Meal Planning for Lightweight Backpacking

Backpacking is a great way to get away from it all, especially when you're going out for a multi-day trip. But many inexperienced backpackers make the mistake of trying to pack all the comforts of home with them when they hit the trail. And one of the main culprits is food. Most of us are so used to having a full refrigerator, a well-stocked pantry, and pizza delivery only a phone call away, that the idea that you can survive on your own with only a few pounds of food seems a bit scary.

Many are the times that I've seen novice backpackers staggering down the trail with a grossly over laden pack filled to the brim with unessential items. Once they set up camp they're anxious to cut down on the weight they're carrying by sharing the incredible amount of food they've packed. Packs open, and cookies, potato chips, canned fruit, and even cans of beer start coming out. I don't mind sharing the goodies, but I'm sure glad I'm not toting the load over the mountains.

Ideal attributes for backpacking food

When considering what to pack along during your trip it's important to consider these factors: weight, nutritional value, and durability. Price may also be an issue, especially if you're supplying yourself for a long trip. I like to keep the cost of my trips reasonable, which is why I've never used freeze-dried "backpacking" meals or MREs and the like. They're too expensive for my liking.

I like to plan my food supply by keeping the attributes I mentioned before in mind and then picking foods to satisfy my meals and other nutritional needs for the day -- that is, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and beverages. Let's look at what works for me for each of these meals, along with some tips on the best way to pack the foods. I always take a small backpacking stove with me, and carry only a single small pan and a cup to prepare and eat my meals, so the foods I select have to be simple and easy to prepare.

Breakfast

There's nothing like instant oatmeal to start the day. It's filling and satisfying, especially if it's a cold morning outside. Best of all it packs a lot of nutrition into a small package. Just toss a few of the packets into your food bag and you're ready to go. One or two packs are enough to start the day off right.

Lunch

At lunch you want something that's easy to prepare but filling. I like to pack tortillas or pita bread, and put peanut butter on them. There's plenty of protein in peanut butter, it's cheap, and you can also just eat it right out of the jar if you want a snack. For a little variety, pack some cheddar cheese. It stays good for days, even in warm weather. Add some pepperoni, and you've got a tasty meat and cheese sandwich that will give you plenty of energy. Plan on 2-3 tortillas or 1-2 pitas for a meal.

Dinner

The big meal of the day deserves something special. Lipton or Knorr's noodle meals hit the spot for me. All you have to do to prepare them is to boil some water and toss it in. Don't worry about any extra ingredients the directions may call for -- you don't need anything else. A nice alternative is Kraft mac and cheese. Like the noodle meals, it packs a lot of calories and is easy to make. To save space and weight, take these out of their pouches and pack them in ziplock baggies. You'll have less trash to carry out when you're done.

You can add more to these meals by mixing in tuna or chicken. They're both available in vacuum packs now, much lighter than the old tuna cans. Mix it in to your meal -- you'll eat it all and enjoy it after a long day hiking.

Snacks

Hiking burns a lot of calories, so feel free to snack. Snickers bars are an old-school favorite among backpackers. They're durable and tasty. I usually pack one or two for each day I'm out, though sometimes I like to substitute Clif Bars in their place.

Beverages

Drinking water all day gets boring. For a change of pace, pack some powdered drink mix and mix it with your water. I need my daily caffeine, so I pack instant coffee in a plastic bag for a morning pick-me-up. Tea bags are lightweight and a nice cup of hot tea is just the ticket after a long day or on a cool evening.

If you want something a little stronger to drink, buy a plastic flask for your favorite potent potable. My favorite? A little sipping whiskey. Mix it with some spring water and kick back when you sit by the campfire. Just the thing to celebrate your escape from civilization!