Food Backpacking Mistakes to Avoid when Hiking

Are you planning to pack too much food for hiking? That’s a big mistake. 

Backpacking Food for hiking is not an easy task; you can’t bring any food you like. Also, there are a lot of things to consider, including:

• Length of the hiking trip (a day trip or multi-day trip)
• Hiking site (easy-to-hike or challenging site)
• Camping site (multi-day hiking trip)
• The number of hikers.
• Weather

And if you still can’t decide what food to bring, here’s a list of the top food backpacking mistakes that you need to avoid when hiking:

Mistake #1: Packing too much food

As mentioned, you can’t just bring any food you like when you are hiking, especially if you are trekking in a challenging location. Aside from it adding weight, carrying a bulk of easily-perishable meals can be burdensome.

Mistake #2: Packing too little food

Don’t be confused. When hiking, you can’t also pack too little food.

There are inevitable circumstances that your hiking trip gets extended a few more hours or another day. And packing too little food won’t help, especially if it is a tricky trail you and the team are trekking.

Mistake #3: Having not enough varieties

You can’t pack foods with not enough food varieties.

You can’t bring sandwiches for your meals or as your snack. It won’t motivate you to continue or the energy to do so.

Mistake #4: Packing unsavory foods

While it is a mistake to pack not enough varieties of food, you should never pack unsavory foods.

Is it not a mistake to bring too much food? Yes, but you shouldn’t limit your food choices to sweet ones; you should also pack savory foods.

Mistake #5: Packing foods that are less nutrient

While it is easy to bring chips, nuts, and granola bars when hiking, it is not wise to do so. Remember, some trails are challenging that you need to put a huge amount of energy into, and by filling up your body with empty calories, you can’t complete your hiking mission.

So, what should you bring then?

• Avoid packing too much food. Consider the length of your hiking trip. Are you doing a one-day hiking trip or is it going to take you 3 or more days? If you are, map out your meal. Make sure to consume perishable goods during your first hiking trip. Check mystrikingly for great hiking meal tips.
• Bring varieties of food. Do not stick to one set. Make sure to pack foods rich in nutrients and foods that can provide you energy throughout the hiking journey.
• You can bring nuts, granola, bars, salty foods (beef jerky, salted nuts, and more), canned goods, and or dehydrated meals, especially if you are doing a multi-day hiking trip. Also, do not forget to bring fruits or vegetables.
• For perishable goods, make sure to store them in a cooler or storage with a cold source.
• Dehydrated or dried meals are good options for an effortless but healthy meal.
• Do not forget to bring enough water. The rule of thumb is to carry 1 liter for every 2 hours of hiking. If you can’t bring too much water for three or more days of hiking, you should bring a water filter.