Backpacking might not seem like it’s all that dangerous and challenging, especially if you enjoy being in the wilderness. However, meals ready to eat, also known as MREs might prove advantageous to your adventures. Regardless of where you travel, putting some MREs in your baggage might stand to benefit you.

1) Alternative Meal Options

Backpackers rarely get the chance to cook meals on their own, sometimes relying on cheap markets and fast food outlets that fit their shoestring budget. That’s a risky matter, particularly if you’re going through rural areas. Backpackers like to eat where locals eat, but in many cases, their constitutions can’t handle those kinds of foods, much less local illnesses. Using an MRE rather than a plate from a questionable restaurant might spare you the need for medical treatment for a nagging stomach ailment.

2) Light In Weight

MREs are light in weight and often come with their very own heating supply. That makes them very convenient for a long journey. You can stock up on them in bulk for your primary source of nutrition, or you can throw in just a few for emergency situations. Either way, they don’t take up a lot of space, nor do they cause you to carry anything heavier than is necessary.

3) Nutrition

Living your travel adventure on the diet of a backpacker typically means that you’re not getting the optimal daily nutrition for your body to function properly. That can leave you often feeling lethargic, tired, and even unable to enjoy the experience as fully as you might otherwise. MREs are designed to be nutritious enough for active duty military personnel in the field, so they have most of the macronutrients you need, such as carbs and protein, as well as vitamins and minerals.

MREs also prove to be ideal solutions when your backpacking adventures get a little lean and you just don’t have the money to buy nutritious, healthy meals.