Backpacking with a large group can be an enjoyable experience filled with camaraderie. However, one of the most challenging aspects is planning meals that satisfy everyone’s tastes and dietary needs. Coordinating food that can be shared with multiple people while factoring in weight, nutrition, and preferences can be tricky—but with some prep, it’s manageable.
Here’s everything you should consider when planning backpacking food for a group:
- Size and Weight Constraints: The food and cooking gear need to take up as little space and weigh as little as possible to optimize what you can carry. Saving a few ounces off your carrying weight can make a big difference in how your back and legs feel! Dehydrated or freeze-dried options are best. If you buy regular grocery store food, pick meals that are shelf-stable, easy to pack, and require only hot water to cook (e.g., couscous, oats, instant rice). This saves fuel and time. Look for foods that cook in 10 minutes or less.
- Estimate your average calorie intake and portion sizes: You will need to eat more than usual to account for the additional calories burned while backpacking. Plan for 2,500–4,000 calories per person per day, depending on hiking intensity, age, and weight.
- Customizable mixes: Packing grains, vegetarian sauce mixes, and single-serve jerky allow individuals to customize their meals, making them more enjoyable. For instance, a vegan rice and bean mix can serve as a base for burritos, with optional add-ins including powdered cheese mix for those who want cheese, hot sauce packets for those who like spice, and jerky for meat eaters. You can use the same idea with pasta, sauce mixes, tortilla pizzas, stir-fries, rice bowls, stews, etc.
- Measure It Out: Portion dry bulk ingredients at home to avoid overpacking. Avoid oversized packaging—repack into zipper bags. When measuring portion sizes, a good rule of thumb is 1.5 cups of dry food per adult for each meal.
Know Your Group
Before planning meals, list all participants and gather information about dietary restrictions and other concerns. To make collecting this information easier, consider creating a shared spreadsheet where everyone can enter their preferences and specific dietary needs. This allows organizers to keep information up to date and accessible as plans evolve.
- Group Size: How many people are you feeding?
- Dietary Needs: Allergies, vegetarian/vegan preferences, gluten-free, diabetes, etc.
Plan the Menu
Include meals that are simple and filling. One-pot meals are best because they minimize clean-up and save fuel. Repeat meal types with variations to simplify shopping.
Here are some ideas for group-friendly staples:
- Grains: Instant rice, couscous, instant pasta, bulgar, instant quinoa, oats, corn grits, cream of wheat.
- Proteins: Powdered eggs, jerky, dehydrated beans, powdered hummus, tuna packets.
- Fats: Olive oil (small bottle or packets), peanut butter, powdered cheese, chia seeds, walnuts, cashews, shredded coconut.
- Treats: Include plenty of high-calorie snacks like nuts, trail mix, bars, jerky, energy chews, and hot cocoa for flexibility and quick energy boosts.
Sample Day Menu
Breakfast
- Muesli/granola cereal in bulk without the dry milk mixed in (soy milk powder is great for vegans/lactose intolerant); Instant oatmeal packets provide variety, and you can burn the packaging in a campfire. Add nuts to increase their calorie content. See Outdoor Herbivore’s bulk muesli mix with soy milk.
- Tortilla/Naan/English muffins/bagels pack well and can taste great in the morning with Nutella or nut butter. Make nut butter tortilla roll-ups even more delicious by adding a freeze-dried berry medley containing raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries. Simplify at home by pre-cutting dense breads that are served halved, such as English muffins and bagels. Also, consider pre-coating halved bread with jam/nut butter and individually wrapping it to eliminate clean-up and waste at camp.
- Scrambled eggs or tofu with dried vegetables make a nice protein-rich breakfast. You can find eggs in crystal or powdered form. For an egg alternative, look for dried tofu/soy crumbles. Pre-mix the egg powder in a boil bag with desired vegetables and spices (bell pepper, onion, salt, pepper, etc). Imitation bacon bits can be added for those who want them. Bring tortillas for making breakfast burritos.
- Pancakes may be an excellent option for Scout groups if someone is willing to carry the skillet. Make the pancake mix at home by measuring the correct ratio of flour, dried eggs, baking powder, and salt, so all you have to do at camp is add water.
- Instant/freeze-dried coffee is great because it eliminates coffee-ground waste and requires no equipment other than hot water and a cup. You can also control the strength of your coffee by adding more granules or water. Outdoor Herbivore has an organic freeze-dried coffee for 100+ cups.
Lunch
- Sandwiches are filling, but the bread will get smashed. Alternatively, take tortillas for easy-to-eat wraps that are thin enough to roll or wrap without breaking and pack well. Use no-cook mixes and spreads, such as pesto, hummus, garbanzo salad, nut butter, and salad-type mixes for the filling. Add jerky if desired. See Outdoor Herbivore’s bulk hummus powder for making hummus wraps.
- Look for no-cook/cold-soak pre-packaged meals that only need cold water added to simplify clean-up and the hassle of boiling water during hike time.
- Meal bars are convenient when you want to eat as you hike. GreenBelly meal replacement bars are filling and offer balanced nutrition.
Dinner
- One-pot pasta meals are filling and easy to customize with instant pasta, separate sauce mixes, and dried veggies. Spaghetti, Primavera, Chili Mac, Pesto Pasta, and Mac and Cheese are easy and agreeable. Outdoor Herbivore makes it simple for a group with our just-add-water mixes, including, Bulk Instant Pasta, Everyday Mixed Vegetables, Dehydrated Tomato Pasta Sauce, Instant Chili Mix, and Cheddar Cheese Powder.
- Rice curry with instant rice, coconut milk powder, mixed dried vegetables, cashews/peanuts, and curry seasoning is filling. See Curry in a Hurry Bulk Mix.
- Mujadara with instant rice, instant lentils, bouillon cube, and French-fried onions is delicious. See Instant Rice + Lentils + Bouillon.
- Stir-fry with instant rice, mixed vegetables, TVP, sesame seeds, and soy sauce is easy to make. Outdoor Herbivore makes it a breeze with Instant Lentils, TVP, and Vegetable Stir Fry Mix.
- Couscous with dried fruit (cranberries/raisins/apricots), bouillon cube, and pistachios is quick and delicious. Get the Moroccan or finely ground couscous, resembling corn grits, which is pre-cooked. See Bouillon.
- Shepherd pie skillet made with instant mashed potatoes, onion flakes, lentils, and bouillon cube. Outdoor Herbivore makes it simple with Instant Lentils + Speedy Cheddar Spuds.
- Burritos with rice, bean flakes, true-lime packet, and taco seasoning are a crowd favorite. Find Bulk Burrito Mixes, including Naked Freckle or Switchback Stuffer.
Snacks
- Create a variety of salty and sweet finger foods such as trail mix, banana chips, granola bars, and energy chews.
Hydration
- Don’t forget about hydration. You’ll need water for cooking and drinking, so plan where you’ll get it and bring any filters or purifiers you need. Adding flavor packets can help improve the taste of chemically treated backcountry water.
- Don’t forget about hydration.
Assign Roles and Share the Load
Create a meal checklist so nothing gets forgotten or skipped. You don’t want to forget essentials like cooking oil, spices, and condiments. Organizing your list by category (e.g., produce, dairy, meats, dry goods) is often helpful to streamline your shopping trip.
Divide responsibilities to keep everyone engaged and share the workload:
- Meal Planner: Designs the menu, shopping list, and cooking fuel based on the number of hot meals to be prepared.
- Shoppers/Packers: Buy and portion out food. Mark each bag with the meal and day. Distribute weight evenly among group members.
- Cooks: Rotate meal prep on the trail and clean-up tasks. Split the group into teams—one for breakfast, one for lunch, and another for dinner. This way, everyone can contribute, making meal times more interactive.
Consider Cooking and Storage Equipment
When camping with a large group, consider the cooking equipment you’ll need, including cookware, utensils, pots, plates, or bowls. If the meals require boiling water, will each group member be responsible for bringing cooking gear? Will each person need to bring a backpacking stove, cookware, and fuel, or can some of those items be shared? Take inventory of any shared gear, such as stoves, pots, and utensils, to avoid redundancy and save pack space.
- To make these decisions easier, hold a pre-trip meeting or set up a group chat where everyone can discuss and assign shared gear. This helps clarify who is bringing what, so nothing gets forgotten and extra weight is avoided. Split up the food and cookware weight with others in the group.
Think About Clean-Up
Bring trash bags to pack out all your waste. Use biodegradable soap to clean dishes and utensils. Remind everyone to keep the campsite clean and follow Leave No Trace principles.
Where to Source Backpacking Meals for a Group
Online Retailers
The easiest way is to source pre-made backpacking meals requiring only water to rehydrate. This simplifies planning, but most are often individually packaged for one person, generating excessive waste that must be packed out from camp and disposed of in the trash. To minimize this, try repackaging individual meals into group-sized containers or use reusable bags when dividing up bulk foods. This significantly reduces the amount of packaging your group generates and helps make trips more sustainable. Outdoor Herbivore provides vegetarian bulk mixes and double-serving size meals for sharing, reducing waste, and saving money. Purchasing from online retailers gives you the most flexibility and can save you the most money if you buy directly from the manufacturer’s website. Other sources for these products can be found (in-store or online) at places like REI and Eastern Mountain Sports.
Grocery Stores
You can find a surprising amount of qualified backpacking food in a well-stocked grocery store if you know what to look for. If your group is on a budget, get as much as possible at the store. This can also be helpful for anyone in your group who has dietary restrictions. See our tips for purchasing grocery store food for the trail. Look for websites that offer recipes geared towards backpacking groups when assembling your own meals.
Final Thoughts
Planning backpacking food for a group may seem like a lot initially, but it’s all about preparation, communication, and smart packing. Well-fed hikers are happy hikers, and sharing delicious meals on the trail is one of the best parts of the adventure. Even with good planning, unexpected issues can pop up—like a meal not turning out as planned, or someone being hungrier than expected. To stay flexible, consider packing an extra meal or some high-calorie backup snacks, and be ready to swap meals or combine ingredients if needed. With the proper planning and a little troubleshooting know-how, your group can enjoy tasty meals and keep the trip on track. Happy trails!
If you’re looking for tried-and-true backpacking meals made with real, wholesome food that’s packed with flavor, Outdoor Herbivore has something delicious for everyone.
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