Categories: Random

Stay “Souper” Warm | Why Soup is the Ultimate Winter Backpacking Fuel

When your fingers and toes become frosty after trekking through a day of sloshy, snow-covered ground, nothing sounds better than digging into a hot meal next to a toasty campfire. Yet, winter conditions often make it problematic for making a fire. That soggy kindling just isn’t going to fuel a fire.

Your next best option?

Pitch the tent before the evening light fades to darkness and snuggle up with a piping-hot pouch of soup! Chase that soup with a side of hot cocoa or apple cider, and your spirits will soar.

We’re naturally drawn to steamy beverages and foods when temperatures turn cold. Soup takes the bite out of a chilly night and hydrates you.

Here are a few reasons why soup makes the ultimate winter backpacking meal

1. It’s hot. Hot soup warms your core and instantly spreads that warmth to the rest of your body. Nothing heats your insides and fills you up faster than soup. Our soups use a mix of beans and lentils to provide protein, complex carbohydrates, and fiber. The slow biological process of breaking down the nutrients for fuel generates warmth within the body. You’ll be toasty from the time you slide into your sleeping bag until the sunrise.

2. It’s hydrating. During the winter, it’s common to drink less than you need and become dehydrated. You won’t realize you’re sweating since the dry air evaporates the sweat before you know it. Consume your liquids by eating soups, stews, and other saucy meals, and drink hot beverages such as cocoa or cider at night. Staying hydrated also helps the immune system since water is vital for digestion and transporting lymph, a fluid containing infection-fighting white blood cells.

3. It’s quick. When things get rough, you might be tempted to grab a snack rather than toil with the stove. But you’re out there in the bitter elements, aren’t you? Certainly, you can spare a few more minutes in the chilly air and get those frosty fingers to ignite the stove and boil the water. Outdoor Herbivore’s dry soup mixes use pre-cooked dried ingredients so you can enjoy a hearty hot meal on the trail within 10 minutes. Your body will thank you for that hot and hearty meal.

4. It’s soothing. Feeling lethargic? Have a sore throat? Hot liquids and brothy meals help soothe a sore throat and open up those nasal passages. Curry spices, such as ginger, garlic, coriander, and cayenne, can quell your stuffiness. Look for soups that contain powerful immune-boosting properties.

A soothing warm pouch of delicious soup does it all: warms, hydrates, satiates, and soothes. Our favorites go-to soups are Cozy Curry Soup, Chunky Chipotle Chili and Savory Lentil Simmer.

Warming curry soup with chickpeas, lentils, rice and mixed vegetables.

Chilly? Eat some chili, silly.
Cold winters call for a fireside sit
to rest those frozen bones a bit.
When the ground’s too wet
for a fire to set,
sheltering in the tent
will ease the torment.
The warmth has lifted the mood;
the tummy yearns for food.
Elevate the score furthermore
by eating a hot meal from Outdoor Herbivore.
Now bid yourself a good night
and turn off the headlight.
~ outdoor herbivore