How to Plan a Backpacking Menu
Lunch on the Northville Placid Trail - NY - July 2015
Backpacking is an activity that burns calories like few others. Moving with a pack up to 30 pounds for six to eight or more hours a day isn’t easy to keep up with. The calculators below will help you determine your caloric needs. Calculated based on the Harris-Benedict equation for BMR and METs Calculator. I used a METs of 6.5, which calculates calories burned only while actually hiking. I based the BMR calculation on the numbers of a sedentary person since we are accounting for being on the move most of the day already. As you start calculating, you’ll see your caloric needs will be almost impossible to reach, so this approximation should suffice.
Calories are a key metric to keep in mind while you’re hiking, but the ratio of fats, carbs and protein you eat is also important. Use the number of calories from above to get an idea of your macronutrient needs in the calculator below. Source of macronutrient data.
Quick link to Menu Planner
Here’s some ideas on how to get there.
Breakfast
| Product | Protein/g | Fat/g | Carbs/g | Cal/g |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| My Protein Weight Gainer Blend | 0.27 | 0.06 | 0.52 | 3.65 |
| My Protein Impact Whey Protein | 0.80 | 0.06 | 0.00 | 4.00 |
| Carnation Instant Breakfast | 0.00 | 0.14 | 0.75 | 3.61 |
| Nido Instant Whole Milk Powder | 0.23 | 0.30 | 0.37 | 5.33 |
| MCT Oil | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 9.00 |
Example:
2 scoops My Protein Weight Gainer Blend (60g), 2 scoops My Protein Impact Whey Protein(60g), 1 scoop Nido Instant Whole Milk Powder (30g), 2 packets Carnation Instant Breakfast, 1 oz MCT oil
| Breakfast | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight (g) | |||||
| Product | Protein/g | Fat/g | Carbs/g | Cal/g | |
| My Protein Weight Gainer Blend | 0.27 | 0.06 | 0.52 | 3.65 | 60 |
| My Protein Impact Whey Protein | 0.80 | 0.06 | 0.00 | 4.00 | 60 |
| Nido Instant Whole Milk Powder | 0.23 | 0.30 | 0.37 | 5.33 | 30 |
| Carnation Instant Breakfast | 0.00 | 0.14 | 0.75 | 3.61 | 72 |
| MCT Oil | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 9.00 | 28 |
| Weight (g) | 250 | Ounces | 8.82 | ||
| Protein (g) | 71.1 | ||||
| Fat (g) | 54.28 | ||||
| Carbs (g) | 96.3 | ||||
| Calories | 878.82 | cal/g | 3.52 |
A good amount of nutrition in liquid form. I find I feel better even after long, tough days if I drink this. Add some instant coffee in there and you’ve got hiker jet fuel. Drink over the course of two to three hours. I use about 2 liters of waters with the mix.
Caffeine Break along the Long Path - NY - July 2015
I drink a half-liter of water with Mio Energy in it first thing in the morning. The quick jolt of caffeine gets me going in the morning.
Lunch/Snacks
Small town resupply - Glen, NH - September 2020
I like stuff that’s easy to eat while hiking, but I sit down and make a lunch. I won’t bother with lunch recipes. Here are some things I enjoy carrying. Be creative. Make your own combinations and mix them up to get at least a little variety in your diet. It’s healthier to eat more nuts and dried fruits than candy bars, but I can only handle so much GORP and I don’t even want to look at a Clif bar. Do what works for you.
| Product | Protein/g | Fat/g | Carbs/g | Cal/g |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fritos | 0.07 | 0.32 | 0.54 | 5.20 |
| Pita | 0.09 | 0.02 | 0.56 | 2.75 |
| Tortillas | 0.06 | 0.03 | 0.45 | 2.18 |
| Summer Sausage | 0.19 | 0.38 | 0.02 | 4.26 |
| Precooked Bacon | 0.39 | 0.28 | 0.00 | 4.44 |
| Cheddar Cheese | 0.25 | 0.32 | 0.01 | 4.04 |
| Mayonnaise | 0.01 | 0.75 | 0.01 | 6.80 |
| Triscuits | 0.10 | 0.11 | 0.63 | 3.80 |
| Larabar - Coconut Macaroon | 0.10 | 0.40 | 0.38 | 5.50 |
| Nutella | 0.06 | 0.32 | 0.57 | 5.41 |
| Peanut Butter | 0.25 | 0.50 | 0.20 | 5.88 |
| Almond Butter | 0.21 | 0.56 | 0.19 | 6.14 |
| StarKist Ready-to-Eat Tuna Salad Albacore | 0.13 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 1.18 |
| StarKist Chicken Creations Chicken Salad | 0.12 | 0.03 | 0.05 | 0.95 |
| StarKist Chicken Creation Buffalo Style | 0.12 | 0.04 | 0.05 | 1.08 |
| StarKist Pink Salmon | 0.20 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.95 |
| Pepitas (pumpkin seeds) | 0.19 | 0.19 | 0.53 | 4.45 |
| Almonds | 0.22 | 0.49 | 0.22 | 5.75 |
| Walnuts | 0.65 | 0.14 | 0.15 | 6.54 |
| Cashews | 0.44 | 0.30 | 0.18 | 5.53 |
| M&M’S Dark Chocolate | 0.21 | 0.04 | 0.71 | 4.92 |
| M&M’S Peanut Butter | 0.25 | 0.10 | 0.61 | 5.13 |
| Mariani Berries 'N Cherries | 0.03 | 0.00 | 0.83 | 3.50 |
| Welch’s Fruit Snacks | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.75 | 3.13 |
| Raisins | 0.03 | 0.01 | 0.79 | 2.99 |
| Banana Chips | 0.02 | 0.34 | 0.58 | 5.19 |
| Snickers | 0.07 | 0.63 | 0.24 | 4.88 |
| Milky Way Midnight | 0.10 | 0.04 | 0.71 | 4.31 |
| Payday | 0.13 | 0.05 | 0.52 | 4.61 |
| Wild Berry Skittles | 0.00 | 0.04 | 0.90 | 4.03 |
| Butterfingers | 0.08 | 0.18 | 0.72 | 4.50 |
| Take 5 | 0.10 | 0.25 | 0.62 | 4.92 |
| Twix | 0.05 | 0.25 | 0.65 | 5.01 |
| Baby Ruth | 0.05 | 0.22 | 0.65 | 4.58 |
| Reese's Peanut Butter Cups | 0.10 | 0.31 | 0.56 | 5.15 |
| Almond Joy | 0.04 | 0.60 | 0.27 | 4.79 |
| Oatmeal Cream Pie | 0.03 | 0.18 | 0.68 | 4.47 |
| Halvah Marble Bar | 0.08 | 0.44 | 0.32 | 6.85 |
Dinner
A Gourmet Trail Dinner in the Grand Canyon - April 2013
Everything except the Mac & Cheese can be made by simply pouring boiling water in a freezer bag with your meal and waiting. They don’t even really need hot water; you’ll just have to soak them for longer. Throw in a bunch of butter or olive oil and whatever cheese, meats, etc from your lunch/snack stuff that sounds good in that meal. Nido in most of these dinners will also add flavor and nutrition. Throw it in with anything you would add milk to at home. Add a little extra water with it too. Dehydrating your own veggies is also a great option.
| Product | Protein/g | Fat/g | Carbs/g | Cal/g |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Mcdougall's Black Bean and Lime Soup | 0.21 | 0.02 | 0.63 | 3.58 |
| Santa Fe Bean Company Borracho Beans | 0.22 | 0.07 | 0.66 | 2.90 |
| Santa Fe Fire Roasted Chipotle Refried Beans | 0.20 | 0.00 | 0.69 | 3.71 |
| Minute Rice | 0.09 | 0.00 | 0.83 | 3.70 |
| Couscous | 0.19 | 0.00 | 0.62 | 3.57 |
| Knorr Pesto Pasta Sauce Mix | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.60 | 4.00 |
| Simply Organic Sweet Basil Pesto Sauce Mix | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.25 | 2.50 |
| Betty Crocker Instant Homestyle Sweet Potato | 0.07 | 0.02 | 0.83 | 3.67 |
| Idahoan Instant Mashed Potatoes | 0.07 | 0.09 | 0.72 | 3.79 |
| McCormick Brown Gravy Mix | 0.00 | 0.08 | 0.66 | 3.33 |
| Egg Noodles | 0.14 | 0.04 | 0.71 | 3.85 |
| Bear Creek Mac & Cheese | 0.11 | 0.07 | 0.69 | 3.89 |
| Olive Oil | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 8.81 |
| Butter | 0.01 | 0.85 | 0.00 | 7.18 |
| Coconut Oil | 0.00 | 9.00 | 0.00 | 9.00 |
| Harmony House Garbanzo Beans | 0.23 | 0.06 | 0.59 | 3.82 |
| Harmony House Black Beans | 0.21 | 0.03 | 0.64 | 3.60 |
| Harmony House Pinto Beans | 0.21 | 0.02 | 0.63 | 3.60 |
| Harmony House Dark Kidney Beans | 0.23 | 0.01 | 0.61 | 3.40 |
| Harmony House Dried Mixed Bell Peppers | 0.16 | 0.00 | 0.70 | 3.15 |
| Harmony House Garlic | 0.17 | 0.01 | 0.72 | 3.32 |
| Harmony House Chopped Onions | 0.09 | 0.00 | 0.83 | 3.49 |
| Harmony House Sweet Golden Corn | 0.09 | 0.05 | 0.74 | 3.65 |
| Harmony House Diced Tomatoes | 0.14 | 0.03 | 0.69 | 3.01 |
| Harmony House TVP | 0.50 | 0.01 | 0.34 | 2.79 |
| Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinner | 0.11 | 0.03 | 0.7 | 3.57 |
Examples:
Instant beans + Minute Rice + butter/oil + cheese + Fritos + dried veggies + meat/TVP. Throw this all in a freezer bag and be pretty happy.
Sweet potatoes + butter + Nido + bacon. One of my new favorite trail meals.
Instant potatoes + butter + Nido + gravy mix + egg noodles + dried veggies +meat/TVP
Couscous + olive oil + pesto packet + dried veggies + meat/TVP
| Dinner | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight (g) | |||||
| Product | Protein/g | Fat/g | Carbs/g | Cal/g | |
| Olive Oil | 0.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 8.81 | 28 |
| Couscous | 0.19 | 0.00 | 0.62 | 3.57 | 85 |
| StarKist Pink Salmon | 0.19 | 0.00 | 0.62 | 3.57 | 14 |
| Simply Organic Sweet Basil Pesto Sauce Mix | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.25 | 2.50 | 10 |
| Cheddar Cheese | 0.25 | 0.32 | 0.01 | 4.04 | 28 |
| Pita | 0.09 | 0.02 | 0.56 | 2.75 | 60 |
| Harmony House Diced Tomatoes | 0.14 | 0.03 | 0.69 | 3.01 | 7 |
| Harmony House Garlic | 0.17 | 0.01 | 0.72 | 3.32 | 7 |
| Harmony House Dried Mixed Bell Peppers | 0.16 | 0.00 | 0.70 | 3.15 | 7 |
| Harmony House Chopped Onions | 0.09 | 0.00 | 0.83 | 3.49 | 7 |
| Weight (g) | 253 | Ounces | 8.92 | 10.69 | |
| Protein | 35.13 | ||||
| Fat | 38.44 | ||||
| Carbs | 118.34 | ||||
| Calories | 994.02 | cal/g | 3.93 | 4.14 |
Butter vs Olive Oil vs Coconut Oil vs MCT oil:
Tubs of butter will survive best in your packs, but I still put a plastic bag over it. I don’t notice any difference in how I feel when I’m carrying butter or olive oil, but I feel like I recover faster when I eat coconut oil or MCT oil. I don’t heat my breakfasts in warm weather, so it’s easier to get more fat into them with MCT or olive oil since they remain a liquid at lower temperatures. I like MCT oil in my breakfast shake way more but it’s harder to find in grocery stores on the trail.
Sample Menu
Use this Google Sheets planner to help plan your meals for your next adventure!
Note: There’s a five-day sample menu and shopping list saved in the document. This is a FULL five days of food geared towards a hungry long-distance hikers. Folks on shorter trips will probably struggle to eat this much.
For trips up to a week long, I would lose some of the candy bars, the Oatmeal Cream Pies, the MCT oil, the Weight Gainer powder, the mac and cheese. Then I would split the rice and beans into two meals and the couscous into three.
Bacon! - Hundred Mile Wilderness, ME - September 2020
