Backpacking Meals From a Grocery Store
This is actually one of my favorite ways to backpack.
You can often eat better, cheaper, and lighter than if you buy only Mountain House meals, and a regular grocery store like Safeway has almost everything you need.
For a hard section like Section J, I would usually aim for about 3,000 to 4,000 calories per day. You can easily burn 4,000 to 6,000 calories per day when you are hiking with a full pack, so calorie density matters.
The basic idea is simple:
- Use cheap carbohydrate bases
- Add shelf-stable protein
- Add fat aggressively
- Keep lunch easy enough to eat without a long stop
Quick Planning Targets
| Category |
Target |
| Daily calories |
3,000 to 4,000 |
| Likely burn on a hard day |
4,000 to 6,000 |
| Best calorie boosters |
Olive oil, peanut butter, cheese, nuts, sausage |
| Best grocery-store strategy |
Buy normal food, then optimize for shelf life and calorie density |
Dinners
1. Knorr Pasta + Tuna + Olive Oil
| Quick Fact |
Details |
| Calories |
About 850 to 1,000 |
| Cost |
Around $5 |
| Why it works |
Cheap, salty, easy, and much better with added fat |
| Ingredient |
Amount |
Notes |
| Knorr Pasta Side |
1 pack |
Main base |
| Tuna pouch |
1 |
Easy protein |
| Olive oil packets |
1 to 2 |
Major calorie boost |
| Parmesan packet |
Optional |
Nice extra salt and richness |
Cook the pasta side, stir in the tuna and olive oil, and finish with parmesan if you have it.
2. Knorr Rice + Chicken
| Quick Fact |
Details |
| Calories |
900+ |
| Cost |
Low |
| Why it works |
Filling, savory, and easy to customize |
| Ingredient |
Amount |
Notes |
| Knorr Rice Side |
1 pack |
Main base |
| Chicken pouch |
1 |
Protein |
| Taco seasoning |
1 small packet |
Adds flavor fast |
| Hot sauce packet |
To taste |
Good morale upgrade |
Cook the rice, mix in the chicken and seasoning, and add hot sauce at the end.
3. Instant Ramen Deluxe
| Quick Fact |
Details |
| Calories |
About 900 to 1,100 |
| Cost |
Very low |
| Why it works |
Turns cheap ramen into a genuinely satisfying dinner |
| Ingredient |
Amount |
Notes |
| Ramen packs |
2 |
Main base |
| Peanut butter packet |
1 |
Adds calories and body |
| Sriracha packet |
1 |
Heat and balance |
| Chicken pouch |
1 |
Protein |
Cook the ramen, then stir in peanut butter, sriracha, and chicken until it turns into a richer noodle bowl.
4. Instant Mashed Potatoes
| Quick Fact |
Details |
| Calories |
900+ |
| Cost |
Low |
| Why it works |
Fast, warm, comforting, and extremely easy after a long day |
| Ingredient |
Amount |
Notes |
| Idahoan potatoes |
1 pack |
Main base |
| Bacon bits |
To taste |
Salt and texture |
| Cheese |
Small handful |
Melts in well |
| Chicken pouch |
1 |
Protein |
| Butter powder or olive oil |
1 serving |
Adds richness |
Make the potatoes, then fold in everything else while they are still hot.
5. Couscous Bowl
| Quick Fact |
Details |
| Calories |
Variable, easy to scale up |
| Cost |
Moderate |
| Why it works |
Couscous only needs hot water and feels surprisingly fresh |
| Ingredient |
Amount |
Notes |
| Couscous |
1 serving |
Fast base |
| Sun-dried tomatoes |
Small handful |
Strong flavor |
| Feta |
Optional, first day |
Best early in the trip |
| Salami |
1 serving |
Fat and protein |
| Olive oil |
1 packet |
Important calorie boost |
Pour hot water over the couscous, let it sit, then stir in the other ingredients for a very Mediterranean trail dinner.
6. Mexican Rice Bowl
| Quick Fact |
Details |
| Calories |
High |
| Cost |
Low to moderate |
| Why it works |
Filling and easy to make crunchy and satisfying |
| Ingredient |
Amount |
Notes |
| Instant Spanish rice |
1 pack |
Main base |
| Dehydrated beans |
1 serving |
Extra fiber and protein |
| Cheese |
Small handful |
Richness |
| Taco seasoning |
1 small packet |
Flavor |
| Tortilla chips |
Handful |
Crunch on top |
Cook the rice and beans, stir in seasoning and cheese, then crush tortilla chips over the bowl.
7. Instant Curry
| Quick Fact |
Details |
| Calories |
High |
| Cost |
Moderate |
| Why it works |
One of the best flavor-to-effort ratios on trail |
| Ingredient |
Amount |
Notes |
| Instant rice |
1 serving |
Main base |
| Curry packet |
1 |
Sauce and flavor |
| Chicken pouch |
1 |
Protein |
| Cashews |
Small handful |
Fat and texture |
Cook the rice, add curry and chicken, and top with cashews at the end.
8. Mac and Cheese Upgrade
| Quick Fact |
Details |
| Calories |
1,000+ |
| Cost |
Low |
| Why it works |
Extremely comforting and easy to push into real calorie territory |
| Ingredient |
Amount |
Notes |
| Annie’s or Kraft mac and cheese |
1 box or pack |
Main base |
| Chicken pouch |
1 |
Protein |
| Bacon bits |
To taste |
Salt and richness |
| Cheese powder |
Extra if available |
Makes it even richer |
Cook the mac and cheese, then stir in the chicken, bacon bits, and extra cheese powder.
9. Instant Ramen Carbonara
| Quick Fact |
Details |
| Calories |
High |
| Cost |
Very low |
| Why it works |
One of the best backpacking hacks if you want rich comfort food |
| Ingredient |
Amount |
Notes |
| Chicken ramen |
1 pack |
Main base |
| Parmesan packet |
1 |
Salty richness |
| Bacon bits |
To taste |
Texture and flavor |
| Olive oil |
1 packet |
Fat and silkiness |
Cook the ramen, drain slightly, then stir in parmesan, bacon bits, and olive oil.
Breakfasts
10. Oatmeal Deluxe
| Quick Fact |
Details |
| Calories |
Up to 800 if you want it |
| Cost |
Low |
| Why it works |
Reliable, warm, and easy to scale with nuts and milk powder |
| Ingredient |
Amount |
Notes |
| Instant oats |
1 large serving |
Base |
| Dried blueberries |
Small handful |
Sweetness |
| Walnuts |
Small handful |
Fat and crunch |
| Brown sugar |
To taste |
Extra calories |
| Cinnamon |
To taste |
Easy flavor |
| Powdered milk |
1 serving |
Creamier texture |
Add hot water, let it thicken, and then mix in the rest.
11. Bagel Bomb
| Quick Fact |
Details |
| Calories |
High |
| Cost |
Low |
| Why it works |
No cooking, very portable, and great for fast mornings |
| Ingredient |
Amount |
Notes |
| Bagels |
1 to 2 |
Main base |
| Peanut butter |
1 to 2 packets |
Calories and protein |
| Honey |
To taste |
Fast sugar |
| Banana chips |
Handful |
Crunch and sweetness |
Split the bagel, spread peanut butter and honey, and add banana chips inside or eat them on the side.
Lunches
12. Charcuterie Lunch
This is one of my favorite backpacking lunches because you barely have to stop.
| Quick Fact |
Details |
| Calories |
Easy to scale high |
| Cost |
Moderate |
| Why it works |
No stove, no cleanup, and very little friction |
| Ingredient |
Amount |
Notes |
| Hard salami |
1 serving |
Fat and salt |
| Sharp cheddar |
1 block or chunk |
Great early and mid-trip |
| Crackers |
1 sleeve or bag |
Easy carb |
| Summer sausage |
Optional extra |
Big calorie density |
| Trail mix |
Handful |
Dessert and backup calories |
This works best as a graze-style lunch you eat during short breaks rather than a formal stop.
13. Tortilla Wrap
| Quick Fact |
Details |
| Calories |
Moderate to high |
| Cost |
Low |
| Why it works |
Flexible, cheap, and durable in a food bag |
| Version |
Ingredient |
Amount |
Notes |
| Sweet |
Tortilla |
1 |
Base |
| Sweet |
Peanut butter |
1 packet |
Fat and protein |
| Sweet |
Honey |
To taste |
Fast calories |
| Savory |
Tortilla |
1 |
Base |
| Savory |
Tuna |
1 pouch |
Protein |
| Savory |
Olive oil packet or mustard packet |
1 |
Better trail option than mayo in hot conditions |
| Savory |
Hot sauce |
To taste |
Flavor |
Both versions work well. The sweet version is better in cold weather mornings, and the savory one is great for lunch.
Snacks
Safeway usually has excellent snack options for hiking.
| Snack |
Why Pack It |
| Peanut M&M’s |
One of the best mixes of sugar, fat, and morale |
| Snickers |
Dense, cheap, and reliable |
| Peanut butter pretzels |
Great salty snack with decent calories |
| Beef jerky |
Easy protein |
| Pistachios |
Good fat and satisfying to eat slowly |
| Cashews |
Very calorie-dense |
| Almonds |
Reliable everyday trail staple |
| Reese’s Pieces |
Fast sugar and fun |
| Clif Bars |
Useful structured snack when you want something predictable |
| Nature Valley bars |
Cheap and easy to find |
| Dried mango |
Good change of pace from chocolate and nuts |
| Dates |
Very dense fast energy |
| Fig bars |
Simple, compact carbohydrate source |
Drinks and Caffeine
| Item |
Why Pack It |
| Instant coffee |
Morning morale |
| Tea bags |
Great on cold mornings or for a calmer evening drink |
| Caffeine pills |
Extremely weight-efficient backup if you want stimulation without carrying extra liquid mixes |
| Liquid IV |
Easy electrolyte upgrade |
| Gatorade powder |
Good for hot days and long climbs |
| Hot chocolate |
Calories plus morale at camp |
| Apple cider packets |
Warm, sweet, and good in cold weather |
Desserts
| Dessert |
Why It Works |
| Instant pudding |
Can be made thick and feels surprisingly luxurious |
| Oreos |
Cheap, durable, and always welcome |
| Peanut butter cups |
Dense and satisfying |
| Cookies |
Easy extra calories at night |
This is roughly the pattern I would repeat over a four-day trip.
| Meal Slot |
Default Choice |
| Breakfast |
Instant oatmeal + coffee |
| Trail snacks |
Nuts + M&M’s + beef jerky + Clif Bar |
| Lunch |
Tortilla + salami + cheese |
| Afternoon snack |
Peanut butter pretzels + dried fruit |
| Dinner |
Knorr Pasta Side + tuna + olive oil |
| Dessert |
Hot chocolate + Oreos |
My #1 Tip: Add Fat
If you are hiking 15 to 20 miles a day, fat is your friend because it is so calorie-dense.
| Add-In |
Approximate Calories |
Why It Matters |
| Olive oil packet |
120 |
Huge calorie boost for almost no weight |
| Peanut butter packet |
180 to 200 |
Easy to add to breakfast or lunch |
| Mixed nuts |
160 to 200 per ounce |
Reliable high-density snack |
| Cheese |
Varies |
Good fat and morale |
| Summer sausage |
Varies |
Dense, salty, and durable |
These ingredients increase calories without adding much bulk.
Bonus Idea: Dehydrate Your Own Meals
If you enjoy DIY projects, a food dehydrator is a great investment for regular backpacking.
You can make your own chili, spaghetti Bolognese, curry, lentil stew, or even scrambled eggs at home, dehydrate them, and simply rehydrate them on the trail.
The result is often:
- Tastier than commercial freeze-dried meals
- Healthier than many packaged options
- Cheaper over the course of a season
If you backpack regularly, the dehydrator can easily pay for itself.