Calculator · Cooking

Trail Food & Calorie Planner

Daily calories, food weight and macros for your trip, plus a sample day menu.

How much food do you need for your trip? Enter your body data, daily activity, the night temperature and your food style – the planner estimates daily calories, food weight, macros and a sample day menu scaled to your needs.

Sex

Male Female

Age

years

Body weight

Height

Daily activity

Camp day Hiking 4–6 h Hard 8 h+

Night low

°C

Days

days

Food style

Fresh & heavy Standard trail Ultralight

Calories per day 3,312 kcal

Food per day 828 g

Food for the trip 2.5 kg

Basal metabolism 1,693 kcal +3 % for cold

Macros per day

Carbohydrates414 g
Fat129 g
Protein124 g

Sample day, scaled to you

Food	Amount	kcal
Oat porridge + nuts + dried fruit	142 g	595 kcal
Cheese / salami + flatbread	182 g	655 kcal
Trail mix	101 g	526 kcal
Energy bars (2)	101 g	435 kcal
Couscous or instant noodles	152 g	561 kcal
Olive oil (for dinner)	30 g	267 kcal
Dark chocolate	51 g	273 kcal

How is this calculated?

Basal metabolic rate (Mifflin-St Jeor) × activity factor (camp 1.55, hiking 1.9, hard 2.3) × cold surcharge (+1.5 % per °C below 10 °C, max +40 %). Food weight = kcal ÷ calorie density (fresh 2.5, standard 4.0, ultralight 5.0 kcal/g). Macros: 15 % protein, 35 % fat (42 % below 0 °C), rest carbohydrates. Estimates, not medical advice.

How to use the calorie planner

Enter sex, age, body weight and height.
Choose your daily activity: camp day, hiking 4–6 hours, or a hard day of 8 hours or more.
Enter the expected night low – cold raises your energy needs.
Set the number of days and your food style: fresh and heavy, standard trail food or ultralight.

How it is calculated

First your basal metabolic rate – the energy your body uses at rest – is calculated with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation. This is multiplied by an activity factor: 1.55 for a camp day, 1.9 for 4–6 hours of hiking and 2.3 for hard days. Cold adds 1.5 % for every degree the night drops below 10 °C, up to +40 %.

Food weight is calories divided by calorie density: 2.5 kcal per gram for fresh food, 4.0 for a standard trail mix of dry foods and 5.0 for an ultralight, fat-rich menu. Macros are set to 15 % protein, 35 % fat (42 % below 0 °C, because fat is the most compact fuel) and the rest carbohydrates.

Example: man, 35 years, 75 kg, 178 cm	kcal/day	Food (4 kcal/g)
Camp day, night 10 °C	≈ 2,620	≈ 660 g
Hiking 4–6 h, night 10 °C	≈ 3,220	≈ 800 g
Hiking 4–6 h, night 0 °C	≈ 3,700	≈ 930 g
Hard 8 h+, night 10 °C	≈ 3,890	≈ 970 g

Practical tips

These are estimates, not medical advice – your real need depends on fitness, terrain and metabolism.
Aim for 100 kcal or more per 25 g on longer trips: nuts, oil, cheese, chocolate and nut butter are the most compact.
Repack food per day in zip bags: easy to count, less rubbish to carry out.
In the cold, eat a fatty snack before bed. On trips longer than three days, carry one spare day of food.

FAQ

How many calories do you burn hiking per day?

Most adults need about 2,500–4,000 kcal on a full hiking day, depending on body size, pack, terrain and temperature. Hard days in the cold can exceed 4,500 kcal.

How much food should I pack per day for backpacking?

With typical dry trail food at about 4 kcal per gram, most people need 650–1,000 g per day. Fresh food can double the weight; a fat-rich ultralight menu brings it down.

Why do I need more calories in the cold?

Your body burns extra energy to stay warm, especially at night. The planner adds 1.5 % per degree below 10 °C and raises the fat share below freezing.