Lightweight and Ultralightweight Backpacking

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Backpacking Food Facts



To begin, it is helpful for backpacking to choose "calorie dense" food.

For one thing, it provides the higher calories needed for being active and outdoors in the elements. It provides more strength and more staying power. It is helpful in cold weather. It also requires less space per useful calorie inside the backpack.

Individually, the items appear to be not particularly appetizing alone. However, the goal of having "calorie dense" food for backpacking isn't entirely unappetizing. Once you choose to "fortify" a recipe from the "calorie dense" list, you have seen how to do it.

Notice that candy and cookies didn't even make the list.

There goes another food myth.

I have added the almost "calorie dense" selections of cheese and of chocolate are at least more "calorie dense" than cakes, cookies, or candy because cheese or chocolate almost make the list and are an easy "add-on" if packaged in wax, or packaged well, or carried dry ground in a recipe. This is show these items may be packed with reasonable care inside the backpack.

Many backpackers will select sausage, cheese, crackers and chocolate. Nevertheless, you ought to have actual "calorie dense" food for longer treks or for extreme weather.

I suggest, begin by selecting "calorie dense" food items from the list for "add-ons" to be added to side dishes and entrees.


The "calorie-dense" food items:

The actual "calorie-dense" foods listed here have 150+ calories per ounce. The metric equivalent is 530+ calories per 100 grams. This list is calories per 100 grams.


    lard, meat drippings and bacon fat

  • 885 Lard
  • 884 Fat, Solid Fat/Oil, Commercial
  • 884 Fat, Solid Fat/Oil, Domestic
  • 884 Fat, Solid Frying, Animal & Vegetable Fat Mixture
  • 884 Fat, Solid Frying
  • 884 Fat, Solid Frying, Vegetable
  • 884 Dripping, Beef
  • 884 Dripping, Meat, Nfs
  • 885 Dripping, Pork
  • 833 Fat/Oil/Spread, Commercial, Used In Cooking
  • 733 Fat/Oil/Spread, Domestic, Used In Cooking
  • 732 Fat, Veg Oil/Spread, Domestic, Used In Cooking
  • 680 Bacon Fat

    • oils

  • 884 Oil, Almond
  • 884 Oil, Corn (Include Maize Oil)
  • 884 Oil, Olive
  • 884 Oil, Peanut
  • 884 Oil, Polyunsaturated, Blended
  • 884 Oil, Safflower
  • 884 Oil, Sesame
  • 884 Oil, Sunflower
  • 884 Oil, Sunflower, Monounsaturated
  • 884 Oil, Vegetable, Blended
  • 884 Oil, Vegetable, Nfs (Include Oil, Nfs)
  • 590 Dressing, Salad, Oil- & Vinegar-Based, Homemade

    • dairy

  • 884 Ghee
  • 742 Margarine, Polyunsaturated, Salt Free
  • 728 Margarine, Polyunsaturated, Whipped, Reduced Salt
  • 727 Margarine, Monounsaturated, Sunflower, Reduced Salt
  • 723 Margarine, Monounsaturated, Olive, Reduced Salt
  • 714 Margarine, Polyunsaturated
  • 714 Margarine, Polyunsaturated, Reduced Salt
  • 714 Margarine, Table
  • 711 Mayonnaise, Traditional, From Egg Yolk & Oil, Homemade
  • 702 Margarine/Margarine Spread, Ns As To Fat Type
  • 703 Margarine/Margarine Spread, Polyunsaturated
  • 699 Margarine/Marg Spread, Ns As To Marg Or Marg Spread, Poly
  • 697 Margarine/Margarine Spread, Nfs
  • 694 Margarine/Margarine Spread, Ns As To Fat Type, Red Salt
  • 691 Margarine/Margarine Spread, Polyunsaturated, Red Salt
  • 679 Mayonnaise, Traditional, (~70% Fat), Commercial
  • 679 Dairy Blend, With Sunflower Oil
  • 676 Dairy Blend, With Sunflower Oil, Reduced Salt
  • 658 Margarine/Margarine Spread, Table
  • 634 Margarine Spread, Polyunsaturated, Reduced Salt
  • 624 Dairy Blend/Blend Spread, Ns As To Oil Type, Ns As To Salt
  • 623 Margarine Spread, Table, Ns As To Salt
  • 623 Margarine Spread, Table, Salt Reduced
  • 623 Margarine, Cooking
  • 617 Margarine Spread, Polyunsaturated
  • 533 Margarine Spread, Polyunsaturated (60-65% Fat), Red Salt
  • 533 Margarine Spread, Reduced Fat (~ 60% Fat), Poly, Red Salt
  • 533 Margarine Spread, Table

    • cheese

  • 518 Cheese, Marscapone
  • 458 Cheesecake Filling, Dry Mix
  • 442 Cheese, Parmesan
  • 409 Cheese, Cheddar, Reduced Salt
  • 404 Cheese, Gloucester
  • 404 Cheese, Havarti
  • 404 Cheese, Cheddar (Mild, Tasty, Vintage)
  • 385 Cheese, Cheshire
  • 385 Cheese, Colby
  • 382 Cheese, Swiss
  • 380 Cheese, Gouda
  • 376 Cheese On Toast, Grilled
  • 375 Cheese, Feta, Low Salt
  • 370 Cheese, Blue Vein
  • 363 Cheese, Provolone
  • 362 Cheese, Kasseri
  • 362 Cheese, Kefalograviera
  • 356 Cheese, Pecarino
  • 354 Cheese, Edam
  • 354 Cheese, With Nuts
  • 342 Cheese, Cheddar, Reduced Fat, Reduced Salt
  • 333 Cheese, Fat-Modified, Reduced Cholesterol
  • 345 Cheese, Nfs
  • 344 Cheese Spread, Cream Cheese- Or Neufchatel-Based
  • 342 Cheese, Cheddar, Reduced Fat, Reduced Salt
  • 337 Cheese, Brie
  • 332 Cheese, Swiss, Reduced Fat
  • 332 Cheese, Smoked
  • 327 Cheese, Cheddar, Reduced Fat (25% Reduction)
  • 323 Cheese, Gouda, Reduced Fat
  • 319 Cheese, Processed Swiss
  • 308 Cheese, Camembert

    • nuts

  • 728 Macadamia, Roasted, Unsalted
  • 721 Macadamia, Roasted, Salted
  • 695 Pecan Nut
  • 681 Walnut
  • 655 Walnut, Honey Roasted
  • 650 Mixed Nut No Peanut, Raw
  • 630 Hazelnut
  • 626 Peanut, Flavoured
  • 626 Peanut, Roasted, No Skin, Salted
  • 626 Peanut, Roasted, Unsalted
  • 626 Cashew, Roasted, Salted
  • 626 Cashew, Roasted, Unsalted
  • 625 Almond, Roasted
  • 624 Hazelnut, Raw
  • 614 Peanut, Roasted, With Skin, Salted
  • 606 Mixed Nut & Seed Mix
  • 604 Peanut, Honey Roasted
  • 602 Mixed Nut Including Peanut, Roasted, Salted
  • 602 Mixed Nut Including Peanut, Roasted, Unsalted
  • 600 Peanut Butter, Salted, No Added Sugar
  • 600 Peanut Butter, Unsalted, No Added Sugar
  • 597 Macadamia Nut, Chocolate-Coated
  • 597 Macadamia, Raw
  • 592 Almond, Dry Roasted, Unsalted
  • 592 Peanut Butter, Nfs
  • 590 Mixed Nut Including Peanut, Raw
  • 586 Almond, Raw
  • 583 Peanut Butter, Salted, Added Sugar
  • 583 Peanut Butter, Unsalted, Added Sugar
  • 580 Almond, Dry Roasted
  • 576 Cashew, Dry Roasted
  • 571 Cashew, Raw
  • 570 Peanut Butter & Honey
  • 558 Hazelnut, Chocolate-Coated
  • 555 Peanut, Dry Roasted, Salted
  • 555 Peanut, Dry Roasted, Unsalted
  • 552 Peanut, Raw
  • 544 Peanut, Chocolate-Coated
  • 535 Mixed Nut & Carob/ Chocolate &/Or Yoghurt-Coated Piece Mix

    • seeds, and seed butter

  • 624 Tahini, Sesame Butter
  • 586 Seed, Pumpkin, Roasted
  • 585 Seed, Sesame
  • 580 Seed, Sunflower, Roasted, Unsalted
  • 576 Sesame Paste
  • 575 Seed, Mixed
  • 570 Seed, Sunflower, Roasted, Salted
  • 565 Seed, Mixed
  • 563 Seed, Sunflower, Dry Roasted
  • 558 Seed, Pumpkin, Raw
  • 552 Seed, Sunflower, Raw

    • miscellany

  • 550 Snack Mix, Bhuja, W/ Soy Noodle, Peanut, Green Pea, Sultana
  • 550 Snack Mix, Oriental, W/ Soy Noodle, Pea, Peanut
  • 550 Snack, Pea-Based
  • 542 Whitener, Beverage, Dry Powder

    • chocolate, and confections

  • 524 Slice, Chocolate, With Nuts, Uniced, Commercial
  • 520 Slice, Peppermint, Peppermint-Filled, Choc-Topped, Commercial
  • 511 Slice, Chocolate, With Nuts, Iced, Commercial
  • 504 Slice, Made From Ready-To-Eat Breakfast Cereal, Iced
  • 500 Slice, Chocolate, W/ Puffed Rice & Confec Bar, Choc-Topped
  • 496 Slice, Caramel, Caramel-Filled, Chocolate-Topped, Commercial
  • 495 Slice, Made From Ready-To-Eat Breakfast Cereal, Uniced
  • 492 Slice, Coconut, Coconut Biscuit Base, Iced, H/Made
  • 490 Slice, Peppermint, Peppermint-Filled, Choc-Topped, H/Made
  • 487 Slice, Chocolate, With Nuts, Uniced, Homemade
  • 484 Slice, Chocolate, Plain, Uniced
  • 479 Slice, Cherry, Cherry & Coconut-Filled, Choc-Topped, Commercial
  • 475 Slice, Muesli, Uniced, Homemade
  • 475 Slice, Chocolate, Nfs
  • 463 Slice, Nfs
  • 461 Slice, Chocolate, With Nuts, Iced, Homemade
  • 459 Slice, Fruit & Nut, Rich
  • 454 Slice, Chocolate, Plain, Iced
  • 451 Slice, Muesli, Iced, Homemade
  • 446 Slice, Chocolate, With Fruit & Nuts, Uniced
  • 446 Slice, Caramel, Caramel-Filled, Chocolate-Topped, Homemade
  • 446 Slice, Coconut, Jam-Filled, Coconut&Egg White-Topped, H/Made
  • 455 Slice, Coconut, Coconut Biscuit Base, Iced, Commercial
  • 439 Slice, Muesli, Yoghurt- Or Carob-Topped, Commercial
  • 433 Slice, Muesli, Iced, Commercial
  • 428 Slice, Coconut, Jam-Filled, Coconut-Topped, Commercial
  • 428 Slice, Chocolate, With Coconut, Uniced
  • 426 Slice, Chocolate, With Fruit & Nuts, Iced
  • 418 Slice, Muesli, Uniced, Commercial
  • 417 Slice, Cherry, Cherry & Coconut-Filled, Choc-Topped, H/Made
  • 416 Slice, Chocolate, With Fruit, Uniced
  • 404 Slice, Chocolate, With Coconut, Iced
  • 402 Slice, Chocolate, With Fruit, Iced
  • 396 Slice, Chocolate, With Cake Crumbs, Uniced
  • 396 Cheesecake, Pastry Crust, Baked
  • 390 Cheesecake, Plain, Cream Cheese, Crumb Crust, Homemade
  • 339 Cheesecake, Plain, Biscuit Crumb Crust, Commercial
  • 336 Cheesecake, Chocolate Flavour, Crumb Crust, Commercial
  • 328 Cheesecake, Nfs
  • 322 Cheesecake, From Packet Mix

    • cereals, and grains

  • 378 Cereal Mixed Grain, Sugar >35% Fortified
  • 353 Cereal beverage, dry powder
  • 330 Gingerbread
  • 323 Semolina, Raw
  • 321 Scone, Fruit
  • 317 Scone, Plain

    • sausage, raw or dried

  • 334 Sausage Roll, Individual Size

Next, I will list the "nutritionally dense" food items to help make your selections for the thru-hike or cold weather backpack.







copyright © 2010 Connie Dodson. All Rights Reserved.