Hiking and backpacking are all about having fun and joy along with your family and friends. One should always plan such trips to get some me-time from their stressful and hectic routine. Mentally and physically the human body needs some rest and peace so I strongly recommend you to go on any family trip like camping and hiking.
Hiking and Backpacking Meal Suggestions
Outdoor activities and trips such as hiking and backpacking require smart planning. Packing for any occasion is such a hassle, especially for long trips. One of the complex parts of these trips is food. We all know the fact that we can’t carry everything with us and mostly we are stuck between multiple things and can’t make any clear decision about it. Most importantly when it comes to food, a number of people get confused about which meals are best for taking them on hiking and backpacking that remain fresh and the same without a refrigerator. Sometimes camp cooking becomes so problematic and you can not expect it to be as easy as cooking at your home. Another point is that you are not going camping to cook so don’t waste your time when you have the availability of campsite comfort, no-cook meals; be it breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Below are the best meal suggestions for your hiking and backpacking breakfast, lunch, dinner, and other snacks that require no refrigeration.
Hiking/Backpacking Breakfast without refrigeration
Breakfast is the most important meal, every individual needs a kick to start their day thus a healthy breakfast is essential.
Morning drinks:
The first much-needed thing that every person asks for is morning tea and coffee. Personally, I can’t imagine my day beginning without these two things.
Bars:
Protein bars are the best form of protein to take. Many bars are available in the market, so get some for yourself too. The best bars to take with you for camping are Probar, Ivanbar, Luna, kind, Larabar, Clif Bar, and bobos. These bars are so healthy and full of nutrition.
Pop-Tarts:
Pop-tarts are toaster pastries. They are delicious in taste and an easy breakfast treat.
Granola & Cereal:
The most convenient and everyone’s favorite sort of breakfast is Bear Naked granola and cereals. Bear-naked foods are made with whole ingredients. The amount of fiber is great in their instant cereals and granola. They are variants of trail mix, you can mix and match flavors according to your taste. These instant oatmeals are never gone wrong as a breakfast for backpacking as there is no need to cook them. Just pack some dry fruits with yourself to sprinkle them on your cereal.
Powdered Milk:
On camping, milk is also an essential ingredient for making coffee, and tea and adding it to cereals. For hiking and backpacking powdered or dry milk is the best substitute for the liquid form of milk. It also occupies less space and is of less weight. So don’t forget to keep Nido powdered milk in your bag.
Breakfast Drink Mix Packets:
Carnation breakfast essential drinks are best as an instant drink for breakfast. Purchase some rich milk chocolate and count box drink mix packets for a nutritious drink. Just pour a packet of the mix in some water and boom, the drink is ready.
Nuts And Seeds:
Nuts and seeds are so powerful. For such tiring activities as hiking and backpacking when you have to pack some instant energetic food for you then [1] almonds, peanuts, walnuts, etc. Here are many more best options for hiking breakfast: bread, butter, and other baked items. For a richer breakfast intake buy some almond butter packets and peanut butter packets. They are protein-packed nut butter and for a single serving.
Hiking/Backpacking Lunch without Refrigeration
Bagels Or Tortillas:
After breaky in the morning, it’s time to fill up your stomach with the yummiest Thomas bagels that are crispy from the outside, chewy and soft from the inside. Bagels with peanut butter and almond butter are the best combo. Not only are bagels Mission tortillas are also healthy for lunch you can make wraps of tortillas.
Hard meats and hard cheese:
If you are a meat and cheese lover then get the best hard meats from Applegate. Their best-selling products are salami and summer sausage. Also, meat and cheese are full of proteins and are considered a healthy backpacking lunch meal. Parmesan hard cheese and romano are the most popular cheese types.
Other lunch meal ideas for hiking and backpacking:
To keep it light you should try honey and tortillas. Spread the honey on the tortilla and yum. The taste is of great worth. To serve your sweet tooth, Nature Nate’s jellies are the best option. Again if you want to have a rich lunch then pack some Starkist tuna or chicken in foil packets and to enhance the meal buy small condiment packets of mayo garlic and mustard sauce and enjoy your fish and chicken with them.
Hiking/Backpacking Dinner without Refrigeration
Dinner, the last meal of the day which should be moderate, means not too heavy nor too light to have a good sleep. After a long and tiring day, your body and even your taste buds need rich and healthy food to boost up your energy level and stamina. Pack the best food that requires no refrigeration are chicken dumplings, beef stroganoff, chili mac, and biscuits with gravy. You might agree with me that these frozen dried dinners are best to have. Other options for instant cooking are mashed potatoes, ramen noodles, soup, and a quick mac n cheese. If you would like to have a proper comfy dinner just like at home, you can pack some pre-boiled rice and pasta along with chicken or tuna packets according to your taste or desire. In case you are a vegetarian then don’t worry, put some dehydrated vegetables in your backpack.
Snacks:
For munching on any trip like camping, hiking, and backpacking snacks are mandatory. Whether you eat your meals properly or not everyone in your group always asks for snacks. For healthy munching these snacks are best which include fruit leather strips, and crackers are also nutritious. Try Triscuits, goldfish, and ritz crackers. If there are kids in your group, it may be anytime they start craving candies, so for them pack a small separate pouch of chocolates(snickers, almond and peanut chocolate, and MnMs).
Some other smart hiking and backpacking food ideas:
When you are going camping, backpacking, and hiking the whole aim of the trip is to enjoy at the fullest and spend your maximum time with your family and friends or around nature. So whenever you are going on such trips try to avoid doing unnecessary chores, for instance, many people go to mountains and farmhouses with their families but instead of spending time with them, they start doing cooking, cleaning, and other chores. To counter the cooking part now in the market there is a huge variety of shelf-stable and nutritious meals that are the best option for long trips. To keep your diet high and rich on the trip buy chicken, tuna, and salmon packets. If you can’t afford them you can also try beef jerky and dried meat.
For a healthy and nutritious breakfast granola, protein bars, nuts, and instant oatmeal are the go-to breakfast meals for everyone. In beverages, don’t go with too many varieties, pack tea and coffee packets and serve your kids with hot chocolate. To kill your hunger quickly with some healthy food then try some portion cheese. In my opinion, always go with the instant meal products that get ready just by adding warm water to it.
To add cherry topping to your food it would be great if you pack some spices and other condiments with you. Avoid canned foods and alcohol if you don’t know how to dehydrate food, there are hundreds of food dehydration DIYs available on the internet.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
To help you decide how much food to bring when you are going for a hike and backpacking here are answers to some frequently asked questions:
How many days will you be out?
The amount and quantity of your food depend on some factors. The first factor is how many days you are going on hiking, backpacking, or any other trip. One main thing to consider is that we can’t take any type of food that expires without a refrigerator. Avoid all kinds of perishable foods that have a limited shelf life. You are not going there for your whole life, so don’t pack unnecessary stuff, otherwise, your backpacks will become a burden for you.
What is the size of your group?
While answering the above question I have mentioned that there are some factors on which quantity of your food is dependent. Taking the right amount of food with you on hiking and backpacking is important and also a hassle. However, the quantity of food also depends on the number of your group members as every individual’s appetite and taste buds are different. Also, there will be more bags per head. There are several shelf-stable nutritious food options for health-conscious backpackers that require no refrigeration.
What does your day look like?
Hiking and backpacking are some of the best activities out there to escape from the chaos of this world and get some fresh air in the open area. You should focus more on what to wear on hiking rather than just focusing on the hiking essentials and gear. Although both things are important, never expect pity from the weather. Appropriate clothing for hiking is very important to make your hiking joyful and comfortable. Moreover, you need to wear T-shirts, insulating jackets or waterproof jackets, hats, socks, hiking boots, underwear, gaiters, gloves, and neck protection. Choose your clothes according to the weather conditions. If you are going in extreme winters, you must wear multiple layers inside your jacket.
What Kind of Food Should I Take for Backpacking Trips?
Backpacking is an exciting way to explore the world, however, carrying everything with you is impossible. As backpacking and hiking require lots of energy and stamina to maintain your energy level, fortunately, there is a list of some shelf-stable and nutritious meals that are a great option for health-conscious backpackers. No matter how much longer your trip is, choosing the right portable and nutritious food is the best way to fuel yourself. Here is the list of healthiest meals and snacks for travelers and backpackers.
● Nuts, seeds, and dried fruit
● Jerky
● Nut butter
● Dehydrated meals
● Protein bars
● Instant oatmeal
● Powdered milk, coffee, and tea
● Preserved meat, fish, and poultry in foil packets
● Hard cheese
● Beans and whole grains
● Spices.
What Food Should I Eat Before Starting a Hike?
The night before your hike try to eat carbs that will keep you energized. Here is the list of the whole diets that you should take before a strenuous hike:
● Drink lots of water to keep yourself hydrated.
● Take a combination of proteins and carbs in your diet.
● Greek yogurt with berries.
● Oatmeal with milk and nuts
● A handful of nuts and raisins
● Apple and peanut butter
● Protein bars
Not just eating these things before the hike is good for you but also doing a walk twice or thrice in a week, increasing your heart rate, and trying to walk in those shoes that you will wear on your hike. All these things before the hike will be helpful to you.
Food is love, no one can deny this fact. We all need a proper amount of proteins and other nutrients in our daily lives. So, Have you ever analyzed how much extra energy your body requires for hiking and backpacking activities? If yes then good for you in case you don’t know then this article is a complete guide for you. Above we have shared a huge variety of meals that require no refrigeration and are suitable for camping, hiking, and backpacking. Hope so this article might help you.