So... What's For Dinner On The PCT?

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Food on the trail is probably the most complex topic I have encountered while preparing for the hike. Of course the gear (tent, sleep system,...) is very important, but once I decided what I needed to bring, this issue was more or less solved. After all, the tent won't become stale or rancid (although it might smell that way after a while...) and I probably will not get bored sleeping on the same mat every night. Eating the same dinner every evening is a different story.

I actually like to cook and really enjoy eating good food. Of course I know that I will have to make compromises on the trail, but I want to eat as well as I can. Apart from diversity, the sheer amount of food needed can seem overwhelming. Most sources estimate that a thru-hiker burns about 4000 to 6000 calories a day!

Goat Lake Near PCT Section H

Last not least, I want to minimize the weight I have to carry and need to re-supply fairly regularly. The PCT meanders through some pretty remote areas, for example in the Sierra Nevada. Other parts of the trail are closer to civilization and pass through or near small towns and settlements that have stores, markets and post offices.

In summary, I need to figure out what to eat, how much of it and where to get it.

Extra Weight Worth Carrying...

Breakfast: While many people don't need it at all, I definitely do. In fact, sometimes it is my biggest meal of the day. For the PCT as for most of my backpacking trips I plan to prepare overnight oats: I fill a waterproof container or ziplock bag with oats, raisins or cranberries, different nuts and some chocolate chips. In the evening I simply add water to the mix and let it soak overnight. By morning the oats and dried berries will be soft, the chocolate partly dissolved and after some stirring the mix tastes delicious! 

The Trail Provides

Lunch: Here I plan to go with a mix of different items, like jerky, salami, trail mix, tuna pouches that can be eaten without much prep work. In addition, I will bring an assortment of snacks like power bars for late morning or afternoon energy boosts.

Dinner: This has been the most difficult part for me. On shorter backpacking trips I usually go with commercially available freeze dried meals from Mountain House, Backpackers Pantry and similar brands. They are convenient and definitely do the job, but they have several drawbacks. First of all, they are relatively expensive. That may not matter too much if you need 5 dinners for a trip, but makes a big difference if you need 50 or more. Secondly, there is not a lot of variety, as I am lactose intolerant. Dried milk products are an easy way to add calories and taste and they are widely used in packaged meals. 

Dinner Time!

I received unexpected help from my friends Molly and Harry. When I mentioned that I was researching dinner options for the PCT, I learned that they had been dehydrating their own backpacking food for quite some time. Not only were they willing to share delicious recipes and advice, they lent me their huge Excalibur food dehydrator. It is actually humming in the background, dehydrating a big batch of potato stew (recipe courtesy of my mother) that I will bring on the trail.

Molly and Harry's Food Dehydrator

Now I have plenty of options and will be able to enjoy some of my favorite meals on the PCT!

To determine the quantity of each meal I was again drawing on experience. My shorter backpacking trips gave me a good indication of the amount of overnight oats I need every morning. For my dinners I compared the content of my own creations with freeze dried foods I bought to estimate calorie content. I have also rehydrated and eaten quite a few meals I prepared to fine tune the right quantity to make me feel sated.

The last question is where and how to resupply. I learned that some thru-hikers eat almost exclusively their own food that they ship to resupply towns along the trail. Others ship almost nothing and shop at the local towns, resorts and stores along the way. After gathering some data I decided to pursue a hybrid approach. Wherever a town has a sizable market or grocery store with a decent selection, I plan to restock in the local stores. In smaller places where food selection appears more limited, I will mail myself a package with my prepared food. According to (admittedly subjective) information I gathered on Google Maps, with this strategy I will need to prepare food for about half of my nights on the trails. That's between 70 and 80 breakfasts, lunches and dinners. I think that's quite enough cooking for for me and I'll be happy to enjoy what I find in the local grocery stores for the other half of my journey.

Old Snowy Mountain - PCT Section H


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