Backpacking Food Lists

Backpacking can be a mild or strenuous activity, depending on whether you are taking a leisurely stroll while camping or a vigorous hike while backpacking the mountains. Either way, it can require a lot of energy and burns up to 5,000 calories per day (for extreme hiking). The best food for backpacking is tasty, quick and easy carbohydrates, starches and sugars, and items that provide long-term energy such as proteins and fats. It is smart to pack according to meal time, as breakfast and lunch are usually lighter than dinner and can require no cooking.

  1. Dehydrated Foods

    • Dehydrated food is a great way to condense your backpacking load and still have enough food. Freeze-dried food is pretty expensive, so dehydrated food is a good alternative. Pasta, bread, potatoes and grains are already naturally dehydrated, and you can obtain fruits and vegetables that are dehydrated as well that are ideal for snacks or to add to other dishes. You can even purchase a machine to do this for you.

    Breakfast and Lunch

    • Breakfast backpacking foods include raisins, dried milk with rice, granola, cans of fruit cocktail, instant breakfast drinks, granola bars, Cup o' Noodles, Malt-O-Meal, and even something such as pancakes from a mix if you have a low-heat stove and a small pan. Lunch backpacking foods include pita bread, bagels with peanut butter, granola, energy or supplement bars, candy bars, dried fruit, canned fruit or vegetables, trail mix, nuts, raisins, yogurt raisins or peanuts, crackers with filling, chips, string cheese, no-refrigerate tuna, canned beef stew, canned pie filling, ravioli canned, baked beans, and macaroni and cheese.

    Dinner Backpacking Foods

    • Dinner foods for a backpack may be a little heavier than lunch and breakfast. These foods include Cup O' Soup, Ramen noodles, canned soup, canned vegetables and fruits, potatoes and gravy mix, dried vegetables with rice (or dried vegetables with just about any starch such as pasta), canned sauces to top dishes, torillas with refried beans and salsa, many items from the lunch section, and sandwiches.

    Beverages for Backpacks

    • Don't forget you need a beverage in your backpack. Besides the essential water bottles, you can also use apple cider, teas, powdered lemonade or sports drinks, and even hot cocoa to mix with hot water.