Many of you may think the notions of “backpacking” and “glamping” most certainly cannot go together, but I beg to differ. I’m coining the term “backglamping,” and while it may seem like an oxymoron, read on to find out why this really can be a thing.

To me, the notion of “glamping” means bringing many of the luxuries from home into the great outdoors. While it’s much easier to do this when you are car camping, it can still be done when you are confined to what you can fit (and comfortably carry) in your pack. Here’s how.

The most important component to a successful back-glamping trip is menu prepping. One of the best investments we made here was a food dehydrator. A dehydrator essentially removes water from food but keeps the enzymes of your raw food intact. This means you can take a normally bulky, heavy dish and shrink it to fit in the palm of your hand.

One of our favorite creations is a vegetable pasta alfredo. Simply fill your dehydrator trays with the following: spinach, pre-cooked pasta, alfredo sauce and sauteed onions and peppers. You can also throw in some sausage for extra protein (we’re vegetarian, so we like Tofurkey). The great thing about dehydrators is that they come with multiple trays so you can do most of this at the same time.

Let the dehydrator work its magic overnight (it often can take longer), and voila! You’ve got your gourmet meal-in-a-bag. Once you get to your campsite, simply add boiling water and you’re ready to enjoy a well-earned hearty meal. To take things up a notch, bring a bag of wine with you and then you’re really back-glamping.