Backcountry Cookbooks Every Backpacker Needs
Maybe you are tired of eating freeze dried backpacking meals, but coming up with different recipes for your backpacking meals can be incredibly daunting. I mean… you want your meal to be yummy, lightweight, and healthy right?
Well, I created a list of amazing backcountry cookbooks just for this reason. This way you can take all the trial and error out of trying to create a backpacking dinner and use a tried and true recipe. These cookbooks are made by all time professional backpackers :)
If you aren’t wanting to buy a book, but you are needing some ideas for backpacking recipes make sure to check out all my backpacking recipes here.
>>Related Article:
5+ Easy Backpacking Breakfasts
Alright, now lets get into it!
Backcountry Cookbooks Every Backpacker Needs
1. Wilderness Ranger Cookbook: A Collection of Backcountry Recipes
Price: $11
WIlderness Ranger Cookbook is collection of trail-tested recipes from wilderness rangers across all four major agencies that includes quotes from the rangers as well as wilderness tips. Even more so, it is also a celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the signing of the Wilderness Act. This book has the backing of the Society for Wilderness Stewardship, the corporate sponsorship of Osprey Packs, and the backing of the four agencies (USFS, BLM, USFWS, and NPS). There will be a total of approximately 100 recipes with quotes from the park rangers, color photos, tips, Leave No Trace information, and the entirety of the Wilderness Act.
2. Heather’s Choice Recipe E-Book
Price: $15
Are you planning some multi-day adventures? You already know you’re going to need tons of backpacking food to stay nourished in the backcountry and you don’t want to compromise on flavor or variety! Look no further! Heather’s Choice founder, Heather Kelly, shares her 50 favorite dehydrated backpacking food recipes in this easy to follow eBook. Save the bank by dehydrating your own meals and snacks.
With a small at home dehydrator, you can make your own fruit leathers, chips, jerky, breakfasts, bars and more. In this book, Heather shares 50 of her favorite recipes for the trail. Try making your very own Mom's Pasghetti, Heather's favorite Cinnamon Apple Stars, and just add water desserts that are sure to impress!
Heather also shares simple tips and tricks for mastering dehydrated food, along with a short equipment list and recommended reading.
3. Lip Smackin Backpackin: Lightweight Trail Tested Recipes
Price: $11
Not a fan of bland, boring, and lifeless meals after a hard day of backpacking? Neither are the Conners, which is why you'll find their new third edition packed full of even more tasty favorites from the trails! Completely revised and updated, this all-in-one food guide builds on the format pioneered by the original, providing clear and thorough at-home and on-trail preparation directions, nutrition and serving information, and the weight of each recipe, while adding a wealth of reference information, instructional material, and all-new illustrations throughout. Pacific Crest Pancakes, Jammin' Jambalaya, and Buried Forest Trail Fudge - it's in here!
4. Another Fork in the Trail : Vegetarian and Vegan Recipes
Price: $10
Packed with lightweight, mouthwatering recipes for backcountry adventurers, Another Fork in the Trail is focused on delicious, easy-to-prepare recipes for those following vegetarian and vegan diets. It includes more than 120 recipes, all of which survived Laurie Ann March's rigorous testing, both at home and in the backcountry. Many of the recipes are gluten-free as well and thus suitable for the growing number of those suffering from celiac disease. From flavorful lunches, such as roasted tomato dip, to hearty dinners such as vegetable ratatouille, many of the recipes are prepared and dried at home, saving valuable time at camp. With recipes for desserts and baked goods in addition to the staples, the book covers menu planning and recipe creation and discusses other important considerations for the vegetarian and vegan outdoor adventurers.
5. The Complete Trail Food Cookbook
Price: $14
Appetizing, energizing and easy-to-prepare recipes to enjoy on the go.
These outstanding recipes meet the needs of wilderness and camping enthusiasts and provide tasty homemade meals. Trail food made by combining wholesome foods dried at home with nutritious store-bought ingredients is more economical than commercially prepared packaged food, and it can be customized to suit individual tastes and to avoid preservatives.
This wide array of recipes, from the everyday to the gourmet, includes breakfasts, main courses, side dishes, breads, high-energy snacks, desserts and hot and cold beverages. Many recipes are "just add water," and some require no cooking at all.
6. Backpack Gourmet: Good Hot Grub
Price: $20
Over 160 recipes for soups, stews, pasta, casseroles, and breakfast and snack ideasPotato Soup Parmesan, Seafood Stew, Sweet and Sour Noodles, Spicy ChickenTips on drying food in a dehydrator or oven
Meals on the trail can be as delicious and varied as meals prepared at home. You can create meals to suit your tastes or diet--vegetarian, low fat, Asian, Italian. Meals prepared and dehydrated at home are compact and lightweight, perfect for the backpacker, and safer than packing perishable foods. The author shows how to prepare the meals so that they will travel well and will be easy to reconstitute in camp. The easy step-by-step instructions detail how to cook and dry lightweight, satisfying meals at home and then prepare them easily in camp--truly complete, instant meals.
There you have it! A huge list of backpacking cookbooks! Do you have a favorite backcountry cookbook? Make sure to comment below. I would love to add it to this list.
Wishing you nothing but amazing adventures and delicious food!
Bess