Five Day Ultralight Backpacking Meal Plan

Here is a complete 5-day backpacking meal plan similar to what I eat on my long hikes. It includes three meals and four snacks, providing 3,500 calories from around 2 lbs of food per day. This is a good starting point for most backpacking trips up to around 500 miles. After that you may have to eat more (as much as 5,000 calories a day) to keep your energy up and stave off weight loss. The easiest way to add an extra 1,000 calories to this plan is to double up on the snacks.

Hope this gives you some ideas for designing your own backpacking meal plan.

3,524 calories (34 oz dry weight)

Breakfast:

• 2 packs Maple & Brown Sugar Oatmeal – 320 cals (3 oz)
• 1 box Sun Maid Raisins – 45 cals (0.5 oz)
• 1 pack Emerald Walnuts & Almonds – 100 cals (0.6 oz)
• 1 Little Debbie Honey Bun – 230 cals (1.8 oz)
• 1 cup Starbucks VIA Instant Coffee – 0 cals (0.1 oz)
• Subtotal: 695 cals (6 oz)
  

Lunch:

• 2 Medium Flour Tortillas – 300 cals (3.4 oz)
• 2 String Cheese Sticks – 160 cals (2 oz)
• 2 oz Salami – 220 cals (2 oz)
• 1 Gatorade Packet – 130 cals (1.3 oz)
• Subtotal: 810 cals (8.7 oz)
  

Dinner:

• 1 box Kraft Macaroni & Cheese – 780 cals (7.3 oz)
• 1 pouch Starkist Tuna – 80 cals (2.6 oz)
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil – 119 cals (0.5 oz)
• 1 pack Land O’ Lakes Cocoa Mix – 140 cals (1.3 oz)
• Subtotal: 1,119 cals (11.7 oz)
  

Snacks:

• 1 pack Nature’s Garden Trail Mix – 170 cals (1.2 oz)
• 1 bag Peanut M&Ms – 250 cals (1.7 oz)
• 1 Snickers Bar – 250 cals (1.8 oz)
• 1 Clif Bar – 230 cals (2.4 oz)
• Subtotal: 900 cals (7.4 oz)

Day 1 Total: 3,524 calories (33.8 oz)

3,524 calories (33 oz dry weight)

Breakfast:

• 1 cup Bear Naked Granola – 560 cals (4.4 oz)
• 1/4 cup Peak Whole Powdered Milk – 160 cals (1 oz)
• 1 Little Debbie Honey Bun – 230 cals (1.8 oz)
• 1 cup Starbucks VIA Instant Coffee – 0 cals (0.1 oz)
• Subtotal: 950 cals (7.3 oz)
  

Lunch:

• 12 Triscuit Crackers – 240 cals (2 oz)
• 2 oz Salami – 220 cals (2 oz)
• 2 String Cheese Sticks – 160 cals (2 oz)
• 1 Gatorade Packet – 130 cals (1.3 oz)
• Subtotal: 750 cals (7.3 oz)

Dinner:

• 1 box Near East Couscous – 570 cals (5.7 oz)
• 1 pouch Starkist Tuna – 80 cals (2.6 oz)
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil – 119 cals (0.5 oz)
• 1 pack Land O’ Lakes Cocoa Mix – 140 cals (1.3 oz)
• Subtotal: 909 cals (10.1 oz)
  

Snacks:

• 1 Clif Bar – 230 cals (2.4 oz)
• 2 Nature Valley Granola Bars – 190 cals (1.5 oz)
• 2 oz Dried Fruit – 155 cals (2 oz)
• 2 Grandma’s Cookies – 340 cals (2.5 oz)
• Subtotal: 915 cals (8.4 oz)
  

Day 2 Total: 3,524 calories (33.1 oz)

3,668 calories (34 oz dry weight)

Breakfast:

• 1 Mountain House Breakfast Skillet – 680 cals (4.7 oz)
• 2 Medium Flour Tortillas – 300 cals (3.4 oz) 
• 1 cup Starbucks VIA Instant Coffee – 0 cals (0.1 oz)
• Subtotal: 980 cals (8.2 oz)

Lunch:

• 12 Triscuit Crackers – 240 cals (2 oz)
• 1 pouch Starkist Tuna – 80 cals (2.6 oz)
• 2 Mayonnaise Packets – 165 cals (0.8 oz)
• 2 Pickle Relish Packets – 24 cals (0.6 oz)
• 1 Gatorade Packet – 130 cals (1.3 oz)
• Subtotal: 639 cals (7.3 oz)
  

Dinner:

• 1 bag Idahoan Mashed Potatoes – 440 cals (4 oz)
• 1 Slim Jim – 150 cals (1 oz)
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil – 119 cals (0.5 oz)
• 1 pack Land O’ Lakes Cocoa Mix – 140 cals (1.3 oz)
• 1 Hostess Fruit Pie – 480 cals (4.5 oz)
• Subtotal: 1,329 cals (11.3 oz)
  

Snacks:

• 1 pack Nature’s Garden Trail Mix – 170 cals (1.2 oz)
• 2 oz Beef Jerkey – 160 cals (2 oz)
• 1 pack Fig Newtons – 200 cals (2 oz)
• 2 Nature Valley Granola Bars – 190 cals (1.5 oz)
• Subtotal: 720 cals (6.7 oz)
  

Day 3 Total: 3,668 cals (33.5 oz)

3,324 calories (33 oz dry weight)

Breakfast:

• 1 Cinnamon & Raisin Bagel – 250 cals (3.3 oz)
• 1 Jif To Go Peanut Butter Cup – 250 cals (1.5 oz)
• 1 Little Debbie Honey Bun – 230 cals (1.8 oz)
• 1 cup Starbucks VIA Instant Coffee – 0 cals (0.1 oz)
• Subtotal: 730 cals (6.7 oz)
  

Lunch:

• 12 Triscuit Crackers – 240 cals (2 oz)
• 1 Jif To Go Peanut Butter Cup – 250 cals (1.5 oz)
• 1 Gatorade Packet – 130 cals (1.3 oz)
• Subtotal: 620 cals (4.8 oz)
  

Dinner:

• 1 bag Knorr Pasta Sides Alfredo – 480 cals (4.4 oz)
• 1 pouch Valley Fresh Chicken – 245 cals (7 oz)
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil – 119 cals (0.5 oz)
• 1 pack Land O’ Lakes Cocoa Mix – 140 cals (1.3 oz)
• Subtotal: 984 cals (13.2 oz)
  

Snacks:

• 1 bag Peanut M&Ms – 250 cals (1.7 oz)
• 1 Clif Bar – 230 cals (2.4 oz)
• 2 Grandma’s Cookies – 340 cals (2.5 oz)
• 1 pack Nature’s Garden Trail Mix – 170 cals (1.2 oz)
• Subtotal: 990 cals (7.8 oz)

Day 4 Total: 3,324 calories (32.5 oz)

3,865 calories (33 oz dry weight)

Breakfast:

• 1 cup Bear Naked Granola – 560 cals (4.4 oz)
• 1/4 cup Peak Whole Powdered Milk – 160 cals (1 oz)
• 1 pack Fig Newtons – 200 cals (2 oz)
• 1 cup Starbucks VIA Instant Coffee – 0 cals (0.1 oz)
• Subtotal: 920 cals (7.5 oz)
  

Lunch:

• 2 Medium Flour Tortillas – 300 cals (3.4 oz)
• 1 Jif To Go Peanut Butter Cup – 250 cals (1.5 oz)
• 1 Gatorade Packet – 130 cals (1.3 oz)
• Subtotal: 680 cals (6.2 oz)
  

Dinner:

• 1 Mountain House Beef Lasagna – 600 cals (4.8 oz)
• 1 Hostess Fruit Pie – 480 cals (4.5 oz)
• 1 pack Land O’ Lakes Cocoa Mix – 140 cals (1.3 oz)
• Subtotal: 1,220 cals (10.6 oz)
  

Snacks:

• 1 Clif Bar – 230 cals (2.4 oz)
• 2 Grandma’s Cookies – 340 cals (2.5 oz)
• 1 pack Planters Honey Roasted Cashews – 225 cals (1.5 oz)
• 1 Snickers Bar – 250 cals (1.8 oz)
• Subtotal: 1,045 cals (8.2 oz)
  

Day 5 Total: 3,865 calories (32.5 oz)