The Best Backpacking Food -

Home
>
Outdoors
>
The Best Backpacking Food

The Best Backpacking Food

Maybe your favorite backpacking food is a freeze-dried turkey dinner. There really is no "best" backpacking food. There are reasons to bring certain foods, though. Here are ten foods, and the reasons you might want to consider them.

1. Nuts. This is one of the most calorie-packed foods you can take. That means less weight to carry. With lots of protein and other nutritonal benefits, nuts are one of the best backpacking foods.

2. Olive oil. Add a little to your soups or dip bread in it. The best of the oils health-wise, you can eat it before sleeping, to stay warm, because fats generate heat when digested.

3. Trail mixes. Any mix with raisins and nuts is great for backpacking. Vitamins, minerals, protein, and the best reason - convenience.

4. Corn products. Tortilla chips or corn nuts are convenient, and they don't seem to cause the tiredness that potato chips and other simple carbohydrates can cause.

5. Ramen noodles. When you need a hot meal fast, there isn't much that's better.

6. Instant coffee. A necessity for caffeine addicts, and it's good to have a stimulant available for emergencies.

7. Wild edible berries. Learn to identify a few, and you'll have a nutricious excuse for a break along the trail.

8. Instant sports drinks. Pour a little in your water bottle and shake. Replacing electrolytes doesn't get more convenient.

9. Instant refried beans. When you want sustained energy, eat beans.

10. Your favorites. Having your favorite foods can help salvage a rainy backpacking trip spent in the tent.

Always consider the nature of the trip when you choose your backpacking food. Hot meals are much more important in cold climates, and convenience is king, if you want to make miles. A bottle of rum might even be appropriate, if it's a trip wih friends.

Steve Gillman is a long-time backpacker, and advocate of ultralight backpacking. His advice and stories can be found at http://www.TheBackpackingSite.com

In The News:

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/thingstodo/6126275.htmlcid=0ei=lmooSfT9MqTe6AO39qRMusg=AFQjCNGHDghdjnFl_jOkz_BGwuY6I1KDogbOutdoors/b Report: Nov. 22/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fHouston Chronicle,nbsp;United Statesnbsp;-/font nobr13 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By BINK GRIMES and WILKINS WEATHER For the Chronicle Guide Mike Segall of Reel Threel Charters reported good catches of redfish, croakers and sand trout on b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.thejournal-news.net/articles/2008/11/22/sports/more_sports/sports01.txtcid=0ei=lmooSfT9MqTe6AO39qRMusg=AFQjCNGcQP7hijC_0SCX7ciYCm48K9jZ2gbOutdoors/b with Braz: Helpful Hints For The First Deer Season/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fthejournal-news.net,nbsp;ILnbsp;-/font nobr5 minutes ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1My adrenaline is picking up a little probably because I’ve been glued to deer hunting on the boutdoor/b channel for the last couple weeks. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/sports/stories/2022922896.htmlcid=1273126814ei=lmooSfT9MqTe6AO39qRMusg=AFQjCNE6GDmYFiTprHz4L1-JZyoaRE_6zgbOUTDOORS/b: Deer hunters on the right track/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fKennebec Journal,nbsp;MEnbsp;-/font nobr15 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By TRAVIS BARRETT, Staff Writer 11/22/2008 THE PERFECT STORM: Tracking deer takes the “perfect storm” of factors. Temperatures drop, snow begins to fall and b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/sports/stories/1905230311.htmlcid=1273126811ei=lmooSfT9MqTe6AO39qRMusg=AFQjCNEuBDDRfKHXSxUi5Bmw7IWRSjtNKAbOUTDOORS/b: Searching for big trees/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fKennebec Journal,nbsp;MEnbsp;-/font nobr15 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1AUGUSTA -- More than any other state in the country, Maine is blessed with trees -- and the Maine Forest Service is looking for the largest specimens. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.dl-online.com/articles/index.cfm%3Fid%3D39497cid=0ei=lmooSfT9MqTe6AO39qRMusg=AFQjCNFbvIGkghA728iV8Ex8GY6CHOhoJwEducators, industry, DNR: get kids boutdoors/b this winter/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fDL-Online,nbsp;MNnbsp;-/font nobr9 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1How do you get kids involved in ice fishing? Teachers from the Battle Lake and Nevis school districts and members of Ice Team, LLC, set out to answer that b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.news-press.com/article/20081122/LIFESTYLES/811220400/1013cid=0ei=lmooSfT9MqTe6AO39qRMusg=AFQjCNEk00Jzh8AKp29H4lFp6LkHb3aQRQCouple takes traditional word game boutdoors/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fThe News-Press,nbsp;FLnbsp;-/font nobr14 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By Mary Beth Breckenridge • McClatchy News Service • November 22, 2008 LAKE TOWNSHIP, Ohio — For Jane and Keith Crane, Scrabble is an boutdoor/b sport. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20081121/FEAT03/811210304/1021cid=1272878775ei=lmooSfT9MqTe6AO39qRMusg=AFQjCNFtDuBaBeX_qZDD3G7ktQf9X3lQWAEnjoy warmth, comfort boutdoors/b with ... Fire pit/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fJackson Clarion Ledger,nbsp;MSnbsp;-/font nobrNov 20, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1While the couple generally uses the chimenea - a gourd-shaped boutdoor/b fireplace with a chimney-like smoke vent - after the kids go to bed, they also have a b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/34901799.htmlcid=0ei=lmooSfT9MqTe6AO39qRMusg=AFQjCNE5ceqKO-vfNIql-IRrE_qRnOV22QLove the boutdoors/b? ‘Big Dogs’ adoption event has you in mind/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fSan Antonio Express,nbsp;TXnbsp;-/font nobr21 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1The adopt-a-thon will include breeds known for their love of boutdoor/b activities, including retrievers, shepherds and cattle dogs. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/9fa39990-b75b-11dd-8e01-0000779fd18c.htmlcid=0ei=lmooSfT9MqTe6AO39qRMusg=AFQjCNFj5ZdbckLX2bJTc4F_eB66x3CuCwMen are wearing their slippers boutdoors/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fFinancial Times,nbsp;UKnbsp;-/font nobr19 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1b.../b a silk dressing gown for elegant evenings at home – think Prince Albert or Noël Coward – has taken a fashionable step forward into the great boutdoors/b. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.sj-r.com/features/x776455476/Outdoors-calendarcid=0ei=lmooSfT9MqTe6AO39qRMusg=AFQjCNE0Z8n2pN-JdFG7Mm1DuVnEVRyKgwbOutdoors/b calendar/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fThe State Journal-Register,nbsp;ILnbsp;-/font nobr13 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By Staff Report * The Sangamon Valley Sierra Club will host a program on preserving scenic and historic portions of the Horse Creek and Brush Creek b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

outdoors - Google News