I’ve always enjoyed being on the river with my family growing up and continue to enjoy it today. We started out canoeing but have transitioned more so into kayaking. It’s a bit easier to handle kayaks and transport them in the back of our truck instead of hauling a trailer around. No matter the mode of transportation down the river though, it’s a sure fact that everyone will work up an appetite after being in the sun and paddling along.
Anything is better than nothing, but I can tell you that not all snacks are created equal when it comes to being on the river. You don’t want to pack just anything if you can help it. Instead, you want to focus on snacks that are easy to eat and ones that won’t get soggy from wet hands or heaven forbid, a tip-over incident. Being the cooler-holder comes with a lot of weight on your shoulders but you can lessen the load by making sure your snacks are durable and can take some water without being ruined.
The goodies listed below have treated me pretty well and have become some crowd pleasers when we have gone kayaking with different groups of friends. I have my list separated into “On the Sandbar” and “On the River” categories according to the ease of eating and the level of quick-snack versus meal-like snacks.
Here’s the lowdown on what snacks to pack for your next kayaking or other water-based adventure.
On the Sandbar Snacks
Tuna and Crackers
I know tuna can be a turn off to some, but this is my new favorite item to pack on a kayaking trip. HERE is my recipe for what I call, “Decked out Tuna Salad”. Put this in a Tupperware or old cool whip container and serve with Ritz crackers or Wheat Thins. Besides the taste, I like that this isn’t a heavy snack but is one that is filling after exerting yourself from paddling. It’s also easy to share with friends and everyone can have their fill if you set it on the bow of your yak when you pull onto a sandbar. If I know someone isn’t a fan of tuna, I’ll pack some sliced ham for them to snack on.
Fruit Kebabs
These are another simple crowd pleaser to share while on the river. Simply cut up some mixed fruit and string a variety on wooden shish kebab skewers. I would cut the skewers in half for a better serving size and easier storage. I simply put whatever fruit is cheapest at the time of our trip or stick to all watermelon. If I could make my ideal mixture though, it would include; watermelon, pineapple, and grapes. Shish kebabs make it easy for people to just grab a stick to eat from, but if you don’t feel like stringing a bunch of fruit, you can just as easily keep the fruit in a container and bring toothpicks for people to pick and eat their fruit with.
Chips
Chips are always a good go-to for any type of food sharing scenario. I like to pack a stash of the mini variety pack chips to make it easier to share, plus everyone can grab their favorite flavor so everyone is happy. Another plus to this is that I don’t have to worry about leftover chips getting wasted after the trip… they tend to get a bit wet and stale for obvious reasons.
Cookies
Of course you have to have dessert after a well-rounded mini meal, so why not pack some cookies of some sort? If I have the time and want to make cookies, I’ll bake some the day before, but otherwise I just toss in a package of Chips Ahoy or Keebler Elf cookies... or both.
On the River Snacks
Deer/Beef Sticks
My family deer hunts so we usually have deer sticks or deer bologna we grab out of the freezer and cut up for get together and adventures. If you aren’t a person that hunts, check out your local butcher shop to see what they may have for sale. My community is fortunate to have a few great options because the local butchers sell to businesses in the area which makes it easy for everyone to get some great products.
Cheese Sticks
Honestly, I’m not a fan of cheese, but I know most people are, so cheese sticks are a nice snack to pack in the cooler to go along with the meat. This is another safe snack in case the cooler gets submerged since they’re individually wrapped. Otherwise, cutting some block cheese and putting them in a ziplock or Tupperware is great too. Add some extra crackers to the cooler if you add meat and cheese.
Granola Bars
Granola bars are my absolute favorite snack on the go and usually ends up being my breakfast on the way to work. My favorites are Sunbelt because they taste great and are nice and chewy. For convenience sake, I would stick to a variety that isn’t fudge-dipped so it’s not such a melted mess when you get around to eating it. The chocolate chip or peanut butter flavors are my go-to choices.
Trail Mix
My dad does a pretty good job of keeping the shop stocked with different snacks and I’ve always appreciated the trail mix. It’s a snack that’s a mix between salty and sweet and can tie you over between meals. Because of the packaging, it’s also another snack I don’t have to worry about using my rivery hands to eat. I just open it up, tip my head back and have a mouthful here and there down the river before we pull over for the meal-like snacks.
Besides snacks and ice to keep things from melting, I like to add two more things to the cooler:
Naturally, you’ll get a little messy on your trip so hand sanitizer or hand wipes are a good idea to have along. That way you and your group can clean your hands as best you can before digging into your awesome snacks.
Another important thing to pack is an old grocery bag or two for wrappers and other trash… while on the topic of trash, pack a kitchen-size trash bag to collect all the pop or beer cans at the end of the trip.
Coming up with a food list is the easy part of the process, the next part is figuring out how to pack everything. There are obviously limitless options for snacks to pack, but I’m glad I got to give you the lowdown on my go-to favorites for trips down the river.
Feel free to share in the comments any of your favorite snacks to pack for your river adventures.