Best Backpacking Food – What should I take?

Black Beans & Rice Recipe is here . While we make most of our own meals, there are some simple and healthy freeze-dried meals like thisthat we do use. We doctor it up into one of our favorite dinners by adding grated cheddar cheese and corn chips.

How much food should I take?

It is actually quite straight forward. Here is a primer on: “How to calculate your pounds of food per day.” You can probably save more weight on food than almost anything if you follow the primer!

My nutritious food weighs about 30% less than a typical backpacker’s food. This could save me 5 pounds or more of food on a trip (my 11 lbs of food for a 7-day trip vs. a typical backpacker’s 16 lbs ).

This could save me 5 pounds or more of food on a trip (my of food for a 7-day trip vs. a typical backpacker’s ). How many pounds of food per day? Although it may vary, the short answer is around 1.5 lb/day for 2-5 day shorter mileage trips. The majority of the clients I guide for trips up to 5 days get by fine on around 1.5 lb/day. The slightly longer answer is 1.4 to 1.7 lb/day for backpackers covering 10+ miles a day or for trips up to a week long.

A good target to balance calories and nutrition is 120 to 125 calories per ounce of food. In comparison, most backpackers don’t average above 100 cal/oz for their food.

Maintain nutrition: Try to get the most calories per weight in your food but not at the expense of a poor diet. You want a balance of protein, carbohydrates, healthy fats, fiber, vitamins & other nutrients.

Some quick ways to reduce food weight – but still eat healthily!

Take calorie dense but nutritious food . As noted, food at 125 calories per ounce will weigh 30% less than a typical backpacker’s food for the same calories and probably has better nutrition.

. As noted, food at 125 calories per ounce will weigh 30% less than a typical backpacker’s food for the same calories and probably has better nutrition. Don’t carry extra food : The standard advice to carry an extra day of food is not as set in stone as others profess. I figure I can make it at least 3 days without any food. (I’ve had to do this before and feel comfortable with my choice.) This is not a recommendation for others to do the same. You’ll have to make your own decision on extra food. Maybe bring just a bit less extra food on your next trip.

: The standard advice to carry an extra day of food is not as set in stone as others profess. I figure I can make it at least 3 days without any food. (I’ve had to do this before and feel comfortable with my choice.) This is not a recommendation for others to do the same. You’ll have to make your own decision on extra food. Maybe bring just a bit less extra food on your next trip. How to “Skip” one day of food: I eat a huge breakfast or lunch before I start hiking the first day and I eat a huge meal when I get out. By boosting my off trail calories on the first and last day I eliminate carrying a whole day’s worth of food in my pack. So for a weekend trip (three days and two nights) I might carry 3 to 4 pounds of food. That’s about 1/2 the weight of the standard recommendation of 2 lb per day + an extra day’s food = 8 pounds.

Getting Protein

Getting protein is always a challenge on the trail. A creative strategy of cheese, powdered milk, powdered soy protein, nuts, whole grains, dried beans, and the healthier high-protein trail/energy bars (and dried meats if you aren’t veggie) will get you most of the way there.

The protein in these meats along with cheese will complement the proteins in grains (rice, grape nuts, crackers, grains in energy bars, etc.) and other vegetable protein sources like soy and dried beans. Many dried types of meat like the hard-dry salami are also high in fat, increasing your calories per ounce.

Bison Jerky is another backpacking favorite of mine.

What types of food should I take for each meal?

Snacks | Best Backpacking Food

Breakfasts

Whole Fat Powdered Milk : *Nestle Nido is a staple in my backpacking diet. This whole-fat powdered milk is 140 calories per ounce and tastes great. It can usually be found at Hispanic markets or online. I also use it to mix my own hot chocolate, as well as add it to breakfast cereals. Powdered milk is an animal protein that will complement vegetable proteins like soybeans and grains. And, it’s wonderful in coffee. In addition to the Nido, I add a scoop or two of Plain Soy Protein Powder (cheaper when you buy it at TJs!) for additional protein (vegan) in my breakfasts.

: *Nestle Nido is a staple in my backpacking diet. This whole-fat powdered milk is 140 calories per ounce and tastes great. It can usually be found at Hispanic markets or online. I also use it to mix my own hot chocolate, as well as add it to breakfast cereals. Powdered milk is an animal protein that will complement vegetable proteins like soybeans and grains. And, it’s wonderful in coffee. In addition to the Nido, I add a scoop or two of Plain Soy Protein Powder (cheaper when you buy it at TJs!) for additional in my breakfasts. Whole Grain Cereals : I usually alternate between two breakfast cereals mixed with Nestle Nido whole-fat powdered milk and soy protein powder. Grape Nuts or the similar Kashi Seven Nuggets in the morning with freeze-dried strawberries or other dried or freeze-dried fruits. Whole grain muesli (the high-quality organic sort like Bob’s Red Mill Muesli) mixed with dried cherries, dates, strawberries, and raspberries (dried or freeze-dried), dried blueberries, walnuts, and almonds, etc.

: I usually alternate between two breakfast cereals mixed with Nestle Nido whole-fat powdered milk and soy protein powder.

Caffeine

Caffeine is important! Nothing can get folks grumpier and harder to get along with than not getting their caffeine the way they like it.

Coffee: Those that prefer coffee may choose to use Starbucks VIA packets (which have pretty much taken over backcountry coffee). Downside to the VIA is that it is expensive, but can be as little as $0.72 per cup at Amazon!

Those that prefer coffee may choose to use Starbucks VIA packets (which have pretty much taken over backcountry coffee). Downside to the VIA is that it is expensive, but can be as little as For better and less expensive coffee , although heavier and more fuss, use a * MSR MugMateTM Coffee/Tea Filter The brewing technique suspends the gold filter in the mug. From there, add the coffee then slowly pour boiling water in allowing it to drain through the filter with each pouring. At the end, you will have water almost to the brim of the mug, and the filter mostly submerged in the water. After 3-4 minutes slowly pull the filter out of the mug allowing it to fully drain. You may wish to top the cup up with more hot water after removing the filter. This will be a full rich cup of coffee similar to a french press.

, although heavier and more fuss, use a * Tea: I make loose leaf tea, connoisseur style. See the Tea Section. Real tea doesn’t need to be ground, keeps longer, and is easier to clean up (with the exception of SB Via). Teabags are a less complicated alternative if they are in individually sealed envelopes, and are reasonably fresh.

I make loose leaf tea, connoisseur style. See the Tea Section. Real tea doesn’t need to be ground, keeps longer, and is easier to clean up (with the exception of SB Via). Teabags are a less complicated alternative if they are in individually sealed envelopes, and are reasonably fresh. No Stove Caffeine: The no-stove alternative is chocolate-covered-coffee-beans. Yum!

Dinners

For most meals try to make your own simple dinners based on ingredients like instant rice, freeze-dried beans, whole wheat couscous (my favorite and from TJ’s), or instant mashed potatoes

Freeze-dried dinners can be tasty, but most are bulky, expensive, extremely high in sodium and low in caloric density. It is probably best to minimize their use on a trip unless 1) you really like them 2) want hot dinners, and/or 3) are very limited on time and inclination for pre-trip food prep

If you need to take freeze dried meals, try to use the simpler meals that are lower in sodium and higher in fat (e.g. Backpackers Pantry Mac and Cheese JustTomatoes.com

If you are limited in pack volume (e.g. using a bear canister, or just a very full pack) freeze-dried meals may not be a good choice. Taking them out of their Mylar packaging and putting them in quart, heavy-duty, freezer baggies will help reduce volume. (Once you do this tho they will not keep for years like the mylar sealed ones.)

Most of my dinners get a liberal dose of hot pepper flakes or ground cayenne pepper. I also use Dave’s Insanity Sauce

I rehydrate many of my meals by pouring hot water directly into a quart baggie that contains the dinner. I wait for 10-20 minutes and share the meal with my partner using long-handled spoons. When you are done eating, zip up the baggie, and KP is complete!

If you are doing the rehydrate in the bag, you may consider a Anti-Gravity Gear Cozy.

Hot Chocolate: I make my own with Ghirardelli Double Chocolate mix and Nestle Nido. High in calories and delicious! [4 Tbsp cocoa mix + ~¼ cup Nido]

Miscellaneous

I do not bring vitamin supplements. I believe that well-selected foods should provide ample nutrition.

Fresh food, although attractive, is not a good choice. It weighs a ton and doesn’t keep well. I don’t take it, even for the first day.

Canned foods. A disaster! Why carry a metal can around with you? Ultra-low caloric density and you have to carry the empty can back out. Ouch! The exception is tuna in foil packets but only if it is packed in oil.

Cooking and Stoves

See: Best Backpacking Stove Systems

For green reasons, I am not fond of non-refillable, non-recyclable canister stoves. When I solo on short trips, I may skip the stove, eat cold food, and take caffeine pills for my morning buzz (or make cold powdered milk and instant coffee shake). Not cooking limits my food choices but makes for speedy meals on the trail and simplifies pre-trip preparation.

*Trail Designs Caldera Cone Stove System : Since the introduction of greener, easy to use, extremely efficient, and very light alcohol stoves, I have warmed to stoves and usually take one—even when I solo.

: Since the introduction of greener, easy to use, extremely efficient, and very light alcohol stoves, I have warmed to stoves and usually take one—even when I solo. One of the advantages of the Trail Designs Caldera is that I can light it and leave it unattended while I perform camp chores.

How to make Backcountry Tea (loose-leaf, connoisseur style)

Backcountry Tea using the Trail Designs Caldera Cone Stove cooking system