Are you planning a backcountry hike or climb and don’t know what to bring for food? Not sure if you are getting the proper nutrition for the type / length of activity and the time of year? How much should a day’s food pack-out weigh? Don’t have the time to do the proper meal planning, preparation and pack out? These are all questions any backcountry user must ponder before heading out on a trip.
From our years of experience preparing dehydrated backpacking and camping meals, we know that food is a critical part of backcountry living and it often makes or breaks a trip. Most pre-packaged freeze-dried food for backpacking is very expensive and usually tastes awful and many backcountry food providers are based out of their home with no food service licenses or food safe inspections.
Yamnuska’s delicious dehydrated backpacking and camping meals are crafted from fresh high-quality ingredients in our own commercial kitchen by our own chef. Our dried food for backpacking is designed to balance weight, taste and nutrition to meet the needs of the specific trip that you are undertaking. You can enjoy Lamb Curry, Shepherd’s Pie, Chili, Seafood Stew and many other backcountry dehydrated meal choices that have been carefully prepared and customized for your specific food needs, while others are eating a freeze-dried meal in a bag most probably manufactured in a bulk production factory and imported to Canada.
We operate our Backcountry Food Services under a permit issued and approved by Alberta Health Services as determined by the Alberta Public Health Act and are thereby subject to the same inspections and foodsafe requirements as any Alberta restaurant.
Check out our full backcountry food website at Yamnuska Backcountry Kitchen
We provide a wide variety of food menu items and can prepare either part of or your complete trip meal requirements including:
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Many of our meal options are single pot cooking and include meal preparation instructions.
We can accommodate vegetarian, gluten free, lactose intolerance, nut allergies, seafood allergies and most other special diets.
We cater to groups and expeditions. For small groups or individual trips please call our office and we may still be able to assist you. Examples of past client activities include:
- Backcountry hikes and climbs in Banff National Park, the BC Interior and the West Coast
- Front country camping trips in the Canadian Rockies
- Commercial backcounty catering operations in Alberta and BC
- Hut based skiing and mountaineering trips in various locations throughout the Canadian Rockies including Stanley Mitchell Hut, Conrad Kain Hut in the Bugaboos, Bow Hut, Peyto Hut and Fairy Meadows Hut near Golden, British Columbia
- Multi-day canoeing and rafting trips in Alberta, Manitoba and British Columbia
- Adult and youth outdoor experiential education programs in Alberta and British Columbia
- Canadian mountaineering and ski expeditions including Mount Logan, Kluane Glacier, Baffin Island and Ellesmere Island
- International mountaineering and ski expeditions including: Aconcagua, Argentina; Cerro San Lorenzo, Chile; Alpamayo, Bolivia; Kitchatna Spires, Alaska; Saint Elias Mountain Range, Alaska; Mt. Everest Base Camp; Humla Region, Nepal; Carstensz Pyramid, Indonesia; the North Pole; Mt. Vinson, Antarctica
- International scientific research expedition to Malaysia on the island of Borneo
- Military expeditions and training exercises
- Oil and Gas exploration survey teams
- Adventure and Ultra Endurance racing teams
- Search and Rescue teams
- Sport Team Training Camps
“The food was magical. We have never eaten dehydrated meals before and the surprises that came out of those powdery bags were mindblowing. The only downside is that it was hard to tell my friends we were “roughing it” in the woods while eating lamb stew with rice and cheese and crackers! ” Rachel, July 2013
“Thank you so very much for the thought, time and effort you clearly put into planning the food for the recent….program. I was the gluten-free, wheat-free, nut-free, no dairy, vegan on the trip and thus I really am appreciative! Every day was such a relief to not feel like I was being a bother, that there were meals and snacks (and treats even!) I could eat. And they tasted great too. (lentil curry…yum!) ‘What am I going to eat?’ was one of my biggest concerns going into the course. Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness, attention and care.” Meaghan, September 2012
“Your dinners are simply delicious! There is nothing like having a great meal after a long day of climbing.” Alex, July 2012
“Yamnuska did an amazing job at the food preparation. The food was high quality and delicious. The selection of food was amazing. The selection of the snack was plenty and diversify. I would rate the quality and selection of the food – outstanding.!” Silvie, June 2012
“I was on an 8-day hike this autumn and one of the highlights of the hike was looking forward to the delicious dehydrated meals provided by your company. I especially enjoyed the chlli, lentil curry and the veggie shepherd’s pie.The soups were a real hit too. The broccoli in the cheese broccoli soup actually tasted of broccoli. I also enjoyed the wide variety of snacks and the amazing breakfasts. The yam oatmeal with dried fruit was especially toothsome as well as the various loafs such as date loaf. The dips and veggies and cheese at the beginning were a welcome way to start so it was not too heavy on the dehydrated meals.” Amanda, September 2012
How It Works
If you have ever taken a Yamnuska program you know our backcountry food is delicious, nutritious, and well designed for the backcountry. Email our chef outlining the dates of your trip, how many participants, food restrictions (if any) and tell us your preferences. Our chef will design a menu for you to approve along with the menu price. You can either pick up your food pack-out from our office or we can ship it to you (dehydrated and non perishable food only) in Alberta only. Our package includes laminated preparation instructions.
Call for more details at 403 678 4164 or contact our chef at kitchen@yamnuska.com and let us focus on the food while you focus on your trip.
Check out our website at Yamnuska Backcountry Kitchen
Email: kitchen@yamnuska.com