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Packing food for backpacking can be a difficult task. You want to make sure that you’re getting the nutrition that your body needs, but you’ll also want to be sure to bring items that are lightweight, so as to not weigh down your pack. Here are some examples of food to bring backpacking!
Breakfast
- Instant Oatmeal – I love a pack of oatmeal with some peanut butter mixed in!
- Granola Bars – Any kind you want!
- Dehydrated Breakfast – There are several brands out there but this is my favorite!
Lunch
- Jerky – Any kind, any flavor. It’s just such a versatile meal. I’ve discovered bacon jerky and it’s now a favorite!
- Applesauce pouch – The freshness of fruit is great when you’ve been on the trail all day. It always hits the spot! There’s also all sorts of flavored applesauces now so you can get a variety and never get tired of them!
- Tortillas – These are a staple when backpacking. You can spread peanut butter on them or eat with a pack of tuna or chicken! Use these for anything you would normally put on bread or crackers.
- Peanut Butter – To go on your tortilla or just to eat by the spoonful. I love having a banana and peanut butter wrapped in a tortilla on the first day.
- Chicken and Tuna packets – These are something that people either love or hate. I personally love the amount of protein and calories that I can get for so little weight. There’s so many flavors that you can get if you get bored of the plan but they all work great to eat with a tortilla or straight out of the pouch!
- Hard Cheeses – Go for the hard cheeses because they will survive a few days in your backpack as opposed to soft cheeses. I’ve taken Baby-bels and eaten them the first day and even mozzarella sticks will last a couple days without being refrigerated.
Dinner
There are just so many options for dinners! Some people prefer to dehydrate their own food an bring it. For me personally, I’d rather just get some stuff at the store and save time. Here are several meals that you can get at the grocery store:
- Ramen Noodles – These are great because they’re so cheap and so flavorful. I usually put just enough water in the pot to cook the noodles and then eat it straight from the pot. Always delicious and satisfying.
- Instant Mashed Potatoes – For me, these packages are just too much food. Unless you’re thru-hiking and have hiker hunger, I just can’t eat this much. A lot of people love them though so that’s why I’m adding it.
- Rice/Pasta Sides – Another great option for some variety. Just add to boiling water and you have some great sides for dinner.
- Tuna/Chicken packets – Just like for lunch, these can be a quick and easy dinner option.
- Spam packets – Hear me out! I felt the same way you probably did too but I had this at camp at a few times after frying it up in my pot before cooking something else and it was delicious and then adds more flavor to whatever side dish I’m cooking!
- Jerky – Another easy go-to from the lunch list. If you’re one who prefers
- Freeze Dried Meals – There are a variety of brands, including Mountain House, Peak Refuel, Good To-Go and Backpacker’s Pantry. Each brand also has a variety of flavors available. These are great because you just add hot water to the pouch, seal it, and let it cook for 10-20 minutes. Easy!!
- Baby Food – Again, hear me out! I haven’t tried this yet but I figure that if applesauce in a pouch can be good and refreshing, why wouldn’t we try some veggies in a pouch? There’s so many nutrients that can be difficult to get in your diet when backpacking since the concern is weight. I’ve been tempted to try to take some veggies in a pouch and may try some for my next trip!
Snacks
In addition to your meals, you may need some snacks to help push you through your adventure. These can be anything that helps fuel you, such as:
- Raisins
- Nuts
- Trail Mix
- Energy/Protein bars
- Candy
Another important thing to think about it how much water you’re drinking while out there. You should be drinking at least 1 liter per hour, more if it’s hot out. Water can get boring when it’s all you have and you’ve already drunk so much. You may want to consider taking some flavored water enhancer. I’ve seen different brands including Mio and Kool-Aid, but there are others out there, including the store brands which taste exactly the same.
Just have fun with it!
Packing food for your trip doesn’t have to be difficult. Pick what sounds good to you and have fun with it! Keep in mind the weight of your food, as that will be the heaviest thing in your pack, but go with what you know you’ll eat. Don’t pick something just because it’s lightweight but you don’t like it. Chances are, you won’t end up eating it and then your body won’t have the fuel that it needs to continue on!
I hope this post helped. Was there anything on here that was new to you? Did I miss anything?
Need more? Take a look at some of my other posts!