Autumn Walk Snacks: Jerky & Biltong for Cold Days

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When the leaves turn and the air gets sharp, the snack drawer needs a rethink. Chocolate goes brittle, sandwiches get squashed, and a banana never survives the bottom of a rucksack. Dried meat just carries on. Autumn is quietly jerky and biltong season.

Why dried meat suits cold-weather walks

Jerky and biltong are cured and dried, so they need no fridge and no careful handling. A strip stays exactly as you packed it, whether it rides in a coat pocket for an hour or sits in a daypack all afternoon. They are also high in protein, which is handy on a long walk when you are burning through energy and want something more substantial than a biscuit.

There is a practical bonus too. Both are easy to eat with gloves on. Tear open a bag, take a strip, keep walking.

What to pack: jerky or biltong?

Jerky is marinated, then slowly dried, with a chewy bite and a savoury-sweet flavour. For a cold day, a peppery bag is hard to beat. Indiana Jerky Beef Peppered has cracked black pepper on every strip, and the warmth of it is welcome when your fingers are cold. If you prefer the classic, Indiana Jerky Beef Original is the easy all-rounder, and the 90 g bag is a good size for a half-day walk.

Biltong comes from South Africa and takes a different route. The beef is cured with vinegar and spices, then air-dried, which gives a softer, more tender chew. Indiana Biltong Original is a good place to start if you have never tried it. Many walkers pack one of each and compare at the first rest stop.

Trail tips for the colder months

Keep a small bag in an inside pocket so it is always within reach. Eat a little before you feel hungry, because cold weather can hide how much energy you are using. Cured meat is naturally salty, so carry water or a flask of something hot. A hot tea, an apple and a few strips of jerky make a perfectly good lunch on a log.

For group walks, the 25 g single-serve bags are easy to hand round, and multipacks save a trip to the shop when the whole family wants a share.

Stock up before the first frost

Browse the full beef jerky range to find your flavour, add a biltong or two, and put a bag in your coat pocket before you leave the house. Your next autumn walk just got better.