Meal Planning

34 posts

bulk backpacking foods outdoor herbivore

Easy DIY Backpacking Meals Using Bulk Dried Foods

Are you looking to make delicious, lightweight, and nutritious backpacking meals for your next hike? Creating your own backpacking food can make all the difference since you can control the portion size, ingredients, spice level, and sodium. Dehydrate or freeze-dry your meals to make them lightweight and shelf-stable. No drying equipment? Making your backpacking meals at home doesn’t necessarily mean having to cook and dehydrate/freeze-dry all your food. Buying pre-cooked and dried bulk ingredients can save time and money on long hikes – simply portion the pre-dried ingredients and mix them into satisfying meals. Here’s a selection of instant bulk […]

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JMT Resupply: Mailing Food on the John Muir Trail

[updated for 2025] The John Muir Trail (JMT) is located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California, spanning 211 miles from Yosemite Valley to Mt Whitney plus 11 more miles to Whitney Portal. Most of the JMT is shared with the longer Pacific Crest Trail.  Except for a few miles, the JMT stays above 8,000 feet (2,400 m) in elevation. Due to the high elevation, JMT hikers will have to time their hike to minimize snow depth. This often gives hikers a short window of travel in the late summer months, commencing in July or August and ending by […]

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Can I Eat Outdoor Herbivore after the Expiration Date?

As the temperatures warm up and backpackers begin sorting and reorganizing gear, they often find a few expired meals or trail snacks. Consequently, this is the time of year we get asked if it is safe to consume expired backpacking food. Most likely you can! Make sure you have left the packaging intact and kept the food stored properly. Right before your trip, open up the seal and take a whiff. Does it smell or look funky? Here are a few tips to keep in mind.

Vegetarian Backpacking in Australia? Essential Meals for Bushwalking the Outback

Trekking season is ramping up in Australia, and a common question we get from customers is, “What vegetarian backpacking meals do you suggest for taking to the Australian outback?”  To make food planning easy and quick, consider our combo meals. Outdoor Herbivore’s 5-day backpacking food combo is perfect for multi-day hikes such as the Overland Track, Three Capes Track, Western Arthurs Traverse, and other trails in the outback. The 5-day combo contains 3 meals per day or 15 meals in total. If you plan to stay out longer, we also have 7-day and 10-day bundled backpacking meal combos. Combo packs contain […]

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How to Be Better Prepared for Disaster and Power Outages

No matter where you live, disaster and severe weather can strike, resulting in blackouts and contaminated drinking water. After hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, and floods, hygiene needs are a primary concern. Blackouts can be a real annoyance, but hopefully, a few days without electricity is all you’ll have to deal with. Here are a few things to make it easier to manage during a disaster at home–without generators and other expensive equipment. Equipment for Disasters and Power Outages First, if you have an electric stove at home, have an alternative option for cooking. If you have a gas-operated stove, remember you […]