Check out this quick list of the best snacks for your day on the water!

Bored with your current selection of paddling snacks, or need a quick boost during your next paddle or workout? This article discusses the best (and most handy) snacks for paddlers that you can take with you on your next day of paddling! 

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SUP requires the proper fuel to have fun on the water. While it might seem like a simple activity to the outsider or the beginner, in reality, each paddle stroke forces you to work your entire body — from your toes to your shoulders. Over time, this repetitive action can burn some serious calories. To keep having fun throughout the day or adequately recover when it’s time to rest, you will need to replenish this energy.

Quality Matters

Just as a car runs best on high-quality fuel, your body performs best when it’s fueled by nutritious, balanced meals. The type of food you consume has a direct impact on your performance and stamina. High-quality, nutrient-dense foods provide the energy your muscles need for those powerful paddle strokes and help maintain endurance over long periods of activity.

Regular Fueling

It's not just about what you eat but how often you eat. For demanding sports like SUP, cycling, or kayaking, it's beneficial to plan for 5 to 6 smaller meals throughout the day instead of one big lunch. Regularly supplying your body with fuel helps maintain consistent energy levels, making the digestive process easier and more efficient.

Practical Tips

• Meal Frequency: Smaller, more frequent meals can help you maintain a steady energy supply.
• Balanced Nutrition: Opt for a mix of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Carbs provide quick energy, proteins aid in muscle repair, and healthy fats sustain longer energy levels.
• Hydration: Don't forget to drink water regularly. Staying hydrated is crucial for optimal performance and recovery.

By paying attention to the quality, timing, and type of food you consume, you can significantly enhance your performance and stamina, ensuring you get the most out of your time on the water.

For most paddlers, a simple banana, peanut butter sandwich, or quick stop at the local fast-food chain will do. But let’s get beyond the bland. Or the unhealthy. 

Instead, let’s fuel our bodies with the best snacks available. Snacks that have the proper nutrition your body needs to perform at its best — whether you’re into slow paddles on the lake or hard training paddles over long distances. 

We always recommend you take something along with you for paddles that range in time from 90 minutes to 2 hours. This will help you avoid any dangerous drop in blood sugar levels or fatigue. Of course, always bring the appropriate amount of water as well.

The best paddling snacks must have a few characteristics. They need to be:

• Portable
• Able to withstand high or low temperatures
• Easy to eat while on the go
• Healthy 

With these characteristics in mind, and years of personal experience, the team at Perfect Paddles compiled a list of a few of our go-to SUP snacks. 

These "best snacks for paddlers" will enable you to fuel your time on the water with tasty, healthy, and portable options. 

Quick Note: We know everyone has different dietary needs. With this in mind, we’ve labeled each snack if they’re gluten-free, vegan, or vegetarian. 

The labels are as follows:

• V – vegan
• GF – gluten-free
• VG – vegetarian 

We also use different qualifiers for our meat options including Paleo-friendly. 

Boosting Energy with Balanced Nutrition: The Benefits of Eating Every 2-3 Hours

Eating a mix of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats every two to three hours offers several benefits, primarily for maintaining high energy levels and overall efficiency.

Sustained Energy Levels
Consuming a balanced mix of nutrients at regular intervals helps keep blood sugar levels stable. This prevents the energy crashes that often follow larger, more infrequent meals. For example, having half a sandwich with some fruit in the morning and the other half with vegetables a couple of hours later keeps your energy levels consistent throughout the day.

Improved Metabolic Function
Regularly eating small, balanced meals can also keep your metabolism active. This frequent intake signals your body to continuously convert food into energy rather than storing it as fat. Imagine splitting your typical lunch into two portions – perhaps dividing a ham and pasta salad and pairing each serving with a piece of fruit.

Optimal Nutrient Absorption
Consuming smaller portions more frequently can enhance your body's ability to absorb nutrients. By not overwhelming your digestive system, you allow it to work more efficiently, making sure you get the most out of your meals. Think about enjoying nuts or a small piece of cheese in between main meals for a steady intake of healthy fats and proteins.

Practical Tips

• Split Meals: Divide your traditional meals into smaller portions to be consumed over several hours.
• Balanced Snacks: Incorporate a mix of proteins, carbs, and fats into each snack, such as yogurt with granola and a handful of nuts.
• Consistency: Try to eat something every two to three hours to maintain energy and metabolic rate.

Conclusion

Eating a balanced mix of proteins, carbs, and fats every few hours is a practical strategy to keep your energy levels high and your metabolism humming efficiently. By adjusting your eating habits to include more frequent, smaller meals, you can sustain your energy and enhance nutrient absorption throughout the day.

Strategies for Splitting Traditional Lunch Meals into Smaller Snacks

Maintaining energy levels throughout the day can be achieved by spreading out your meals. Here are some effective strategies to transform your traditional lunch into manageable, energy-boosting snacks:

1. Divide Your Main Course:
   • Example: If you have a 6-inch submarine sandwich, eat one half mid-morning with a piece of fruit like a small plum. Save the other half for later, enjoying it with a few slices of vegetables.
2. Pair Proteins, Carbs, and Fats:
   • When splitting meals, aim for a balance of nutrients in each portion. For instance, if you're splitting a ham and pasta salad, ensure each half contains a good mix of protein (ham), carbohydrates (pasta), and healthy fats if any are included in the dish.
3. Use Snack-Sized Portions:
   • Enhance your portions with small servings of fruits and vegetables. Instead of eating two apricots with your entire meal, pair one apricot with each half-portion of your split meal.
4. Incorporate Variety:
   • Mix and match different components of your lunch. Maybe you have a soup and salad combo; enjoy the soup first and save the salad for a couple of hours later.
5. Timed Eating:
   • Plan your snack times wisely. If you are active in the morning, have your first snack right after your activity to refuel. Then, follow up with the second portion a few hours later to maintain energy without overwhelming your digestive system.

By breaking your traditional lunch into smaller, balanced snacks, you can keep your energy levels steady throughout the day while enjoying a variety of nutrients and flavors.

How Can Snacks Help Avoid Boredom and Fulfill Cravings During a Paddling Trip?

Keep Your Energy Levels Up

Paddling can be taxing, both physically and mentally. When you're out on the water, it's crucial to maintain your energy. Nutritious snacks like granola bars, trail mix, and fruit not only provide the necessary nutrients but also keep you fueled and ready for the next paddle stroke.

Break the Monotony

Hours of paddling can sometimes become monotonous. A variety of snacks can add excitement to your trip. Picture this: you take a break, pull out some dark chocolate, beef jerky, or fresh vegetables, and suddenly, there’s something to look forward to. It breaks the routine and gives you a moment to enjoy something different.

Satisfy Cravings

Being surrounded by nature heightens your senses. You’ll often find that cravings hit harder. Whether it's the saltiness of pretzels, the sweetness of dried mangoes, or the spicy kick of flavored nuts, having a range of snacks satisfies those cravings effectively. This variety delights your taste buds and keeps your mood elevated.

Practical Tips for Snack Packing

1. Choose Non-Perishables: Opt for snacks like nuts, seeds, and energy bars that won’t spoil easily.
2. Hydration: Don’t forget drinkable snacks like electrolyte packets to mix with water.
3. Compact Packaging: Use resealable bags to keep your snacks fresh and easily accessible.

Conclusion

Snacks transform a long paddling trip into a more enjoyable and less tedious adventure. They maintain your energy, break up the monotony, and satisfy your cravings, making your time on the water both thrilling and fulfilling.

Why Opt for 5-6 Smaller Meals Instead of One Big Lunch During Paddling  Trips?

When engaging in demanding activities like paddling, it’s crucial to fuel your body efficiently. Here's why multiple smaller meals can be more beneficial than a single large lunch:

1. Sustained Energy Levels Smaller, more frequent meals help maintain a steady flow of energy. Large meals can cause energy spikes followed by crashes, which can negatively impact endurance and performance.
2. Better Digestion Consuming one big meal can overload your digestive system, causing fatigue and sluggishness. Smaller meals are easier to digest, ensuring your body can process nutrients more efficiently.
3. Enhanced Performance For activities that require constant effort, such as paddling, your body needs a continuous supply of nutrients. Eating smaller meals throughout the day keeps your energy levels stable and helps prevent mid-trip exhaustion.
4. Improved Nutrient Absorption Regular, smaller meals can enhance nutrient absorption. This means your body will better utilize the vitamins and minerals from foods, contributing to overall stamina and strength.
5. Hydration and Recovery Smaller meals often come with hydration opportunities. Snacking on water-rich foods and frequent drinking keeps you hydrated, which is vital for muscle recovery and overall endurance.

In Summary: Opting for 5-6 smaller meals rather than one large lunch helps maintain energy, supports better digestion, enhances performance, improves nutrient absorption, and aids in hydration. This approach can make a significant difference in your paddling trip, providing the steady energy you need for a successful and enjoyable adventure.

1. EPIC Bars (GF, Paleo-friendly)

EPIC bars are a protein-packed snack that will allow you to recover with the building blocks your body needs to rebuild your muscles after exercise. 

There are a few options for types of meat but we’ve featured the Bison Bar with bacon and cranberry. 

If you don’t eat pork, they also sell a beef, chicken, or venison option. 

Each bar provides you with 100% grass-fed bison with 7 grams of protein per serving. And with a splash of cranberry…they’re tasty. 

If you’re a meat-eater and want a quick way to make sure you don’t lose any muscle mass after a day on the water, your first choice should be an EPIC bar. 

2. Larabar (V, GF)

Our second bar of choice is just as packed with nutrition, convenience, and healthy. 

If you’re not familiar with the Larabar brand, then you’ve been missing out! This snack is a great way to eat clean on the go. With only a few ingredients in each bar, you know exactly what you’re getting in every bite. 

Each box provides you with a clear and simple list of ingredients. In fact, on the front of the box, they write exactly how many ingredients go into each bar! 

This makes it very convenient if you are into eating clean. 

The base of each bar changes but they’re usually made with dates, peanut butter, or other fruits. 

The Larabar is a great choice for any paddler for a quick, convenient, and clean snack. 

3. Nut Harvest Trail Mix (VG, GF)

Nuts have become a (somewhat) controversial snack for the fitness space over the last few years. 

While some fitness professionals tout them as a nutrition-packed snack, others believe raw nuts can be harmful to your body in the form of anti-nutrients. 

To avoid this issue, always grab nuts and seeds that have been soaked and dried or at least baked. This decreases the number of anti-nutrients in each bite. 

With this worry aside, nuts can provide plenty of strong nutrition in the form of protein. Combine this with dried fruit and some small amounts of chocolate and you have the perfect carb/protein combination to fuel your adventures indefinitely!

That’s what you will receive when you tear open a fresh bag of Nut Harvest Trail Mix. And with a bonus of portion-controlled sizes, you won’t be able to overeat the nuts, seeds, or chocolate! (Just make sure to leave those extra bags behind).

4. Justin’s Almond Butter Squeeze (VG with Vegan options, GF)

Almond butter has gained higher popularity over peanut butter due to the healthier nutritional complex and lack of allergy risks. 

Besides being full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants important for your health, according to WebMD, almond butter can also, “prevent heart disease, increase your bone health by being full of magnesium which helps your body absorb calcium, control your blood sugar levels, and can lower the risk of some conditions because of its high Vitamin E content. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that can help prevent diabetes, obesity, and certain cancers. Almond butter also has antioxidant compounds such as flavonoids and polyphenols.”

It wouldn’t be weird if you wanted to carry a tub of almond butter with you during the day. But to make it more convenient, Justin’s Almond Butter Squeeze, allows you to carry exactly what you need and eat it whenever you need it. 

Simply pull out the packet, tear it open, pour it into your mouth, or place it on whatever you want to eat it with. This might be the most convenient (and healthiest) snack you can take anywhere with you on our entire list. 

5. Bare Chips (V, GF)

Their tagline says, “Nothing artificial. Ever.”

And it’s true! Bare Chips sell exactly what they have on the front of their bags. If it’s apple chips, you’re getting dried apples. Same thing with bananas. Even coconut crisps. 

One simple and healthy ingredient per bag. 

Even better, each ingredient is baked, never fried as well as being gluten-free, dairy-free, no added oil, a good source of dietary fiber, non-GMO, and no added preservatives.

If you’re into healthy foods like us, finding snacks with no added preservatives can be difficult. 

Bare Chips are the perfect crunchy snack to take with you anywhere, which is why it lands on our list of best snacks for paddlers. 

6. Chia Seeds (V, GF)

This is the simplest, easiest, and most convenient travel snack on our list. All you need is a teaspoon to a tablespoon of chia seeds and a water bottle. 

Place the chia seeds in the water, let them soak for a few hours or even overnight, and take them with you while on the water. 

Chia seeds will give you a natural boost of energy that will help you sustain your paddling endurance for the entirety of the day. 

But even beyond that, chia seeds are packed with nutrition and might qualify as even the healthiest snack on our list. 

Each serving size contains:

• fiber
• protein
• manganese
• calcium
• antioxidants
• omega-3 fatty acids

But that’s not all. Recent research has found that because chia seeds contain these nutrients they can help promote healthy skin, reduce signs of aging, support the digestive system and build stronger bones. 

This little seed packs a serious punch. And with it being so convenient to take with you, we recommend grabbing a bag to place in your pantry whenever you need an extra boost on the water! 

7. Ayoba Biltong Jerky (GF, Paleo-Friendly)

Biltong is a traditional South African mixture of spices and a way to cure beef that makes for one healthy and tasty protein-packed snack. 

They say on their site, “Unlike beef jerky that is cooked at a low temperature and loaded with sugar and artificial flavors, our biltong is hand dried for fourteen days leaving it naturally tender, like a perfectly aged steak, and easy to chew.”

The best part?

This jerky is sugar-free!

Most other jerky options are loaded with sugar to make it cure and taste better. With this South African recipe, you can skip the sugar rush, and keep all the same great taste. 

Another hidden ingredient in most jerky options is the presence of nitrates. But Ayoba states, “ With no artificial ingredients and no nitrates, these beef snacks are perfect for the Keto, Paleo, and the Whole 30 Diet.”

If you want a clean way to enjoy jerky while on the go, consider Ayoba’s healthy (and tasty) biltong jerky as one of the best snacks for paddlers. 

8. GU Energy Gel (V, GF)

If convenience is your main concern when it comes to the best snacks for paddlers, or if you are participating in long-distance paddling, then the GU Energy Gel pack should be zipped into your belt pack PFD. 

What makes these so great?

Each pack has 100 calories and essential electrolytes in a portable packet of 1425mg of amino acids to help decrease muscle damage and mental fatigue. 

This is key for paddlers.

They also use a dual-source energy source from maltodextrin and fructose that use non-competing pathways for efficient absorption and energy that lasts. 

All you need to do is take one packet 5 minutes before your time on the water and every 45 minutes during the activity. By doing so, you’ll be fueled for as long as you want to keep paddling! 

9. HOTSHOT (V, GF)

Do you suffer from muscle cramps while paddling?

Stop them in their tracks with HOTSHOT!

The safe, all-natural ingredients in each shot include a potent blend of herbs such as organic ginger, cinnamon, capsaicin, and lime juice for a healthy kick to keep you going. 

Each shot is not designed to add calories burned from paddling, but instead, to replenish important nutrients you lose through sweating. 

Due to this feature, we recommend you use HOTSHOT as a supplement while on the water, and the larger best snacks for paddlers as tools for recovery in-between time on the water or after your day is done. 

By doing so, you’ll be better prepared for your time on and off the water. 

Creative and Delicious Snack Ideas for Sweet and Savory Cravings

When snack time rolls around and you're torn between sweet and savory, why not indulge in both? Here are some innovative snack ideas that perfectly balance both flavors:

Sweet and Savory Delights

1. Veggie Bread Combo:
   • Zucchini and carrot bread topped with smooth cream cheese
   • Pair with a glass of refreshing vanilla soy milk
2. Fruit & Cheese Salad:
   • Juicy watermelon mixed with crumbly feta cheese
   • Serve with whole wheat crackers for that extra crunch
3. Savory Ham Spirals:
   • Rolled ham filled with cream cheese and crunchy celery
   • Enjoy with whole wheat crackers on the side
4. Hearty Rice Pudding:
   • Creamy rice pudding spiced up with oatmeal and ginger cookies
   • Complement with a crisp apple
5. Peanut Butter Sandwich Twist:
   • Half sandwich with creamy peanut butter and crispy bacon bits
   • Add apple slices and a glass of cranberry juice

Satisfying Savory Treats

6. Tortilla Chip Platter:
   • Tortilla chips served with tangy guacamole and a chickpea spread
   • Add crunchy bell peppers and cucumbers
7. Sweet & Crunchy Squares:
   • Apricot and chocolate squares paired with a cool yogurt beverage
8. Elegant Pretzel Snack:
   • Pretzels served with a smoked salmon mousse
   • Accompany with tomato juice and mini carrots
9. Stuffed Dates:
   • Dates filled with creamy ricotta cheese, sweet currants, and crunchy pistachios
10. Turkey and Veggie Wraps:
    • Mini turkey wraps with tender asparagus
    • Finish off with juicy plums

These creative snack combinations cater to both your sweet and savory cravings, ensuring every bite is a delightful experience. Happy snacking!

Ready to Paddle?

Now that you know the best snacks for paddlers for your next SUP trip, it’s time to start planning your paddle! 

After you’ve loaded up on some healthy snacks, head to our Trip Planning Tools section. There you will find everything you need to get on the water…

Whether it’s in your own backyard or on the other side of the world. 

With these tools at hand, you’ll be sure your time on a SUP is the best it can be!