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Ever reached the top of a climb and thought, “Why is my pack so heavy?”
Chances are, if you’re like me, the culprit is hiding in your food bag. Overpacking food is one of the easiest ways to weigh down your hike AND one of the easiest to fix.
Today, I’m sharing how to cut food weight without going hungry, using tips that have helped me streamline my multi-day treks.
🏕️ The Overpacking Trap
Most hikers pack food with one mindset: “What if I get hungry?”
And I know that it is something that constantly enters my mind when preparing for a long 7 day plus hike.
But adding too many “just in case” snacks quickly adds up. What starts as peace of mind becomes a burden by day two.
Tip: Stick to what you actually need and keep it lightweight.
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📏 My Rule of Thumb: 800 Grams Per Day
Here’s what works for me:
Day hikes: One meal + a small amount of snacks (~800g total). Sure, I may take a few extra treats on a short hike.
Multi-day hikes: Pre-portion each day’s food to hit around the same mark. For a well planned trip, I might pack slightly less for shorter days and slightly more for the big push days.
Obviously, your total food weight each day may vary. The key is to figure out what works for you and use that as your own framework moving forward.
👉 Try this: Weigh out one day’s food next time you pack it can be eye-opening.
🥾 Light but Powerful Foods
Here are my staples for the big trips of 7-14 days. Low in weight, high in calories:
🥣 Dehydrated or Freeze-Dried Meals
Just add hot water. Warm, satisfying, lightweight and so easy to prepare🥜 Trail Mix / Scroggin
Energy-dense, balanced, endlessly customisable. I might even have a slightly different mix for each day to freshen things up on the track.🌾 Instant Oats + Mix-ins
Add cacao, dried fruit, or nut butter for variety with zero bulk.🥪 Variations for lunch
Some days I’ll have a wrap with some cheese and jerky, others I’ll have some crackers with vacuum packed tuna. I love to mix up lunch.
Lunch, Day 5: on Tasmania’s South Coast Track
🧺 Repack and Portion
Most store-bought meals come in bulky packaging.
Fix it: Repackage into ziplocks. It saves space and makes daily rations easier to grab. I now reconstistute mine in my small titanium pot which I made an insulating cosy for.
🚫 Resist Last-Minute Add-Ins
That family-sized chocolate block/s? Tempting, but heavy. This is my achilles heel. Always throwing stuff in at the last minute but more recently I’ve learnt to be stronger and resist the temptation.
Ask yourself: Will I definately eat this? If not, leave it out.
AND at the end of your trip take note of what is left over. More often than not, you’ll find those things you snuck in at the last minute never got used.
📅 Use My Free Hiking Meal Planner
Want to simplify your next pack?
Use my Multi Day Meal Planner, it maps calories, weights, and portions day by day. Saves time and your back.
Final Thought: Plan Smart, Pack Light
Packing lighter doesn’t mean sacrificing satisfaction. It means being intentional.
When every gram counts, smart food choices can help you hike longer, farther, and happier.
👉 What’s your go-to hiking food hack?
Reply to this email, I’d love to hear how you keep your pack light.
THAT’S ALL FOR NOW
Thanks for reading Mowser’s Musings. I hope it gave you something to think about (or pack for).
Until next time, keep exploring.
Mowser
Discover more. Hike further.
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P.S. Just a heads up: I'm going to be sending more emails than usual this week.
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