Ever hit the trail and wish your breakfast were as fast as your pace? Enter the ultralight backpacking protein shake — a high-calorie, no-cook meal that fits in your water bottle and fuels your hike in under a minute.
Think of it like a power bar you can drink: lightweight, shelf-stable, and calorie-dense. Whether you’re crushing miles before sunrise or recovering at camp, this lightweight backpacking breakfast is your secret weapon.
In this post, you’ll discover why this shake belongs in every hiker’s food bag, how to prep it in advance, trail-tested ingredient swaps, smart storage tips, and common pitfalls to avoid.
Table of Contents
- Why This Protein Shake Belongs in Your Food Bag
- Nutritional Profile: High-Calorie Fuel That Goes the Distance
- Recipe: Home & Field Instructions
- Ingredient Swaps for Any Diet or Preference
- Smart Storage & On-Trail Prep
- When to Drink It
- FAQs: Ultralight Backpacking Protein Shake
- Take This Recipe — and More — on Your Next Adventure
Why This Protein Shake Belongs in Your Food Bag
Backpacking meals need to be simple, satisfying, and pack a punch. This one checks all the boxes:
- 677 calories per serving
- 40 g protein
- Mixes with cold water — no cooking needed
- Weighs next to nothing
Whether you’re running low on energy, tight on time, or just too tired to chew, this no-cook backpacking meal is ready when you are.
💡Trail Tip: This shake is ideal for high-mileage mornings, long climbs, or quick lunch stops when you don’t want to unpack your stove.
Nutritional Profile: High-Calorie Fuel That Goes the Distance
This isn’t just a protein shake. It’s a complete hiking meal replacement shake designed to keep you going strong:
- Powdered peanut butter: High in protein, low in bulk.
- Milk powder: Adds creaminess, carbohydrates, protein, and calories.
- Quick oats: Boosts carbs and fiber.
- Chia seeds: Hydration support and omega-3s.
- Optional sugar: For a quick carb kick
All combined, they create a calorie-dense, nutrient-balanced shake that digests easily and travels well.
💡 Trail Tip: For best trail performance, grind chia seeds (along with the oats) at home in a coffee or spice grinder for faster rehydration of the shake on trail.
Recipe: Home & Field Instructions
Peanut Butter Protein Shake
Rate This Recipe
View Comments / Leave A ReviewNUTRITION (per serving)
INGREDIENTS
- ¼ cup (20 g) oats, old fashioned rolled
- ½ cup (68 g) milk powder, whole
- ¼ cup (32 g) peanut butter powder
- 1 Tbsp (5 g) cocoa powder, unsweetened
- 1 Tbsp (14 g) brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp (12 g) chia seeds, grind chia seeds for smoother consistency
- 8 oz (240 mL) water
OPTIONAL
- ¼ cup (20 g) oats, gluten-free old fashioned rolled oats (substitution), gluten-free option
- 1 Tbsp (20 g) oat flour (substitution), heaping Tbsp, substitution for grinding oats at home
- ½ cup (34 g) milk powder, non-fat (substitution), heart-healthy option
- ½ cup (52 g) cashew milk powder (substitution), vegan option
- ½ cup (36 g) soy milk powder (substitution), vegan option
- brown sugar substitute (substitution), no-added-sugar option
INSTRUCTIONS (per serving)
HOME
- Put oats in a coffee/spice grinder and blend until a fine powder forms. See the meal prep tip below.
- Put oat powder and remaining ingredients in a bag or container to be used in the backcountry.
FIELD
- Add 8 oz (240 mL) of cold water to the bag or container.
- Stir or shake vigorously to mix well and enjoy! See meal prep tip below.
- For a thicker shake, let stand 5-10 minutes allowing the chia seeds to absorb water.
NOTES
MEAL PREP TIPS
- For a smoother consistency, grind the chia seeds with the oats. However, this will reduce the meal’s shelf life to ~6 months.
- Grinding nuts and seeds into a powder increases the surface area for oxidation, increasing the risk of rancidity.
- Meal replacement drinks often mix better when prepared in a hard-sided container.
NUTRITION
- Total sugar (per serving): 44 g, including 13 g of added sugar
- For a no-added-sugar recipe, replace brown sugar with a brown sugar substitute.
- For a heart-healthy recipe and to reduce calories by 210, replace whole milk powder with non-fat milk powder.
- This recipe may be used as a meal replacement when consumed entirely.
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Ingredient Swaps for Any Diet or Preference
Flexibility is key when planning trail meals. Here’s how to make it work for you:
- Dairy-Free: Use coconut or soy milk powder
- Vegan: Choose plant-based milk & protein powders
- Gluten-Free: Sub in certified gluten-free oats
- Low Sugar: Use stevia or monk fruit
Trail food should work for you, not the other way around.
Smart Storage & On-Trail Prep
One of the biggest perks? Simplicity.
- Shelf-stable up to 6 months in a cool, dry space
- Best packed in reusable, hard-sided bottles
- Trail prep time: Under 60 seconds
💡Avoid This Mistake: Don't skip the pre-trip blending when preparing the dry mix at home. Chia and oats clump fast without pre-grinding.
Not a fan of chia seeds? Consider giving our Chocolate Peanut Butter Shake recipe a try instead.
When to Drink It
This shake isn’t just a breakfast alternative
- Morning fuel for early starts
- Midday boost between big climbs
- Recovery meal after a tough day
FAQs: Ultralight Backpacking Protein Shake
How long does the dry mix last?
- Up to 6 months when stored in a cool, sealed container.
Can I cold-soak this shake?
- Yes! It mixes well with cold water. Just shake and wait 1–2 minutes.
What’s the best container to use?
- A wide-mouth bottle or screw-top shaker is best to prevent leaks.
Can this replace a full trail meal?
- Absolutely. With 677 calories and 40 g of protein, it’s a legit high-calorie backpacking shake.
Take This Recipe — and More — on Your Next Adventure
Peanut Butter Protein Shake is just one of over 250 ultralight, nutrient-dense recipes in the Backcountry Foodie Recipe Library — built by a registered dietitian who hikes the miles herself.
Get instant access to the full library and start planning lighter, healthier, happier trips: Join Backcountry Foodie
9 Comments
Is peanut powder the same as peanut BUTTER powder?
Yes, same thing. Some companies label products as “peanut powder,” while others use “peanut butter powder.”
We brought this recipe to include in our breakfast rotation for our 10 day backcountry trip last month (2 adults, 2 teens). It was a hit, even during pre-trip recipe testing! It blends easily, is ready to drink very quickly, is tasty, satisfying and cup/bowl clean-up is easy too. I used the oat flour substitution. I also doubled the cocoa and added some cinnamon for personal preference. I have not found that it thickens noticeably after resting 15 minutes, but that was not a big deal for us. Now at home, I have already prepared a new batch for the kids (and I!) to use with the additional mix-in of a banana or frozen fruit for an anytime snack. That’s how much we liked it 🙂 . Thanks for the recipe!
Hi! I just got back from a 6 day trip on the AT in VT and I wanted to send you a message to say how much my friend and I loved the chocolate peanut butter protein shake from your recipe collection! We had mornings when we needed to get up and out of camp early and didn’t want to fuss with cooking. This hit the spot and kept us full for hours. I added coffee powder to mine for an extra boost. Thanks for giving us a healthy, inexpensive, easy recipe that is now a staple in my backpacking meal rotation! – Anne Duffner
How many calories do you think a person who might walk 10 miles a day, a 13-year-old girl should eat?
Great question! Our hiking calorie calculator is designed to provide that very answer. https://backcountryfoodie.com/hiking-calorie-calculator/
Hi do you have an alternative for the powdered milk? don’t think this recipe would be vegan with powdered whole milk. I saw in another section you said that powered coconut doesn’t work. any alternatives without dairy would be appreciated. thank you
Almond milk or soy milk powder would both work well with this recipe. I’m a fan of the Ecomil almond milk powder and NOW Real Food brand soy milk powder.
Following up… I just switched to using cashew milk powder – mild flavor and mixes well with cold water. The NOW brand is no longer being manufactured. https://amzn.to/3vFzFzG