About us

I’ve been backpacking for as long as I can remember. More recently, I introduced my girlfriend to it, and it’s become something we love doing together.

After a long climb, our favorite part (besides the view, of course) is settling in with a hot meal before crawling into our sleeping bags for the night.

What I didn’t look forward to was how my stomach would feel afterward. My girlfriend can attest that sharing a tent with me wasn’t much fun either.

By morning, I’d often still feel bloated and uncomfortable, with another stretch of trail ahead. For a long time, I figured that was just part of backpacking for me.

Eventually, I started connecting the dots between the packaged meals I was bringing and how I felt afterward. I began looking into the ingredients and discovered low-FODMAP eating. When I couldn’t find backpacking meals that fit what I was looking for, I decided to start packing my own food instead.

That meant tortillas, tuna pouches, peanut butter and snacks, with every meal becoming a collection of separate ingredients to plan and pack. How much was enough? What had I forgotten? I missed being able to count out my meals, pack a few pouches, and go.

Along the way, I’ve met others who know this experience all too well. The extra planning. The meals that don’t agree with you. Wanting to enjoy the trail without food becoming the hard part.

That’s who we’re building Gentle Terrain for. We’re creating healthy, low-FODMAP backpacking meals for sensitive stomachs, with simple ingredients, plenty of protein and enough calories to fuel a big day outside.

It started with a personal experience, but the goal is shared: making it easier for more of us to enjoy getting outside.