How to Eat Like a Thru-Hiker

The Nine Golden Rules of Thru Hiking Nutrition

There's no such thing as eating too much!

you will burn an amazing number of calories hiking 8 to 12 hours a day with a heavy pack, so eat as much as you can.

Pack Light!

Leave the steak and jar of peanut butter at home. They're too heavy. Fill your pack with dehydrated meals. Dried fruits, beef jerky, pasta, and other light weight foods.

Variety is the spice of life.

The 12th day of mac n' cheese? who planned this meal drop? mix up the menu! it will do your morale good.

Keep Lunch simple.

Hiking a lot of miles? you may not have time to break out a stove at lunch. Bring some food that requires no preparation.

Eating between meals is encouraged

Think of your body as a steam locomotive; you need to keep stoking the fire. Bring trail mix and other easy foods that you can munch while hiking.

Complex carbs equals long mileage

These include grain products like pasta and vegetables like dried potato. Packaged dehydrated meals are often high in complex carbs. Stoke up on the carbs for dinner.

A Candy bar will get you up a mountain

you may not want to live off high sugar goodies, but occasionally ( usually at the bottom of a steep climb ) you will need the extra boost.

Don't turn down offers of food

Ever! if a weekend warior the next tent over brought too much food along and wants to share, who are you to disagree?

When in town . . . Gorge!

This is your chance to chow down on the foods that are normally too heavy to carry in your backpack.