Maaike to the End
How to plan your backpacking food?

Hike, eat, sleep, repeat. Food is crucial to keep your energy up and stay on the move. Pack enough calories but don’t overdo it—too much food is heavy, but too little will leave you drained. This article is about planning your backpacking food and what factors to consider. 

Meal planning for backpacking is not only essential—it’s also one of my favorite parts of trip prep! A solid meal plan ensures you pack enough food to stay energized while allowing for variety and hitting your calorie goals every day.

 

Bringing too little food or meals you don’t enjoy can make your trip miserable or even dangerous. On the other hand, overpacking adds unnecessary weight, slowing you down and dampening your experience. In this article, I’ll share my approach of meal planning to strike the right balance. What I look for when choosing meals, my personal packing tips and my favourite cooking gear suggestions. Disclaimer: I am not a nutrition nor an expert, this is based on personal preferences.

My meal planning strategy

    1. Step 1: Determine trip length and meal Count how many days you’ll be hiking and how many meals you’ll need. Planning to eat at a restaurant or café? Subtract those meals, but double-check their hours of operation first.
    1. Step 2: Calculate your calorie needs: Decide how many calories you’ll need each day. More on this in the next section.
    1. Step 3: Plan breakfasts and dinners: Choose specific meals for each day and note their calorie content.
    1. Step 4: Fill the calorie gaps with snacks and lunch: Subtract the calories from breakfast and dinner from your daily target. Use snacks, lunch items, and drink mixes to hit the remaining number. Variety is key, and remember to snack regularly during the day to keep your energy up—30-60 grams of carbs per hour is ideal while hiking.

    1. Step 5: Pack a little extra: Always bring some extra snacks in case you’re hungrier than expected, encounter a closed restaurant, or need an extra day due to an emergency.

How much food should you pack for backpacking?

The right amount of food to bring on your backpacking trip will vary widely from hiker to hiker. It also depends on your trip. Factors that influence the amount of calories you need are age, gender, body size, trip length, terrain and elevation and Climate.

 

Learning what you normally eat at home is a good place to start. Of course, you will probably need to eat much more on a backpacking trip, but a typical day’s worth of eating will give you a starting point. Use a food journal or app to log meals and calculate calories. On the trail, you’ll likely need 1.5 to 2 times your normal calorie intake depending on the difficulty of your hike.

On longer multiweek hikes, expect increased appetite ("hiker hunger")—pack accordingly. It’s interesting to also keep a food journal on your backpacking trip, so you can evaluate how much calories you really need and which food you really like on a hike.

Essential tips for choosing backpacking food

Here are factors I consider, when selecting trail meals and snacks:

  • Shelf-stable: Stick to non-perishable foods. Fresh items like cheese or salami are fine for short trips but eat them early.
  • Climate: Avoid chocolate in hot climates. In rainy climates and remote areas, I prefer more snacks for lunch, instead of a proper picknick.
  • Lightweight: Dehydrated or freeze-dried foods are ideal for backpacking due to their low weight. While these options can be pricey, I prioritize weight savings over cost on longer trips. For shorter hikes or when frequent resupply is possible, grocery store items are a budget-friendly (and tastier?) alternative.
  • Calorie dense: Along with being lightweight, aim for foods with high calories per gram to keep your pack light. For example, choose whole-grain wraps instead of bread, and Snickers bars instead of lighter, less caloric candies.
  • Compact packaging: Minimize bulk to save space in your pack. Repack meals into zip-lock bags, for weight and space saving.
  • Quick cooking: Opt for meals with short cook times to save fuel. Also consider the amount of water you need, is that available on your trail?
  • Bring food you love: Stick with familiar foods you enjoy. Treat yourself—you’ll need the motivation after long days of hiking.

Packing & food storage tips

Some personal tips for smart packing:

  • Repackage and portion food: reduce bulk by repackaging meals and portioning snacks into easy-to-grab bags.
  • Organize by day: Pack each day’s meals together for quick access. Place your first day's food on top and last day’s at the bottom.
  • Easy access: Keep snacks and lunch within reach to avoid unpacking your whole bag mid-hike.
  • Plan for trash: Carry a large zip-lock bag for trash. Pack out everything, including food wrappers and leftovers.
  • Protect against wildlife: In areas with wildlife, secure your food to avoid unwanted visitors. Check local regulations beforehand. In bear country, such as Northern America, use a critter-proof bag, hang your food from a tree, or store it in an approved bear canister.

Favourite backpacking food gear

Continue reading:

Curious to my favourite backpacker menu? How I resupply on trail in Europe? And ideas of grocery store backpacker food. Read my other articles:

Prepare for your trail 

Are you preparing for your first long distance trail or want to tackle a lesser-known European thru-hike with limited hiker facilities? I’ve got you covered with blogs about my personal hiking gear essentials, my favourite (vegetarian) trail meals and different resupply strategies I used. I also share tips on finding and selecting wild camping spots, setting up your tent in different conditions and leave no trace principle.

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Gear list
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Hiker food
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Camping pitch