When you’re backpacking, food is literally fuel. Most people don’t realize how many calories they burn when they’re backpacking. Going up and down constantly varying terrain with a heavy pack requires lots of energy!
Not to mention, everything you do at camp requires energy.
You finally get to camp and are ready to relax. Nope. Gotta set up your tent and unpack first.
Need water to drink? Gotta hike down to the nearest water source and filter some water. (If you’re lucky to have a water source–there’s no water where we do our Simply Wild women’s backpacking retreat in Canyonlands.)
Need to go pee? Gotta grab your Kula Cloth from your pack and then walk to find a private spot away from camp to empty your bladder.
Every. Thing. Takes. Energy.
Luckily, these days there are easy calorie-dense options for snacks and meals so you aren’t stuck eating trail mix and jerky your whole trip. Here’s a few things we love to eat at Simply Wild.
Snacks - ProBar
For snacking on the trail and getting much-needed calories between meals, ProBar is our go-to source. ProBar’s plant-based products are gluten-free, which we love for our gluten-intolerant Simply Wild participants.
What we also love is how good ProBar’s products taste! And boy do they have a lot to choose from! From gummy energy chews (ProBar Bolt) and protein bars (ProBar Protein) to tasty nut butters and meal-replacement bars, their products are tasty and filling!
Meals - Backpacker's Pantry
Pad Thai. Fettuccini Alfredo with Chicken. Shepherd’s Potato Stew with Beef. Who said backpacking food couldn’t be tasty?!
When it comes to backpacking meals, we love Backpacker’s Pantry. Not only are the options yummy and filling, but they are perfect for people with specific dietary needs!
Whenever we do our Simply Wild women’s backpacking retreat, we always cater to the participants’ dietary restrictions. Backpacker’s Pantry makes that easy with nut-free, soy-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free options.
Plus, their meals have ingredients you can actually recognize. The Santa Fe Style Rice & Beans with Chicken has the following ingredients: brown rice, black beans, mesquite chicken (freeze-dried cooked white meat chicken, mesquite smoke powder (maltodextrin, natural mesquite smoke flavor, silicon dioxide)), dried tomato, hatch green chili pepper, organic olive oil, freeze-dried super sweet corn, dried garlic, salt, cumin seed, oregano.
We use Backpacker’s Pantry for breakfast and dinner, and they also have dessert options.
Hot Drinks - Perk Energy
If you’re looking for a hot pick-me-up in the morning, get yourself some Perk Energy. Perk Energy provides a natural boost of EGCG (a powerful antioxidant), just enough caffeine (100mg), and collagen to support healthy hair, skin, and nails. Perk Energy also has 7 grams of protein in each serving and no added sugar.
We especially love the Chai Latte flavor, but you can’t go wrong with any of the other flavors, like White Peppermint Chocolate, Mexican Hot Chocolate, and Razzleberry Pie A’ La Mode.
If you’re looking for some hot, calming sleep support, check out Perk Chill. Perk Chill has casein protein, a slower absorbing protein to feed your body while you sleep, as well as collagen to support healthy joints, a mineral complex to enhance recovery and repair, and glycine to aid in relaxation and sleep quality.
None of our tasty hot meals or drinks would be possible without our JetBoil Flash! Weighing only 13 ounces, the JetBoil Flash boils water in approximately 100 seconds! The best part about the JetBoil Flash is the thermochromatic color-change heat indicator. The clear flame on the side changes color as your water starts to boil. Unlike other backpacking stoves, you don’t have to keep checking to see if your water is boiling: the color change lets you know.
