Backpacking offers a wonderful opportunity to disconnect, embrace the outdoors, and test oneself both physically and mentally. Despite the abundance of breathtaking natural surroundings, seasoned backpackers understand that a significant portion of their day is devoted to contemplating the upcoming meal.
Planning what food to bring can be a challenge in itself! When backpacking, it is essential for the food to have a balance of nutrition, weight, and be easy to prepare since you will be carrying it on your back.
Best Backpacking Meals: Top Brands Reviewed
Mountain House Backpacking Meals
Mountain House is the leading and most well-known brand for freeze-dried backpacking meals. They offer a wide range of meal options, including the availability of variety packs.
Quick Overview:
*Based on averages of 3 popular dinners
- Calories per pouch: 600
- Weight: 125 calories/oz
- Sodium: 1640mg
- Protein: 30g
- Where to buy: Amazon
or REI
or REI Verdict?
Mountain House meals are not suitable for individuals who prioritize healthy eating on the trail due to their high sodium content, despite their delicious taste and calorie-rich nature.
Review:
One reason why Mountain House is considered one of the better-tasting brands of backpacking food is likely due to their use of real meat. Unlike other brands that rely on artificial “meat flavor,” Mountain House includes real meat in their meals. Additionally, their meals are enhanced with generous amounts of cheese, further enhancing their flavor.
The ample amount of meat and cheese in Mountain House meals provides a generous protein content, which aids in the swift recovery of your muscles while on the trail.
However, in terms of other nutrition aspects, Mountain House is not ideal due to the excessive sodium content in their meals. For instance, their Beef Stroganoff with Noodles contains 2000mg of sodium per 650 calories.
Their nutrition facts are easy to understand, at least. Typically, a pouch consists of 2 servings that total approximately 600 calories. For dinner, you should anticipate consuming an entire pouch. The caloric density can be calculated to be approximately 125 calories per ounce, which aligns with the recommended caloric intake for backpacking.
Backpacker’s Pantry Meals
Backpacker’s Pantry is the second most popular brand of freeze-dried backpacking food after Mountain House. What sets them apart is the variety of flavorful meals they offer, including Pesto Pasta with Salmon, Chana Masala, and Cuban Coconut Beans and Rice.
Quick Overview:
*Based on averages of 3 popular dinners
- Calories per pouch: 640
- Weight: 120 calories/oz
- Sodium: 2030mg
- Protein: 38g
- Where to buy: Amazon
Review:
The review of Backpacker’s Pantry dinners will be very similar to the Mountain House review in terms of their meals tasting good and offering a wide range of options. It is worth noting that Backpacker’s Pantry also utilizes real meat in their meals.
The majority of their backpacking dinners contain ample amounts of protein. As an instance, the Fettucini Alfredo with Chicken pouch provides 44g of protein (with a total of 610 calories). Likewise, the Shepherds Potato Stew with Beef pouch offers 32g of protein (with 560 calories).
Like most backpacking dinners, these meals contain a high amount of sodium. Anticipate approximately 2000mg of sodium, which is close to the maximum sodium limit set by the USDA.
Mountain House meals are packed with protein due to the abundance of meat and cheese. This protein content facilitates rapid muscle recovery during your trail adventures.
If you are going on a long backpacking trip and need some variety, you’ll want to choose some of the more interesting meals available. It’s not just stews and pasta that they offer.
ALPINEAIRE Backpacking Meals
ALPINEAIRE has been in existence since 1979, however, it gained popularity only after it was acquired by Katadyn in 2012. While they may not offer as many choices as other backpacking meal brands, the options they provide are exceptional.
Quick Overview:
*Based on averages of 3 popular dinners
- Calories per pouch: 600
- Weight: 115 calories/oz
- Sodium: 1,200mg
- Protein: 35g
- Where to buy: Amazon
Review:
It appears that AlpineAire is making an effort to create healthier options for traditional backpacking meals. They utilize ingredients that are labeled as “all natural,” which includes genuine freeze-dried meat and vegetables (celebrating the presence of micronutrients!).
AlpineAire has successfully managed to maintain low levels of sodium, which is notable. For instance, the Spicy Sausage Pasta contains only 880mg of sodium per pouch. However, certain other meals, such as the Black Bart Chili with Beef and Beans, contain a higher amount of sodium, reaching 1500mg. Therefore, if sodium content is important to you, make sure to check the nutrition labels before selecting a meal.
The protein content of the backpacking dinners is satisfactory, falling between 24g to 50g per pouch. Typically, a pouch contains approximately 600 calories, resulting in a caloric density of around 110 to 120 calories per ounce. While not excellent, it is also not poor.
The main drawback of AlpineAire is their limited variety of meals. The majority of their options consist of common choices such as chili, rice and beans, or cheesy pasta. To add some excitement during a lengthy backpacking trip, consider purchasing meals from another brand.
RightOnTrek Backpacking Meals
Quick Overview:
*Based on averages of 3 popular dinners
- Calories per pouch: 550
- Weight: 110 calories/oz
- Sodium: 986mg
- Protein: 26g
- Where to buy: RightOnTrek website
Review
RightOnTrek sets itself apart from other backpacking meal brands by offering a unique feature – a complimentary meal planning tool. This tool allows users to customize their meals by specifying the duration of their trip, desired calorie intake, and food preferences. Subsequently, a comprehensive list of necessary items for the journey is generated, which can be easily purchased with a few simple clicks. Moreover, if there is any item within the plan that does not suit one’s preferences, it can be effortlessly replaced with an alternative. The meal planner also provides calculations for calories and weight, making the process of food planning for the trip exceptionally hassle-free.
The meals at RightOnTrek are prepared by a genuine chef, not in a factory, and are fresh each season. They are dehydrated and packaged afterward. RightOnTrek places importance on being eco-friendly and utilizes packaging that is biodegradable. Although some of the meals require a multi-step cooking process, they taste delicious. This cooking method ensures that the food has a pleasant texture rather than a unappetizing mush. Personally, I believe that the additional effort to have textured food is worthwhile.
Wild Zora Backpacking Meals
WildZora produces freeze-dried meals that adhere to the principles of the paleo diet, ensuring the exclusion of grains, dairy, and artificial ingredients. While these offerings are unquestionably beneficial for one’s health, they may be slightly lower in calorie content due to the absence of grains.
Quick Overview:
*Based on averages of 3 popular dinners
- Calories per pouch: 395
- Weight: 130 calories/oz
- Sodium: 640mg
- Protein: 36g
- Where to buy: REI
Review:
The ingredients list of Wild Zora backpacking meals is pleasantly uncomplicated. It solely consists of ingredients such as “grass-fed beef” and freeze-dried vegetables. The food appears to be of excellent quality, and the taste confirms this.
Because the meals contain meat, they contain a high amount of protein. The fat content is reasonable and the sodium levels are low.
The primary problem with Wild Zora meals for backpacking is their low calorie content. An average backpacker requires approximately 3,500 calories daily, with around 600-700 calories assigned for dinner. Consequently, consuming two Wild Zora meals would be necessary to meet the required caloric intake.
Given that Wild Zora meals are priced at approximately $14 per pouch, the cumulative cost of purchasing them will increase rapidly.
If you are not following the paleo or AIP diet, you have the option to bring your own instant rice, pasta, tortillas, or other carbohydrates to consume along with the meal. Alternatively, if you refrain from consuming grains, you can opt for freeze dried sweet potato hash as a suitable accompaniment for your meals.
Backpacking Food Strategy
In this part, we will delve into everything that you should be aware of when creating a backpacking meal plan. This includes what factors to consider while selecting meals, ensuring that you pack an appropriate quantity of food, suggestions for planning and packing, and a few recommendations for gear.
What Makes For Good Backpacking Food?
When considering suitable food options for backpacking, it is important to consider several factors, including whether the food can be stored for long periods without refrigeration, its weight, the number of calories it provides per unit of weight, and how quickly it can be cooked.
To ensure the food remains shelf-stable, it is crucial that it can be stored at room temperature. While it is possible to bring certain items like cheese or salami, it is advisable to consume them within the initial days. However, it is best to avoid perishable items for the most part.
When it comes to backpacking food, it is important for it to be lightweight since you need to carry it throughout the journey. The lightest options are usually dehydrated and freeze-dried foods, but there are also many common grocery store items that are suitable for this purpose.
When planning our backpacking food, our aim is to find calorie-dense options that can effectively recharge our energy levels. To minimize weight, our goal is to average 125+ calories per ounce.
When considering cooking time, think about your patience level for cooking and the amount of fuel you have available. It is strongly advised to opt for meals that can be prepared easily and cooked quickly.
How Much Food Should You Pack For Backpacking?
According to Backpacker magazine, individuals who intend to hike for extended periods with a heavier backpack should aim for a daily intake of 25-30 calories per pound of body weight.
If you plan to do shorter days of hiking, which are less than 2 hours, or if you will be traversing less challenging terrain, you can reduce the calorie intake to 21-25 calories per pound of body weight for each day.
Rather than adhering to a traditional three-meal structure, like one would typically do at home, try incorporating snacks into your daily routine. Additionally, ensure you consume 30-60 grams of carbohydrates every hour to sustain high energy levels and avoid hitting a point of exhaustion.
Naturally, these serve as an initial basis and it is advisable to make necessary adjustments according to personal experience.
How To Plan Food For Backpacking Trips
We thoroughly enjoy meal planning for backpacking trips as it is an activity we highly value and deem significant.
By thinking systematically, rephrase the given text without altering the meaning, maintaining all information. Do not introduce new information and do not omit any details. Developing a comprehensive meal plan guarantees both sufficient food for the trip and enables evaluation of the coherence of all meals. This is an excellent chance to incorporate diversity and verify that your daily calorie intake will be met.
These are the steps involved in our meal-planning strategy:
Firstly, calculate the duration of your trip and determine the number of meals required during your journey.
2.) Calculate the amount of calories you require per day for packing purposes (refer to the preceding section).
Make a selection of your breakfast and dinner options for every day, and make a record of the calorie content of each meal.
1) Begin by subtracting the calorie count of your breakfast and dinner from your total calorie count. 2) The resulting number represents the calories that you still need to consume through snacks, lunch, drink mixes, or dessert. 3) Ensure that your snack selection offers a range of options, and remember to include 30-60 grams of carbohydrates per hour to maintain energy levels while hiking.
Best Backpacking Meal Tips
Remember to bring salt and hot sauce: Although most backpacking meals are already high in sodium, there may be moments when you come across a dish that lacks saltiness or spice. Including a couple of packets of salt and hot sauce won’t significantly increase the weight of your backpack, yet they can provide immense relief in such situations.
When packing food for your trip, stick with the ones you already enjoy. This is not the best time to try unfamiliar flavors. We acknowledge the intention to eat healthily during hiking, but keep in mind that you will probably expend more calories than you consume. Therefore, indulge in foods that you truly enjoy.
When shopping, make sure to select foods that have a high number of calories per ounce while remaining lightweight. Our personal preference is to opt for food items that offer around 125-135kcal per ounce.
When packing for longer hikes, it is important to include a selection of flavors and textures, particularly for your snacks.
When considering your preparations, make sure to bring additional food. Aim to include at least one additional meal for both breakfast and dinner, as a precautionary measure. This will cater to the possibilities of increased hunger, spoilage of items in the package, or simply wanting the option to replace something if desired.
Packing & Food Storage Tips
Properly storing food and protecting against critters is important. Various animals are drawn to human food, including field mice and grizzly bears. The manner in which you store your food will vary depending on the location. Some methods to consider are using a critter-proof bag, hanging your food from a tree, or utilizing an approved bear canister. Prior to your departure, it is essential to review local regulations. Additionally, familiarize yourself with the proper use of a bear canister or how to execute a secure tree hang.
When repackaging food, make an effort to reduce its weight and size by replacing bulky packaging or removing air. Additionally, consider dividing snacks into individual portions for convenient grab-and-go access.
When packing your bear canister or food bag, arrange your food in ascending order starting with the last day’s food at the bottom and moving forward until the first day’s food is at the top. This will allow you to avoid emptying your canister multiple times when searching for snacks throughout the day. Additionally, it can be beneficial to pack each day’s food into a single large zip-lock bag for better organization.
When planning for trash, keep in mind that you should take all of your trash with you. Bring a big zip lock bag to store it all.
