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How to Store Oil & Sauces while Backpacking
Your food doesn’t need to be bland while backpacking! Carrying oil is a great way to get extra fat in your meals, as well as flavor. Plus, in my case, I absolutely love Frank’s buffalo sauce. I’ll put it on everything – mac & cheese, eggs, and more. Carrying it on a long hike isn’t optional.
If you have your favorite sauce or spice that you want to carry with you, this post is for you!
Here are a few spill-proof ways to carry oil and spices with you while backpacking. I’ve tried a few different methods – from inexpensive DIY backpacking hacks to buying bottles.
What’s your favorite way to carry oil while backpacking? Let me know in the comments!
1. Travel Nalgene Bottles
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Spill-proof and durable, Nalgene bottles are a go-to among backpackers for carrying liquids. You can get these travel-sized Nalgene bottles as your sauce and oil containers for a backpacking trip. This particular set comes with dispensing caps that are great for oil so it doesn’t drip down the side and leave your bottle with a greasy feeling. (However, note that the dispensing caps aren’t leak-proof, so you’ll still need to carry the screw-on cap with you.)
These are a great option, but you can also check out Target’s travel section for some great travel-sized bottles that I’ve used before backpacking if you only want one or two extra bottles.
2. Reusable Baby Food Pouches
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While these are intended for baby food, reusable food pouches make a great oil container for backpacking! The bottom zips open, so it’s easy to refill. The flexible packaging is light-weight and easy to pack.
The top is spill-proof and is easy to squeeze your desired amount of sauce or oil onto your backpacking meal. I thought it might leak or worried the bottom would burst open, but these are made for babies to squeeze and parents to pack into bags – I was really impressed with the durability! You can purchase this set on Amazon for just $10.
3. Travel-Size Plastic Oil Bottles
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Lastly, (and maybe the most obvious) is to check your local grocery store! There’s plenty of travel-sized oils and sauces that come in plastic containers. Generally, they’re not as easy to efficiently pack as the above options, but are a great option on a budget! Just refill these bottles with your favorite oil.
5. Single-Serving Oil Packets
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This is my least favorite option because of the extra trash it creates, but it is one of the most convenient & favorite options among many backpackers, so it’s worth mentioning. You can also purchase almost any single-serving sauce or oil packet online (or stock up at a fast-food restaurant!) I try to avoid single-use plastics when I can, so if you can go without creating the extra trash, I’d recommend one of the above options over this. But most importantly, remember to pack-out everything that you pack-in.
How to Carry Spices while Backpacking
5. Tic-Tac Containers
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This is one of my favorite DIY backpacking hacks! Use old tic-tac containers to carry your favorite spices. Salt and pepper are my go-to’s. But I also love making chili and different Mexican-inspired dishes on the trail, so you’ll usually find cumin and chili powder in my pack too!
6. Cosmetic Containers
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Cosmetic containers make for easy spice containers too while backpacking. These containers are made with food-grade silicone. They’re a great light-weight, but take up a bit more space than I would prefer, so it does depend on if you’re looking to minimize on size too!
What’s your go-to sauce, oil, or spice to bring backpacking? I’d love to hear your tips in the comments!
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I am currently using a pill organizer for spices. It gives me 7 sections for different spices. It is almost perfect but the problem is they don’t seal very well, so I have the whole thing wrapped inside a ziploc, with a rubber-band to hold it tight.