Family Camping & Hiking Essentials

Summer is prime time for family adventures! Our family enjoys going on afternoon hikes and family camping trips. Sometimes we explore the nearby forest trails during one of our camping trips. The best thing about hiking or camping is that you can stay close to home or venture out into the wild. You can customize your outdoor experience to your family’s life stage and be as active as you’d like! Don’t forget to bring these camping and hiking essentials on your next family expedition in the great outdoors.

This post is sponsored by FitJoy. All opinions are our own.

Plenty of Water

It’s well established that you can’t live without water. Nothing can replace good old fashioned water on an active family adventure. Stay hydrated by drinking pure water on your hikes instead of soda, coffee or alcohol. The reason for this is that sugar and coffee often provide temporary energy and alcohol can dehydrate the body. We try to bring plenty of water on our family hikes and take breaks often to make sure everyone is staying hydrated.

Energy Boosting Snacks

In addition to water, energizing and protein-rich snacks are a great choice to bring along on a family adventure. Jerky, nuts, trail mix, dry fruit and protein bars are easy to pack and enjoy on the trail. Protein bars are especially convenient to slip into your pocket or backpack. During our family camping trips, we usually eat regular meals at our camp site and also enjoy camping snacks in the mid-morning and afternoon.

FitJoy’s naturally flavored protein bars are gluten-free and grain-free. These bars don’t contain artificial flavors or sweeteners. They’re also GMO-free. We recently tried FitJoy protein bar flavors Grandma’s Lemon Square and Cookie Dough Brownie. Both flavors come in bar form in an individually wrapped package. The bars are easy to pack and eat anywhere you are!

The Cookie Dough Brownie protein bar is the perfect combination of your favorite treats in a portable, accessible snack. The rich layer of chocolate brownie is made with a premium protein blend, topped by a spoonful of soft cookie dough sprinkled with chocolate pieces. This grain-free, gluten-free bar is filling and sweet, without tasting too rich. Kids and adults will enjoy the taste of these bars and the boost of energy they provide.

FitJoy’s Grandma’s Lemon Square protein bar is sweet and tangy. Their new fluffier recipe tastes more homemade than ever. This soft bar has a citrusy flavor topped by velvety yogurt. It’s also completely free of grains, gluten, GMOs, maltitol, and artificial flavors and sweeteners.

FitJoy protein bars come in full size and fun size. They hit the spot when you start getting hungry. Our hiking adventures are more fun when we bring tasty snacks along. The protein in these bars helps provide long-lasting energy which our family needs when we are camping and hiking. We usually stop for a snack on the trail and wash it down with a drink of cool water.

FitJoy also gives back. A portion of proceeds from every FitJoy item you purchase helps feed underprivileged children in the community.

Good Shoes

Good shoes are a must-have for any family adventure. It’s helpful for both kids and adults to wear shoes that can get wet and adequately protect the feet. I’ve experienced slipping in a river because I was wearing flip flops, which are not a good choice for active family adventures. You can find all sorts of water shoes and hybrid hiking shoes which you can wear for camping, hiking, kayaking and rock scrambling.

Sunglasses, Sunscreen and Hats

These summer essentials may seem basic, but they are also easy to forget. Sunglasses, sunscreen and hats are necessary gear to bring while camping and hiking. It’s tough to enjoy the great outdoors while you are squinting in the sun. Wearing a hat helps protect your face and scalp from the sun’s UV rays, which will reduce sunburns, wrinkles and damage to your skin. Applying sunscreen daily or more frequently is also important if you are going to be in the sun all day. These simple camping and hiking essentials can help minimize sun exposure and maximize family fun

Where will your family adventures take you? Do you enjoy staying close to home or going somewhere new? With a little planning, you can teach your kids to enjoy nature and be prepared with basic essentials.