Planning backpacking is a bit of a challenging task, but with a little research and consideration for the details of your trip, you will be able to pack the right foods for excellent nutrition. Here are just five tips for planning backpacking meals that will help you make the most of your precious pack space and get the energy you need.
1. Pay attention to calories
When you’re hiking for long hours every day, you’ll need to eat plenty of calories to compensate for all that expended energy. Depending on your weight and how much you’re exerting yourself each day, you’ll likely need to eat between 3,000 and 5,000 calories. Include high calorie foods, like nuts, peanut butter, and granola.
You should also be sure to get a variety of calories in your diet. Foods with higher fat contents tend to have more calories, but complex carbohydrates and proteins provide you with energy.
2. Bring lightweight foods
You may be carrying several days worth of food along with all of your other supplies, so choose lightweight foods whenever possible. Dry foods like rice and pasta are good lightweight options. You can also repackage foods into smaller resealable baggies to reduce bulkiness.
3. Include no-cook meals
While it’s always nice to cook dinner on the stove and enjoy a hot meal, you should be prepared with some no-cook backpacking meals. If you are experiencing a problem with your stove or are running low on water or fuel, you need to be able to prepare a meal without it. Peanut butter with crackers or tortillas is a good no-cook option. You can also bring plenty of dry snacks like trail mix or cereal. These foods will also be much easier and faster to prepare.
4. Bring some fresh foods
While most fresh fruits and vegetables will take up too much space in your pack and go bad quickly, some will last a little longer and can be a great fresh treat on the trail. Carrots, avocados, and apples are good options to bring along on your backpacking trip, and carry a significant amount of water to keep you hydrated on the trail.
5. Find a variety
There are a lot of considerations when planning backpacking meals, but you should also make sure you’ll enjoy the foods you bring. Pasta or rice every night may be easy and filling, but you don’t want to get sick of eating the same foods every day. Plan at least four or five different dinners, and bring multiple options for breakfast, lunch, and snacks.
Related articles: 3 Camping Meals You Can Make Without a Stove, 3 Simple Dutch Oven Mexican Recipes, 3 Easy Vegetarian Camping Meals
Featured Image from Kaylin Pacheco/Unsplash
