Planning a four to five-day backpacking trip? Want to keep up your Paleo Lifestyle while you’re out there? Below are some tips and ideas for staying Paleo while out backpacking on your next adventure.
Any good backpacking enthusiasts will tell you that the focus should be on foods that are lightweight and calorically dense. After all, it makes sense to carry the least weight possible in your pack for a multiple day excursion in order to minimize total energy expenditure and the strain on your back.
Most non-paleo backpacking enthusiasts advocate grain/carbohydrate rich foods. Pasta, granolas, and other grain-based foods are lightweight. But, many of you reading this know that grains should be avoided while following The Paleo Diet. Grain-based foods have only been a major part of the human diet since about 10,000 years ago at the start of the agricultural revolution. For the majority of our evolution as hunter-gatherers, grains were not a staple food source in the human diet.1
Below are a few Paleo-friendly food options that pack an energetic punch and will keep the weight off while backpacking:
Pemmican
Historically, pemmican was favored by North American Plains Indians as a dense energy source that sustained their nomadic lifestyle between hunts.2 Pemmican is prepared by mixing beef or bison tallow with equal portions of dried, pounded ruminant meat. Berries are added to taste. In order to avoid spoilage it needs to be stored in an airtight container. Pemmican leans towards being heavier for backpacking, but its extra weight is balanced by its impressive caloric density. You don’t have to carry a lot to last you a while.
Trail Mix
Although heavy nut consumption is generally not advocated while following a Paleo lifestyle, consuming a larger quantity of nuts for a few days to a week in the backcountry will likely not compromise your health negatively. Nuts are a great source of calories and various fats and typically do not add a lot of weight to your pack. Consider making a mix from pistachios, walnuts, almonds, shredded coconut and dried berries for taste. If you’re looking for a more calorically dense Paleo twist on your traditional trail mix, try melting down a small jar of 100% extra virgin coconut oil and then add the trail mix ingredients mentioned above. Solidify the mixture in a container and enjoy. Note: this may not be great for warm weather backpacking since coconut oil liquefies around room temperature.
