Backpacking Meals

Some of the best recipes and ideas for backpacking. There are lots of good places to get ideas:

• Reddit TrailMeals
• Reddit HikerTrashMeals
• Reddit BackcountryGourmet
• Andrew Skurka's Recipes
• Fresh Off The Grid (Apply content blocker liberally)
• Andrew Skurka

Focus on high calorie to gram ratio. Things that cook "instantly" like instant rice, ramen noodles, freeze dried stuff, etc.

See Also

• Car Camping Recipes (There is some overlap there)
• Gear Checklist

Breakfast

• Oatmeal is the classic. It can be upgraded with all kinds of stuff to add protein, flavor, etc.
  • Put a packet or two in a zip bag with some regular rolled oats. Improves texture
  • Chia coconut oatmeal (Skurka)

    • 1 oz rolled oats
    • 0.5 oz Chia seeds
    • 0.5 oz coconut milk powder
    • 0.3 oz brown sugar
    • 0.5 oz coconut flakes
    • 1 oz sliced almonds
    • 0.7 oz raisins
    • Salt and cinnamon to taste (go really light on cinnamon)

    More details on Skurka Site.
  • Ultralight cappucino oatmeal
• Skurka has a few more ideas I haven't tried
• Mountain House "breakfast skillet" or scrambled eggs dumped into a tortilla. (For eggs, go really light on the water, and definitely add seasoning or hot sauce. Bland without!
• Granola with milk powder. Or, for desert, Gmilk. Add pecans for more calories.
• Fried spam on a roll or bagel, with an egg sunny side up
• Avocado thing

  • 1 avocado
  • Dry stuff: Pringles, goldfish, pretzels, or other similar food

  1. Cut avocado in half, remove pit, scoop stuff away from skin but keep inside.
  2. Cut grid pattern in avocado flesh
  3. Pour some dry stuff into pit void, eat some mixture
  4. Repeat until avocado is gone.

  Credit goes to Skurka for this one, it's heavyish but can add some much-needed variety to an oatmeal-heavy trip.

• Instant coffee, of course. Better with a cozy of some sort around your pot/mug.

Lunch

• Bagels with meat is the classic. Calorically dense, doesn't get crushed in bag, easy to prep and eat.
  • Packaged tuna, salmon, and chicken comes in a lot of different flavors.
  • Chicken/pork spread that comes in a can with a devil on it tastes amazing on the trail.
  • Spam comes in packets too
  • May use tortillas instead - a little more compact
• Pre-packed sandwiches for the first day or two
• Mini pizza wraps - tomato sauce, cheese, pepperoni in a tortilla
• Summer sausage, cheese, mustard on tortilla or bagel
• Hot dogs - freeze ahead of time if worried (but honestly probably fine for days), toast buns in skillet, then roast or saute dogs
• Chicken salad sandwiches

  • Crossiants, slice ahead of time
  • Canned or packet chicken
  • Chopped apples, celery, and/or grapes
  • Mayonnaise (substitute some or all for greek yogurt

  Mix ahead of time or on the trail (In the bag for reduced mess!). Mayo packets are shelf-stable.

• Sandwich or wrap - honey in micro Nalgene (or stick), peanut butter, sliced banana

Dinner

• Skurka Beans, Rice, and Cheese

  • 2 oz instant refried beans (Walmart)
  • 1.5 oz instant rice ("Minute")
  • 1 oz extra sharp cheddar
  • 1 oz Fritos
  • 0.2 oz taco seasoning (Critical!)
  • Salt, pepper, red pepper flakes to taste
  • Rehydrate with 10-12 oz hot water. Add fritos and cheese very last.

  More details at Skurka site
• Pasta carbonara
• Ramen noodles in pot, or cup/bowl noodle. Dump in packaged meat or other additions.
• Canned chili (desert only)
• Mix packaged chicken with BBQ sauce packets, eat on rolls
• Knorr spanish rice with BBQ tuna packet, put on tortillas
• Mountain House for a meal or two
• Chicken marbella

  1-2 servings, depending on hunger

  • 1/2 cup couscous
  • 1/2 cup dried prunes, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp dried oregano
  • 1 Tbsp brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 broth packet
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 (7oz) pouch chicken
  • 1 (2.5oz) pouch pitted green olives, or an applesauce-type cup of them
  • 2 vinegar packets (optional)

  1. Bring 4 oz water to boil.
  2. Add broth packet, olive oil, couscous mixture, chicken to pot, stir.
  3. Remove from heat, let sit covered about 5 minutes.
  4. Add vinegar and olives. Eat!

  From FOTG
• Jambalaya

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small shallot, diced
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped
  • 1 handful (about 50g) smoked sausages, sliced
  • 1 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1/2 tsp cajun seasoning
  • 3-4 pcs canned pimentos, drained and sliced
  • 1/3 cup quick rice
  • Salt

  1. Heat olive oil in pot, add onions and garlic, cook until soft.
  2. Add sausages, saute until browned.
  3. Stir in tomato paste, spices, pimentos. Cook another 1-2 mins, then pour in rice and 2/3 cup water.
  4. Bring to a boil. Season to taste and simmer about 10 mins, stirring occasionally, until rices is done and liquid is absorbed.

  Source
• Backcountry chili (Skurka)
• Thanksgiving dinner

  • 50-75g instant stuffing
  • 25-50g instant mashed potatoes
  • Packaged chicken, turkey, or ground beef
  • Optional - craisins, and pudding for dessert
  • Somehow get in green beans???

Snacks

• Cheese and crackers
• Ritz crackers (vegetable) and individual peanut butter cups
• Chex mix or pringles
• Banana chips
• Granola/cereal bars
• Dehydrated apples or other fruit
• Lots of ideas, Skurka