Planning meals in the backcountry can feel daunting and can often leave you grabbing prepackaged freeze-dried meals with little calories and cost you $15 each! Proper meal planning can make a big difference in your performance, satisfaction, and enjoyment on trail.
What are your nutrition needs?
Before you begin your outdoor adventure trip, you need to understand
how long your trip is, the weather, and your planned intensity. Because every
person has individualized caloric and nutrient needs, working with a registered
dietitian to determine your body needs is recommended. Generally, your back
country meals need to include the three macronutrients: carbohydrates, protein,
and fat.
Carbohydrates are the body’s preferred energy source and what your body is mostly be using during exercise. This macronutrient is broken down into glucose, providing our muscles with energy and should be consumed before, during, and after your long-distance exercise.1 Common sources of carbohydrates include lentils, oats, honey, dried fruit, candy, rice, pasta, and potatoes.
Proteins help our body with muscle repair and growth. They are not our bodies choice for energy, however, our bodies will use protein to keep our muscles strong, decrease muscle soreness, and repair muscle damage that occurs as a result of exercise. Common protein sources include any meats like chicken, tuna, salmon, turkey, beef, jerky, legumes, textured vegetable protein, and cheese.
Fats are a necessary part of your diet and can help maintain sustained energy during long distance exercise. Fats provide a secondary source of energy when your body does not have more carbohydrates to use for energy. They also provide a slow release of energy which helps keep you going throughout your exercise. Your body also uses fat to maintain proper body temperature, making them a critical part of your diet. Fats should make up around 20% of your endurance exercise diet.3 Common sources of dietary fat include nuts, nut butters, oils, cheese, powdered milks, and eggs.
Keeping Food Simple
Simple meals are important to keep you eating enough calories for all the energy that you are burning. Preparing one pot meals that contain mostly carbohydrates, a protein source, and a fat source like chili mac contain adequate nutrients to help fuel your adventure. If you prefer to cold soak meals, foods like buffalo pasta salad with a packet of chicken or tuna contain all the macronutrients for a balanced meal. Snacks that are easy to carry and do not require refrigeration help provide nutrients between meals. Common snacks that include carbohydrates, protein, and fats may include trail mix, granola bars, and peanut butter and jelly wraps.
Hydration
Throughout the day, your nutrition plan needs to include ample hydration. Things like body mass, environmental temperature, and how much you sweat can all impact your hydration status4. You should plan to carry water and map out where water sources are along your intended route. It is recommended to schedule your hydration throughout your exercise as thirst queues may not provide enough hydration. Drinking around 8 oz (1 cup) of water every 30 minutes and eating salty snacks throughout the day can help mitigate dehydration.4
Finding meals that contain carbohydrates, proteins, and fats while also combining simplicity will help ensure that you have adequate energy throughout your outdoor adventure. Staying hydrated and snacking throughout the day are essential to combating water losses and energy levels. Ultimately, finding foods that sounds good while you are exercising, keep you full and satisfied, and are easy to carry will help you maintain your energy levels and make you feel confident and nourished during your next trip!
References:
- Naderi A, Gobbi N, Ali A, et al. Carbohydrates and endurance exercise: A narrative review of a food first approach. Nutrients. 2023;15(6):1367. doi:10.3390/nu15061367
- Jäger R, Kerksick CM, Campbell BI, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Protein and exercise. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2017;14(1). doi:10.1186/s12970-017-0177-8
- Nikolaidis PT, Veniamakis E, Rosemann T, Knechtle B. Nutrition in ultra-endurance: State of the art. Nutrients. 2018;10(12):1995. doi:10.3390/nu10121995
- Armstrong LE. Rehydration during endurance exercise: Challenges, research, options, methods. Nutrients. 2021;13(3):887. doi:10.3390/nu13030887