Eat Right & Travel Light

When packing the food for your camping trip, planning is key.

Every gram counts when you are carrying all your camping equipment, clothes and meals on your back. Follow these 5 easy tips to make sure you are eating right while travelling light on your next outdoor adventure:

  1. Foods high in energy and nutrition are vital as you will be burning many calories out in the mountains. Make sure you are eating a balanced diet and include a starch, protein and a fruit or vegetables into every meal.
  2. Once you have collected your food items, lay them out clearly into the different meals. This will help you to get a clear picture of what you will be eating and help you to avoid taking too much or too little. Use a basic food group wheel to make sure you are including all the types of food that your body will need.
  3. Get rid of any unnecessary packaging, you don’t want to fill your bag up with air. Remember that whatever you take into the mountains, you must take out with you. You should be able to eat as much of what you carry as possible. This way your bag gets lighter as you eat and you don’t end up carrying too much rubbish around.
  4. Snacks are an absolute must to keep you going through long days on your backpacking trip. Be wise in your selection of snacks as this can be tricky. Avoid foods that are high in sugar; they tend to give you a burst of energy up front and then soon leave you exhausted and thirsty. Rather go for snacks high in protein or complex carbohydrates that will give you long lasting energy throughout the day.
  5. Finally never break the three health rules of backpacking: Hydration. Hydration. Hydration. You may aim to travel light but you should never skimp on your water supplies. When backpacking, your body uses much more water than usual and you should budget at least 2 litres of drinking water per person for every day you are out. Remember this is not including the water you will use to cook and clean. Dehydration is extremely dangerous and can sneak up on you if you are not extra careful. So a few extra ‘back up litres’ is highly recommended.