Budget Trail Food That Actually Works

You don't need to spend $10-15 per meal to eat well on the trail. Inspired by our friend Appalachian Andy (@AppalachianAndyOutdoors) and his awesome Walmart budget hiking food video, we put together a complete overview of the best budget trail food options available — covering everything from 32 cent ramen to protein packed snacks, what to cook and what to grab and go, and the bulk buying secrets that keep your trail food costs as low as possible. Every single item in this video is a genuine great value for the money — and most of it came straight from Walmart. This is Video 1 of our Backpacking Food Series — Video 2 covers premium dehydrated meals! 🍳 COOKING REQUIRED OPTIONS Knorr Rice & Pasta Sides — $1.00 each Bear Creek "Darn Good" Chili Mix — $3.86 Annie's Mac & Cheese — $1.25 / 230 cal / 9g protein Annie's Super Mac (14g protein) — $2.98 Muscle Mac (20g protein) — $2.47 Great Value Protein Oatmeal — $0.44 per packet / 200 cal / 10g protein Kodiak Peak Oatmeal — $1.50 per packet / 290 cal / 20g protein Maruchan Ramen — $0.32 per package / 370 cal 🥩 NO COOK PROTEINS StarKist Tuna Creations (Jalapeño, Thai Chili, Hot Buffalo) — $1.25 / 14g protein StarKist Chicken Creations (Buffalo) — $1.25 / 11g protein StarKist Smart Bowls — $2.96 Great Value Sweet Heat Pork Sticks — $0.99 each Jerky — trail staple, grab and go protein 🥨 SNACKS & ENERGY Clif Bars (Amazon deal) — $0.45 per bar / 260 cal / 10g protein Pure Protein Bars (Costco) — $1.00 per bar / 200 cal / 20g protein Great Value Trail Mix — $0.33 per serving / 180 cal 💡 TRAIL TIPS COVERED IN THIS VIDEO Always use BASE calories — trail cooking means water only, no butter or milk Repackage bulky boxes into zip locks to save space and weight Add a tuna or chicken pouch to ramen for a complete meal under $1.57 Two GV oatmeal packets beats one Kodiak on calories AND cost for $0.88 Buy in bulk at Costco or watch Amazon deals — save up to 64% on trail snacks Ramen + protein pouch = our favorite budget trail meal under $2 💰 THE SPEND SMART SUMMARY Every item in this video is a genuine great value for the money. You don't need to spend a fortune to fuel yourself well on the trail — smart shopping and a little planning goes a long way 🙏 SHOUTOUT Big thanks to @AppalachianAndyOutdoors for inspiring this series with his awesome Walmart budget hiking food video — go check it out here:    • Backpacking on a Budget: Cheap Meals That ...   🌿 ABOUT T&B ELY ADVENTURES We're Tom and Brittany — a couple passionate about exploring the best trails, rivers, and hidden outdoor gems across Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan. From short day hikes to multi-day backpacking trips and kayaking adventures, we cover it all with honest trail guides, real conditions, and practical tips to help you plan your next Midwest adventure. If this video helped you plan your trail food haul we'd love it if you subscribed — we drop new Midwest outdoor content regularly and there's a lot more adventure coming! 📱 FOLLOW US ▶️ YouTube: T&B Ely Adventures — @TomElyAdventures 🎵 TikTok: @tomandbrittanyadventures 📌 SAVE THIS VIDEO for when you're planning your next backpacking food haul! #BackpackingFood #BudgetBackpacking #TrailFood #BackpackingMeals #HikingFood #BudgetTrailFood #WalmartBackpackingFood #BackpackingForBeginners #MidwestHiking #BackpackingMidwest #CampingFood #BudgetCamping