EAT IN ASIA / Food destinations / Thailand - thai food
What to eat before a jungle trek in Thailand?
Trekking in a jungle or in a National Park is always a great outdoor activity that allows you to discover pristine areas and experience something new. And Thailand is an ideal place to do it. It is a perfect country for all kind of trekking forms. Here, you can choose between different difficulty types, different forms, different number of days and different trekking types. Apart from that, Thailand has a very diverse nature and depending on the region you choose, you will have another set of available activities.
No matter how experienced you are, the breakfast you have before the trekking should be a really good one. It should be a valuable meal, that will give you a good kick and will provide you with a lot of energy. Forget about your weight loss diets. Forget about all light meals like just a small yogurt and all that stuff. Be concentrated on what is the best for your organism and on that what will give you the maximum regarding all microelements, vitamins, carbs, and proteins. Remember – the goal is to have a lot of energy for climbing in a relatively strenuous region and to be in a good form.
Your goal – maximum energy and no heavy stomach feeling
Yes, that is what is so important before you start your trekking. No matter how many days you are going to do the trek, every single day should be started with a really hearty meal. I repeat once again – forget about all diets and all meal plans, just give your body all it needs to be in its top form.
7 top breakfast sets before trekking in Thailand
Here I prepared a very simple list of breakfasts that are suitable for all non-vegetarians, for vegetarians and also for vegans:
Non-vegetarian breakfast sets
Thai style non-vegetarian breakfasts
- Fried rice with chicken or pork
If you eat meat and like Thai cuisine, that is a good option for you. Fried rice with pork or chicken is a very popular Thai dish that is served the whole day long. It is relatively light, but still, it is full of valuable ingredients. In it you will find some protein from eggs and meat. Apart from that there are carbs that mainly derive from rice. Fried rice with chicken or pork is also a light meal for which the amount of oil that was used to prepare it was minimal. What is more, the meat in the dish is mainly deprived of all visible fatty parts what makes this dish even lighter.
Choose between pork and chicken and eat like a local!
- Pad-Thai with chicken or pork
That is another wonderful meal that is extremely popular in Thailand. It is a great composition of different flavors, different textures, and different Thai aromas.
It is refreshing, rich in nutrients and is full of healthy fats from nuts and seeds. Apart from that it contains carbs form rice noodles and is loaded with proteins. Sprinkle it with some lime juice and green onion chops and the dish will get an extra refreshing aroma. Finally, top it with crushed, crunchy peanuts.
International cuisine breakfast sets for non-vegetarians
- Club sandwiches
If you prefer to have something well known, something more traditional and something that resembles Western style sandwiches, choose Club sandwiches.
Select these with eggs, fresh salad, or with sausages. Finally, season them with some light local sauces. Skip French-fries and you will have a great breakfast.
Vegetarian breakfast sets
Thai style vegetarian breakfasts:
- Pad-Thai with vegetables and tofu
Pad-Thai is also good for vegetarians! Yes, that is a good information. Just replace meat with vegetables and with tofu curd. Thanks to that you will get a really rich and local, aromatic meal.
This dish also includes a plethora of unique Thai flavors and aromas. You will find in it refreshing lime notes, crushed peanuts, lemongrass hints and crunchy mung bean sprouts. Apart from that, all these ingredients will be mixed with rice noodles and fried in a wonderful Thai sauce. It will definitively amaze you. And of course, Pad-Thai will have these extra soft fried tofu cubes that are a great source of vegetable proteins!
- Fried rice with eggs, vegetables and tofu
A traditional Thai fried rice can be a valuable vegetarian meal too. As it is in the case of Pad-Thai, replace meat with extra vegetables and add some tofu curd for a better carbs to proteins ratio.
International cuisine breakfast sets for vegetarians
- Banana pancakes with honey
Are you looking for something light, sweet and with fruits? For something that gives you at the same time a lot of good energy? If so, choose pancakes with bananas and honey.
Thai bananas are so good! They are sweet, aromatic, and are ideal before a long trek. Skip an extra sugar on top of your pancake, or just replace it with a natural honey. Finally, finish your breakfast with fresh fruits full of vitamins and juiciness.
- Toasts with jam
That is an option for all those who do not like to eat breakfast and for whom the best thing would be just to have a cup of a good coffee. This day – I mean when you do the trek, try to change your habits, and give your organism at least a small amount of energy. This easy breakfast is full of carbs and will definitively be better that just a cup of a black coffee. So, do something for your body, and try to overgo your daily routine.
Choose toasts with jam also if you are afraid that any other meal might not work for your stomach or if you have gastric problems. It is a light set that will suit all tastes as long as you do not have to be on a special diet. Then grab a cup of a Thai Milk Tea or try a regular Thai coffee that is so different from the one you might know from Vietnam - this Vietnamese coffee.
- Boiled eggs with toasts, vegetables and fruits
Eggs are always good. They are well-balanced, provide you with proteins, healthy fats and are packed with all needed nutrients. Add to them some carbs from toasts, some fresh fruits and vegetables and you will get a really good and a valuable first meal. This dish is relatively light, has no extra fat derived from sauces, from frying oils or from deep-fried garnishes.
And although it is a little bit bland if not served with any sauce, when these eggs are paired with fresh vegetables like cherry tomatoes, cabbage, sprouts and onion, all in all the breakfast set creates a nice composition of neutral and delicate flavors.
- Poached or scrambled eggs with toasts, vegetables and fruits
Another option for incorporating eggs into your first meal is to select poached or scrambled eggs. That is a good idea for a valuable breakfast for all of you who prefer warm or hot dishes for starting the day.
This set is also more fatty, due to the frying process, however eggs are not absorbing a lot of oil during that preparation, so they are not too oily. When you add to them freshly toasted and warm bread slices, some butter, and fresh vegetables, that set will be a really nice one. Finish your first meal with some juicy fresh fruits and be ready for your trek.
- Sandwiches with eggs and vegetables
Warm toasts full of fresh vegetables like lettuce, tomatoes, onion, and sprouts and packed with poached eggs are great! This breakfast proposal is a composition of a regular sandwich with vegetables, and eggs. That is also ideal for all of you who cannot decide what would be the best option for you to start your day.
Should it be a toast, or should it be a sandwich? Or maybe it would be better to choose scrambled eggs with toasts aside? If you think you are one of these persons, choose that breakfast set.
Vegan breakfast options
Thai style vegan breakfasts
- Tofu Pad-Thai with vegetables
Yes, Pad-Thai can also be vegan! Just ask not to add to it any egg or any dried prawns and replace all proteins with tofu curd cubes.
Do not worry, all Thai unique flavors will be still kept, and you will get a really good and a really hearty first meal with a lot of aromatic herbs like lemongrass and with some lime juice!
- Fried rice with vegetables and tofu
If you are a bigger fan of rice dishes than of these with noodles, choose this one Thai dish. As it is in the case of the tofu Pad-Thai, ask for more vegetables and for not adding any eggs or any meat chunks to it. Just let it be a plain, fried rice with delicate spices, with some vegetables and with coriander aromas.
International cuisine breakfast sets for vegans
- Toasts with jam
Well, not so sophisticated, nothing special but still better than nothing if the menu list does not offer anything better for you. It is an easy way of getting something you know very well, something light but still something full of carbs needed before the trek. This breakfast set is delicate, safe, with no surprises and definitively good for your stomach!
And now, so prepared for the trek, start your wonderful adventure in the Thai nature!
Author: Beti – A passionate traveler and lover of Asian cuisine, especially Thai and Japanese dishes, Bernadeta brings her culinary and cultural experiences to life in her writing. Beyond her travels, she’s an avid technology enthusiast with a deep interest in data processing, merging her love for exploration with analytical insights.
Photographer: Adalbert – An aficionado of computers and photography, Adalbert captures the essence of diverse cuisines with a discerning eye. A connoisseur of rich flavors and particularly fond of meat-based dishes, he combines his technical skills with his passion for the culinary arts in every shot.
