Packing for a backpacking trip largely depends on how long you will be gone and the terrain you will be covering. Before packing food for your trip, you need to consider how many calories you will expend daily. Many companies specialize in backpacking food. This food is balanced between the nutrients, protein and carbohydrates your body needs to reach its full potential all while being less bulky than conventional food.
Breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, as it will build your body's energy store for the day's calorie expenditure. Powered milk is a good breakfast item to bring because it will provide all the nutrients of regular milk but without any of the weight. Whole grain breakfast cereals that contain freeze-dried fruit are lightweight and pack lots of vitamins and vital nutrients to keep your body healthy. The combination of the cereal and milk will provide your body all it needs without the weight of conventional food.
Snacks
It is important to eat snacks every few hours while hiking to ensure you have the necessary calories your body needs. Granola bars and trail mix are the best choice to snack on when hiking. Granola bars are made from oats and grains that provide the necessary carbohydrates, and they usually will contain nuts for protein and some sort of chocolate chips or peanut butter for your fat needs. Trail mix usually consists of similar ingredients to a granola bar, but it also has dried fruits and more nuts that add extra nutrition. Both of these choices are lightweight and do not take up much room, which is important when backpacking.
Dinner
When planning dinners for backpacking you must take in consideration if you're going to have a heat source available and the length of your trip. For shorter trips, fresh food can be brought in small, insulated coolers and kept cold with a small ice pack. For longer trips, freeze-dried dinners are the best choice as their weight is minimal. Freeze-dried dinners come in many varieties and most only require water to make. Freeze-dried dinners will often be balanced with nutrients and vitamins because they are specifically designed for hiking and backpacking. Military ready-to-eat meals (MREs) are another good choice for dinner, as they are very lightweight. MREs are designed for carrying in military packs by soldiers, so they are perfect for traditional backpacking.
About The Author
Based in Southwestern Michigan, Matt Knight has been writing outdoor and technology articles for one year. His articles appear on websites such as eHow.com, Travels.com and Golflink.com. He holds a bachelor's degree in computer information systems from Western Michigan University.
