Planning Your Meals
What to bring…
- What would you eat at home if you are physically active?
- Portion your meals out, including snacks & apps and be thoughtful of quantity
- Stick with comfort foods – not exotic flavors, especially at higher altitudes
- Pack a variety of delicious flavored snacks – (trail mix with chocolate & dried fruit), peanut M&Ms, gummy bears, jerky, flavorful bars, etc.
- Fresh fruit or veggie is a luxury (cut up apple, bell pepper, carrots) Nothing with a peal and no dried or fresh bananas
What NOT to bring…
- Test your bars/snacks at home first – do you LOVE them?
- No exotic flavors, especially at higher altitudes
- Limit or leave at home healthy flavorless snacks
- No dried or fresh bananas – they make your bear canister and other foods smell like banana.
- Don’t bring bulky food items – If you pack chips plan to eat them on the first day – they break and don’t fit in the bear box
- Chocolate will melt but you should still bring it 😉
Bear Canister Packing
Bear Canister Packing…
- Remember ALL your food and scented toiletries must fit in your canister at night. If you are sharing canister space with a friend, make sure their items fit as well.
- Eliminate any bulky food items such as bags of chips, whole fruits or veggies, canned goods,
- Bring small travel sized toiletries so they will fit in you canister at the end of the day.
- Small items can fit in the small nooks and crannies within the canister.
- Remember to place your morning coffee or tea, including sweeteners toward the top of your canister before closing it up for the night. This will simplify your morning routine.
- Never store your fuel canister or your stove in your canister, it could take on the smell of fuel.
For more tips and tricks, check out the Hike Over 50 Backpacking Basics Course.