Trailside Treats: Healthy Eats for Adventurers
When I’m on the trail, my preference leans towards crafting my own meals and snacks whenever possible, the reality is that time and circumstances do not always align for this.
In 2018, I made every meal for my five months on the Pacific Crest Trail to align with my dietary preferences. While the food was deeply nourishing and it was incredible to have this relationship with my meals. I was dehydrating and making food for three months straight, and needless to say, it was a whole lot of work!
I still find pleasure in crafting certain dehydrated meals, preparing jerky from meat or fish sourced through hunting or fishing, incorporating dehydrated wild mushrooms or homegrown veggies from the garden, and including fresh foods for the initial days of my backcountry adventures. At the same time, I appreciate the convenience of relying on reputable companies to supplement the aspects of my meals that I'd rather not expend extra effort on.
I’ve taken quite a bit of time to research different companies, their values, their nutrition profile, and most importantly their taste! Here are some suggestions of convenient and delicious meals to fuel whatever adventure lies ahead!
Heather's Choice
Heathers Choice is a company with high standards, ethics, and is unbelievably delicious! Heathers Choice is a women owned company, and all of the meals are handmade and gluten free. The dinners are packed full of protein, lower in sodium as compared to most backpacking meals, including fresh vegetables and ingredients. There are a few vegetarian and vegan options, and if you are going for meat it’s either wild caught, organic, or grass fed.
Heather's choice has delicious breakfast as well, and some healthy, decadent cookies called Packaroos to satisfy your sweet tooth, but not spike your blood sugar.
Heathers choice is within my pack on any backpacking trip, car camping trip, or really all my travels. It's so good that you could even enjoy it at home when the inspiration to cook is lagging.
Here are my favorites from Heather's Choice:
Patagonia Provisions
Food with a purpose. A huge selection of food that I trust because of their responsible sourcing, environmental responsibilities, and overall mission.
Gopals
Raw, living food, sprouted, organic and gluten free. For myself, I burn out on crispy, dry dehydrated foods while on trail. I love their food that feels alive and deeply nourishing.
My favorites are:
Nori Snacks
Rawkers
Sprouties
Mezcla
Challenging the monotony of bland, boring bars by bringing regional ingredients from around the world to life in plant based puff crisp bars with 10g of protein, 170 calories, and a Pea Crisp base coated in vegan chocolate. With flavors such as Japanese Matcha Vanilla, Peruvian Cocoa Peanut Butter, Italian Pistachio Chocolate, Spanish Almond Butter Chocolate, and Canadian Maple Blueberry your taste buds will thank you for this highly decadent, healthy bar. Additionally, as a part of their responsible sourcing policy, they are partnered with the hunger project in an effort to fight food security world wide.
Picky Bars
Created by a Pro Triathlete, Pro Runner, and Pro Marathoner. They created a real food energy bar balanced for sport. Easy-to-digest, feel-good ingredients carefully mixed in a macronutrient harmony that supports big workouts. Combining fast-acting carbs and long-lasting fats (with a touch of protein for recovery). Soft and slightly sweet thanks to primary ingredients of dates and a nut/seed butter, they’re great just before a workout or during low to moderate efforts. The variety keeps me happy, they taste great, and the price is extremely reasonable.
Power Provisions
Keto and Paleo bone broth soups with collagen and MCT oil. These are incredible at the end of a long day. Easy to digest, high protein, great for recovery, and all around deeply comforting. A tip if you’re bringing on trail if space in your pack is important. Ditch the cup, unpack the ingredients, and simply cook in your cook pot.
LMNT
Electrolytes with a balance of 1,000mg of sodium, 200 mg of Potassium, and 60 mg of Magnesium with no sugar and a variety of flavors to choose from. Personally, I love that you can choose how salty you would like your beverages. I use half a pack for 24 oz of water, fold the pack in half, and use it later on. You can easily store the pack away with no powder leakage, and base your electrolyte mix specific to your preference, output, and how much you need.
Cascadia Roasters
In my opinion good coffee is a non negotiable. I've tested many brands before landing on this as my favorite.
Cascadia Instand Adventure
Fair trade, organic, and pretty darn close to a fresh brew of coffee. Plus, we all can do better than support Starbucks and its massive empire!
Supplements
I keep it simple in the backcountry as the experience of the great outdoors, movement, and connection to nature is highly nutritive. However, I do have a few simple supplements that I enjoy on trail.
Apex Energetics ClearVite
Protein, targeted amino acids, phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals that support the intestines, liver detoxification, sugar metabolism, and supports energy levels with no added sugars or carbohydrates. Chocolate Collagen is a favorite, but there are other protein options available. I love this powder as it covers a lot of ground in health support and nutrients. Get in touch with me personally if you want to try this, as it’s not available online.
Health Force Naturals
I roll with either their Spirulina, Vitamineral Green, or their Elite Green Protein, as it’s a nutrient dense superfood that I add to my water for protein, amino acids, chlorophyll, vitamins and minerals.
BCAAs
This has been a game changer for me in recovery, achy muscles, and refueling. I use this post recovery, at the end of my workout, hike, or run.. The downside to most BCAA’s is they don't taste great or dissolve well. I’ve found this particular BCAA’s to work great however, in addition to the BCAAs, it contains 4 grams of Glutamine, a gram of L-Citruline and an electrolyte profile that tastes great and dissolves!