Backpacking requires specialized gear; light in weight, versatile, durable and easy to set up after a day spent traveling under ones own power. The food chosen for backpacking should be chosen for light weight, ease of preparation, to supply nutrition adequate for the activity planned, be easy to clean up and should taste good.
Food is a fuel measured in calories. When planning for a backpacking trip you should plan on 3,000 to 4,000 calories per day for the first three days of a summer trip and an increase of 500 to 1000 calories per day for trips of more than 3 days. Cold weather backpacking will require higher caloric intake. Younger scouts, teenagers, of a crew may well require 25% more food than adults. I have found that the biggest problem is to provide the maximum calories with the minimum amount of weight, while maintaining a proper nutritional balance.
The nutritional contents of food important to consider are proteins, carbohydrates and fats.
Proteins build and maintain muscle and are essential to the body. 30 to 40% of daily calories should be in protein.
Examples:
Meats: fresh, dried, or canned
Dairy: Milk, eggs, cheese
Nuts, beans, legumes
Carbohydrates are foods for fast energy, typically used within two hours of consumption. Approximately 40 to 50% of daily calories should be in the form of carbohydrates and intake should be spread throughout the day to sustain energy levels.
Examples:
Cereals, grains, breads & baking mixes
Noodles, macaroni, rice
Fruits: fresh, dried, or juice
Candy
Fats supply the greatest number of calories for weight but burn slowly, typically 6 to 8 hours. About 20% of the daily calorie count should come for fats and should probably come at the evening meal.
Examples:
Bacon
Oil, margarine, butter
Most nuts contain a large measure of oil
The ratio of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats corresponds to the activity and the season. Cold weather and high altitude overnight activities will call for an increased in fats, especially at night to provide higher body temperature during the cold night hours. But, hot weather menus call for less slow burning fats and quicker burning proteins. High activity will always need carbohydrates to be taken throughout the day. We call these “snacks” at home.
The first source for foods appropriate for camping and backpacking should be your local neighborhood grocer. Check the sauce, baking, imported foods sections as well as the areas where you would find canned meat products, snacks-crackers, cookies, portioned desserts, fast foods (pasta, rice or soup mixes) and the health food or restricted diet sections. Most items need to be able to be prepared with 10 to 15 minutes cooking time at the most.
