Nutrition Coaching

Nutrition Coaching

Optimize Your Backpacking Nutrition with Expert Coaching

"I love what Aaron is doing! I firmly believe that nutrition is key to SO many parts of life and my biggest fear of a thru hike was not nourishing my body in a way that would help me have sustained energy, maintain muscle and stay mentally strong for 6 months. However, then I found Backcountry Foodie and I feel like it is TOTALLY possible."

Andrea Mueller Backcountry Foodie ultralight recipes and meal planning website testimonial headshot

Andrea M.

Need help planning your next trip?

Our licensed dietitians with over 30 years of combined backpacking experience can help! Specializing in:

  • sports nutrition
  • weight loss
  • bariatric nutrition
  • general health & wellness

How can nutrition coaching help me?

Hear From Our Clients

Read Testimonials About Our Coaching Services

Coaching Benefits

Quick Turnaround Time

(Planning Much Quicker Than Doing Yourself)

20% OFF All Memberships

Access to a Professional

Without Leaving Your Home (Email, Phone, Zoom)

Frequently Asked Questions

We offer general nutrition and wellness coaching and sports nutrition coaching, considering any special diet or individual needs you may have. Schedule just one nutrition “tune-up” session or on-going coaching calls for continued support. Coaching packages are customized to meet your unique needs.

We start with a one-hour Zoom video or phone call to learn about your eating habits, goals, needs, and challenges. We’ll also review your food diary (or walk through a typical day of eating). We then choose a focus, set goals, and make a realistic plan together. Follow-up calls usually include sharing updates, adjusting goals, and tackling new areas of interest to fine-tune your plan.

First, we’ll meet with you for a FREE 15-minute discovery call to ensure we understand your needs and determine whether we’re a good fit. We’ll let you know if you need specialized guidance outside our scope or may be better served elsewhere. You can schedule that call here.

Per dietitian licensure requirements, we cannot provide medical nutrition therapy (MNT) across state lines. If you do not reside in Washington State or California, we cannot complete a full nutrition assessment (collect HIPAA-protected information such as medications and labs) and coach you based on that information. However, with your permission, we can speak with your medical provider(s) regarding questions or concerns shared during coaching sessions.

Example: You have diabetes and do not live in Washington State or California. Feel free to let us know, and we’ll incorporate general nutrition recommendations for diabetes. However, we won’t ask for your recent lab results or recommend any medication adjustments. We can provide you with a list of questions to ask your medical provider(s) based on your home and/or hiking nutrition goals.

Our collective 30+ years of experience as registered dietitians includes weight management, bariatric surgery, sports, backpacking-specific nutrition, food allergies, and a range of special diets. We have provided care in homes, outpatient clinics, long-term care, and hospital settings. We’ll match you with the coach who best fits your needs.

Registered Dietitians (RDs):

  • Hold a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in nutrition or a related field, followed by 1000+ hours of supervised clinical practice.
  • Pass a national registration exam and must complete ongoing education to maintain credentials.
  • Specialize in medical nutrition therapy, providing expert care for complex conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and digestive disorders.
  • Use evidence-based practices and stay current with the latest research to ensure the highest level of care.
  • Held to strict ethical standards and regulated by professional boards to ensure safe, personalized nutrition advice.

Nutrition Coaches:

  • Education and certification levels vary, with some nutrition coaches being self-taught.
  • Provide general guidance on lifestyle improvements rather than addressing specific medical conditions.
  • Not qualified to treat or manage chronic health conditions through nutrition.
  • Not required to adhere to the same rigorous educational or ethical standards as Registered Dietitians.

Start by scheduling a discovery call—we’ll be happy to discuss the process with you! You’re also welcome to email us with questions. If we’re a good fit, we’ll ask you to sign a coaching agreement, pay via electronic invoice, and then schedule your first call.

Yes! We can create meal plans for you to use at home or on the trail. Meal plans created for home use are charged at $50/hour (the number of hours required will depend on your needs).

Meal plans for backpacking use are charged according to the Backpacking Meal Planning Package purchased. See “How much does Nutrition Coaching cost?” for details.

1-hour intake call: $80

30-minute follow-up calls: $40

Review of Home Diet and/or Hiking Food Records: $50

Nutrition Coaching Package:  $150 includes 1-hour intake call + two 30-minute follow-up calls

Backpacking Nutrition Guidelines: $50 for personalized nutrition guidelines – requires intake call

Backpacking Meal Plans: $50 per one-day personalized meal plan. Meal plans are unique to each coaching client and require an intake call.

Backpacking  Meal Planning Package: $ Varies based on the number of one-day meal plans requested. Includes 1-hour intake call, review of home and hiking food journals, personalized nutrition guidelines, unique one-day meal plan(s), and a 30-minute teaching session.

Communication: $50 per hour—Email communication is welcome between calls. A communication charge will be incurred for meal planning discussions, communication with your provider(s), reviewing additional food records, etc outside of the scheduled coaching sessions.

Unfortunately, we are unable to bill insurance at this time. Due to dietitian licensure restrictions, we cannot provide medical nutrition therapy (MNT) that identifies diagnostic codes for billing insurance.

See the “Are there nutrition concerns you don’t work with?” section for additional details.

Cancellations or reschedules made 24 hours before the start of your call are eligible for a full refund. No refunds are given after the call is completed, and no refunds are given for no-shows.

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Schedule Your FREE Consultation

What Our Clients Are Saying

Andrea Mueller Backcountry Foodie ultralight recipes and meal planning website testimonial headshot
"I love what Aaron is doing! I firmly believe that nutrition is key to SO many parts of life and my biggest fear of a thru hike was not nourishing my body in a way that would help me have sustained energy, maintain muscle and stay mentally strong for 6 months. However, then I found Backcountry Foodie and I feel like it is TOTALLY possible."

Andrea M.

Paul Herr Backcountry Foodie ultralight recipe and meal planning website testimonial headshot
"On my five-day hike, your meals/recipes stood out. I look forward to them each day. In fact, for the meals where I did not use your recipes, I was disappointed in myself for not using your meals. You and your recipes definitely added to the quality of my trip!!!!!"

Paul H.

Caroline Draper Backcountry Foodie ultralight recipes and backpacking meal planning website testimonial headshot
"Backcountry Foodie was a wonderful resource for my Colorado Trail planning. The recipes were easy and tasty, the tools were streamlined and easy to use, and the food planning which I had been dreading turned out to be fun! Thanks, Backcountry Foodie, for a great experience!"

Caroline D.

Robin McDermott Backcountry Foodie ultralight recipes and backpacking meal planning website testimonial headshot
"I am just so wowed by your recipes!  I am doing tests at home at this point and I am more excited than ever to get out backpacking so I can eat more of what I have been testing.  These calorie-bomb meals are delicious, but would be very dangerous if I made them part of my home meal routine. 😉"

Robin M.

David Burge Backcountry Foodie ultralight recipes and backpacking meal planning website testimonial headshot
"I’ve been using Backcountryfoodie.com for over a year. I like the variety of meal recipes, but I really appreciate that Aaron is making sure that I’m getting a balance of carbs, fats, and protein. That keeps me hiking strong."

David B.

Deborah Anderson Backcountry Foodie ultralight recipes and backpacking meal planning website testimonial headshot
"Yesterday was the first time I used your meal planner feature to create my own with your recipes and I LOVE it! Having the water and oils quantities listed in the nutritional count was a surprising and most appreciated find! This will be our first thru hike and we are leaning heavily on your nutrition guidance and are very grateful for you."

Deborah A.

Ellie Average Hiker Backcountry Foodie ultralight recipes and meal planning website testimonial headshot
"Backcountry Foodie offers quick recipes that are easy to make, and they cover the sphere – cold soak, hot, gluten free, vegetarian, etc. You name it, they really do have something for everyone. As I get older and hike further, keeping my pack weight low while maintaining healthy nutrition is important." Read full review here.

Ellie

Looking To Plan On Your Own?

Backcountry Foodie's Other Services Can Help!

Recipe Membership

Revolutionize your backpacking meals with our unique and nutritious ultralight recipes.

Meal Planner Membership

Optimize your adventures with our strategic meal planning tool – designed to save you time & money.

Calorie Calculator

Fine tune your meal planning strategy with our comprehensive hiking calorie calculator.

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