Calorie density at a glance
- Fat
- About 9 calories a gram
- Carbohydrate and protein
- About 4 calories a gram
- Common backpacking target
- About 100 to 125 calories an ounce
Why does calorie density matter on a backpacking trip?
Because food is heavy and you carry every ounce of it. On a three or four day trip it's a big share of the pack's weight, and it's one load you can lighten without buying new gear. Picking denser food is how a five day food bag stays liftable.
How do you figure out calories per ounce?
Divide the calories in a package by its weight in ounces, both printed on the nutrition panel. The ceiling is set by chemistry: pure fat is about 9 calories a gram, or roughly 255 an ounce, and pure carbohydrate or protein about 4 a gram, roughly 113 an ounce. Water and fiber add weight and no calories, which is why fresh fruit scores so low.
Many backpackers aim for an average of roughly 100 to 125 calories per ounce across the whole food bag. Nobody hits it at every meal. A dense squeeze pack of nut butter makes up for a lighter dinner pouch.
Which trail foods are the most calorie dense?
Oils, nut butters, nuts, chocolate and hard cheese sit at the top. Bars, waffles, crackers and freeze-dried dinners land in the middle. Jerky is lower than its reputation, because protein is only 4 calories a gram, and fresh fruit and vegetables sit at the bottom.
What this means when you're choosing
- Calories and net weight on the nutrition panel, then divide one by the other
- Fat content, since it is the densest source of energy there is
- Whether a meal's calorie count is per serving or per package
The common mistake
Packing for calories without reading the servings line
Many dinner pouches print their calories per serving and call the pouch two servings. A hungry hiker eats the whole pouch, so the real figure is double what you planned, and the food bag comes up short if you counted it as two meals.
Common questions
How many calories per ounce should backpacking food have?
Many backpackers aim for an average of roughly 100 to 125 calories per ounce across the whole food bag. Individual foods range from under 20 for fresh fruit to about 255 for pure oil, so the average is what matters.
What is the most calorie-dense trail food?
Oils and nut butters, because they are mostly fat. Nuts, chocolate and hard cheese follow. They are the foods that keep a long trip's food bag light.
Where this is defined
- Calculation of the energy content of foods: energy conversion factors, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations