Ultralight Backpacking Recipes Lightweight & High-Calorie Meals
Ultralight Backpacking Recipes Membership
Dietitian-Created, Trail-Tested Ultralight Recipes to Stay Energized on the Trail

Trusted by over 3,000 active members across 20 countries
Featured Recipe
Peter G.
What Makes Our Ultralight Backpacking Recipes Unique?
- Dietitian-Created & Trail-Tested
- Lightweight & High-Calorie
- Quick & Easy Prep
- Grocery-Store Friendly Ingredients
- 250+ Recipes & Growing
Test Drive a Sample Recipe
Try this Foodie fan favorite!
Test Drive a Sample Recipe
Try this Foodie fan favorite!

I’m feeling proud of myself for making my own meals now! I thought it would be too overwhelming to do it myself, but now I’m hooked!
Michele B.
How Our Recipes Make Your Trips Better
250+ Ultralight Recipes
No need to eat the same thing every day.
Save Time Prepping
Plan faster with easy-to-find ingredients.
Feel Stronger
Meals designed for endurance and recovery.
Less Pack Weight
Smart meal planning keeps your pack light.
Fits Any Diet
Filter recipes by dietary needs, allergies, and preferences.
How Our Recipes Make Your Trips Better
250+ Ultralight Recipes
No need to eat the same thing every day.
Save Time Prepping
Plan faster with easy-to-find ingredients.
Fits Any Diet
Filter recipes by dietary needs, allergies, and preferences.
Feel Stronger
Meals designed for endurance and recovery.
Recipe
Membership-
250+ Ultralight Backpacking Recipes
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New Recipes Added Monthly
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Complete Nutrition Profile & Weight
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Metric & US Customary Measurements
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Adjustable Serving Sizes
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Printable Field Instruction Labels
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Search & Filter Recipes by Preferences
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Hiking Calorie Calculator
Meal Planner
Membership-
All Recipe Features Plus...
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Favorite Recipes Collection
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Create Unlimited Multi-Day Meal Plans
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40+ Days Sample Meal Plans
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1000+ Commercial Meals & Snacks
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Auto-Generated Shopping Lists
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Dietitian-moderated Forums
Meal Planner+
Membership-
All Meal Planner Features PLUS...
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On-Demand Masterclasses $120 value
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Backpacking Food 101
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Don't Just Eat, Eat Well
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High Altitude & Cold Weather Nutrition
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Ultralight Meal Planning
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Nutrition for the Bariatric Backpacker
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Mastering Backpacking with Diabetes
Recipe
Membership
Meal Planner Membership
Meal Planner+
Membership
250+ Dietitian-Created Ultralight Recipes
New Recipes Added Monthly
Complete Nutrition Profile & Dry Weight
Metric & US Customary Measurements
Adjustable Serving Sizes
Field Instruction Labels for Packaging
Search by Ingredients & Sort by Calories per Ounce
Filter by Special Diet, Meal Type, Meal Prep, & More
Suggested Recipes Using Similar Ingredients
Meal Planner
Hiking Calorie Calculator
Favorite Recipes Collection
Create Unlimited Custom Meal Plans
Meal Plans Auto-Tabulate Daily Nutrition Profile
100’s of Commercial Meals & Snacks
Shopping Lists Auto-Generated & Mobile-Friendly
3-Day, 5-Day, & 7-Day Meal Plan Templates
43 Sample Meal Plans Weighing Less than 2 lbs per Day
Community Forums
Dietitian Moderated Forums
Hiker to Hiker Discussions
On-Demand Masterclasses – $120 value!
Backpacking Food 101
Don’t Just Eat, Eat Well – How to Avoid Hitting the Wall
High Altitude & Cold Weather Nutrition
Ultralight Meal Planning
Nutrition for the Bariatric Backpacker
Mastering Backpacking with Diabetes
30 Day Guarantee
If you’re not satisfied, we’ll refund you—
no questions asked.
If you’re not satisfied, we’ll refund you—no questions asked.
Frequently Asked Questions
Probably! You can filter our recipes by diet type including vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut free, low-sodium, low-sugar, reflux-friendly, and bariatric-friendly. We also include special diet-friendly ingredient substitutions as appropriate.
Leave that stove at home if you want! We offer a wide variety of cold soak and no-cook recipe options.
Absolutely! Each recipe includes a PDF with field instruction labels, which can be downloaded and printed.
No, unless you want to dry your own ingredients. Only a handful of our recipes require a dehydrator.
- Recipe Membership: Access to 250+ ultralight recipes, with new additions each month.
- Meal Planner Membership: Full access to recipe database and meal planning tools, including templates, the shopping list generator, and the Commercial Food Database.
- Meal Planner+ Membership: Everything from the Meal Planner Membership, plus six masterclasses, tip sheets, and community forums.
A minimum of one (1) recipe is added to the library every month! It isn’t unusual for Aaron to add more than one recipe at a time.
We offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked. To request a refund, email us at [email protected] within 30 days of your purchase or renewal date. For more details, visit our Membership Terms & Conditions.
Share Backcountry Foodie with your friends and earn $10 credits for every friend who joins and stays past their 30-day guarantee. Credits can be stacked and applied toward renewals or upgrades! Learn more in our Membership Terms of Use.
Absolutely! If you have additional questions, you can schedule a free 15-minute chat with Aaron using this calendar link or by sending us a message via our Contact Us form. Whether it’s about meal planning, recipes, or using the platform, we’re happy to help!
Why a Recipe Membership is BETTER Than a Cookbook
- Efficient Recipe Grids & Filters
- Real-Time Portion & Measurement Adjustment
- Substitution Suggestions for Special Diets
- Trail-Tested Meal Prep Tips
- Detailed Nutritional Profiles
- Customer Reviews for Each Recipe
- Convenient In-Platform Ingredient Purchase
Sneak Peek Behind the Scenes
Watch a Demo of Our Recipe Membership.
Behind the Scenes
Watch a Demo of Our Recipe Membership.
Backpackers Love These Meals!
What others have to say...
What’s Inside Our Ultralight Recipe Collection?
Freezer-Bag Style
Freezer-Bag Style
225 Recipes
Cold Soak Recipes
Cold Soak Recipes
135 Recipes
Dehydrator Not Required
Dehydrator Not Required
201 Recipes
Grocery-Friendly
Grocery-Friendly
151 Recipes
Dietary Preferences
Dietary Preferences
113 Vegan Recipes
219 Vegetarian Recipes
181 Gluten-Free
Special Diets
Special Diets
37 Bariatric-Friendly Recipes
166 Low-Sugar Recipes
73 Low-Sodium recipes
Freezer-Bag Style
Grocery-Friendly
No Cook & Cold Soak
Vegan & Vegetarian
6 Special Diets
What Our Recipe Members Are Saying
Caroline D.
Robin M.
David B.
Deborah A.
"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 H.
Ellie
Need Help Planning?
Backcountry Foodie's Other Services Can Help!
Meal Planner
Optimize your adventures with our meal planner designed to save you time & money.
Nutrition Coaching
Get your questions answered by chatting with our backpacking dietitians.
Calorie Calculator
Fine tune your meal planning strategy with our comprehensive hiking calorie calculator.
Having trouble creating nutritious and lightweight meals for your adventures?
Look no further! At Backcountry Foodie, we specialize in creating ultralight recipes that are not only delicious but also packed with the essential nutrients your body needs. With countless recipe ideas and expert tips, we’re here to help you take your outdoor culinary adventure to the next level.
Trail Nutrition Tips Tailored to You
Choose your trail persona & get expert backpacking nutrition advice —customized for your experience level and trail style.
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German chocolate cake is what I have for my birthday every year for over 40 years. So happy my favorite foodie brought a family recipe to the site. This will be a double batch for so many meals this year.