Not Just Hiking Food: Unexpected Uses for Trail Food Meals

When most people think of Trail Food, they think of hiking.

Fair enough. We do have the word Trail in the name. We brought that on ourselves.

And yes, Trail Food meals are brilliant for hiking: lightweight, compact, shelf-stable and easy to prepare after a long day on the trail. But over the years, our meals have travelled far beyond hiking routes and mountain paths.

They have crossed deserts, gone down rivers, sailed on yachts, joined military and ranger teams, travelled with wildlife researchers, helped photographers through long days in the field, and sat quietly in the back of 4x4s waiting for the inevitable “we probably should have planned supper better” moment.

They have even helped preserve one couple’s sense of humour — and possibly their marriage — in rural Zimbabwe.

Not bad for a bag of food.

The truth is simple: anywhere you need a proper meal that is easy to carry, easy to store and easy to prepare, Trail Food starts making a lot of sense.

4x4 Trips, Overlanding and Self-Drive Safaris

One of the best non-hiking uses for Trail Food is as a “just in case” meal for 4×4 trips, overlanding and self-drive safaris.

Because let’s be honest: on a remote road trip, plans are just optimistic suggestions.

The campsite is further than expected. The firewood has not arrived. The restaurant in the guidebook closed in 2019. The rain is coming down sideways. The kids are getting hangry. “Someone” (no names mentioned) said, “I told you not to take that road.”

This is where Trail Food earns its space in the vehicle.

On a recent three-month trip through Botswana, Zimbabwe and Namibia, Trail Food founder Trish and her husband packed a few two-person bulk meals as backup. One night in Victoria Falls, it was absolutely tipping down with rain. Rather than venturing out in the weather, they stayed in and made a quick, hot portion of Penne Bolognese. No drama. No soggy shoes. No sad packet of crisps for supper. Take a look at this video – it was SERIOUSLY raining!

Another time, in Etosha, they had booked a night drive and needed a quick meal before heading out. A bag of Chilli Con Carne was ready in about ten minutes — with enough left over to share with the campsite security guard.

That is the beauty of “just in case” food. You may not need it every day, but when you do need it, you feel like a genius. Think of these meals like little edible insurance policies.

Best for: 4×4 trips, overlanding, self-drive safaris, campsites, national parks, border-crossing days and late arrivals in the dark.

Emergency Food That Actually Tastes Good

Emergency food does not have to mean panic-buying tins or chewing through high-energy bars that taste like compressed cardboard and regret.

Sometimes it simply means having a few decent meals ready for when life gets awkward.

Trail Food is useful as backup food for load shedding, storms, road closures, remote lodges, farms, travel delays, household emergency cupboards and vehicle kits. It is compact, shelf-stable and does not need refrigeration.

We have met preppers interested in food that tastes better than survival bars. We have been approached about meals for refugees. Trail Food was even considered as part of an emergency pack for small aeroplanes.

And emergency food is not always dramatic. One customer bought meals to send to her elderly grandmother, who lived alone and was not cooking or eating properly. A simple, easy meal in the cupboard can be a very useful thing.

Prepared does not have to mean paranoid. It can simply mean supper is sorted when everything else is being ridiculous.

Best for: emergency food, load-shedding backup meals, farm stores, remote lodges, household cupboards, vehicle kits and elderly relatives who need easy meal options.

Field Food for Conservation, Wildlife Research and Remote Teams

Trail Food has also found its way into serious fieldwork.

It has been used by anti-poaching rangers in the Kalahari, Kruger and Mozambique. Wildlife vets have taken it on trips for darting and animal relocations. It has travelled with researchers collecting animal dung samples for DNA analysis.

Yes, Trail Food has officially supported conservation science and the glamorous world of poop collection.

It has also supplied ration packs to the Belgian military in Mozambique and was asked to supply meals to the Botswana Defence Force.

For field teams, food needs to be practical. It must be easy to carry, easy to store, quick to prepare and reliable when kitchens, shops and refrigeration are not part of the day’s offering.

The same applies to wildlife photographers and landscape photographers working long days in the bush, desert or snow. After waiting for light, tracking animals, freezing, sweating, and missing the perfect shot by three seconds, nobody wants complicated cooking.

Trail Food gives remote teams something warm, simple and satisfying at the end of a long day.

Best for: conservation teams, wildlife researchers, anti-poaching rangers, wildlife vets, field guides, photographers, military-style rations and remote project teams.

Lightweight Meals for Cycling, Kayaking, Motorbike Trips and Sailing

Not every adventure happens on foot.

Trail Food has been used by cyclists, kayakers, off-road motorcycle travellers and sailors. It has gone down the Zambezi by kayak, been used by motorbike enthusiasts, and sailed on yachts restocking in Cape Town on round-the-world trips.

A man in a van with a bike (actually it was a jimney but van rhymed better) approached Trish in the Kgalagadi recently after spotting the Trail Food branding on the vehicle. He had recently cycled around Lesotho and said he had struggled to find decent food along the way. His next plan was to cycle down South America.

That is exactly the kind of trip where lightweight food matters.

When you are bikepacking, paddling, riding or sailing, space is limited. Food must pack small, store well and be worth carrying. Trail Food is ideal for those moments when you need a proper meal but do not have the luxury of a full kitchen, a fridge or a conveniently placed shop.

Best for: bikepacking, cycle touring, kayaking, canoe trips, off-road motorbike adventures, sailing, yacht provisioning and lightweight expeditions.

Creative Cooking and Useful Ingredients

Trail Food does not only have to be used as a complete meal in a bag.

Some products work brilliantly as camp cooking ingredients.

On Trish’s recent travels, dried apple pieces were added to oats with cinnamon and brown sugar for a delicious breakfast. At Spitzkoppe, dried vegetables were kneaded into bread dough to add flavour and texture. Hummus and babaganoush make excellent quick lunches with crackers, wraps or camp bread.

This is especially useful for 4×4 trips, camping and overlanding, where fresh ingredients can be awkward. They bruise, wilt, leak, take up fridge space, and occasionally become something that needs to be removed with tongs and emotional distance.

Dried ingredients are light, compact and shelf-stable. They help you add flavour and variety without packing half a vegetable garden.

Best for: camp cooking, overlanding pantries, camping breakfasts, easy lunches, road trips and anyone who likes making simple food a little more interesting.

So, Who Is Trail Food Really For?

Trail Food is for hikers, absolutely.

But it is also for overlanders, cyclists, paddlers, sailors, photographers, researchers, rangers, vets, preppers, farmers, lodge owners, families, field teams, elderly relatives, busy travellers and anyone who has ever arrived somewhere tired and hungry with no desire whatsoever to cook from scratch.

It is for the planned adventure and the unplanned one.

It is for the night drive you forgot to eat before, the campsite you reached after dark, the rainstorm that cancelled supper plans, the remote field trip, the long day behind a camera, the boat cupboard, the bicycle pannier, the emergency box and the “just in case” stash in the back of the vehicle.

In other words, Trail Food is for real life outdoors.

Because no great adventure starts hungry.

And very few bad moods survive a proper hot meal.

Explore More Ways to Use Trail Food

Looking for ideas for your next trip, project or mildly chaotic plan?

Explore our guides to: