Sports nutrition recommendations for hiking is an area that is lacking within the literature but if we break it down, it is an endurance sport! Backpackers and hikers are athletes too! You are hiking for hours, often with varying elevations leading to a depletion of your glycogen (carbohydrate) stores. Coupled with being in the middle of nowhere without a grocery store or fridge in sight, it requires careful planning to make sure you have ENOUGH and that it is LIGHT. Below I will break down nutrition considerations and foods to pack for both day hikes and overnight/muli-day hikes!
Day Hikes
I always encourage energy dense LIGHT foods that are rich in carbohydrates because no one wants to wear a heavier pack than necessary! Energy dense refers to foods that are high in calories relative to their actual weight. They often are higher in fat and have a lower water content. The amount of calories burned during hiking depends on the elevation climbed, trail conditions, temperature, wind, precipitation, your body weight and your individual skill level. However remember that the longer you hike for the more calories burned and the more food you will need to pack! Carbohydrates are an important energy source, especially during uphill sections of a hike when heart rate increases and durations are prolonged.
If you are hiking for more than 2 hours, I recommend aiming for at least 60-90g of carbohydrates per hour (240-360 calories) ongoing until the hike is done. This helps supply your muscles with enough energy for the duration of the hike and prevents you from "hitting the wall" (aka muscle fatigue, cramping, and soreness). Foods that contain carbohydrates include: fresh and dried, pasta, rice, crackers, chips, quinoa, cereal, oatmeal, granola bars, yogurt (really anything that is sweet or starchy).
What I keep in my bag for a day hike:
1-2 high calorie granola bars (around 300 calories). I love @hornbyorganic
Dried fruit (and/or fresh fruit if the hike isn’t too long and I don’t mind the extra weight)
Nuts/trail mix
A sandwich
And my new favourite obsession @noblejerky (vegan jerky - I buy mine from @mec or @healthyway_natural_foods )
I often pack extra food just incase the hike is longer than I budget for and I stash food in the car for the drive home!
Overnight/Multi-Day Hikes
For these, I bring similar snacks to those I listed for single day hikes (because your pack will be heavy already with camping gear so no need to bring heavy food if you do not need to) but then I also bring meals. We need to consider our daily needs when planning food for multi-day hikes. Daily needs for carbohydrates range between 5-10g per kg of your body mass. For a 180 lb (82kg) endurance athlete, this would look like 410-810g carbohydrates daily. As for daily protein needs for an endurance athlete, these range from 1.2-1.6g per kg per day. It is advantageous to avoid packing too much protein rich foods as they can increase the weight of your pack and displace much needed carbohydrates (our energy foods). A general rule of thumb is to consume 15-20g protein per meal and snack to help meet your daily needs. Low weight protein sources outside of freeze-dried meals include:
Chicken, beef or tofu jerky
Textured vegetable protein (TVP)
Cheese
Beans
Nuts, Seeds and Nut Butters
Tuna Pouches
Protein bars
Skim milk powder
At each meal you want a source of carbohydrates and protein. Carbohydrates to fuel your hike and protein to help with lean body mass repair and recovery. Freeze-dried meals are a perfect way to create this balance whether you make your own or purchase them!
When purchasing freeze-dried meals look for:
Minimum 350 calories per serving (preferably closer to 500-600) for a dinner meal.
At least 50g carbohydrates
At least 15g protein
If the meal is lower in carbohydrates/protein, then just add snacks/other foods to meet those needs! Freeze-dried meals can be salty, but don’t fret! You need to replenish salt that is lost via sweat - plus enjoying water with a salt-containing meal can help you retain more water so you can carry on the next day in a hydrated state!
As for breakfast, good old fashioned instant oatmeal with hemp hearts and raisins can do the trick. Let's see a breakdown:
Maple Brown Sugar Instant Oatmeal (160 calories, 33g carbohydrates, 4g protein)
3 tbsp hemp hearts (180 calories, 1g carbohydrates, 10g protein)
1/4 cup raisins (110 calories, 30g carbohydrates, 1g protein)
Totals = 450 calories, 63g carbohydrates, 15g protein (and a light option to pack)!
The last but most important tip: Eat to hike, not hike to eat!
Improving your hiking nutrition can help you to hike stronger and faster. It does take time to determine what works for you and your body, and what you can handle for pack weight (whether it is a single day or a multi-day hike). Stay curious and non-judgmental through the process. If you find you didn’t eat enough during your last hike, consider why that was. Did you pack enough? Were you dehydrated and food just wasn’t something your body felt you could handle? Were you thinking about calories consumed rather than how much your body was burning and therefore required to be able to be strong and energized?
Self-reflection (and support from a sports dietitian) can get your nutrition dialled in so you can focus more on your experience on the trail and less on the actual food!
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