The 9 Best Backpacking Foods for 2020

From breakfast time to snacktime, make sure you're full, fueled, and satisfied with our favorite hiking foods of the year.

Author:: Patrice and Justin La Vigne
Updated:: Apr 7, 2020
Original:: Apr 7, 2020

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The granola bar aisle is crowded, but this cookie-like offering sets itself apart with a just-out-of-the-oven texture and the added bonus of probiotics for gut health. $25 Buy Now From FlapJacked / Read the Full Review

The granola bar aisle is crowded, but this cookie-like offering sets itself apart with a just-out-of-the-oven texture and the added bonus of probiotics for gut health. $25 Buy Now From FlapJacked / Read the Full Review

Cincinnati-style chili is a regional dish, but after eating this calorie-loaded dinner of pasta and savory beef stew, trekkers may start searching the heartland for other new flavors to enjoy around the campfire. $11 Buy Now From Backcountry Gear / Read the Full Review

Yogurt in the backcountry used to be a heavy luxury. But Stowaway Gourmet’s lightweight, freeze-dried offering not only delivers on taste and texture, it also provides a protein bomb to jumpstart your day. $14 Buy Now From Stowaway Gourmet / Read the Full Review

Granola is a backpacking staple, but it can be a pain to portion out for tracking your nutrient intake. The best thing about this version is that it comes in single-serve, 220-calorie packets, a rarity in the category. $12 Buy Now on Amazon / Read the Full Review

Fact of the day: Six electrolytes hold the key to hydration and recovery—sodium, potassium, magnesium, chloride, calcium, and phosphorus. But many drink supplements only contain three of those, which is why the fully-loaded Ultima Replenisher mixes—with all six—are our new go-to for hydrating on the trail. $20 Buy Ultima Replenisher Hydration Drink Mixes on Amazon Now / Read the Full Review

No one likes unidentifiable baby-food globs in their dehydrated meals, so we applaud the thick and hearty texture of this sweet-and-savory dish. $13 Buy Now on Amazon / Read the Full Review

These cold-soaked slaws let you get your veg on without the weight of a stove, cookware, or perishables. “Vitamins and minerals from roughage are what I miss most on the trail. I loved having an all-in-one veggie-heavy dinner, with protein to boot,” one tester says. $11 Buy Now From Garage Grown Gear / Read the Full Review

Sometimes you don’t want to eat your whole energy bar in one rest stop, but also don’t want to deal with a messy wrapper in your hipbelt pocket. That’s why we continually reached for these individual energy morsels, which have resealable packaging for flexible snacking. $6.50 Buy Now From Trail Truffles / Read the Full Review

We thought we’d seen just about every kind of seed on the trail until we tried this mélange. It combines lentils, buckwheat, and hemp seeds in packs of three flavors—barbecue, curry, and chipotle lime. $24 Buy Now on REI / Read the Full Review

FlapJacked Soft Baked Cookie Bar

The granola bar aisle is crowded, but this cookie-like offering sets itself apart with a just-out-of-the-oven texture and the added bonus of probiotics for gut health. $25 Buy Now From FlapJacked / Read the Full Review

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