Planning backpacking food for a cold-weather trip is different than for warm weather. You must consider the additional demands of cold temperature places on your body. Extra calories are required to keep the body warm, humidify the air you breathe, and fuel any involuntary shivering. Besides the heavy footwear and clothing you are wearing, the cold weather gear you are carrying on your back (tent, sleep system, extra clothing layers) is also heavier and bulkier, thereby increasing your workload. Trekking in snow places additional physical demands on your body.
Winter backpacking can require an additional 500 – 1,000 calories per day, an average of 4,500 calories per day for men and 3,500 for women. Start planning the right foods before the start of your winter backpacking trip. Eating nutritious foods will make a difference in your ability to stay warm and energized.
All foods are made up of varying proportions of the three primary food types – carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. There are also vitamins, minerals, and water. The focus here is on the big 3 nutrients (carbs, fats, and proteins) because each one can produce energy, although they do so differently and at different rates. Carbohydrates are the quickest to convert to energy, and fats are the slowest.
Fat provides a slow and steady form of energy, so make sure you get enough in your diet. But do so gradually. A sudden change to a high-fat diet has the potential to cause adverse gastric (heartburn) and metabolic effects, and these symptoms can be difficult to distinguish from a heart attack.
Winter Dietary Percentage | Food Type | Nickname | Food Type Description |
55% | Simple Carbohydrates | kindling | 4 calories/gram – released quickly & provides instant energy, but lacks nutrients. Foods containing sugar ending in “ose” (i.e., glucose, fructose, sucrose, lactose) are simple carbs. Sugar, candy, hot cider, hot cocoa, refined bread/pasta/baked goods made with white flour. Consume the least simple carbs. |
Complex Carbohydrates | sticks | 4 calories/gram – released quickly & provide fast energy. Easy to digest. Foods containing starch & fiber. Cereal, bread, rice, pasta, dried fruit, beans/lentils, vegetables. Consume the most complex carbs. | |
30% | Fat | logs | 9 calories/gram – released very slowly & provide energy over an extended period; however, fat requires more energy & water to break down lipids (from glycerol) into glucose and fatty acids (from acetyl-CoA) into energy. Nuts, seeds, chocolate, plant fats (olive oil, coconut), cheese, eggs, butter. |
15% | Protein | logs | 4 calories/gram – released slowly & used primarily for cell repair & maintenance of muscle. Not a source of energy unless glucose stores are empty. High protein grains (rice, quinoa, soy, whole grain pasta), nuts, seeds, beans/legumes, tofu/soy. |
Vitamins and Minerals – are present in most foods, and deficiency should not be a concern if you eat a variety of food. For extended backpacking trips (more than 10 days), consider taking supplements to cover the nutrient losses from dried foods, especially if you keep a vegan diet.
Water – drink it often (even if you are not thirsty!). The most critical element for staying ALIVE is WATER. Although not a food type, water is essential for hydration and food digestion. During the winter season, it is common to experience dehydration because there is less humidity in the air, causing a drying effect on the body. You must replace the bodily fluids lost through respiration, evaporation, perspiration, and elimination by drinking water. Generally, this means you must drink 2 – 4 quarts of water daily, depending on your activity level and body size.
Hot foods are a favorite choice in the winter. But preparing meals can also be much more challenging and time-consuming. The reason is partly due to the colder air and the fact that you might have to melt snow for your water. This will require increased time to boil, more stove fuel, and better pot insulation.
Freeze-dried one-pot meals are a favorite choice for the trail due to their reduced size, light-weight, and quick preparation, but you can also take purchased foods from the grocery store. Your winter sustenance should not: (1) be too bulky; (2) contain an excessive amount of sodium and protein, which adds metabolic water burden; (3) be susceptible to freezing (i.e., foods with high water content such as fresh foods); (4) require a long cook time.
A simple breakfast will take up to 10 minutes to prepare. You want to get up and get moving because it’s cold! Lingering around a frigid campsite during the early morning hours will lead to cold feet and body. Breakfast meal suggestions include hot oatmeal, ground semolina, rice farina, or grits with dried fruit, seeds & nuts, hearty cold cereal (such as muesli, granola, or cold soaked oats with chia seed ) with a hot beverage, and instant tofu or egg scramble.
You want to consume small amounts of sugar (simple carbohydrates) in the early morning. Getting an overload of sugar into the bloodstream will cause a hard crash soon into your hike. Overloading on simple carbs is a mistake many hikers make by eating packaged cereal bars, drink mixes, and energy bites, which are high in sugar and poor in nutrition. Always aim to consume close to the ratio of the major food types (see table above) during breakfast – a majority of your calories should come from complex carbs, a few from simple carbs and fat, and some from protein. The added sugar (simple carbs) will help to get you started, and the complex carbohydrates and fat will metabolize slower to keep you energized throughout the morning.
Depending on your preference, you may stop for a long lunch to rest and enjoy the scenery or nibble on finger foods as you walk. Maybe you found a sunny rocky overlook and want to grab a quick bite and take an afternoon siesta to soak in the warmth. Remember that stopping for a prolonged time will lower your core body temperature and make you cold. Insulate the ground before sitting (use a closed-cell foam sleeping mat) and have easy access to an additional clothing layer. You’ll want to add that layer soon after you stop to preserve your core body temperature. Consider snack items such as pita with hummus and cheese or a cold-soak salad if you need to get going quickly.
If you are short on time or are worried about getting cold by stopping, be sure you are snacking during the day to keep your metabolism engaged.
Anything you can munch on while you walk, such as GORP, mixed nuts, dried fruit, dark chocolate, granola, energy bars, bite-size cheese pieces, sesame candy, mini pretzels, hard crackers, and other high-calorie snacks. Just remember not to overdo it on the sugar, including dried fruit. The sugar will give you a quick spike of energy and warm you, but then your body temperature will fall suddenly once it is burned off. Sometimes this can cause your body temperature to drop below its previous level.
In the winter, start dinner by sipping hot tea, cocoa, or soup. This helps warm you as the sun begins to lower on the horizon. Sipping also holds your interest while you prepare dinner in the cold. Your body will get cold quickly once you stop, so it is a good idea to make something hot right away.
The main dish in the winter frequently involves a one-pot meal rich in complex carbohydrates. Look for meals containing wholesome starches (wholegrain pasta, rice, quinoa, couscous) with a soupy base, an assortment of dried vegetables, and dried pre-cooked beans/lentils for protein. And don’t forget to add the fat (olive oil, nuts, seeds, cheese) because it works wonders to keep you warm as you sleep.
Dinner suggestions include pasta with a thick vegetable-based sauce, bean chili, lentil soup, rice with vegetables & nuts, couscous with dried fruit & nuts, and instant quinoa with beans & vegetables.
A dark chocolate bar is a good option if you don’t want to heat up anything. If you decide to fire up the stove, use any warm water left in the cooking pot. Reheat the water, pour it into wide-mouth bottles, and bring them into your sleeping bag. They’ll warm your bag and act as personal water heaters when sleeping. A bonus: you are guaranteed to have pourable water (not frozen) the following morning, allowing you a hassle-free quick breakfast/coffee morning routine.
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"the big three nutrients – carbs, fats and proteins – because each one can convert into simple sugars to produce energy"
FYI, actually, fats are not metabolized by first being converted to glucose and this is also true for most protein that is "burned."
Another great, informative article! Thanks for your work!
A great article packed with a lot of crucial backcountry cooking and eating tips! Thank you!
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good article.
Relax with dish duty. Improper cleaning during frigid temperature has one advantage – no mold. We are not recommending that you forgo cleaning dishes, but you can get by with letting bits of food residue remain (saved calories for your next meal). If you are paranoid about germs, a quick rinse is fine. Soaping & scrubbing is really not necessary, especially if there is snow on the ground. Snow makes for a good cleaning – use it to scrape off leftover food residue. Wear waterproof gloves (rubber, latex) when doing dishes to protect your hands.
good suggestions especially the dessert/Fair trade dark chocolate with coconut cream, chia, and organic dried blueberries.
Hello, I am just having my first winter in Central Portugal (Cidral,Monsanto, Idanha-a Nova) You blog has just cut down my heating bill hahahaha Obrigada (Thank You)