Usually, when planning a hike, tourists face the following problem: what food to take on a hike. If you take too much - the backpack will be too heavy, and if not enough - you can starve by the end of the hike. Of course, each person has their own norm, but it will not be superfluous to use the layouts of more experienced tourists to make your own layout and competently plan your hiking meals.

What food to take on a hike

The question of what food to take on a hike depends on the timing, type of hike, and number of people. For example, if the hike is short (3-5 days) and not very difficult, the amount of food is usually not calculated to the exact amount, and you can take what you want. When planning a hike, for example, for 10 days, the calculation should be more accurate. So, on average, 500 g of food is needed per person per day. Therefore, in the first few days of trekking, a tourist will have to carry about 5 kg of food on his shoulders (not counting equipment and other accessories).

When making a list, tourists prefer light and compact food. Therefore, the food on a hike may differ from what you are used to in everyday life. So, instead of bread, it is recommended to take lighter bread rolls, and instead of fresh vegetables and fruits - dried ones. Dry foods are preferred, as they are much lighter.

What not to take with you on a hike

Before making a list of food for a hike, it is recommended to consider the following foods:

  • Canned foods, food in heavy containers and glass. Firstly, such packages are heavy, and secondly, you will have to carry empty cans with you until the end of the hike, since you cannot burn them.

  • Heavy and low-calorie food. During a hike, food should be hearty, as energy is spent very quickly. Such products will not be useful during trekking, but will only weigh down your backpack.

  • Foods that can spoil quickly (milk, cooked sausage, raw meat and fish).

  • Fresh fruits and vegetables (with some exceptions).

  • Juices and alcohol (especially in large quantities).

List of food to take with you on a hike

Of course, each person plans their diet on a hike based on personal preferences. However, there are the most popular products for trekking among tourists.

List of products for hiking:

  1. Main:

  • Cereals: buckwheat, rice, lentils, oatmeal

  • Breads

  • Vacuum-packed stew or dried meat

  • Tea

  • Salt, sugar

  1. Additional

  • Dry spices

  • Hard cheese

  • Coffee

  • Smoked sausage

  • Dried milk

  • Chocolate (mostly dark)

  • Energy bars

  • Lollipops

  • Cookies

  • Nuts, dried fruits

  • Pasta

  • Freeze-dried food.

To calculate the required amount of products, it is important to know how much one person can eat at a time. For example, buckwheat or rice will need approximately 80 g per serving, oatmeal - 50 g, one energy bar (50 g) per snack. As for other products, for 1 serving for 1 adult person you need to take approximately the following quantities: hard cheese - 30-40 g, raw smoked sausage - 30-40 g, dried meat - 20-25 g, nuts - 15-20 g, dried fruits - 40-50 g, tea - 8-10 g, salt - 5-7 hours.

Based on the number of people in the group and the timing of the trek, you can calculate what products and in what quantity you need to take with you on the hike. If the group is small, there is an opportunity to diversify the menu, but when 15-20 people are going on a hike - in this case, the variety of products will not be so wide, since it is difficult to take a lot of food with you.

And remember that you cannot skip meals - this is the basic rule on a hike.

Layout for children - nuances

When planning a layout for children, it is worth considering some nuances, since their nutrition is slightly different from that of an adult. Here are the important points:

  • Make sure that 1 meal includes hot dishes

  • Add additional protein foods and vitamins to the menu

  • For children under 6 years of age, portions should be about half as small, but this does not apply to sweets.

Freeze-dried products

Freeze-dried products are becoming increasingly popular among tourists. During freeze-drying, almost all moisture is removed from the products, but the beneficial properties of the food, taste and aroma remain the same. The weight and volume of such products are reduced, so they can be taken on a hike in any quantity. That's why tourists love freeze-dried food.

You can adjust the list of products for a hike to suit yourself, add your favorite products, but for most tourists, the main products are almost the same.

Choosing products depending on the type of hike

What to take on a hike depends largely on the type, duration, level of difficulty of the trip, seasonality and external conditions (temperature, access to water, ability to cook). 

A short guide to choosing products for a hike

Mountain hike: high calorie content, lightness, quick cooking.

What to take with you from products to the mountains:

  • For a nutritious breakfast: oatmeal with dried fruits or corn porridge with fruit/meat, coffee/tea, energy bar, other high-calorie food.
  • For lunch on the go: nuts, dried fruits, jerky, energy bars, chocolate.
  • For dinner on a hike: freeze-dried soups, pureed meat, instant cereals (couscous, buckwheat, etc.), stew, chocolate, herbal tea.

Hiking (moderate difficulty, duration 1-3 days): balanced, easy, minimum utensils.

What products to take:

  • Breakfast: oatmeal, pea or corn porridge, sandwiches, cheese, boiled eggs (for the first day), coffee or tea.
  • Lunch on the hike: jerky, nuts, dried fruits, energy bars, cookies, bread.
  • Dinner: soups from freeze-dried products, pasta or mashed potatoes with meat, nuts, halva, herbal tea.

Multi-day hiking: long-term storage, high-calorie, low weight.

What products to take:

  • Breakfast: dry cereals with fruits/vegetables/meat, coffee bags, chocolate, energy bars, peanut butter with bread, tea.
  • Lunch: jerky, snacks, energy bars, nuts, dried fruits, chocolate.
  • Dinner on the hike: freeze-dried meals or porridge with stew, tea, halva, dried fruits.

Camping, where there is a car, a camp, cooking equipment: comfort, variety, cooking on fire or gas.

What to take from the products on the hike:

  • Breakfast: scrambled eggs, sandwiches, instant porridge, yogurt, coffee with cream or tea, fruit.
  • Lunch: freeze-dried soup, grill (meat/fish/vegetables), vegetable salads, fruit.
  • Dinner: stewed meat, porridge in a cauldron, pilaf, main dishes that do not require cooking.

When making a list of products, it is worth remembering that food for a hike should not only be healthy and varied, but also tasty. So buy products from trusted brands, especially when it comes to instant dishes!