If you’re headed on a hike, staying fueled with the right hiking meals is essential to keeping your energy levels up and your experience on the trail safe and enjoyable. Whether you’re embarking on a short day trip or a multi-day backcountry adventure, your body needs consistent fuel to handle the physical demands of hiking. That’s where smart, nutritious hiking meals come in. The right balance of protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats can make all the difference between powering through the trail and feeling sluggish before you reach your destination.
Unfortunately, many hikers don’t spend enough time planning their hiking meals before hitting the trail. It’s easy to underestimate how much food you’ll need or overpack heavy, bulky items that add unnecessary weight to your backpack. Without proper planning, you risk running low on energy, cutting your hike short, or even putting yourself in a dangerous situation—especially if you’re hiking off-grid or in remote areas with no access to supplies.
This why taking the time to plan your hiking meals is so important. Not only can well-thought-out hiking meals keep you nourished and hydrated, but they also streamline your packing and enhance your overall outdoor experience. In this article, we’ll guide you through everything you need to know about choosing, packing, and preparing hiking meals—plus offer practical tips and tasty ideas to keep you fueled every step of the way.
Do I Need to Plan My Hiking Meals?
The short answer is yes – it’s always a good idea to plan your hiking meals ahead of time. This ensures you’re getting the right mix of calories, carbs, and proteins needed for your adventure. But besides nutrition, there are several other key benefits to pre-planning your meals in advance.
- Less waste: With proper planning, you can bring the exact amount of food you’ll need for your trip. This means you’ll have less waste (including packaging) that you need to throw out.
- Pack weight planning: By planning ahead, you’ll have a better idea of just how much you’ll be carrying with you. Food and pre-packaged meals can be heavy, so it’s important you take this into account when packing.
- Less prep: It’s a good idea to pre-portion your meals for your hike. This way, you can spend less time cooking and prepping and more time enjoying the great outdoors!
- Cost savings: If you don’t bring enough food, you may end up eating at a restaurant. This can be much more expensive than packing your meals. It can also interrupt your trip if you need to veer off-path to find someplace to eat.
What to Consider When Planning Hiking Meals
Packing for your trip is more complicated than just picking out foods at the grocery store. There are certain things you’ll need to keep in mind while you pre-plan your meals.
Hike Duration
How long you’re out on the trail will dictate how much food you’ll need to bring with you. For example, short day hikes may only require a couple of lightweight snacks. But longer multi-day trips will need full meals, including breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. If you’re planning on camping for a few days, here is a detailed camping food list to ensure you never go hungry.
Caloric Needs
As a general rule of thumb, most adults need to consume an average of 2,000 calories a day. But hiking burns a lot of calories, which means you’ll need extra food to compensate for that lost energy. Depending on the difficulty of the hike, you may end up burning an extra 300 to 600 calories per hour!
Weight and Portability
Most hikers will need to bring all their meals with them. That means you’ll want items that are compact, lightweight, and easy to carry in your pack. Bulky packaging like boxed snacks and canned foods are generally not ideal for short or long hikes.
Ease of Preparation
If you can, we highly recommend preparing your meals ahead of time. That way, you won’t have to waste time chopping or cooking while you’re out and about. But you can also opt for easy-to-prepare foods that require minimal or no cooking at all.
Access to Fire or Hot Water
If you’ll be near a campfire or hot water source, you have a wider option for meals than you would without any access to heat. If space allows, a flash cooking system can be incredibly useful, as it can boil water for meals in less than two minutes.
Food Safety
Food spoilage can ruin your hike, so it’s best to choose items that are non-perishable. If you must bring something that needs to be chilled, make sure you have a cooler bag or ice pack for better food safety.
Hydration
Don’t forget that you’ll need to stay extra hydrated while out on your hike. The strenuous exercise and extreme temperatures can dehydrate you faster than you may think. Always carry enough water (a reusable water bottle is better for the environment than single-use plastic ones) for your entire trip. And try to avoid salty foods that may zap your water intake.
Delicious Hiking Meal Ideas
Planning your hiking meals can be a challenge, but here are a couple of meal ideas that are ideal for the outdoors.
Breakfast
- Overnight oats presoaked with powdered milk and dried fruit
- Granola
- Dehydrated fruit
- Energy or breakfast bars
- Nut butters and whole grain bread or crackers
- Instant oatmeal
Lunch
- Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
- Hard cheese and dried sausages
- Veggie sticks and whole grain breads
- Pasta salad with olive oil and seasoning
Dinner
- Instant mashed potatoes
- Ramen noodles with seasoning
- Stuffed wraps with veggies and avocado
- Packaged rice and grain pouches
- Gourmet bratwursts (must have cooler and access to fire or other heat source)
Snacks
- Trail mix with nuts, seeds, and dried fruit
- Energy or protein bars
- Dried jerky
- Dried fruit
- Crackers and pretzels
- Electrolyte drinks, gummies, or packets
As you can see, there are lots of good reasons to plan out your hiking meals. Not only will it ensure you’re fully energized, but it also helps you avoid unnecessary weight in your pack. But a hearty breakfast or a tasty snack is just one of the valuable hiking essentials to take with you! It’s also important to have the right hiking gear, especially if you’re going with kids or other family members.
