Hit the trails, mix it up
Whether you’re a hardcore hiker or more of a “friendly stroll on a dirt road” kind of person, snacks are essential. Obviously, the go-to for a lot of outdoor activities is trail mix. Hearty, handy, and easy to pack, trail mix comes in a lot of styles. There’s the “it’s healthy but we put chocolate in it” vibe, the “this is just dried fruit isn’t it?” kind, and of course then there’s granola.
But a lot of the ingredients commonly found in trail mix, like nuts and chocolate, have a lot history of poor farming practices and forced labor. Which is why it's important to choose brands that do their part to protect the people and the planet that create their foods.
So of course we have a few favorites at Hive when it comes to our trail snacks. You can opt to mix up your own mix with ethically sourced cashews (or other nuts) and dried fruits that reduce food waste. You can also make your own granola at home using oats, maple syrup, seeds or nuts, and the oil of your choice. We really love this Cookie and Kate recipe because it’s simple, tasty, and easy to customize.
If you’re so much on the go this summer that you don’t have time for DIY snacks, you can snag a tube of an all time favorite, shār’s impossibly good trail mix. Not only is this rumored to have the absolute perfect ratio of “good pieces,” but it also comes in an easy to carry, reusable tube. That means you can keep refilling it with goodies for each trip.
Speaking of that, reusable is the new “new”
We get it, new stuff is cool. But so is stuff that stands the test of time (hello, rise of vintage fashion). A lot of people have switched to using reusable straws and water bottles over the last few years, but your new obsession with reusables doesn’t need to stop there. You can also pick up some reusable, silicone bags to replace those tragic single-use plastic ones of the past. These make ideal sustainable snack holders for things like trail mix (see above) or beach snacks.
It also helps to carry all your essentials in a sturdy tote bag. We’re sure you have plenty of totes you’ve hoarded over the years from farmers markets, promotional pop up booths, and friends of friends, but just in case you don’t have one yet, we’ve got a recommendation for you. Working with Ecobags, a company that uses recycled cotton for their totes, we made a special, roomy and durable tote for all your essentials. (It’s got a pretty cute design too, if you ask us...wink wink).
Keeping it clean
After all of your "fun in the sun," you might come home with a little bit more of nature than you planned on. Dirt, sand, grass stains, they’re all a part of a day well spent outdoors. But then there’s laundry to do. From picnic blankets to hiking socks and swimwear, we recommend choosing cleaners that leave out any toxic chemicals. And we recommend going one step further and switching to a plastic-free, zero waste detergent. That’s right, you don’t need a giant tub of name brand plastic cleaner to get your clothes all soft and squeaky clean.
And if you want to go the extra mile for your laundry and protect waterways while you’re at it, add a Cora Ball. We’ve mentioned this product before, but it’s definitely worth mentioning again. Cora Ball was created by an organization dedicated to protecting and cleaning up our oceans. The ball works by preventing harmful microfibers that come off of clothing during a wash cycling from entering our waterways through drains. It’s made from 100% recycled plastic and proceeds from each purchase go to the Rozalia Project for Clean Oceans.
Okay, now go grab your shades, we’ll see you outside.