Last Updated on 08/2026 by Mom Goes Camping
Unless you want to lug around a heavy pack, it’s important to choose backpacking foods which have a lots of calories per ounce. With approximately 160-190 calories per ounce, nuts are definitely calorie dense (by comparison, dried applies only have 60 calories per ounce).
This makes it seem like nuts are the perfect backpacking food. However, because of the way the body processes nuts, they aren’t nearly as calorie-dense as they appear.
Key Point
Nut Butters for the Win!
The Body Doesn’t Absorb All Calories from Nuts
The amount of calories a food has is calculated by bomb calorimeter. Basically, a food is put into a chamber where it is surrounded by water. The food is then ignited and the calorimeter measures how much the temperature of the water increases.
The issue with these calories counts is that our bodies don’t burn up food! The last I checked, I didn’t have a literal furnace inside my stomach!
If you’ve ever pooped in the woods after eating a lot of trail mix, then you are aware that many of those nuts are not getting absorbed by your body (and that you surprisingly don’t chew your food as much as you thought 😉 ).
Actual Calories in Nuts
A lot of research has been done on the actual calorie count of nuts. For example, the studies reported on here, here, and here) have found that almonds and walnuts contain around 20-32% fewer calories than the label indicates.
This still makes nuts a decent food for backpacking in terms of calories. However, if you are calculating your calorie needs for backpacking, the tally can end up being inaccurate.
Also read: How many calories do you need backpacking?
Nut Butters Are Better for Backpacking
Studies have found that chewing nuts – I mean really chewing them – results in more calories and fat being absorbed by the body. Likewise, studies have found that virtually all of the calories from nut butters are absorbed.
Basically, the more ground-up the nuts are (peanut butter vs. peanuts) and how much you pre-chew nuts drastically affects how well your body can absorb the food.
The bottom line? To get maximum calories from your nuts/seeds on the trail:
- Chew them thoroughly!
- Or bring nut butters instead of whole nuts
Use Nut Butters in Backpacking Meals
Experienced backpackers will bring peanut butter on the trail (here’s how to pack PNB for backpacking). You can eat it directly from the container as a snack. Or, you can add nut butter to meals like:
- Oatmeal
- Tortillas
- Ramen
Use Nut Butters in Sauces
I make badass sauces out of blended nuts, and then dehydrate them. The cashew-tomato sauce shown below, for example, has 163 calories per ounce! It’s healthy, lightweight, and very calorie-dense. You can get the recipe (and many more healthy backpacking recipes) in my eBook.
Get my favorite peanut butter packets for hiking here: Peanut Butter Packets for Hiking
Or spice things up with almond butter.
Want gourmet meals on the trail?
My dehydrator recipes ebook has 50+ calorie-dense backpacking recipes — just add hot water.
Nuts for Backpacking FAQ:
Are nuts good backpacking food?
They’re decent but overrated. The calorie counts on the label assume complete absorption, but research shows almonds and walnuts deliver 20-32% fewer usable calories than listed because of how the body processes whole nuts. They’re still worth bringing — just don’t plan your calorie needs around the label number.
What’s better than nuts for backpacking calories?
Nut butters. Your body absorbs virtually all the calories from peanut butter, almond butter, and cashew butter, compared to the partial absorption from whole nuts. You get the same calorie density with more reliable fuel. Single-serve packets are the most practical form for backpacking.
How many nuts should I bring backpacking per day?
If you’re using nuts as a snack, bring about 2oz per day roughly a small handful. More than that and you’re carrying weight your body may not fully use. If you’re relying on nuts as a significant calorie source, switch to nut butter packets and use whole nuts as a secondary snack only.
Which nuts have the most calories for backpacking?
By label weight: macadamia nuts (204 cal/oz), pecans (196 cal/oz), walnuts (185 cal/oz), almonds (164 cal/oz). But accounting for actual absorption, the pecans and macadamias hold their advantage better since their fat is more bioavailable than almonds. Cashews are the most palatable for most people on the trail and a reasonable middle ground.
Can I bring peanut butter packets backpacking?
Yes — they’re ideal. Single-serve peanut butter packets weigh about 1.1oz each and deliver roughly 190 calories of fully absorbed fat and protein. They require no utensils if you’re eating straight from the packet, pack flat, and don’t require refrigeration. Justin’s and Rx Nut Butter both make reliable options.
