Habitually Healthy: The Off-roader’s Snack

Words By: Chef Christopher Zerbe

Hello all! Happy spring, errr, more like happy early summer here in the UAE! As we can all see and feel, it’s already starting to warm up quite a bit! You know what that means, right? Yes, it’s off-roading season. Tons of great off-road trails to hike and drive over, lots of weekend wadi trips to be had and, of course, the quintessential off-road trip you’ve always wanted in Oman, where it’s quite a bit cooler by the sea and in the Hajar Mountains compared to Dubai! As a seasoned off-roader back home in the states, I have always maintained a strict discipline when taking off-road adventures in my trucks. Whether you have a bulletproof off-roader like the Land Rover Defender or more of a “weekend warrior” CSV type off-roader, there are always essentials to bring that will make your adventure, safer and more fun. I would like to hope that everyone attempting to do these activities remembers to bring a good first-aid kit and, of course, plenty of water!

However, the majority of off-road enthusiasts tend to forget the golden rule: always bring double the food you think you need! And of course that should concentrate on non-perishable items! One of the biggest problems with this though is the sheer amount of sodium and preservatives that are in those types of foods. So what can you do to be a bit healthier on that off-road trek? How about a simple home made trail mix? Or perhaps you are a bit more adventurous like me and have an affinity for beef jerky or biltong? How about dried fruits like golden raisins or dried apricots or even dried cranberries? Each of this food is loaded with natural energy and packed with essential vitamins and minerals and can even contain power packed proteins. If you decide to make your own biltong at home, do some research online and ask your South African friends; they can, for sure, give you some great ideas for your off-road snack. As for a Paleo-friendly trail mix, see my recipe with this article. I am sure you will love it!