Breakfast
You will want to start your day with a meal that will give you enough energy to continue your trek. Food items found at camping supply stores might not be as appealing to your taste buds as those you can purchase as the grocery store.
Single-serve packages of oatmeal, grits and granola are lightweight to carry and easy to prepare. The carbohydrates will give your body the fuel it needs.
Lunch and Dinner
Beans and rice, soups, rice mixtures and pasta dishes are good options. To prepare, all you need to do is heat some water. Single-serve packages of tuna or chicken wrapped in foil are high-protein meal choices. If you don't mind the extra weight, plastic containers with chicken or beef stew mixes provide full meals and are precooked, which makes prep even easier.
Snacks
Nuts are a good snack choice because they're small and loaded with protein. Also pack food items such as dried fruits, beef jerky, peanut butter crackers, trail mix and protein bars, which are lightweight and don't take up much space. These foods are packed with carbohydrates and protein, rather than empty calories.
Drinks
Be sure to pack plenty of water. If you prefer flavored drinks, single-serving packages of drink mix are available. These come in a variety of flavors and are only a couple inches in length, so they will fit easily into your backpack. To prepare, mix with some water. Coffee or tea bags make preparing a hot beverage a snap. Powdered creamer is lighter than carrying the liquid version, and it doesn't have to be kept cold.
