You’ve just hiked twelve miles in not-so-favorable weather with about 20 lbs of gear on your back. A meal is probably just about the only thing on your very hungry mind. Let’s dive into some different types of meal options when in the great outdoors: 

 

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Types of backcountry meals

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There are several questions you might have about backcountry cooking. Let’s get right to it: 

 

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HOW MUCH FOOD SHOULD I BRING? ​

 

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• The general rule of thumb is 1.5 to 2.5 pounds of food per person per day - obviously this is dependent on the amount of calories on your menu

  • Depending on your level of activity, you should be packing anywhere between 2,500 to 4,000 calories per day as a rough estimate 

• You’ll be doing a lot more exercise at once than your body is used to (at least for most of us) -- hiking tens of miles per day means consuming more calories than normal 

  • Packing lots of high calorie food will make sure your body is getting the nourishment it needs → nut butters, nuts, oils, etc. all make accomplishing this a little bit easier 

  • AKA the more calorie dense your meals per ounce, the lighter your pack will be 

 

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what are some backpacking meals I could bring? ​

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• Dry backpacking

  • Breakfast: granola + powdered milk; tortillas with peanut butter, Nutella, and/or honey, bagels & peanut butter; muffins/ high calorie pound cakes

  • Lunch: tuna/ chicken salad pita pockets (you can bring individual deli-packets of mayo); PB&J pita pockets/ bagels; hard salami w/ hard cheese (cheddar, edam, etc.); beef jerky

  • Dinner: any of the above^; instant refried beans; cold soups; dehydrated veggies 

  • Snacks: trail mix; energy bars; dried fruits; dehydrated hummus + chips; seeds; pop tarts; some fresh veggies hold great on trail for a day or two (broccoli, bell peppers, carrots); plantain chips; baguettes!

  • Drinks: Gatorade powders, Mio, instant coffee (cold obviously)

  • Extra calories: olive oil; coconut oil; candy (sometimes it’s good to have a few treats after a long day) 

• Cold-soaking 

  • Oatmeal; muesli; couscous; rice medlies; pastas/ ramens; curries

• Wet backpacking 

  • Any of the above^; instant mashed potatoes; pepperoni; spam; mac ‘n cheese; bouillon cubes; other pre-made dehydrated meals 

  • Drinks: instant coffee; teas

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GENERAL TIPS ​

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• Pre-made dehydrated backpacking meals are a great way to mix things up on trail, but can get a little pricey 

  • Consider getting a mix of no-cook meals and pre-made dehydrated meals to balance your own personal preferences and your budget 

• Just because you’re in the backcountry doesn’t mean that your taste preferences magically go away: try to pack a variety of flavors, textures, and consistencies so you don’t get too bored on longer trips 

• Consider meals eaten at the trailhead before you embark on your trip, as well as meals to be eaten after you get back

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Check out this presentation on Backcountry Cookin' for more tips & tricks: here

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AUTHOR: Sammy Womack

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