Meal planning in your subsequent backpacking journey? We’ve compiled our favourite backpacking meals, elements, and meal concepts that can assist you get began. Discover out what meals is finest for mountaineering, uncover new elements, and get impressed by a few of our scrumptious DIY backpacking meals.
Backpacking is a good way to unplug, immerse your self in nature, and problem your self each bodily and mentally. Whereas there’s a whole lot of pure magnificence to absorb, skilled backpackers know that regardless of how spectacular the surroundings is, a lot of the day is spent interested by the subsequent meal!
However determining what meals to pack can a be problem all by itself! Because you’ll be carrying all of it in your again, backpacking meals must strike the best steadiness between diet, weight, and ease of preparation.
On this publish, we share our favourite backpacking meals concepts from a whole lot of miles hiked over the previous few years. From freeze-dried choices to selfmade meals, you’ll discover every kind of filling and light-weight path meals to assist maintain your power up and your style buds glad.
Backpacking breakfast concepts
A very good day on the path begins with a stable breakfast. If you wish to get by the morning with out working out of steam, it’s finest to start out with some energy within the tank.
Seasoned backpackers shall be accustomed to the tried-and-true immediate oat pouches, however fortunately there are much more choices to check out!
Listed below are some nice backpacking breakfasts to take a look at.
Freeze-Dried or Dehydrated Meals
Whenever you want a considerable meal to start out the day, it doesn’t get any simpler than including boiling water to a meal pouch. Listed below are a few of our favourite freeze-dried and dehydrated breakfasts:
OvaEasy Eggs
In the event you don’t thoughts cooking within the morning, OvaEasy’s powdered egg crystals are surprisingly near the true factor! Get pleasure from scrambled eggs on their very own, with dehydrated hash browns, or as a veggie scramble.
DIY Yogurt Parfait
This simple DIY meal makes use of freeze-dried “yogurt melts” (you may normally discover them within the child meals aisle), granola, and dried fruit. Get our recipe right here!
Dehydrated Quinoa Porridge
Loaded with protein and full of energy, our Quinoa Porridge dehydrator recipes are a terrific possibility when you’ve got entry to a meals dehydrator. Begin with one in all these or customise it with your personal favourite flavors!
Instantaneous oatmeal
Instantaneous oatmeal is fast, simple, low-cost, and completely customizable. Simply add scorching water. Professional Tip: Use the packet as your bowl. Simply tear off the highest, pour the water in, and stir. The bag will get scorching, however received’t leak. Up the energy by including coconut or complete milk powder, or stirring in a packet of nut butter.
Bobo’s Oat Bars
A no-cook “breakfast” bar is a superb grab-and-go possibility for anybody who desires to streamline their morning routine. It can be good for individuals who don’t get up hungry and wish to get just a little mountaineering performed earlier than consuming. We significantly like Bobo’s Oat Bars for breakfast, which pack 340+ energy right into a 3oz bar.
Instantaneous Espresso
There was an enormous enchancment within the QUALITY of immediate espresso in recent times. Our high go-to favorites are Mt. Hagen and Alpine Begin.
Instantaneous Tea
Desire tea over espresso? No worries. Take a look at Instantaneous Tea from Cusa, with flavors like English Breakfast, Chai, and quite a lot of natural teas. These tea packets dissolve fully into the water, so there’s no soggy tea bag to pack out with you.
Backpacking lunches, snacks, and bars
When backpacking, the aim is to eat a continuing stream of energy all through the day. This gradual drip presents your physique a constant and secure gas supply, stopping your blood sugar from taking a nosedive (i.e. bonking).
So we like to consider mountaineering as one lengthy, moveable feast. A lot of little backpacking snacks right here and there, an enormous snack in the course of the day (in any other case referred to as lunch), after which extra snacking all through the afternoon. The important thing to creating this work is selection. Don’t get burnt out consuming the identical factor again and again.
Listed below are a few of the finest backpacking snacks and lunch concepts to pack in your journey!
Greenbelly meal bars
Greenbelly meal bars boast 650 energy per serving and are available in a bunch of flavors. They’re principally a full meal that requires zero cooking—good for lunch on the path!
No-cook meals
There are a number of no-cook meal choices obtainable, akin to Out of doors Herbivore’s Waldorf Salad and Lazy Lentil Salad, and Packit Connoisseur’s Curry Mango or Cajun Ranch Rooster Salads.
DIY Chilly Soak Meals
When you have entry to a meals dehydrator, attempt making your personal cold-soak meals utilizing quite a lot of pasta, beans, and veggies. Take a look at these recipes to start out: Pasta Salad or Cowboy Caviar.
Rooster, tuna, or SPAM packets
These won’t be essentially the most weight-efficient gadgets in your bear canister, however they do a terrific job of offering protein. Purchase them plain and physician them up with condiments, or purchase a few of the many taste choices.
Our favorites had been Buffalo Rooster, Rooster Salad, Deli Type Tuna Salad, and Lemon Pepper Tuna.
These wild-caught tuna packets are packed in oil for further energy.
If salmon is extra your pace, Patagonia Provisions has some superior choices.
SPAM additionally is available in a foil packet and is usually a good change of tempo from seafood. We had been hesitant about this one, but it surely’s truly very tasty.
NB: Be sure to’re shopping for the foil packets, not cans!
Packaroons
These macaroons pack in 170 energy per ounce, so that they undoubtedly pull their weight (pun meant) in your pack. They arrive in just a few flavors together with Amaretto, Blueberry Almond, and Candy Coconut.
Vitality Bars
Our greatest recommendation when packing bars is to go for VARIETY. Don’t simply load up in your favourite bar for a multi-day hike. As a result of after your journey, it received’t be your favourite anymore. There are extra power bar corporations on the market than we are able to maintain observe of, however listed here are a few of the high manufacturers that we’ve tried: Bobo, RX Bars, Munkpack Nut & Seeds, Kate’s Actual Meals bars, GoMacro, Lara Bar, Bearded Brothers, and Aloha.
Peak Refuel Cookie Dough Bites
I used to be skeptical about these however I’m sort of obsessive about them now! They’ve each Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites and Fudge Brownie Bites.
Nut butter
On a tortilla or straight from the packet, nut butter is a superb addition to path lunches. Our favourite on the JMT was RX Vanilla Almond Butter. Justin’s and TrailButter are different good choices.
Jerky and meat bars
Jerky and meat bars are typically just a little low on energy, however excessive in protein — which is essential for muscle restore. We like Epic Provisions and Wild Zora. On longer multi-day hikes, these are good to eat in the direction of the top of the day to assist your physique restore. Primal Spirit Meals and Louisville Vegan Jerky Co are good vegan choices to attempt.
When you have just a little little bit of expertise utilizing a dehydrator, attempt your hand at making your personal jerky! The flavour mixtures are countless! Right here’s our primary beef jerky recipe, and one for teriyaki beef jerky.
Honey Stinger Waffles
A fast hit of power, Honey Stingers Waffles are a terrific little upkeep snack. Excellent for once you’re feeling just a little low-energy and want just a little further zip to get you up the subsequent hill. They’ve quite a lot of flavors to select from, and a few actually have a little bit of caffeine for an additional little increase.
Vitality Gummies
The stable, chewy type of a gel, there are a number of power gummies like Honey Stinger Chews, Clif Shot Bloks, GU Vitality Chews, and Scratch Lab Chews These are nice to have readily available in the event you ever begin to really feel your self bonking. We consider these as a “Break Glass If In Want of Energy” kind of emergency snack.
Tailwind Vitamin
In the event you’d favor to drink your energy, Tailwind Vitamin is a good way to do it. One serving holds 200 energy together with 50g of carbohydrates, giving your physique some fast power to make use of (nice in the event you really feel your self beginning to hit the wall!).
Peanut Butter Stuffed Pretzels
We love peanut butter-filled pretzels! What mad hatter got here up with the loopy thought, we don’t know. However they’re wonderful. Quinn has quite a lot of flavors value trying out like Maple Almond Butter and basic peanut butter.
Olives
We completely love olives when backpacking. Not solely are they loaded with energy, however they provide a momentary burst of savory refinement that’s laborious to check. Instantaneous morale booster. We’re massive followers of Oloves packable olives, or on shorter journeys we’ll pack some in small zip-top baggage.
Cheese
Exhausting cheese and cheeses which can be individually packaged are nice choices. We additionally LOVE the Dealer Joe’s Baked Cheese Bites in addition to Parmesan or Cheddar Whisps (the latter are a bit much less sturdy although).
Path combine, nuts, and dried fruit
Packing an assortment of path combine, nuts, and dried fruits is a good way to have some calorie boosts readily available to eat whereas mountaineering (there’s a cause GORP has been handed down by the generations!). Our favourite locations for nuts and dried fruit in bulk are Nuts.com and Dealer Joe’s. You will discover a few of our favourite path combine recipes right here.
Drying your personal fruit is a good way to chop prices and benefit from seasonal produce when it’s on sale. We love dried apples, dehydrated bananas, pineapple, and kiwis!
Sweet
The snack we didn’t pack sufficient of for the JMT however we want we did: Sweet! We’re not sweet individuals usually, however the calorie and mid-day sugar increase would have been superior. Black Forest Gummy Bears, Swedish Fish, or Jelly Stomach’s “Sports activities Beans” are all good picks. No matter you choose, make sure that it received’t be too melty.
Backpacking dinners
After a protracted day on the path, probably the greatest issues is taking off your pack, discovering a cushty cease to sit down, and having fun with a scorching dinner! This is the reason it’s so necessary to discover a meal that can finish your day on a cheerful and satisfying be aware.
Whereas there are extra backpacking dinner choices to select from than ever earlier than, our suggestion is to stay to your pre-existing meals preferences. If a meal sounds good to you now, you’ll doubtless like it after a protracted day of mountaineering. However in the event you’re not an adventurous eater at house, then you definitely’re doubtless not going to magically grow to be one on the path.
Right here’s an inventory of a few of the finest backpacking meals manufacturers together with just a few of their top-rated entrees:
Backpacker’s Pantry
Backpacker’s Pantry makes one in all our favourite freeze-dried backpacking meals of all time (Rooster Pad Thai), and their manufacturing line runs 100% on photo voltaic power, which is fairly cool. Listed below are just a few favourite meals:
Farm to Summit
Farm to Summit makes dehydrated backpacking meals with low-impact packaging and seasonal farm-fresh produce. Meals to take a look at:
Good-To-Go
Producing dehydrated meals from high quality elements, Good To-Go has actually expanded its lineup prior to now few years. We’ll be trustworthy, in our private expertise, we’ve had some winner and loser meals from them. Nothing was unhealthy, we simply discovered just a few meals to be tragically undersalted. Meals to take a look at:
Heather’s Alternative
Based mostly in Anchorage, Alaska, Heather’s Alternative makes use of high-quality, complete meals elements to create packable, dehydrated provisions. We have now not personally tried these meals but, however they get good opinions on-line. They’re gluten and dairy-free and have a various vary of flavors. Meals to take a look at:
Mountain Home
The OG of backpacking meals, Mountain Home has been making freeze-dried meals for the reason that Nineteen Seventies. Through the years they’ve developed some absolute basic meals that stay a few of our favorites:
Nomad Vitamin
Based mostly in British Columbia, Canada, Nomad Vitamin presents a wholly plant-based line of dehydrated backpacking meals. Whether or not you’re a vegan, vegetarian, or simply seeking to scale down your meat consumption on the path, this can be a nice firm to look into. Meals to take a look at:
Peak ReFuel
Although they’re comparatively new to the house, Peak ReFuel feels prefer it’s been round for some time. That is perhaps as a result of their founder spent practically a decade within the freeze-dried world earlier than branching out to launch Peak ReFuel. They provide a whole lot of consolation meals classics which can be positive to hit the spot. Meals to take a look at:
Gastro Gnome
Based by a formally skilled chef, Gastro Gnome boasts a menu of legit freeze-dried meals like Indian Yogurt Braised Rooster, Mushroom Ragu Farfalle, Rooster Pozole, and Montana Beef Shepherd’s Pie.
Out of doors Herbivore
Vegetarian and vegan hikers will discover tons of choices at Out of doors Herbivore. The Basil Walnut Penne and Switchback Burrito Stuffer sound nice.
Packit Connoisseur
It is a small firm out of Texas that focuses on dehydrated fare. We’re wanting ahead to attempting the Texas State Truthful Chili, Tortilla Soup, or the Fajita Rooster Burrito on our subsequent journey!
Wild Zora
Based mostly in Colorado, Wild Zora focuses on low-sugar, high-protein, gluten-free, and Paleo backpacking meals. Additionally they supply a line of AIP (autoimmune protocol) meals. When you have any dietary restrictions, this can be a nice firm to take a look at. We’ve heard nice issues concerning the Bedrock Beef Chili.
Avoid wasting money! In the event you purchase 8 or extra backpacking meals at a time from REI, you’ll routinely get a ten% low cost on all of them!
DIY Backpacking Meals
The sky’s the restrict in the event you’re as much as making your personal selfmade meals. Whereas we’ve developed a whole lot of completely different backpacking recipes over there years, we’ll offer you a shortlist of our a few of our favorites meals (ssh, don’t inform the others!):
Dehydrator Recipes:
No Dehydrator Required:
Extra DIY Backcountry Meal Assets:
Grocery retailer backpacking meals concepts
Whether or not you’re making your personal customized meals or searching for a solution to stretch a freeze-dried meal, there are a bunch of store-bought elements you may pack alongside.
Desserts
When growing your backpacking meal plan, desserts completely have a spot! As a particular deal with to mark a notable day, a morale booster after an actual doozy, or only a solution to pad out your dinner’s calorie rely, backpacking desserts are a terrific trick to have within the backside of your bear barrel.
Freeze-dried desserts
There are a selection of freeze-dried dessert choices available on the market, whether or not you like one thing homey like Cinnamon Apple Crisp or Blueberry Peach Crisp, one thing fancy like Creme Brulee, or one thing completely space-age like this Neapolitan Ice Cream.
Treehouse Ingesting Chocolate
In the event you don’t essentially wish to eat dessert, take into account ingesting it! This ingesting chocolate (AKA completely indulgent scorching chocolate) is a completely beautiful solution to wind down at camp.
Nutella
This chocolate hazelnut unfold is full of energy which can be derived largely from fat, making it effectively definitely worth the weight. A scoop right here and there’ll give your physique loads of long-lasting gas to burn. Plus, it’s freaking scrumptious!
Stroopwafels
A scrumptious Dutch deal with, stroopwafels are mushy, toasted waffles full of caramel. They’re loaded with energy and fairly sturdy. Strive spreading just a little Nutella between two of them and make your self an “ice cream” sandwich.
These are a few of our favourite extras so as to add both energy or taste to our meals.
Backpacking Meals Technique
On this part, we’ll dive into every part it’s worthwhile to learn about making a backpacking meal plan—what to search for when selecting meals, packing the correct amount of meals you want, ideas for planning and packing, and some gear ideas.
What makes for good backpacking meals?
There are just a few elements to bear in mind to find out the varieties of meals which can be good for backpacking: shelf-stable, weight, calorie density, and prepare dinner pace.
Shelf-Steady: It’s necessary that the meals might be saved at room temperature. You will get away with bringing some issues like cheese or salami in the event you eat them within the first few days, however for essentially the most half, you wish to skip something perishable.
Light-weight: Since you need to carry it each step of the best way, backpacking meals ought to be as light-weight as attainable. Dehydrated and freeze-dried meals are typically lightest, although there are many on a regular basis grocery retailer gadgets that match the invoice as effectively!
Calorie Dense: Backpacking takes a whole lot of power, so that you want meals that may correctly refuel you. Once we plan our backpacking meals, we attempt to common 125+ energy per ounce to maintain the burden down.
Cooking Time: Take into account how a lot endurance you need to prepare dinner your meals and the way a lot gas you’ll be bringing. We extremely advocate quick-cooking meals which can be simple to organize
How a lot meals do you have to pack for backpacking?
Backpacker journal means that backpackers who plan to hike lengthy days with a heavier pack ought to intention for 25-30 energy per pound of physique weight, per day.
In the event you’re going to do shorter days (lower than 2 hours of mountaineering) or will cowl much less strenuous terrain, you may scale it right down to 21-25 energy per pound of physique weight, per day.
As a substitute of consuming simply three meals per day as you would possibly at house, intention to eat snacks all through the day and eat 30-60 grams of carbohydrates per hour (supply) to maintain your power excessive and forestall you from hitting the proverbial wall.
These, in fact, are simply a place to begin and you need to modify primarily based by yourself expertise.
Learn how to plan meals for backpacking journeys
Meal planning for backpacking journeys is one in all our favourite issues to do! It’s additionally tremendous necessary.
Creating an in depth meal plan not solely ensures you carry sufficient meals in your journey however permits you to see how all of your meals will work collectively. It’s a terrific alternative to construct in selection and double-check that you just’ll be hitting your calorie rely day-after-day.
Listed below are the steps that go into our meal-planning technique:
1.) Work out what number of days your journey shall be and what number of meals you’ll need on the path.
2.) Decide what number of energy per day it’s worthwhile to pack (see the earlier part).
3.) Select your breakfast and dinner for every day. Be aware of what number of energy are in every of those.
4.) Subtract the energy of your breakfast and dinner out of your whole calorie quantity. These are the remaining energy that you just’ll must pack in the best way of snacks, lunch, drink mixes, or dessert. Plan for quite a lot of snacks, protecting in thoughts that to keep away from shedding steam throughout the day, you’ll wish to eat 30-60 grams of carbohydrates per hour as you hike.
Greatest backpacking meal ideas
Packing & meals storage ideas
Favourite backpacking cooking gear
We have now complete posts devoted to backpacking cooking gear and backpacking stoves, however listed here are a few of our favourite gear gadgets to organize your backcountry meals on the path.
In search of extra backpacking meals sources? Take a look at our guides to vegan backpacking meals, gluten-free backpacking meals, these light-weight backpacking recipes, and our final information to dehydrating meals for backpacking!
This publish was first revealed on November 9, 2017, and was up to date in 2024. There are a ton of recent backpacking meals merchandise that we included!