Thru-Hiking 101: Tips for Planning your Food in Town
Purchasing food in town can be one of the most expensive parts of a long-distance hike. A restaurant meal is typically 4 times more expensive than the cost of trail food. This means two days of town food is equivalent to a about a week of trail food. Limiting your restaurant outings in town can save hikers a lot of money, especially if you are spending multiple days in town.
Related Post: Thru-Hiking 101 – Warehouse vs Retail Food Prices
Hiker Hunger
Let’s be honest – many hikers can’t stop talking about town food while hiking. On a long hike, the craving and obsessive talk increases as hiker hunger kicks in. “Hiker hunger” is the continuous, deep hunger that allows one to eat astonishing quantities of food in town. Some hikers crave salads while others crave a hamburger and fries, but trust us, your food cravings will undoubtedly be exposed on trail.
Town Food & Calories
For this blog post I looked at the cost of some typical town food and calculated the corresponding cost per 1,000 calories. As such, this information is designed to help you determine the types of food that may help satisfy your hiker hunger without breaking the bank. Remember: calorie value is only one metric. It is also extremely important to look at the nutritional value of the food you consume.
Typical Fast Food
Below is a list of some popular menu items at Taco Bell and McDonald’s, including the menu price, price with estimated tax, and the calculated cost per 1,000 calories. (All prices reflect non-promotional prices. This is not a sponsored post.)
Restaurant Food
Below is a list of menu items at common restaurants. Olive Garden, Texas Roadhouse, and Outback Steakhouse were selected for this analysis because these restaurants are both well-known and have published nutritional information. The list includes the menu price, price with estimated tax/tip and the calculated cost per 1,000 calories. (All prices reflect non-promotional prices. This is not a sponsored post.)
Summary
It’s important to be diligent with your restaurant spending, especially if you are hiking on a budget. Eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner at restaurants can quickly amount to $40 or $50 a day, making a dent in most budgets. By setting reasonable food limits in town, a hiker can avoid breaking the budget. It is also particularly important to note that eating the most affordable food isn’t necessarily the best way to gain the nutrients that trail food often lacks.
Town Food Tips:
- Remember to load up on nutritious fruits and vegetables since you are likely not eating enough while hiking.
- Most grocery stores have full-service delis that offer a wide variety of ready to eat food at more reasonable prices than restaurants.
- Splitting a large pizza is almost always cheaper than ordering two smaller pizzas. Sharing is caring!
- All You Can Eat Buffets are best consumed on an empty stomach, plan accordingly.
- Limiting your alcohol consumption at restaurants and bars will save you a lot of money.