What to eat before and after a hike
A simple pre-hike meal, what to eat in the first hour afterwards, and how to recover so tomorrow's walk is not worse than today's.
- 1 to 3 hBreakfast before
- Within 1 hCarbs after
- 5 minRead
Lauren Jones, Peaksted co-founder · Training advice reviewed by Nathan Gee · Updated 14 October 2026Most people think about food during the walk. What you eat before and after decides how the walk starts and how tomorrow feels.
Eat a familiar, carbohydrate-based breakfast one to three hours before you start. Within an hour of finishing, have carbohydrate and a drink, then a proper meal with protein within about two hours.
Getting to the trailhead fuelled
You are not trying to eat a lot. You are trying not to start behind.
- Eat a normal dinner with carbohydrate
Pasta, rice, potatoes or noodles with something you like. You do not need to stuff yourself. A proper, familiar meal is enough.
- Have a carbohydrate breakfast
Porridge, toast, a bagel, cereal or rice. Add a little protein if it sits well, such as yoghurt or an egg. Keep fibre and fat modest so it does not weigh on you.
- Top up if you are hungry
A banana, a cereal bar or a few dried dates. Small and easy. Sip water alongside it.
- Start sipping, then start walking
A few mouthfuls of water, and your first snack in your pocket where you can reach it without stopping.
Try your pre-hike breakfast on training walks, not for the first time on the day of a big trek.
Four breakfasts that work
Roughly 1 g of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight is a reasonable starting point for a morning meal one to two hours out. Sports nutrition guidance allows 1 to 4 g per kg depending on how long beforehand you eat and how big the day is.
| Meal | Carbohydrate | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Porridge with a banana and honey | About 50 to 60 g | Slow-ish and filling, easy on most stomachs. |
| Two slices of toast with jam or honey | About 40 to 50 g | Fast to digest, good when you are nervous and have little appetite. |
| A bagel with peanut butter and a banana | About 70 g | Bigger and denser for a long or high-effort day. |
| Rice with an egg or a little chicken | About 60 g | A good fit if you prefer a savoury start. Common in huts and teahouses. |
Figures are approximate and vary by brand and portion size.
The recovery window, in three steps
Recovery is not a magic window that closes. It is just easier, and matters more, when you are hiking again tomorrow.
- Carbohydrate and a drink
As soon as you stop, have a drink and something with carbohydrate. This is when your muscles restock quickest. Chocolate milk, a sandwich or fruit and yoghurt all work.
- A proper meal with protein
Aim for a meal with carbohydrate, protein and some vegetables: rice and chicken, pasta and mince, eggs on toast, lentil curry. About 20 to 30 g of protein is a sensible target.
- Keep drinking and eat again
Sip fluids until your urine is pale. A small snack before bed is fine. Salt in your dinner helps you hold on to the water you drink.
Easy combinations
Carbohydrate refills the tank. Protein, around 20 to 30 g per meal, helps repair. You do not need a supplement to get either.
| Food | Roughly | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Chocolate milk, 500 ml | About 40 g carbs and 15 to 20 g protein | Easy to carry, easy to swallow when you are not hungry. |
| Rice, chicken and vegetables | About 60 g carbs and 30 g protein | A full recovery meal in one bowl. |
| Yoghurt, banana and granola | About 50 g carbs and 15 g protein | Quick, light and no cooking. |
| Egg and cheese sandwich | About 35 g carbs and 20 g protein | Works as a trailhead snack in the car park. |
Heading out again tomorrow? Read how much to eat and drink hour by hour next, and carbs, protein and fat for what each one does.
Next in the series · Part 2Eat and drinkA practical food rhythm and safer water planning.Before and after a hike: FAQ
What should I eat the morning of a hike?
Something familiar with carbohydrate one to three hours before you start: porridge, toast and honey, a bagel or rice. Keep fat and fibre modest, and add a little protein if it sits well.
Should I carb-load before a hike?
For a normal day hike, a regular dinner and breakfast with carbohydrate is plenty. For a big multi-day trek, eating a bit more carbohydrate than usual the day before is reasonable, but you do not need to force it.
How soon after a hike should I eat?
Ideally something with carbohydrate within the first hour, and a full meal within about two hours. It matters most if you are hiking again tomorrow.
What is the best recovery food after a hike?
There is no single best food. Carbohydrate plus protein is the pattern: chocolate milk, rice and chicken, eggs on toast, yoghurt with fruit. Choose what you will actually eat.
Do I need a protein shake after hiking?
Not necessarily. Food does the same job, and for most people a normal meal with a palm-sized serving of protein is enough. A shake is a convenient option when you are on the move.
Is it fine to skip breakfast before a hike?
On a short, easy walk, many people are fine. For a long day, starting behind on fuel makes a crash more likely, so a small carbohydrate breakfast is the safer choice.
Food is half of a good trek day. The other half is fitness. The free readiness check shows which areas to work on first, and Trek Ready is an eight-week self-guided programme if you want a plan.
Check my readinessSources and scope
This is general sports-nutrition information, not personal dietary or medical advice. Pre- and post-exercise carbohydrate and protein guidance follows the joint position statement Nutrition and Athletic Performance (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada and the American College of Sports Medicine, Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2016), adapted for hiking. Protein per meal follows Jäger and colleagues, International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise (Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2017). Fluid guidance follows the American College of Sports Medicine position stand Exercise and Fluid Replacement (2007). Food figures are approximate. Lauren Jones is studying towards the NASM Sports Nutrition qualification. If you have a health condition, an allergy, diabetes or an eating concern, see a doctor or registered dietitian before changing how you eat. Training advice reviewed by Nathan Gee, BSc Sports Science.
