In episode 6 of my fireside talks, I rank the foods that fueled me on my 600-mile backpacking trek across Spain.
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El Camino de Santiago is a physical, mental, and spiritual journey.
It’s a backpacking trail that spans the northern third of Spain (well, that’s the main trail. Technically there’s a network of interconnecting trails through Spain and Portugal, but the “Camino Frances” is the most popular and the one I’ll be referring to throughout this episode). I walked it in January/February/March of 2022 and I continuously refer to it as one of the most impactful experiences of my life.
And I loved doing it in the winter. Most of the “fluff” was closed for the season and the weather just happened to be pretty ideal. But, a winter Camino does come with a few extra challenges, most notably the cooler climate, increased solidarity, and thinner access to food. So throughout my trip and upon my return home, one question I would get was “What did I eat?“
So I ranked my top 10 foods
And before we get into it, I wanted to define what influenced my reasoning. So this list uses three categories that I took into consideration:
Being budget-friendly
I wanted to walk the Camino being very budget-conscious. Mostly because I think it’s a bit more aligned with the “Camino spirit” and it was a 40-day expedition – so spending an extra $10 a day becomes $400 by the end of it. I kept track of my spending and tried to stick to a 35 USD (30 Euro) budget per day, including lodging, food, coffee, and any other essentials.
Food as fuel
This wasn’t my ideal diet. But waking up every morning with 15 miles on the docket, I was aiming to try and consume 2500-3000 calories per day. So when buying, carrying, and eating food, I was focused on just getting enough protein, carbs, and fat in my diet. That gravitated me towards the more calorically dense foods (sorry, vegetables).
“The Camino Spirit“
Some foods just naturally lend themselves to be carried in a backpack and lugged hundreds of miles through the Spanish countryside – functionally, tastefully, and spiritually. I found the essence of the Camino was focusing on the essentials, so I took into consideration how much the food aligned with that feeling.
Now, on to the list:
10) Ham
Spain loves ham. I always thought of ham as only being the pink, honey ham style of meat but the Iberian country changed my perspective on what ham could be. They have teirs of ham that span an entire spectrum of quality – kind of like how we do steaks here stateside. It’s super easy to find at every market and is a staple for any Spainaird. Now, like any meat, it can get a little expensive and isn’t the most suitable for just throwing in your backpack for the day. But for a quick lunch treat, ham was a solid choice on the Camino.
9) Cheese
Sometimes you just have to look around and see what everyone else is doing. And on the Camino, a lot of Pilgrims were just eating cheese. Which makes sense, I guess. Europeans love cheese, it’s a staple for every market, and it’s an easy way to get your calories in. Now, I’m not the biggest fan of just plain cheese and it probably isn’t the best bang for the buck, but pairing it with the aforementioned ham or other foods on the list made for a great snack in the Spanish countryside.
8) Olive Oil
Maybe not what you would typically think of when it comes to backpacking food. But carrying a small bottle of olive oil ended up making a lot of sense to me. For one, using it to cook on demand was convenient. The abundance and affordability of olive oil also made it a favorite (Spain is the largest producer of olive oil). Plus, when the going got tough, a simple shot of olive oil would quel any hunger long enough until the next stop.
7) Soup
I’ve never been a huge fan of soup. But after the Camino, I get it. Nothing quite hits the spot after a long day of hiking in 40-degree weather like a hot bowl of soup (specifically, homemade by a host). Plus there’s something so communal about soup, how it’s shared, and the feeling it gives you. Now, it’s not worth lugging cans of soup in your backpack – the weight adds up after 25km of walking. But when it finds you at a host’s hostel or amongst a group of friends, it’s a wonderful meal.
6) Pasta
Probably the most functional food on the list. Mostly because it’s the best back-up meal you could have. It didn’t require refrigeration, was super easy to carry, and all you needed was a pot and water to make some. Calorically dense (especially when you throw some cheese, meat, or olive oil in with it), pasta became my favorite Sunday food because most markets were closed on the Sabbath. Plus, if you made the whole box, there’d be plenty to share with other pilgrims looking for a simple meal.
5) Chocolate
Now, onto the fun foods. I’m going to be honest with you, I had a bar of chocolate per day towards the end of the Camino. A few euros gave you a bar, and I would snap off a square after every mile I walked. This is another incredibly popular food on the Camino (and in the world), calorie-dense, and, in all reality, you just can’t say no to chocolate. Unfortunately, when I returned home and didn’t have to backpack for 6 hours a day, I went through some real chocolate withdrawals (maybe that’s why it’s so low on the list). But while on the Camino, chocolate was one of my absolute favorites.
4) Eggs
A personal preference. I love eggs – easy to make, versatile, calorically dense, protein and fat-packed, abundant, and cheap. Most days I would eat a dozen (at night buy a dozen, have 6 for dinner, 6 for breakfast the next morning). Now, eggs have their setbacks as backpacking foods, mostly attributed to their delicate nature. So unless you hard-boiled them, taking eggs to-go was a big no-no. But undeniable nutrition and my love for them slotted them up at number 4.
3) Chocolate Milk, specifically Caocaolat
Can chocolate milk be considered a food? When a bottle of Caocaolat has 800 calories in it, you betcha. Chocolate milk is a perfect post-walk treat – super delicious (it tasted like melted ice cream) and boasting protein, fats, and carbs to help your body and mind recover. Although not as easy to carry and maybe a bit pricey, drinking your calories never tasted so decadent. And maybe I just happen to like chocolate a little too much.
2) Bread
I don’t have to explain bread do you, do I? The jack-of-all-trades, easy to eat, pairs with everything, delicious, affordable, everywhere. Bread was a must-have while backpacking. And I’m talking about a loaf of fresh baker’s bread (not the pre-sliced stuff). I’d clip the grocery back to my backpack and rip off a bit if I ever felt lethargic, prepare a sandwich for lunch, and incorporate it into my dinner. It was truly a must-have on the Camino.
1) Clementines
The perfect Camino food. First of all, Spain is one of the largest producers of clementines and winter is the best season for them. Secondly, you could buy a fishnet bag of the mini oranges and clip them onto your backpack – super handy for a quick snack. Thirdly, in terms of Camino Spirit, they were so easy to share. No one ever said no to a clementine. You could toss them around. It broke the ice with every pilgrim. It was a simple way to spread some love. The clementine is what the Camino was all about.
Honorable mentions: dried fruits (especially dates and figs), sausage, potatoes, octopus (the most popular dish in Galicia – unfortunately, I forgot to try it), yogurt, and pastries.