If you're planning to pull on some sturdy shoes and head off for a long walk to enjoy fresh air and scenic views, you'll want some good fuel to keep you going and these recipes will do the trick.
We're talking about day trips here. If you're planning a multi-day trek, things get a little more complicated; you'll need to carry more food along with, probably, camping and cooking gear (find some great tips and meal ideas for newer hikers in this Beginner's Guide to Food on the Trail). But for day walks, there's a lot of leeway as to what you can take with you - if it's reasonably sturdy and won't spoil during the duration of your hike, you can probably find a way to take it with you!
Here are some recipes that you can make in advance and stash in your backpack for your next steps.
A chewy breakfast bar made with dates, cranberries, nuts, seeds, rolled oats, nut butter and spices. It's great for an on-the-go start to the day but also goes well for a mid-morning or afternoon stop.
Superfood bars
If a crunchy bar is more your style, try these: made with sesame and pumpkin seeds, buckwheat, oats, cashews, tahini and mixed spices, they're super crunchy and packed with protein from seeds and grains.
It really doesn't get easier than this when it comes to DIY trail snacks! These are made by simply mixing and baking a bag of muesli and some condensed milk (you can add extras such as dried fruit or cocoa powder if you like).
Sandwich two slices of this with a generous slather of butter and wrap securely, and you'll have the perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea along the trail, if (like some of the Food team) you like to tote a thermos on your walking adventure.
Fancy some crunchy, sweet-salty clusters for snacking? Inspired by the flavours of Koren hotteok (stuffed pancake), this one-pot caramel popcorn is tossed with crushed peanuts, pepitas, sunflower seeds and toasted sesame seeds while it's still hot. Other ideas for adding pop to your perambulations: nori and sesame popcorn, teriyaki popcorn, macadamia and wattleseed popcorn or honey chai crunch popcorn.
Hoda Hannaway shared this muffin recipe (above) on The Cook Up with Adam Liaw, and these muffins are a great way to use up veggies and herbs. They also freeze well.
Another packable fave: Mark Olive's oven-dried tomato, warrigal greens and goat cheese muffin recipe.
It's rather different to what we usually think of as pizza! Rather, this is an Italian Jewish biscuit-meets-slice, densely studded with dried fruit and nuts.
These are simple and sturdy but delicious (and you can keep the cookie dough balls in the freezer to bake on demand).
Developed for cyclists by a Tour de France chef, these bars will also keep you going on a hard hike. Made with rice, egg, bacon and soy sauce for savoury satisfaction.
Traditionally eaten cold with salad and pickles, scotch eggs are perfect for picnics or lunchboxes - or hiking.
Developed as a portable, eat-with-your-hands meal for Cornish mine workers, the pasty also makes an excellent lunch (or snack, if you make smaller ones) on the go. Try the potato, swede and beef version shown above, or ring the changes with a mini cauliflower cheese version or a Spanish cocarrois, filled with artichoke and other vegetables.
A wonderfully refreshing drink for hot days.
If you're heading out on a long hike, keep food safety in mind. Find information on Food Standards Australia New Zealand's Food Safety Basics page and the Food Safety Information Council website.
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