Harðfiskur: Lightweight, won’t go bad, chock full of protein. On the downside, your clothes could end up smelling like fish if you don’t double-bag it.
Bread: Whole grain breads are best, as they’re not only smaller than a store-brand loaf of white bread, but will give you the carbs you need to keep moving, whether you’re trail hiking or hitchhiking.
Mixed nuts: Apart from being a spoil-free source of protein and iron, they also make for handy pocket eats.
Apples and bananas: Apples are nature’s toothbrush – the roughage and the mallic acid are both supposed to help keep your teeth clean, and apple skin is also high in vitamin A and calcium. Bananas are loaded with potassium. Sadly, these are the only two fruits that are likely to be fresh or edible at most grocery stores in the country.
Pasta: “Hippy chips” – crunching up a pack of cheap instant noodles in its own packaging and eating it dry, isn’t as bad as it could be. Also, many gas stations have hot water dispensers—if you’re courteous enough, you can probably get your ramen noodles heated and wet.
Sardines: Yeah, that’s right, sardines. Canned meats aren’t popular in Iceland, but if you want protein on the trip, try delightful canned fishes. On the downside, canned sardines are heavy and you have to carry the cans with you after you eat for sometimes a few days, but most gas stations have recycling stations.
Portable grilling: Lightweight and about the size of a frozen pizza for two, a single use portable grill can be bought at most supermarkets for about 300 ISK, making cooking outdoors cheap and easy. If you’re feeling particularly extravagant, buy some vacuum-wrapped meat like marinated lamb. Don’t forget to drown the coals in water and when you’re done and let it it cool completely before throwing it away.