Over the years of hiking, I progressed not only in the difficulty of trails but also in trail cuisine. I used to just carry some snacks for lunch and eat dinner at the restaurants or mountain huts on the trail. However, as my hikes became longer and more remote, I transitioned to cooking on the trail, which is a journey of exploration on its own, full of hits and misses.
In this post, you’ll find the 3 misses and 4 hits on my quest for finding the best trail food. When searching for trail dish ideas, I pay close attention not only to the taste and energy but also to the weight of the food. While I don’t consider myself an ultralight backpacker, I try to minimize my pack weight.
My trail food misses
Lunch - Bread with Nutella
I used to eat bread with Nutella during most of my long-distance hikes. It’s a tasty and easy lunch option. However, during Kungsleden I had to admit that it’s also one of those zero-energy foods, which fill me up only for 2 - 3 hours. I know, I know, duh, Nutella is obviously not a nutritious option. It worked for me for a while though, especially in the summer when I’d be less hungry during the day due to the heat.
Lunch - Instant soup
There seems to be zero nutritional value in those soups as well. Even less than in a bread slice with Nutella, I’d say. Once on GR5, I made three packs of them and even added some sausage, expecting a fancy hot lunch. After an hour both me and Edo were hungry and tired again as if we haven’t eaten at all. Edo even felt a bit sick after it, so it’s a definite no since then.
Dinner - Freeze-dried meals
I tried at least a few different types of them and each time I didn’t feel fine after eating one. It’s just too heavy for my stomach. The idea of simply boiling water, pouring it into a bag, and then eating a pasta carbonara sounds awesome, but after a few trials, I had to conclude it’s not for me. Many times I couldn’t finish and was left with a considerably heavier bag as trash, adding to my frustration. Maybe there are some nice brands out there that are more stomach-friendly, but I haven’t come across them yet.
My trail food hits
Breakfast - Oatmeal with jam and dried fruits or berries
This was my discovery of the year. While hiking GR5 and GR10, for breakfast I had some bread with jam or fresh croissants from a bakery (the luxuries of hiking in France), Kungsleden was much more remote and colder, thus forcing me to try oatmeal. And I loved it!
To make it creamy I used a few spoons of milk powder mixed with water. I took milk powder in a zipped plastic bag from Ikea, light and small. To make the oatmeal even tastier I added jam and dried cranberries. For the jam, I bought a set of 8 sticks, 25g each, which is much lighter than a glass jar.
Lunch - Bread with a can of tuna
I got this lunch suggestion from fellow hikers while on Kungsleden. Tuna cans are quite light and much more fulfilling than Nutella, so that will be my switch. It does have more trash and I would probably have to resupply every 2-3 days, but I like the idea of having a savory lunch meal that also can stand both heat and cold.
Dinner - Fresh Ultralight Phad Thai
I found a Youtube channel of an actual chef who also loves hiking, Chef Corso. His channel is for people, who want to eat tasty and easy dishes on the trail. I’ve only tried a few of his recipes, but so far I like Fresh Ultralight Phad Thai the most. For this dish, I packed some of the ingredients at home in small and light packaging to minimize the weight, just as Chef Corso.
The original recipe is vegetarian, but as I usually made it for dinner in the campsites in the valley, I could get fresh chicken, adding a massive protein source. When in remote areas, a smoked meat alternative can work well too.
Dinner - Meat, rice, Sriracha sauce, and veggies
I made up this dish myself and really like it due to its versatility. Here’s the recipe:
Ingredients:
- Ready-cooked rice (e.g. UncleBens)
- Some type of meat that does not need a fridge (e.g. smoked sausage)
- Vegetable of your choice (e.g. canned veggies, courgette, paprika)
- Sriracha sauce (I took some from home by using a travel tube)
- Oil for cooking (I took some from home by using a travel tube)
- Salt & pepper
- Water
Method:
- Put oil and meat in a pan and fry for 1 min, stir.
- Add cut vegetables, rice, and water (based on recommendations on the rice pack)
- Cook until rice and veggies are done (4-5 min), stir.
- Add Sriracha, salt, and pepper based on your taste preferences, cook for 1-2 min.
Done!
I hope you’ll find my trail food discoveries useful and inspiring for your trips. Don’t forget to try out any new dishes before the trip. You might not like them, which is something you’d want to find out at home instead of on the trail while you’re hungry.
Let me know if you have any trail food hits, I’d love to try them too!