Backpacking Food Ideas Beginners Can Use

By Diane Spicer

Looking for backpacking food ideas beginners can use instantly?

• Add cold water to an instant meal pouch.

Doesn't sound very satisfying for backpacker food, now does it?

We can do better than that, with these beginner backpacking food ideas learned over years of trial and a lot of errors.

Let's go through all of the opportunities to eat delicious food on a backpacking trip, making recommendations and suggestions to keep you fueled up and satisfied on the trail.

Beginner backpacking food ideas: some ground rules

Let's state the ground rules for packing up your backpacking food, just in case you haven't done it yet or this is your very first trip.

We'll begin with the things to leave behind.

Leave this type of food at home

You're going to have a love-hate relationship with water as a backpacker.

Water quenches your thirst.

Yet water makes your backpack heavy.

What to do?

Use surface water sources and a backpacking water purification system to get the water you need, when you need it, for drinking, cooking and cleaning up.

This leads to the conclusion that you should leave watery, juicy, heavy foods at home.

• Watermelons, right out
• Canned food, just say no
• Fresh fruits and raw meat, absolutely no way
• Heavy vegetables, nope (lookin' at you, cabbages and potatoes)

Instead, bring this food on your backpacking trip

Human beings have been drying out food to preserve and transport it for generations.

Backpackers have, too!

But where do you get this dehydrated and freeze dried backpacking food?

I'll spill the beans (hint) in a moment, but for now, a few words about the difference between these two approaches to backpacking food.

• Dehydrated literally means no water, as in allowed to dry out and get lighter.
• Freeze dried means flash desiccation to pull out water molecules.

Read more here.

Now let's get serious about planning your backpacking meals menu.

If you purchase your backpacking food through the links on this website, you pay nothing extra while Hiking For Her receives a small percentage of your total cost.

Best backpacking breakfast for beginners

Because you've got a lot going on for your first few backpacking trips, what with navigating to your campsite only to tear it down and pack up in the morning, we're going for extreme simplicity and nutrition for your breakfast options.

And because you'll be back on the trail shortly after eating, you want food that won't sit like a rock inside your stomach and make you yearn for a long nap in your sleeping bag (now safely stowed away).

So try these fast, easy breakfast options for backpackers.

Add these to your backpacking food ideas beginners list:
instant oatmeal packets

Yeah, let's start out with traditional options.

Oatmeal is loaded with carbohydrates, which is just another way to say energy. And it has fiber, which slows down absorption and keeps you full longer.

But plain oatmeal is boring, bland, unappealing, and just won't cut it, you say?

I hear you!

Try some flavor hacks and nutritional turbocharging, and then get on the trail.

My favorite brand of instant oatmeal for a backpacking breakfast is McCann's Irish oatmeal, in a variety pack to keep your taste buds guessing throughout your trip.

Then add in these favorite flavor hacks that are nearly weightless but loaded with nutrition to keep yourself in top form.

Beginner backpacker tip: Always try something new at home first!

• Freeze dried fruit
• Shelled hemp hearts
• Ground flax seeds
• Chia seeds

Oatmeal not your jam? Or gluten free?

Add hot water and eat from breakfast from a pouch.

Nothing could be more quick and simple than this Wild Zora instant grain-free hot cereal in the morning.

And this will keep you full and fueled up for a long time on the trail!

Breakfast beverages for backpackers

Backpacking food ideas beginners should consider are hot beverages.

If you're looking for that morning hit of caffeine but don't want to fire up the stove, you can cold brew coffee or tea overnight or add water to the instant stuff.

• Backpacking tea ideas here
• Unique instant coffee ideas like this Vietnamese coffee pour over latte, or an instant mushroom coffee mix.

Otherwise, just use this instant medium Colombia coffee with the hot water left over from your morning meal.

Don't want to futz around with the stove in the morning?

Or have a huge mileage day in front of you?

Eat a nutrient dense, calorie rich breakfast bar to give your body the carbohydrates it's going to need when you get on the trail.

And the fats to keep you satisfied, with a bit of protein to keep you going until lunch time.

Try these easy to eat and surprisingly tasty bars that won't go rock hard overnight:

• Rx bars in a myriad of flavor choices
• KIND bars

Backpacking snacking!

When you work hard on a backpacking trail, your body is going to give you definite cues for a snack break.

Things like legs that feel like cement.

Or the beginning of a headache, which could also indicate that you need more hiking hydration as well as a snack.

So be sure you have some fast fuel (simple carbohydrates) snacks in an easy to access chest or hip belt pocket on your backpack,  or tucked into a convenient jacket pocket.

Great hiking snack options are covered here.

Best beginner backpacking lunch ideas

Keep it simple and uncrushable, that's your motto for hiking lunches.

If you're craving carbohydrates like slices of bread, switch your focus to crackers.

But not just any crackers.

These Blue Diamond Nut Thins are insanely delicious crackers, plus they will stand up to the abuse of your backpack better than softer crackers. You're gonna love the crunch!

And they're gluten free.

Just can't get past the idea of no bread for lunch?

These rye, sunflower and pumpernickel varieties of bread won't go all crummy on you, and will taste delicious when paired with Babybel mini cheeses or these Laughing Cow soft spreadable cheeses.

A hearty lunch with lots of variety for any backpacker!

Tasty protein options: jerky

Your body is going to crave protein, too.

This KRAVE all natural jerky is a delightful departure from oversalted rock hard stuff found at the mini-mart.

Pack some trail mix

Now here's your chance to customize your carbohydrates, fats and proteins by choosing your favorite nuts, dried fruit, and sweets.

• Use these Hiking For Her trail mix recipes and hints
• Select the best backpacking nuts for your trip

Not into the hiking nutrition angle?

You'll be craving crunchy, salty and sweet food after a few days on the trail, and trail mix is a great way to get it.

Lunch time is cookie time!

Want some flavorful, toothsome and nutritiously dense cookies?

I thought so!

These are my favorites: Emmys treats.

You can use them for after dinner treats and snacks for quick energy, too.

They travel well and a variety pack will keep your taste buds guessing for days.

Backpacking dinners for a fast, hearty meal

End of the day? You're gonna be tired, maybe sore and stiff once you take off your boots and stinky socks.

Get right down to business by boiling water and eating a one pot meal.

There are two ways that backpacking food ideas beginners can use will unfold here.

Prepared backpacking dinner entrees: fast and easy

Trade time for money by having the convenience of someone else do all of the work ahead of time.

This takes some of the pressure off you at the end of the day, because you know you will reach into your backpack and come up with a filling meal high in calories to replenish your body.

And if you choose the right brand of freeze dried backpacking foods, you'll have great taste for your dinner as well.

Mountain House makes a huge variety of trailworthy backpacking meals, and you can read about them in this Hiking For Her review.

Another company that makes tasty meals for backpackers is GoodToGo backpacking meals. 

And yet another recommendation based on long trail experience: Backpackers Pantry meals.

DIY backpacking food ideas beginners: dinner options you select

If you're certain that you can wait a bit longer for a hot, filling meal at the end of the day, stir up a one pot meal with basic ingredients.

Here's where your creativity can shine.

Choose a fast cooking grain like rice or quinoa.

Or stick with something even easier: pastas that are pre-cooked.

Pull out your favorite spices, a bit of olive oil, maybe some sun dried tomatoes, and add a big flavor punch.

Then add some protein. Here are my recommendations on best backpacking protein sources.

Extra protein ideas: toss in some chopped nuts, or chunks of well aged salami. Or melt some of that cheese mentioned above over the top of your meal.

Here's a thought: jazz up plain old pasta or rice with these prepared pouches of spicy combinations!

Enjoy something special for dessert after your
hard backpacking day

You've earned a treat! More than one, no doubt, after all those miles of trail.

Brew up a hot mug of tea (my best backpacking tea recommendations here) and slowly nibble something delicious like a Little Secrets chocolate covered treat.

These Cocomels delicious bites are also worthy of your attention when you're planning your backpacking meals if you're a fan of caramel and chocolate.

I also find some chewy dried fruit like mangoes or pineapple really hit the spot after a spicy meal. Here's a good source of high quality dried fruit for backpackers.

More backpacking food ideas beginners
need to think about

There's more to planning your first few backpacking trips than just making a list of food you'll consume. Think about these questions for a moment.

What kind of backpacking stove makes sense for your plans?

• Explore your stove choices

Basic backpacking kitchen cookware, utensils and dishes include which essentials?

• Here's the answer
  

Someone has to do the dishes, even when there aren't many of them. How to accomplish that task?

• Tips on backpacking dish washing here

Where are you going to store all of this food, safely away from wildlife without taking up your entire backpack space?

• Critter proof storage ideas
  

Lots of room for creative backpacking food ideas

You might have just realized that you're just getting started with backpacking food ideas beginners style.

• Lots more ideas here

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Backpacking Food Ideas Beginners Will Love