Backpacking Food Basics: How many calories should YOU pack?

[@garyji]

Lots of practical, down-to-earth, common sense advice. Thanks.

[@backcountryfoodie]

Thanks for your kind words! I'm glad you found it to be helpful.

[@PurpleHazel]

the moment you started saying how many calories you were eating on big days I realized that I eat way too little on active days and that is probably why I always end up being so cold!!! Was watching to help me for snowshoeing trips + For daylong lifeguard training. Thank you so much!!

[@backcountryfoodie]

Totally! You need a lot more calories than many people think :) I'm glad you found it useful!

[@breehomestead1256]

Thank you for these videos. I’m trying to plan meals for a few 3 day backpacking trips we hope to do next summer along with our 3 kids (8, 6, & 4). So far I’ve found no information on planning meals and Calories for a family of 5, but it seems keeping a food journal of how much each kid consumes at home is a great start. We will definitely be trying some of your recipes.

[@backcountryfoodie]

That sounds like an amazing trip. I'm glad you've started the planning process now, it helps to have time to figure out what works. Our new recipe site allows you to filter for "kid-friendly" recipes, if that helps! We had one of our dietitians (who has two young kids) review them, since we don't have kids of our own. Let me know if you have any questions once you get started. :)

[@davesanders9203]

Thanks for all the great data. I do eat different on the trail than at home. Because it has to be real easy to prepare. I try to pack at least 3500 calories per day. That's sometimes more than I need, but sometimes I have come across others who are low on food and asked if I have and "spare food".

[@backcountryfoodie]

You're welcome. Thanks for sharing your spare food. Without realizing it you're likely changing the outcome of hungry hikers' experiences in the backcountry.

[@AmyOutdoors]

Great advice! Ive finally realised I can save up to 3kg/6lbs over a 5 day walk since I've started paying attention to what and how I eat!

[@backcountryfoodie]

Awesome!! 6 lbs is a HUGE weight savings. Takes a little effort initially to pay more attention to food but totally worth it.

[@GypsyGirl317]

Fantastic information! Thank you so much, from New Zealand. 😊 I have been working out my caloric needs on challenging day hikes, on our often rugged terrain, and I am also looking at foods which are calorie and nutrient dense for their volume and weight. 👍🏿 I am preparing for several multi day hikes, and planning on doing Te Araroa here in New Zealand as a through hike for each island over two summers, commencing Oct/Nov 2022. As a survivor of two different types of cancer at the same time in 2016, and age 63, I love good healthy nutritious foods even more than I always have! New subscriber to your excellent channel. Plus I was a nurse for 30 years, so I definitely understand the importance of good quality and adequate food. ❤️

[@iowa887]

This is great! My older children want to do a mini survival challenge, Inspired by the show "Alone". I am trying to educate my self enough to make sure they are getting balanced meals.

[@shananigans_outside]

I’ve always thought this too. It all depends how far you go, what the terrain is how cold or hot. It varies .

[@backcountryfoodie]

Exactly!

[@theAbandonedCamper]

This is just the channel I have been looking for! Thank you 😀 My husband and I live a similar lifestyle and this information is rare to find!

[@backcountryfoodie]

Yay!! Glad you found us. 😀

[@miken7629]

One food I add to my hikes, are Pecans. Calorie dense at 200 calories per ounce, no sugar, lots of fat & protein... a pound of Pecan halves is 3200 calories and I spread them out as snacks over 5 days.

[@backcountryfoodie]

I'm also a huge fan of pecans - chopped up in meals and desserts, added to trail mix and eaten by the handful!

[@bkeithmontgomery]

Awesome, great video!!!

[@backcountryfoodie]

Thanks! 😀

[@Querenciatv]

Awesome Video! Thank you for sharing with us. Can't wait to see more content 😊

[@backcountryfoodie]

More to come! We filmed a hydration in the backcountry video a few days ago.

[@bquint6843]

Thanks for the video very informative. I do have a question somewhat related. For hiking the AT for example how many days of food should I be packing? I've heard 3 days all the way up to 6 days, I mean if I'm a 5000 calorie a day person or approximately 2lbs per day for 6 days that's 12 lbs!! What are your thoughts?

[@backcountryfoodie]

It depends! Different people have different preferences on how much food weight they want to carry. Additionally, if you're hiking the AT/thru-hike, you'll have to plan your food resupplies based on when you plan to go into town. Try planning out your route and possible town days first, and then figure out how often you'll be able to pick up a resupply box/go shopping. This should help guide you on how many days you'll have to carry for, and you may be able to adjust up or down based on your preferred food weight. Either way, packing UL recipes will save weight as compared to packing foods from a traditional hiker diet!

[@bquint6843]

@@backcountryfoodie Thank you for your replies.

[@TheHikingChick1]

So glad to find your channel. I'm a PCT 2021 hopeful and the food thing is a big concern for me. Any good resources for gluten and dairy free ideas?

[@backcountryfoodie]

Food is definitely a big part of planning for a thru-hike like the PCT! There are lots of ways to go gluten-free, dairy-free. Use quinoa instead of couscous, rice/millet ramen instead of wheat ramen, non-dairy milk powders instead of whole milk powder, nutritional yeast instead of cheese are just a few ideas. I’m also a big fan of beans/legumes and nuts/seeds. We offer lots of gluten-free, dairy-free recipes within our recipe platforms. There’s a link on our backcountryfoodie.com page that lists all of the recipes included with the 75 recipes option. The list includes gluten-free and vegan (dairy-free) recipes. We don’t have a complete list for the 175 recipes option because we’re always adding to it. It’s too much work to update the list and webpage every time we add a new recipe over the 175. 🙂 Hope that helps.

[@backcountryfoodie]

The Vegan Backpackers Facebook group might be a good place to look for ideas.

[@lanecountybigfooters5716]

@@backcountryfoodie Thank you!

[@TravelTourTaste]

Hello we hope all is well . can we know if you are planning to put up any new content ? we just love to learn about nutrition and the best advice is from a nutritionist . Kind Regards Sarah and Glenn

[@backcountryfoodie]

Hello! We sure are. We have lots of video ideas in the works. Thanks so much for following along!

[@tracykooken2606]

HELLO FOODIE, 2 questions; 1... what r ur thots on maltodextrin as a " anti hit the wall or get me the last distance till camp " fuel source ? i'm not diabetic. but have Hypoglycemic events when breakfast is missed or wrong and working hard ... i live in the Az desert area so summers can b a challenge when working. 2....... is ramen as bad as some say ?? ok 3 questions..... do u have a replaement recipe for the ramen noodle seasoning packet ? it's a it salty for me so only use part of it. i'd like something similar but that i could use on REAL noodles. i love rice and noodles on the trail ( or any time n place really )

[@backcountryfoodie]

Great questions. 1. Maltodextrin could certainly be used as a quick energy source but when eaten alone it's going to cause a rapid increase in blood sugar followed by a rapid drop because it's metabolized so quickly. My recommendation would be to consume something with simple and complex carbs to keep you fueled longer. Simple sugar will bring you back up while the complex carbs will keep you fueled longer until able to eat again. Eating breakfast is super important. Have you tried drinking nutrition to make it easier to have something in the morning? That's my go-to when I feel like I'm going to hit the wall and it's not time to eat a meal yet. 2. I actually wrote a blog post about the health consequences associated with consuming ramen noodles. Here's the link: backcountryfoodie.com/should-backpackers-be-wary-of-ramen-noodles/ 3. I toss the seasoning packet as soon as I open the package for the reasons listed in the blog post. Instead, I use herbs and spices from the spice aisle that are free of sodium and preservatives. Pesto is super easy to make - basil or parsley, garlic, parmesan cheese, noodles and olive oil. The ramen blog post has the recipe but here's also a video for it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/an6vlYOplq6qqs0 Precooked and dehydrated angel hair noodles work really well in place of ramen noodles. Spaghetti, peanut noodles, alfredo, and buffalo pasta salad are some of my go-to recipes. They're included in our recipes platform if you're interested: backcountryfoodie.com/recipes Hope that answers your questions.

[@tracykooken2606]

@@backcountryfoodie i checked out ur links ... good info thank you. the info on malto dextrin i was aware of... yes very inportant to eat with it !!! correct food of course !! i'm going to measure angel or reg spegehetti against ramen and MAYBE ditch the noodles also. its to hot in AZ TO PLAN A TRIP HERE AND DO A TALK WITH Q&a. thn pass the hat around for help support !!!! thats what id like to see along with a hike and look at everyones lunch... be a eye opener. a talk, a q&a, then a trail walk. must have lunch made b4 the / anymeetings. moe reveling that way .... pros n cpns of each lunch bag.. yeah thats the ticket. modest !!! fee for the walk segment ?? what do think

[@alberto5980]

Hi, what do you think guys about 1 meal only (the dinner) and drinking gatorade or water and sugar during the hike? (If the calories are enough)

[@backcountryfoodie]

Personally, I don't think it's a good idea for a few reasons. 1. The dinner meal would have to have pack a load of nutrition (carbs, protein and fat) to fuel the body day after day while backpacking. Muscles need protein to recover. Muscles, liver and brain need carbs for glycogen stores. Even if the meal contained enough nutrition for an entire day, the body can only utilize so much at once. The extra carbs would be stored as fat once glycogen stores are replenished. The body also doesn't store extra protein. 2. Gatorade or sugar water would provide energy via simple sugar but they would have to be consumed frequently as they are quickly digested. There would be a risk of sugar highs and lows which isn't ideal while backpacking. Complex carbs, fiber and fat are slower burning fuels and will help maintain energy over the course of the day. Although, I know that there are folks that practice intermittent fasting and only eat one meal a day and state that they feel fine. IMO, this might work okay at home on non-hiking days when the body isn't stressed and needing extra nutrition for performance. I give a virtual talk on this very subject. If interested, shoot me an email at [e-mail] and I'll let you know when we schedule the next one. Should be coming up in the next few weeks. Hope that answers your question.

[@alberto5980]

@@backcountryfoodie you are a beast, thank you very much

[@backcountryfoodie]

You're welcome.

[@DovieRuthAuthor]

Thanks. Another unnamed hiker was recommending 1,800 calories per day. I would pass out.

[@backcountryfoodie]

1800 calories could potentially work for a day hike if the hiker consumes 1200-1500 calories at home. Otherwise, 1800 is quite low. I rarely go below 3500 calories.

[@aprilmiller1831]

2 lbs of dehydrated or freeze dried food. LOL. And individual metabolism - my metabolism will carry me through the next apocalypse. Season and temperatures, too. Yep, much better to dial it in over time based on personal preferences and needs.

[@susankaempfer8427]

Weyhey! Another member of the Zombie Apocalypse Metabolism club! I’m interested to see what my body REALLY needs over the long haul.

[@backcountryfoodie]

I'm truly fascinated by how our metabolisms differ while hiking. It's so interesting how the "one diet fits all" concept can result in a real disaster for a hiker. On long treks, I easily eat twice that reported by other women my age.

[@susankaempfer8427]

@@backcountryfoodie I have a feeling that I’m going to be eating half of what everyone else needs. We’ll see.

[@BS2Dos]

👍👍

[@miken7629]

If someone wants a no cook food, at around 440 calories a cup, a hiker can consider Purina Dry Dog chow. For instance, the Lamp & Rice flavor is made primarily from Lamb & Rice Flour, is about 26% protein, 16% fat, 3% fiber, Compared to Pecans, which is 26% protein, 10% fat 11% Fiber. Dog food is edible, provides a protein & fat based diet, with added minerals & vitamins for a good coat (Ha Ha). Seriously, Purina Dog Chow is better for you than most of the high sugar & carb based processed foods we buy at the grocery store.

[@backcountryfoodie]

You're absolutely right that the nutrition content of dog food is superior to many of the highly processed sugary foods found in the grocery store. Although, I can't say that I would enjoy eating dog food. lol!

[@miken7629]

@@backcountryfoodie If they repackage dog food as a protein bar, people would pay top dollar for it. Only psychological difference based on packaging.

[@DovieRuthAuthor]

That's exactly what I feed my dogs and they look great. I couldn't get past the funky smell.

[@rockclimbinghacks9222]

It would be great if one could eat mostly fat - 9 calories per gram vs 4 calories per gram for carbs or protein. That would be less than half the weight in food.

[@backcountryfoodie]

I know, right! Although, a hiker's gut might think otherwise. Steatorrhea (fatty stools) isn't exactly ideal while backpacking. lol!

[@rockclimbinghacks9222]

@@backcountryfoodie Definitely! I think I'll probably want a bidet or psyllium husk in any case. Thanks for your videos, great stuff!

[@aprilmiller1831]

Keto :D Though it really works best if that is your normal life diet. Probably not a great idea to switch from SAD (Standard American Diet) to keto while on the trail. Could be uncomfortable.

[@rockclimbinghacks9222]

@@aprilmiller1831 Now you've got me thinking... If I were to do some really long hike, I think that would be the perfect time for me to implement keto. I simply won't do keto if I'm living in society, because I don't want to limit my food options. However, on a trail like the AT where food options are limited anyway, it would be easier to keep up that discipline. Moreover, I could acclimate to keto while I'm acclimating to the hiking, so there's not a lot of total performance sacrificed. And then you're looking to finish the trail way faster with lighter pack weight (and body weight, probably) the whole time.

[@aprilmiller1831]

@@rockclimbinghacks9222 Oooohhh, that could be a recipe for disaster! Many people get "keto flu" when they first start, and it can take 1-2 weeks to rebalance hydration and electrolyte needs. It also can take a while for your body to switch over to burning fat instead of carbs as it's main energy source aka "fat adapted." And, if you happen to have any digestive upset as your body adapts, it's kind of nice to not have to dig a hole on the spur of the moment. You can find keto backpacker Facebook groups if you want to dig into it.

[@1invag]

How do you calculate how many calories is contained in a handful of salad, a chunk of cucumber, a tomato, three random sausages and a handful of frozen chips. A banana, an orange, two chocolate bars and about 6-8 packets of crisps. Ohh and a chunk of cheddar cheese... This is my average daily diet 🤣

[@neemancallender9092]

2 lbs/day is a great place to start as a rule of thumb for beginners

[@BlackStar-vt4hf]

Before going on a long hike I just store up fat ( I eat a lot week prior,gaining a few kg of body weight ) and when I hike I just use it to compensate the lack of food . That’s a really cool body feature for me . But the most important is to sleep like 10hrs a night so your liver can process this fat into energy. One time I went 7 days only on water and it was ok but it’s always better to keep it like at least 600-1000 cal a day.

[@backcountryfoodie]

For short, low intensity hikes, fat can certainly be used as an energy source. However, I wouldn't recommend relying on body fat for more intense trips (lots of elevation gain, difficult terrain, high altitude, etc). Carbs are the body's preferred energy source for energy higher intensity activities. Fat also doesn't provide vitamins and minerals that carbs provide. For a long-distance hike, I'd be sure to take a vitamin-mineral supplement to prevent deficiencies.

[@redshot1015]

2lb a day lord mercy lol iam sure u got videos showing what u would bring.. but wish u showed a sligh overview of an example of what you would bring

[@backcountryfoodie]

Unfortunately, I haven't had time to create new videos but I talk a lot about what I pack for trips on my Instagram and Facebook pages. You can scroll through posts there for examples of what my meal plans look like.