By Heather Anderson
On my first thru-hike, I was brand new to backpacking without any knowledge of the practicalities of living in the woods for months on end—including what I should be eating. As a formerly sedentary person, this transition to daily exercise was a huge shift and I was soon massively hungry, all the time. The hiker hunger hit me hard, and I found myself loading up on the most calorie laden foods I could when I got to town.
My resupply almost exclusively peanut butter, Little Debbie’s, Pop Tarts, and candy. Calories, sure. Nutrition? Nope. It wasn’t any wonder that by the time I reached Maine, I was losing hair and had broken a tooth.
My second thru-hike I decided to balance out the cookies and candy with things like cous cous, dried refried beans, and dried fruit. My overall health was noticeably better and by the time I reached the final terminus my teeth (and hair) were intact.
This began a decade long quest to figure out proper fueling for long adventures. I experimented with homemade dried meals and various brands to give me a solid base and I slowly swapped out candy and cookies for dried fruit and nutritionally dense bars. The more I focused on feeding myself nutritious foods, the better I felt, the less recovery I needed, and the stronger my body became.
In 2015, I discovered Good To-Go meals and was immediately converted. Not only were their meals delicious, but they also contained real ingredients and nutrition. Additionally, they had a wide range of options for my dietary restrictions.
I’ve backpacked nearly 20,000 miles since then and set multiple records and became the first woman to complete the Calendar Year Triple Crown. Good To-Go meals have been a part of every backpacking trip as one of my cornerstones.
After years of experimentation, I’ve found that with two cornerstones—breakfast and dinner—I can build out a satisfying, high performance backcountry meal plan. Breakfast is typically Good To-Go granola or oatmeal. During the morning, I will usually have 1-3 gluten free bars which are high in carbs, but also contain some fats and protein to keep me fueled and my metabolism running at a steady rate.
Lunch is normally something along the lines of cheese and chips, or a wrap. Afternoons are where I indulge in candy or cookies, along with dried fruit and plenty of electrolytes. These give me the oomph I need to finish out my miles without crashing while my body slow burns the higher fat lunch.
Dinner is usually a Good To-Go meal or dehydrated refried beans if I’m going stoveless. Although, now that there are cool water rehydration options from Good To-Go and the beans are harder to find I’ll probably be switching those out. Depending on the duration and strenuousness of the trip I will often toss in a packet of chicken or salmon or have a chocolate protein bar for dessert. I always have some chocolate for after dinner snacking to make sure I have plenty of fat and protein in my system to fuel my ramped-up metabolism throughout the night while it runs repairs.
Individual needs vary, and it takes a lot of trial and error to find the system that works best for your body. However, building a nutrition framework and then adding more calorically dense (often nutritionally poor) foods into it will help ensure that you’re getting not only the calories you need to sustain energy levels, but also the nutrition you need to stay healthy over the long haul.
Heather Anderson is a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, three-time Triple Crown thru-hiker, writer, and professional speaker whose mission is to inspire others to “Dream Big, Be Courageous.” She is the author of three hiking memoirs Farther: 8 Months on America’s Triple Crown Trails, Thirst: 2600 Miles to Home and Mud, Rocks, Blazes: Letting Go on the Appalachian Trail as well as co-author of a preparatory guide to long-distance hiking Adventure Ready. Find her on Instagram @_WordsFromTheWild_ or her website wordsfromthewild.net
