Meal Planning for the Trail
Meal planning is an important part of every backpacking trip. Depending on the number of days you intend to spend on the excursion or the activities you will be doing, you should make a plan before heading out.
A good breakfast is important to get a good start into the day and should provide enough energy and a good source of nutrients. Backpackers need high amounts of energy to kick start their demanding day (if they are going for strenuous hikes).
A good breakfast could include some of the following: Grits, dark chocolate, Bagels, tea or instant coffee.
Timing: It’s ideal to have breakfast directly after waking up so you can get in some early miles.
Snacks are delicious small amounts of food either processed or homemade that are carried on a hike and eaten in-between meals. Healthy snacks, on the other hand, help you cover extra miles. Some healthy and delicious snack examples are: Granola, peanuts & other nuts, and trail mix (dried fruits and nuts).
Timing: Take snacks every few hours to have enough energy throughout the day.
Lunch is a light midday meal between breakfast and dinner. A good lunch should contain minerals, fat, carbohydrates, proteins, and a mixture of vitamins. Hummus, instant noodles, couscous, and hard-boiled eggs make a good lunch during most hikes.
Timing: Midday lunch can be eaten anytime during a pause while you’re hiking..
Dinner is the main meal of the day that is taken either a few hours after midday or in the evening. A good hiking dinner should contain vegetables, protein, grains, and healthy fat. Beef Jerky & Dried meat, Tuna, rice, and lentils are good items to include in a nutritious and healthy dinner.
Fruits are also important sources of nutrients. Good examples are peach, oranges, mango, apple and berries. It’s good practice to bring some fresh fruits for the first days for longer hikes even though they have a bad calorie/weight ratio and dried fruits for the rest.
Timing: Eat fruits as a snack between meals, or before/after lunch or dinner.
Backpacking Food Tips
Space-saving tip
If you are planning to pack different amounts of the same food/snack, use one re-sealable bag to store different types of food. Re-sealable bags will take up less space and you will have more room to pack other backpacking accessories.
Use natural honey instead of sugar
Honey is a natural remedy that can heal burns and wounds during an excursion. It can also be used as a medicine. Sugar can increase the heart rate when hiking causing fatigue or blood pressure.
In fact, without honey, you should consider brown sugar. Brown sugar can be either partially refined or unrefined at all.
Always stay hydrated
Drinking plenty of water helps your body regulate its temperature and maintain other bodily functions. You should carry along plenty of clean drinking water if you plan on trekking on dry terrain like deserts or during the hot season.
The amount of water you need depends on the temperature, weather, the difficulty of the hike and elevation gain. Be prepared by knowing where to find water sources during longer hikes and plan carefully to never run out.
Food Safety Practices
Good food practice includes storage, food disposal, and washing cooking utensils among other dynamics.
Here is what to know before and during a backpacking trip:
- Wash your hands regularly before having any meal
When out hiking, you will always touch different things. From trees to different plant species, you can even touch a poisonous plant that will affect your hiking experience. So, you need to wash your hands thoroughly before touching or preparing any food.
- Cook food according to their correct cooking temperatures
- Perishable food should not be taken under extreme temperatures
- Correctly dispose of leftovers and leave no trace!
