The 13 Best Vegan Backpacking Foods for a Healthy Trekking

Eating fruits is one of the best ways to be healthy. Not only are these rich in vitamins and nutrients, but they’re also packed with a lot of minerals that’ll surely make you energized. However, bringing them with you during camping isn’t recommended.

It’s because they’re heavy and consume a lot of space. You surely don’t want to lug around heavy fruits on your back, right? To avoid that from happening, what you can do is to turn your luscious fresh fruits into fruit leather.

You’ll surely save a lot of money when you make it yourself, instead of buying some on the grocery store. They’re not that difficult to make! What’s also great about fruit leather is that they don’t contain lots of sugar. This is a great thing for people who want to lose weight. And not only that, as you can store this for even one month. That’s how long its service life is.

You might have seen trail hikers bringing with them jars of peanut butter. If yes, then you’ve just seen how important it is to everyone who wants to go trekking. It's every vegans’ best friend. Peanut butter is jam-packed with a lot of protein, which ensures that your energy won't easily get depleted.

This also is rich in fat and calories which is a pretty good thing if you want always to have the seemingly infinite energy. But you don't have to worry about all those excess fats because these won't add up the weight on your body.

Do you want proof? Well, a good example of this is the JIF Creamy Natural Peanut Butter. This product contains only 16 grams of fat and 190 calories, which is the ideal fat and caloric serving for active people.

Its 7 grams of protein also supports your body's metabolic process, which automatically replenishes your lost energy. Add peanut butter on whatever snack you'd like, and you'll have a quick burst of strength. Trust us; you'd do!

Have you heard of Outdoor Herbivore’s Dried Meals? It’s a must-have for every hiker and backpacker as this one’s rich in sodium. Sodium is vital if you’re constantly burning up calories as this gives you an energy boost to fuel you up in whatever you’re doing. Not only is this a healthy snack to munch on, but it’s also delicious! You’d surely crave with one of these once you’ve tasted it.

Yes, it might be a bit expensive. But there's nothing to worry about this as it's worth it! It's the perfect meal if you're on long hikes. You even have two variety options to choose from. These are the hot and cold varieties. Just add water, and you're good to go!

Refraining from animal meat might not sound pretty good energy-wise. Yes, there’s some truth to that. But it isn’t entirely true. In fact, there are a lot of animal or meat-free alternatives out there. And good examples of these foods are quinoa, rice, couscous, and pasts.

These are all vegan-friendly because they’re free of animal products. And they’re not hard to prepare because you just need boiling water and a pot to prepare and eventually eat them. Ramen noodles are also a popular pasta meal for backpackers as it boosts your immune system and improves your blood circulation.

If you’re on-the-go, it’s vital for you to have these advantages, so you might want to bring some of these with you. And put them in a zip lock bag so they won’t consume much space.

Sounds like a creature coming straight out of a sci-fi movie? Well, don’t get us wrong as GORP is an acronym of Goode Ole Raisins and Peanuts. Raisins and peanuts are highly recommended for backpackers as these will surely fuel you for more exploration sessions.

Raisins are rich in Vitamin B, potassium, and iron, which is a great way to strengthen your immune system and defend you from all those viruses and bacteria that might surround you out in the wilderness. These are also a good source of carbohydrates, which helps improve your digestive system.

The last thing you want to experience is to have a loose bowel movement right in the middle of the forest. Eating raisins help prevent that from happening. On the other hand, peanuts are rich in antioxidants, minerals, nutrients, and a handful of different vitamins. It's just like a superfood that keeps you going no matter what.

Then there’s the all-popular instant oatmeal. This is another highly recommended backpacking food for vegans as it’s very easy to prepare. Plus, it’s pretty delicious and sumptuous. The sweet experience of tasting the warm and soft oat grains in your mouth just makes your whole camping experience more memorable.

Putting the poetic and indulging descriptions aside, instant oatmeal makes a good meal because it’s rich in antioxidants and fiber. These are important if you want to strengthen your body and make it better in fighting against radicals and microbes. Fiber also ensures the smooth flow of food and liquid in your digestive tract.

Sounds like a lame old vegetarian meal? Well, it might be, but in reality, it isn't. Dehydrated veggies might not sound good, but they're a must-have for all backpackers.

These are light and portable, which is why you can bring it with your wherever or whenever. It also contains a natural mix of minerals and vitamins, which gives you a large pool of energy. You won’t easily get exhausted when you munch on these dehydrated veggies while hiking.

Some of the best examples of these are carrots, cabbages, broccoli, kale, celery, and peppers. You can dehydrate them at home if you’ve got a food dehydrator. But in doing so, you need to see to it that it’s properly chopped into small pieces.

Pro bars are one of the mainstream and overhyped backpacking foods not only for vegans but literally for everyone. But this one's more than just a big-time marketing campaign as its popularity is due to its immense health and energy benefits.

There are a lot of pro bar brands out there, and basically, every one of them has the same nutritional value. They contain lots of dairy and whey which are very helpful when it comes to supplying you with energy. It has the right amount of sugar and fat which is needed by your body for it to move constantly. And when you're hiking, you're constantly moving, right?

Nutritional yeasts and olive oil are essential food additives to bring with you while you’re out exploring the outdoors. Though you won’t eat them directly, simply adding them to your snacks and meals would help you a lot because it’s rich in monounsaturated fat and antioxidants

This helps prevent heart disease, strokes and defends your body against viruses and germs. This is very important especially if you’re above the age of 40 and you’re going to embark on a long trail hike or expedition.

On the other hand, nutritional yeasts give your body a lot of fiber, protein, and vitamins. These are all about supporting the proper functioning of your body, making your healthier and stronger while on-the-go.

Who says that burgers aren't for vegetarians? In fact, there are now a lot of burgers that cater to the vegan market. And you can even make one yourself! Just pack some cabbages, broccoli, and other vegetables you'd like on a hamburger sandwich, and you've got yourself a healthy and sumptuous vegan burger.

Bread supplies your body with wheat and fiber which improves your blood circulation and makes your digestive system work properly. It’s a great way to cleanse your body from the dirt that you might have ingested while trail hiking.

Meanwhile, the vegetables you’ve packed into it are rich in different vitamins and minerals which gives your body a fresh and healthy boost. For sure, these vegan burgers will stretch your endurance for miles!

Noodles are one of the most nutritious foods that backpackers can eat while on the trail. These are rich in magnesium, Vitamin B, Vitamin E, iron, and calcium. And it's not all about those nutritional values, but it's also very easy to prepare. Just boil water in a pot and immediately place your noodles on it, together with the other ingredients.

It's a great way to heat up your stomach and make you feel comfortable even in the most uncomfortable place. Indeed, noodles are comfort food, and that's why you need to bring them with you when camping out.

Sounds simple? Well, don’t underestimate bread because as simple and common as it sounds. This one’s a life saver. There have been already numerous cases where people stranded on islands and places managed to survive thanks to eating bread. Bread strengthens your heart, improves your blood circulation, and it never ceases to make you feel full wherever or whenever.

It's also packed with a lot of grains and fiber which gives you a quick energy boost. Apart from that, it makes sure that it flushes out all the germs and dirt lodged in your stomach. It might either be sliced bread, wheat bread, or some bread. But no matter what type it is, as long as it’s bread, then it’ll surely leave you craving for more thrills and adventures.

Though this one's not food but a beverage, we still can't stress the fact that this one's a very important one to bring especially if you're out backpacking. Coffee is a very popular drink that'll remove any signs of exhaustion or sleepiness. When you're out hiking on a trail, isn't that the first thing you'd want, to not get tired or sleepy?

With this, it makes sense for one to bring coffee with you. Not only will this make you feel alive and bustling with energy, but it also heightens your senses. You need to have an increased alertness and sensitivity when you’re out in the wilderness as this is a great way to protect you from predators.

But remember not to drink too much of it as it will make you palpitate. Also, take caution if you've got heart diseases or hypertension. Make sure to prioritize your health first before ingesting any food or drink.