d Oat Bites, but they have variety of options on their website.
3. Nature Valley
Nature Valley has a few gluten-free granola / nut bar options, including my favorite, their Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Protein Bars. These do not pass the so sweet they’ll give you a sugar high test, but they are still good for quick energy (from the sugar) and long-lasting energy (from the protein) when you’re on the trail. And because they’re “normal” (made for everyday eating, not just for gluten-free), they’re a very reasonable price.
4. Brim’s
A number of Brim’s products are listed as gluten-free, including their movie butter popcorn and cheese balls (my favorite). Check the packaging to make sure it is labeled gluten-free, but as long as it is (and at least the two I mentioned above as sold at Dollar Tree are), enjoy!
5. Snyder’s of Hanover Pretzels
Hands down, Snyder’s of Hanover has the best gluten-free pretzels I’ve ever had. They even come in small, portion-sized packages so you can eat one for a trail snack (my favorite is to bring a small container of peanut butter and eat them together). And in doing research for this post, I discovered that Snyder’s of Hanover also makes some other flavors of pretzels that I may have to check out now!
6. Cheese Sticks
This is more a “food item” than a “brand,” but I wanted to include them because they are a great source of protein, lightweight, and easy to carry on day hikes (a little harder for a backpacking trip since refrigeration is important if you’re going to tote them around for more than a few hours in hot weather). The best part? They’re naturally gluten-free and are available almost anywhere in nearly any flavor of cheese you like!
Gluten-free Meal Brands for Hiking
1. Progresso Soup
Something I found early on was that most soup manufacturers use flour to thicken their broth. Progresso, on the other hand, uses cornstarch instead, which is safe for us gluten-free individuals. They have a wide variety of options and are available and many supermarkets, including Walmart. My favorite is their Pot Roast and their Chicken & Sausage Gumbo, especially together.
**Beware, Progresso makes some soups that contain wheat. Usually, this is very obvious since they have noodles in the name or something like that. A quick glance at the ingredient list should tell you whether it’s safe or not.
2. Barilla Gluten-Free Pasta
Not all of Barilla’s pastas are gluten-free (most of them aren’t), but they have one of the best gluten-free pastas on the market. (Their secret is they use a mixture of corn and brown rice instead of just brown rice.) You can get gluten-free pasta in several shapes as well as spaghetti, making an easy meal to make on a camp stove.
3. Sam’s Choice Gluten-Free Bread / Franz’s Gluten Free Bread
The great thing about both of these options is they’re available at one of the most versatile stores of all time: Walmart. I’ve had some trouble finding Sam’s Choice further west and you can’t get Franz’s in the east, so between the two, you should be able to find something (Franz’s tends to be a couple dollars more expensive per loaf than Sam’s Choice). I tend to prefer the Sam’s Choice Multigrain Gluten Free bread and the Franz’s regular white gluten-free loaf, but that’s completely up to you. Bring some peanut butter and some shelf-stable fruit preserves or slap a couple slices of bologna between the slices, and you have a lunch guaranteed to keep you hiking… at least for the next couple of hours! (And don’t forget you can get Franz’s in all kinds of flavors besides sandwich bread!)
4. Annie’s
Again, this isn’t an across-the-board gluten-free brand, but Annie’s has some good options if you’re looking for an easy box-mix gluten-free macaroni & cheese. It tastes fairly standard, similar to Kraft. They also have some gluten-free snack options, but I haven’t tried any of them.
Afterward
You can find a lot of great gluten-free shelf-stable foods at various stores across the country, even if that store doesn’t have a dedicated gluten-free section (and I’ll note that some of these snacks aren’t always shelved with the gluten-free stuff), so don’t limit yourself to the gluten-free section. (Pro tip: Become an expert label reader.) Look for items that say on the packaging that they are gluten-free; the FDA requires items to meet strict requirements to wear that label.
