One of the surprises of trekking in Nepal is the length of the menu. Even at 5,000 m, teahouses offer pages of dishes, from dal bhat to pizza. Some choices are much better than others.
Quick answer: Eat dal bhat (rice, lentil soup, vegetables) for lunch or dinner: it is freshly cooked, filling and comes with free refills. For breakfast, choose porridge, eggs, Tibetan bread or muesli. Drink soup and plenty of tea, eat well even when appetite drops at altitude, and be cautious with meat higher up.
A typical teahouse menu
- Nepali: dal bhat, momos, fried rice and noodles, curry.
- Tibetan and Sherpa: thukpa (noodle soup), Sherpa stew, Tibetan bread, potato pancakes. See Sherpa food.
- Western: pasta, pizza, spring rolls, apple pie, chips.
- Soups: garlic soup, a classic for altitude, plus tomato, mushroom and vegetable.
Why dal bhat wins
It is cooked fresh for each order, gives slow energy and you can usually ask for a second helping of rice and dal at no extra cost. Guides joke: "Dal bhat power, 24 hour."
Eating at altitude
Appetite often drops above 4,000 m. Eat little and often, choose carbohydrates, and keep drinking. Soups help with both.
What to avoid
- Meat high up: it is carried in from below. See eating meat on treks.
- Uncooked salads and untreated water.
- Too much alcohol, which worsens altitude symptoms.
Costs: see food prices on the trail. Vegetarian? See vegetarian Nepal.