Hiking Food

tropf

ABSTRACT

short rundown on efficient food for short & long hikes

1. Introduction

1.1. Rationale

I regularly enjoy hiking, be it short tours that last only one day or longer ones upwards of 100 km. Every time i plan those, one of the biggest issues is food – there is no "one size fits all" solution, and even if planned, you may not like what you packed when you are on the road.

To prevent myself from considering things over and over again, i’ve collected my thoughts on food for hiking here.

1.2. Objectives

The objectives of the food listed here are:

1. energy effectiveness: does it get me fed?
2. cost effectiveness: is it affordable?
3. weight efficiency: does it have a low weight?

› Your goals will differ from mine, and you will always have to compromise on at least one of these aspects. Pick your poison.

1.3. Principles of Selecting Food

• watch your briefcase: i generally don’t go for anything fancy, so it should be fairly cheap
• aim for 400 kcal/100 g. 350 might be acceptable, anything below is too heavy
• ignore the rule above for the first day: on your first day pick something special, and it can be a little heavier; you will not carry it for long anyways
• restock on the way: food is heavy, restocking every 2-3 days makes planning much easier
• aim for 2000 kcal per day: this means with energy efficient food 0.5 kg of food per day and person
• a regular meal will be around 500 kcal, give or take: plan plenty of additional snacks to reach that 2000 kcal goal
• only buy things you would eat normally too
• shop locally: maybe more pricy, though higher quality and much more available on your hike
• prefer light packaging: glass is not acceptable, also keep in mind you gotta carry your trash

2. Main Meals

• ramen: eat 2x normal serving size
• pasta: make sure they fit your pot, so maybe avoid spaghetti
• cereal: with a high oat share
• rice: only if fast-cooking
• bread: only dark bread is real bread
• other pre-packaged pastry
• precooked meals from tin cans: only if you can restock them daily

To accompany one of the above the simplest option is to get simple instant sauce. It doesn’t taste crazy good, but it gets the job done: get you to eat.

› You know yourself best. If you are a picky eater bring cream, salt, pepper etc.

3. Snacks

• cookies: in large quantities
• gingerbreak
• sweets: purchase in bulk from a large chain store
• white bread: i personally like baguette

4. Other

• tea
• powdered milk: order online, test with cold water at home
• boiled eggs: great to take for your first one or two days

5. Avoid

Plan for cooking in the worst of conditions you can encounter on your trip. Only if they work for that occasion, a meal is acceptable.

Out of bad experience, i recommend against these:

• vegetables: first day may be an exception
• meal prep > 10 min
• greasy foods (if you can): makes cleaning up easier
• rice, unless fuel is no problem

› These are not banned, but think twice before taking them.

04 December 2020
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