Update 3: Going Stoveless

The main topic that’s been on my mind while preparing for my big hike (other than gear) is food. I have decided to go stoveless, meaning I will be relying solely on cold food options while out in the woods. Not to worry, I should be able to grab a hot meal in town every few days. Watch the video below for more on all of that, or scroll down further to read through my detailed five-day resupply list.

Five-Day Resupply Breakdown

Day One

BREAKFAST

  • Vanilla-berry cold-soak breakfast mix (1/2 cup oats, 1/4 cup granola, 1/2 vanilla breakfast essentials packet, 2 tbsp chia seeds, 1 tbsp bee pollen, 1 tbsp berry yogurt melts, 1 tbsp dried banana, 1 tbsp dried blueberries, 1 tbsp dried goji berries): 595 calories, 10g fat, 15g protein
  • Instant iced coffee packet: 60 calories, 0g fat, 0g protein

SNACKS

  • Organic fruit slammer: 60 calories, 0g fat, 1g protein
  • Snack meat sticks: 75 calories, 5g fat, 5g protein
  • RXBAR: 210 calories, 9g fat, 12g protein
  • Trader Joe’s Fruit & Nut Disc: 80 calories, 1g fat, 0g protein
  • Fruit snacks: 80 calories, 0g fat, 0g protein
  • Pocky sticks: 200 calories, 9g fat, 3g protein
  • Trail mix (macadamia nuts, dried coconut, dried pineapple, yogurt cranberries, banana chips, white chocolate chips): 705 calories, 30g fat, 2g protein

DINNER

  • Mexican wrap (tortilla, dehydrated refried beans, freeze-dried corn, taco seasoning, cheddar cheese): 560 calories, 14g fat, 24g protein

DESSERT

  • Tortilla/Nutella roll-up: 420 calories, 20g fat, 6g protein

DAILY TOTAL = 3,045 calories, 98g fat, 68g protein


Day Two

BREAKFAST

  • Chocolate-coconut cold-soak breakfast mix (1/2 cup oats, 1/4 cup chocolate granola, 1/2 dark chocolate breakfast essentials packet, 2 tbsp chia seeds, 1 tbsp bee pollen, 2 tbsp coconut chips, 1 tbsp chocolate chips, 1 tbsp chocolate cacao bites, 1 tbsp marshmallows): 685 calories, 24g fat, 16g protein
  • Instant iced coffee packet: 60 calories, 0g fat, 0g protein

SNACKS

  • Baby food pouch: 90 calories, 0g fat, 1g protein
  • Beef jerky: 120 calories, 1g fat, 15g protein
  • Clif Bar: 260 calories, 7g fat, 10g protein
  • Clif Energy Chews: 200 calories, 0g fat, 0g protein
  • Ghirardelli chocolates: 120 calories, 10g fat, 2g protein
  • Trail mix (sunflower seeds, almonds, banana chips, dried mango, peanut butter chips): 450 calories, 29g fat, 12g protein

DINNER

  • Hummus wrap (tortilla, hummus, freeze-dried corn, freeze-dried broccoli, freeze-dried okra, cheddar cheese): 555 calories, 26g fat, 19g protein

DESSERT

  • Tortilla/Nutella roll-up: 420 calories, 20g fat, 6g protein

DAILY TOTAL = 2,945 calories, 117g fat, 69g protein


Day Three

BREAKFAST

  • Coffee-almond cold-soak breakfast mix (1/2 cup oats, 1/4 cup vanilla-almond granola, 1/2 cafe-mocha breakfast essentials packet, 2 tbsp chia seeds, 1 tbsp bee pollen, sliced almonds, instant iced coffee packet): 655 calories, 21g fat, 19g protein

SNACKS

  • Happy Tot pouch: 100 calories, 1g fat, 1g protein
  • Snack meat sticks: 75 calories, 5g fat, 5g protein
  • Trader Joe’s Nutty bar: 180 calories, 13g fat, 7g protein
  • Larabar: 200 calories, 9g fat, 4g protein
  • Peanut Butter Cups: 210 calories, 14g fat, 4g protein
  • Dried fruit mix (coconut, pineapple, banana, mango, blueberry, goji berries): 700 calories, 1g fat, 7g protein

DINNER

  • Pepperoni wrap (tortilla, pepperoni, cheddar cheese, barbecue sauce): 605 calories, 36g fat, 21g protein

DESSERT

  • Tortilla/Nutella roll-up: 420 calories, 20g fat, 6g protein

DAILY TOTAL = 3,145 calories, 120g fat, 74g protein


Day Four

BREAKFAST

  • Banana-strawberry cold-soak breakfast mix (1/2 cup oats, 1/4 cup granola, 1/2 strawberry breakfast essentials packet, 2 tbsp chia seeds, 1 tbsp bee pollen, 1 tbsp strawberry-banana yogurt melts, 2 tbsp freeze-dried strawberries and bananas, 2 tbsp banana chips): 610 calories, 15g fat, 15g protein
  • Instant iced coffee packet: 60 calories, 0g fat, 0g protein

SNACKS

  • Organic fruit pouch: 90 calories, 1g fat, 1g protein
  • Beef jerky: 120 calories, 1g fat, 15g protein
  • Kind bar: 150 calories, 5g fat, 3g protein
  • Pressed by Kind bar: 130 calories, 2g fat, 1g protein
  • Ghirardelli chocolates: 120 calories, 10g fat, 2g protein
  • Trail mix (macadamia nuts, dried coconut, dried pineapple, yogurt cranberries, banana chips, white chocolate chips): 705 calories, 30g fat, 2g protein

DINNER

  • Parmesan couscous ( 2/3 cup couscous, spice packet, freeze-dried broccoli, freeze-dried okra, baked parmesan bites): 565 calories, 11g fat, 21g protein

DESSERT

  • Tortilla/Nutella roll-up: 420 calories, 20g fat, 6g protein

DAILY TOTAL = 2,970 calories, 95g fat, 66g protein


Day Five

BREAKFAST

  • Chocolate-peanut butter cold-soak breakfast mix (1/2 cup oats, 1/4 cup peanut butter granola, 1/2 milk chocolate breakfast essentials packet, 2 tbsp chia seeds, 1 tbsp bee pollen, 1 tbsp chocolate cacao bites, 1.5 tbsp peanut butter chips): 665 calories, 24g fat, 20g protein
  • Instant iced coffee packet: 60 calories, 0g fat, 0g protein

SNACKS

  • Organic fruit slammer: 60 calories, 0g fat, 1g protein
  • Snack meat sticks: 75 calories, 5g fat, 5g protein
  • Meal 2 go bar: 640 calories, 22g fat, 17g protein
  • Trader Joe’s Fruit & Nut Disc: 80 calories, 1g fat, 0g protein
  • Fruit snacks: 80 calories, 0g fat, 0g protein
  • Pocky sticks: 190 calories, 9g fat, 3g protein
  • Trail mix (sunflower seeds, almonds, banana chips, dried mango, peanut butter chips): 450 calories, 29g fat, 12g protein

DINNER

  • Koyo seaweed ramen: 200 calories, 1g fat, 7g protein

DESSERT

  • Tortilla/Nutella roll-up: 420 calories, 20g fat, 6g protein

DAILY TOTAL = 2,845 calories, 106g fat, 66g protein

 

 

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Comments 20

  • Barry Dodson : Feb 18th

    Hey! The recipes look awesome, but how much water do you use to hydrate the breakfast recipes?

    Happy Trails!

    Reply
    • Liz Kidder : Feb 19th

      Hey! I totally haven’t measured, but id say i add just enough to cover the contents and let it sit for 15 minutes and it ends up being like thicker oatmeal consistency. you just want the oats to adsorb some moisture first, but you could do it more watery like cereal or thicker like oatmeal/paste. up to you!

      Reply
  • slackpackhiker : Feb 18th

    Creative and interesting meals!

    I’m stoked to learn about Greenbelly and placed an order after learning about them here.

    Reply
    • Liz Kidder : Feb 19th

      Awesome, glad I gave you a new idea!

      Reply
  • Tj : Feb 18th

    You might be able to use powdered milk with your coffee. I’ve used it in oatmeal and it did pretty well.

    Reply
    • Liz Kidder : Feb 19th

      Thanks! Did buy this but havent tried it yet!

      Reply
  • Therese : Feb 18th

    I think you’re planning on too much food and definitely too much weight. I think you’ll figure it out after a few weeks but seeing all that food makes my back hurt.

    Reply
    • Liz Kidder : Feb 19th

      That’s about 2 pounds per day which is pretty standard! Will be starting out with less than this in the beginning (2k calories per day at first then growing into this 3k calorie per day type resupply)

      Reply
  • JohnG : Feb 18th

    Very creative and interesting menu. Looks very tasty. Lots of good menu ideas.
    You may not be getting enough calories depending on how many miles you hike per day.
    Also, the menu seems pretty complicated. You may get tired of putting this together each week.
    I hope your hike is all you want it to be!

    Reply
    • Liz Kidder : Feb 19th

      Thanks! I definitely am not putting this together every week. Setting up 7-10 boxes like these ahead of time and then will totally simplify when i grocery shop along the trail!

      Reply
    • Ray : Feb 19th

      I agree with Jhong, that you may not be getting enough calories. If you hike for 8 hours, on that terrain and depending on your body weight and the amount of weight you’re carrying, you’ll burn 300 to 400 calories per hour. My sister, who weighs 118 lbs., carried 25-29 lbs, hiked an average of 10 miles a day and consumed at least 3500 calories a day, lost 8 pounds in 6 weeks.

      Reply
  • Kris : Feb 19th

    Thanks, love many of your food ideas. Where are you planning on sending your resupply boxes? How many are you sending out?
    Thanks so much,
    Kris

    Reply
    • Liz Kidder : Feb 19th

      Hi Kris! So I’m planning to make about 7-10 boxes I think and i have NO PLAN for where I’m sending them, haha! I’m just planning the hike as I go and I will have my mom address/mail them when I decide where/when I want them!

      Reply
  • Roy : Feb 19th

    Very interesting and creative – you gave me some great ideas!

    Reply
  • Cornelius Csanyi : Feb 19th

    Thanks for the video…extremely helpful as I am considering converting to a stoveless backpacker. Best of luck on your journey! If it is helpful, I generally cannot stomach a packet of tuna on its own; however, we have found that crushed Fritos added to the tuna packet as you eat makes it almost gourmet. Again, good luck and have fun!

    Reply
  • Pam : Feb 20th

    Wow! Very planned. I’m excited to follow along and see how it goes for you.
    One day I hope to be hiking the AT.

    Reply
  • Liz : Feb 20th

    I love the look of the cold soak breakfasts! Do you think you could leave out the bee pollen? And how sweet are these concoctions? (Particularly the banana strawberry and coffee almond). Best of luck!!!

    Reply
  • Rocket Dog : Mar 15th

    There’s definitely something to be said for the ease and speed of eating on the trail without cooking. That said, there’s also nothing quite like fixing yourself a hot meal at the end of a long day on the trail… especially when it’s cold and rainy! That kind of boost to your morale is tough to beat. 🙂

    Reply

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