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10 Ultralight Backpacking Foods

The best ultralight backpacking foods are high in calories, compact, and fast to prepare. In order to keep your food load as lightweight as possible, you want to carry foods that have 100 calories per ounce or more. One ounce is 28.3 grams, a fact that will help you compare food labels, measure out portions, and calculate the caloric value of your backpacking food bag

Trader Joe's Almonds are a great backpacking food
Trader Joe’s Almonds

Almonds – 160 Calories per ounce

At 160 calories per ounce ,almonds are a superfood because you can easily eat them while you hike or sliver them and add them to your morning cereal or dinners to boost their caloric value and add some crunch to your meals. While 75% of the energy value of almonds is in the form of fat, they also provide 6 grams of protein per one ounce serving, which can be difficult to eat enough of on a long hike. When I buy almonds I like to get them in bulk at Trader Joes (also now available on Amazon Prime.) While you can repackage them into one ounce servings in advance, if you remember that 24 almonds equal one ounce of nuts, you can take them straight from the bag and dispense with any extra packaging.

If you don’t like almonds or you want more variety, many other nuts and seeds provide excellent caloric and nutritional value, eaten separately or combined into all nut gorp combinations. Eating salted varieties of nuts can also help replace the sodium that you sweat out on long hikes.

Here are a few of my other favorites:

Jif
Jif Peanut Butter

Peanut Butter – 165 Calories per ounce

Peanut butter is a hiker staple because it’s high in protein (7 grams/ounce) and is relatively low in saturated fat (2.5  grams/ounce.) It’s also universally found in food stores, even the crummy ones you find at gas stations. When you buy peanut butter you want to get it in a plastic jar because it’s lighter weight than glass, and because you can use the jar to rehydrate other dried foods, no cook style ,while you hike. I like Creamy Jif Peanut Butter the best, but sometimes you don’t have a choice.

Flour Tortillas
Flour Tortillas

Flour Tortillas – 87 Calories per ounce

The problem with bringing bread on the trail is that it’s bulky and goes stale very quickly. Crackers are another option, but it’s almost impossible to keep them from crumbling. Flour tortillas are great food bag item if you crave bread and need something to eat with spreads like peanut butter. Tortillas are high in calories and shelf stable so you can carry them in your food bag until you’re ready to eat them. The smaller 7″ or 8″ size is easier to eat with and less prone to spillage.

Bob's Red Mill Muesli
Bob’s Red Mill Muesli

Muesli – 98 Calories per ounce

Muesli is a mixture of rolled oats, nuts, seeds and dried fruit that can be eaten hot or cold, with or without milk. Bob’s Red Mill Muesli, also available Gluten Free, has about 98 calories per one ounce serving, including 21 grams of carbohydrates. I typically eat 4 servings (1 cup) for breakfast mixed with dehydrated milk and extra raisins to further increase its caloric content. Muesli will fill you up and get you going in the morning but can be eaten at any time during the day.

Nido Dehydrated Whole Milk
Nido Dehydrated Whole Milk

Nido – Dehydrated Whole Milk – 150 Calories per ounce

Nido is dehydrated whole milk that has a whopping 150 calories of nutritional value per ounce (8 ounces of milk prepared). On backpacking trips, I often pre-mix it with a cup of muesli in a Ziploc, add water, and eat it for breakfast. If you like milk, a couple of servings of Nido per day will keep the fat on your bones. It also has 7 grams of protein per serving.

Probars
Probars

Probars – 125 Calories per ounce

Probars are not like any other energy bar made. At 370-380 calories each (125 per ounce)  they’re rich in raw foods and available in an assortment of flavors which keep them from getting boring on longer trips. I’ve been eating Probars since 2008 and they’re a staple in my backpacking food bag.

Nutella Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
Nutella Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

Nutella – 150 Calories per ounce

Nutella is a chocolate hazelnut spread that you can smear on tortillas or eat right out of the jar. It’s a great backpacking food because once you start eating it, it’s difficult to make yourself stop. If you experience loss of appetite on hiking trips, Nutella might be a good antidote. The plastic jars it comes in also make good containers to rehydrate no-cook foods in while you hike.

Olive Oil
Olive Oil

Olive Oil – 240 calories per ounce

At 240 calories per ounce Olive Oil is 100 percent fat, making it one of the most calorically dense foods you can eat on the trail. It’s a great addition to many soups or pasta dishes and can quickly augment their caloric content, although you need to be a little careful how much you consume in a single serving because it really loosens up your gut (2 ounces is a safe daily limit). When carrying Olive Oil in your backpack, you want to store it in a plastic bottle that doesn’t leak. Alternatively, you can buy it in 1/2 ounce packages from Minimus.biz and store them in double Ziploc  bags.

Peanut M&M Chocolate Candies
Peanut M&M Chocolate Candies

Peanut M&M’s – 140 Calories per ounce

Peanut M&M’s may be one of the best foods every invented for backpacking. Available in bulk or in individually wrapped packages they are easy to find in most convenience and grocery stores. Combining peanuts and chocolate, they provide a mixture of quick energy and longer burning fats.

Angel Hair Pasta
Angel Hair Pasta

Angel Hair Pasta – 100 Calories per ounce

If you like to eat hot meals on the trail, Angel Hair Pasta is one of the easiest and fastest forms of spaghetti to cook, taking just 4-5 minutes to boil, or slightly less than the time it takes to cook Ramen Noodles. My favorite way to eat Angel Hair Pasta is to mix it with Olive Oil and a few ounces of shaky Parmesan Cheese (also over 100 calories per ounce) in the cook pot, making a tasty and calorie rich meal.

49 comments

  1. If you want to add an energy jolt to your coffee that is guaranteed to have your hopping and eager to get on the trail in the morning, try adding a tablespoon of Coconut Oil and a tablespoon of real Butter. Holy spinning dervishes, it not only tastes great but it will have you zooming down the trail with your pack not fully on both shoulders and you singing, “..Zippy doo dah, Zippity yea, My oh My what a wonderful day…” Yeah, its that energizing.

    • I’m on a Ketosis Diet, “Bulletproof Coffee” is a staple of my diet… 2 TBS Coconut oil, 1 TBS Grass Fed butter and mix in a blender. Delicious, calorie dense and the coffee is a kick starter!

  2. anybody know the best way to have a bit of “relaxation juice” at the end of the day that doesnt involve hiking out a bunch of airline bottles or flasks?
    -Thanks

    • it might be a little bit trashy, but a small plastic soda bottle makes a decent light-weight flask option. good for carrying a bit of extra liquid fuel as well.

    • A few staples that I typically carry on my overnight hikes are:

      Couscous: In a zip-top bag, I’ll pre-portion some instant soup mix (the just add water kind). Tomato and/or Red Pepper is arguably the best for this. In goes at least half a cup of couscous. Tomato and/or Red Pepper is arguably the best for this. And lastly, toss in a beef bullion cube for seasoning and whatever other herbs and spices you like. [basil, chilli, etc.]

      Cardamom Hot Chocolate: Seriously tasty! You’ll laugh, you’ll cry–it’ll change your life. Crack open a few cardamom pods and drop the black seeds into cold water as you bring it to boil. Then add cocoa powder and enjoy.

      Miso Soup Sachets: Makes a good hot drink when you’re craving something that isn’t sweet. Also adds a lot of flavour to instant mashed potatoes.

      Freeze-dried Peas: Adds flavour and texture to otherwise boring foods. Cooks super-fast, and can be eaten as-is for a dried snack. [just be sure they’re freeze-dried and not the regular ‘dried split peas’.

      Lastly are the GU Energy Gels. They’re a little bit pricy for how small they are, but whoa MAN do these things pack a punch?! With lots of flavour options and varying amounts of caffeine it’s hard to go wrong. I highly recommend having an extra zip-top bag to put the rubbish in from these. the wrappers can be a bit sticky even after going full Dracula on them–which you will.

      I’d love to hear your opinions of these if you try them for the first time.
      -Cheers!

    • The soda bottle suggestion is a good way to cut weight on the container – plus once empty it can be an additional h2o bottle. Go for as high octane as possible and something that can mix well with either coffee (whiskeys), hot chocolate (schnapps), or flavored drink mixes like gatorade (gin, vodka, everclear, etc)…that keeps it flexible in case breakfast, lunch or post dinner you need to get your ‘relax’ on!

    • Hubby and I used to take highly overproof rum in a small plastic bottle. Think of it as condensed alcohol – a little goes a long way! About 1/4 oz in hot chocolate makes a relaxing nightcap.

  3. I’ll have to try the ProBars, but in the mean time I’m a big fan of Lara Bars. My favorite is the Peanut Buttter Cookie. Contains dates, peanuts and salt. I eat them all the time. Available at Trader Joes.

    • +1 on the Larabars. Cashew for me. 120 calories per ounce at around a $1 a bar if bought in bulk is perfect and not so sweet that you can’t eat them all day.

  4. I would be interested in your beef and turkey jerky recipes :)

  5. Dave, your thoughts are appreciated. I’ve found that what I eat while backing makes a huge difference on my comfort levels, performance, etc. Well duh, of course, but it took me awhile to figure out that it’s not just about the calories, but needing a really good balance of protein, carbs, etc. So many of the typical backpacking foods (snickers, nutella) are sugar-loaded. I burn right through them and feel like crap an hour later. Instead i’m rediscovering the bulk bins at my local co-op for stuff like dried hummus, etc.

  6. YUM. thanks for this!!

  7. -Nature Valley Crunchy granola bars. Eat ’em on the trail or break ’em up and mix ’em with Nido powdered milk for cereal! Multi use food.

    -Target has micro mini flour tortillas which are great. They don’t fall apart after a couple of days like bigger tortillas.

    -I like to mix peanut butter and jam in a squeeze tube and have that for a quick trail sandwich with the tiny tortillas

    -If i’m going to be going fast and light and have ground to cover I’ll get up and out in the morning with merely a Gu espresso gel or other similar energy gel for breakfast. Eat more solid food down the way an hour or so.

    -My new idea is to bring the Tenkara rod and count on catching fish! trout wrapped in foil with water or olive oil over the fire with my 180 flame stove is the plan. Maybe some lemon pepper seasoning if I’m feeling really crazy. Or poached in the coffee can pot with a bit of water.

    -instant miso soup (with ramen noodles or alone) is an easy staple too

    -I’m going to try powdered coconut milk mixed with couscous (or instant potatoes or dehydrated rice), dehydrated vegetables and thai spice mix in a ziplock the next time out though. Sounds awesome, especially if I can catch some trout to throw in there too.

  8. I may have missed it but I am surprised that no one has mentioned taking International Delights non-dairy liquid creamers with them for their coffee and tea drinks. Unlike other brands, ID’s singles require NO refrigeration of any kind (huge plus) and make about any trail-coffee taste great! These are the single serve size (box of 24 singles) and the Almond Joy/Coconut is favorite for sure. Pack them in an empty Peanut or Mayo jar. Always a great take-along and they weigh almost nothing in your pack!

    • If you like the Almond Joy/Coconut flavor, might I suggest you try a tablespoon of Coconut Oil and a similar amount of Real Butter in your morning coffee? It will get you going with a trifecta of caffeine, butter fats, and coconut oil for long lasting and great tasting energy. Wouldn’t suggest it as your evening camp cup though!

  9. Dave…. Wow. You do know that driving a car to the trailhead is much more dangerous than any of the foods you are avoiding.

  10. Anyone allergic to peanuts is most likely allergic to beans, aka legumes. Peanut allergies are normally due to a “bean” or legume
    allergy.

  11. I’ll send a thank you out to a thru-hiker I met this year by the name of SquarePeg for this tip.

    A whiskey flask is the perfect olive oil container. Leak proof and the weight isn’t a big concern because olive oil is that important.

    • I just buy an 8.5oz bottle of olive oil. It is the cheapest bottle out there and only cost $1.97. The Extra Virgin Olive Oil it contains is not the best there is but you can use it for cooking at home and then wash and fill it with the real good stuff for you packing adventures. Of course the bottle does hold 8.5oz of olive oil securely which is a bit larger than 4oz but who goes out for a week and does not use a full 8.5oz of Olive Oil. It is just such a fantastic cooking and energy component for any backpacker. And of course, the bottle is leak proof. It was designed to keep Olive Oil fresh. The brand I currently get is GEM.

  12. I take a plastic contained heavy whipping cream! The heavy cream keeps for over five days and is the best for coffee, oatmeal, granola. It upgrades anything! I try to set in snow or cold stream at night. Usually gets “whipped” by day 2-3 just by the all day motion. Great fat content. You won’t be sorry!

  13. Can anyone tell me why my appetite goes out the window when I am on a trail for a day or two? I used to be able to eat anything of any amount – now I just want to drink water and eat nuts and beef jerky – coffee and oatmeal in the am and I go. And I LOVE to eat. Is this another “joy” of turning fifty?

  14. Thanks to all for some useful suggestions! A matter close to my heart this, so here are a couple of things which I’ve found work for me:

    ‘Relaxation Juice’ (aka Scotch) – I buy mine at cask strength (55-60%) for the trail, so that I can dilute it to normal drinking strength when required, which strictly speaking is a weight-saving tip rather than a culinary one.

    Coffee – Individual foil wrapped coffee bags (look like a large tea bag) which contain ‘fresh’ ground coffee do taste far closer to the real thing than the hideous instant. Use two per full-sized mug. Here in the UK they’re made by Lyons.

    I share the concerns of the earlier post about being middle-aged and not having much appetite for food by day two of a hike, whilst eating like a pig in daily life. I can only put it down to being more knackered and dehydrated after the unfamiliar exertion than you realise, or possibly (in my case) the unfit/overweight body desperately trying to shed a few pounds to avoid a heart attack. My solution: marzipan!

  15. I try to keep my food weight down, but there’s one item I don’t skimp on, and it’s one of my favorites! I Frankenstein’d up this concoction when I hiked the PCT in 2011, and it was fun to see others trying it out.

    1 jar of your favorite nut butter, preferably oil-on-top.

    1 stick of butter

    Olive oil

    Chocolate bar

    Honey or agave nectar

    Pour out oil on top, and chunk out a big scoop of peanut butter (make a sandwich with it). Replace lost oil with olive oil. Chop up chocolate bar and dump in. Pour in some honey/agave nectar. Mix in the bar of butter (softened) and mix all up. Calorie dense, so good, and great on tortillas, by the spoonful while you’re Hiking or a quick & easy snack on a break, or a spoonful in your oatmeal. It was so good, I’d have a spoonful at night as I was crawling in my bag, and that extra quick-turn energy helps keep you warmer at night.

    Other additions depending on your preferences: raisins, ground up coffee (like Starbucks Via paks, or the Alpine Aire freeze-dried coffee), banana chips, or another type of chopped up nut like cashew, etc.

    The stick of butter lightens the consistency of the nut butter, and gives you added salt, oils, and amazing flavor.

    Freaking amazing.

  16. I go to minimus.biz and get some Olive Oil packets and always take those with me, unless he pre-made food package already has OO in it. One thing though, despite the weight, I always carry a small bottle of honey and sweeten my coffee and tea with it. lots of calories and it tastes good all by itself or as an additional condiment on crackers and what not. One thing about Nido though, one the packaging it says to mix it with warm water, so I stopped taking it as I noticed it occasionally lumped up with cold water. Switched to Carnation Instant. Non-fat so it lasts a long time. Not as useful as Nido though, which interestingly enough is meant for infants and young children.

  17. I thought this was a good article but there’s so much anecdotal hippy dippy nonsense in these comments it almost gave me cancer. Believe it or not, we have actual science to tell us what foods work best in what situations, you don’t need gluten-free, free-range, organic, soy bird seed to fuel your body when hiking, it’s all BS, read some studies already

  18. I must agree totally with Snurf. Food science is a clinically proven process. Most of the preceding comments are purely people maintaining their normal food addictions whilst in the bush. Why you would want to put junk that has been mentioned in your body at all is a mystery to me; let alone whilst you are putting your body under strain.
    Do some proper reading folks and enhance body performance.

    • I don’t consider almonds or raw nuts bad for you.

    • Don’t you hate food snobs?

      • Favorite quick trail dinner: pesto pasta. Olive oil, basil, cheese, nuts (compact calories) plus angel hair pasta – Barilla makes standard durum pasta, whole grain pasta, and “protein enriched” pasta in angel hair size. Sauce doesn’t go “off”.

    • Hey, we’re all out there having fun in nature. I really don’t care what anyone chooses to eat, as long as they enjoy it. I wonder, do you really care that much that other people have better performance, or is this more a case of you wanting to be right? Cheers, and hike on, everyone. Me, I always take some dry salami and string cheese. Keeps well and a few relish packets for lunchtime or post-trail snack.

  19. RE: your comment about broken crackers. I’ve been taking Ritz crackers on the trail for years and very seldom suffer any broken ones. Here’s how: Get a 1/2 gallon milk or OJ carton. A four-stack fits in perfectly and I put my cooking utensils in the small gaps between the crackers and the wall.

    • Early on in an outing, I like to have some tomato soup, several grilled hot dogs and a stick of Ritz crackers broken and sprinkled on top. A little Worcestershire Sauce for a nice bite and you have a real comfort camp dinner. Not for thru hikes but a real treat just out enjoying a nice away from everything camp.

  20. The lightest balanced food I know is called Peronin, made by Katadyn. 100 grams of powder in 300 cc of water make one third of average daily calories.

    • Well, 1284 Kcal/5397 KJ per day probably wouldn’t meet one third of trail energy needs of most of the folks on this site :) but at 121 Kcal/oz I’m looking forward to trying some. Thanks for mentioning it.

  21. Bacon. Real bacon bits are shelf stable and give me the fat and protein I crave. They are also cheap.

  22. I have a huge box and take the international delight french vanilla ones along in a small plastic jar. I’m addicted to the international delight cream version of french vanilla at home so this just makes my coffee spot on. Also i like to cook raman noodles with a cut up pepperette and a handful of salted peanuts.

  23. I eat the food snobs I encounter on the trail. Usually nourishing enough until I can get back and have “real food”.

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