Convenient, tasty, nutritional food ideas for backpacking?

[twochordcool]

Can any of you guys and gals clue me in on some secret easy food ideas for backpacking?

Something most people may not think of?

Something that doesn't take too long to prepare?

By the way, weight is a non-issue as long as it's hearty and tasty!

I'll even carry cans and/or packets of chicken breast.

Heck, I've carried jars of spaghetti sauce before!

Any particular soups that are surprisingly very good? (non-powdered!)

Tell me your favorites!

[lumberzac]

I haven’t done these is a very long time, as I don’t like the extra weight, but I use to make pizza muffins while backpacking.
I’d buy some English muffins, a bag of mozzarella cheese, and tubes of pizza sauce. I would then line the inside of a mess kit cooking pot with aluminum foil, place the prepared muffin inside the pot, place the lid on top, and set it on top of my camp stove set on its lowest heat setting. They would sometimes burn if the stove was too hot and they take some time for the cheese to melt, but normally they came out pretty good.

[Kevin]

http://www.adkforum.com/showthread.php?t=5042

I thought this sounded familiar! lol

[twochordcool]

http://www.adkforum.com/showthread.php?t=5042

I thought this sounded familiar! lol

OOPS!

[twochordcool]

What about for other than dinner?!

[adk joe]

CHEDDAR BRATS AND CORN!!! heavy but wounderful for the first night

[Gray Ghost]

Pick up the book Backpack Gourmet. The author escapes me at the moment...Linda something.

[Wldrns]

Pick up the book Backpack Gourmet. The author escapes me at the moment...Linda something.

Linda Yaffe. Backpack Gourmet: Good Hot Grub You Can Make at Home, Dehydrate, and Pack for Quick, Easy, and Healthy Eating on the trail. Available from Amazon.com.

I'd throw out all of the other dozen or more backpacking recipe books I have, and keep just this one. Dehydrate these meals and they come back to life just like fresh. Many are unusual, not what you would ever think of on your own, and are starting points for new ideas to try yourself to be creative. Just try them, you'll be impressed.

[Dick]

Linda Yaffe. Backpack Gourmet: Good Hot Grub You Can Make at Home, Dehydrate, and Pack for Quick, Easy, and Healthy Eating on the trail. Available from Amazon.com.

I'd throw out all of the other dozen or more backpacking recipe books I have, and keep just this one. Dehydrate these meals and they come back to life just like fresh. Many are unusual, not what you would ever think of on your own, and are starting points for new ideas to try yourself to be creative. Just try them, you'll be impressed.

A strong second for the Yaffe book. We used her recipes on our Grand Canyon and Northville-Placid Trail through-hikes this past summer. It's just like eating a freshly home-cooked meal days into the hike!

Dick

[Neil]

Wilderns and Dick, if you were going off for a couple of months in winter and all your meals were going to be brought to life by pouring boiling water on them and either eating them right away or keeping them in vacuum bottles for the next morning and next afternoon how would you exploit the techniques outlined in the book? Would you recommend the book in these circumstances?

[twochordcool]

I guess it weighs quite a bit, but on my last trip I brought a few of those pre-cooked chicken breasts in a packet and mixed them in with Lipton 4 cheese noodle packages, etc - it wasn't "restaurant quality" but I enjoyed them very much. I also brought 2 packages of refrigerated ravioli for 2 nights along with a jar of sauce that I like, which I used half one night and half another night.

Granted, weight was an issue, but I like to eat well, so it was a sacrifice I was willing to make for the luxury.

Until I learn how to prepare equally enjoyable and nutritional meals that weigh less this is the route that I must go.

One of you guys gave me a great idea for coffee that will enable me to leave the camp percolator behind - triangle coffee filters with the right amout of your favorite coffee in them - folded over and stapled - dropped in your nalgene bottle - JUST ADD WATER AND ENJOY!

[Hobbitling]

for a summer overnight I often bring fairly heavy food. I picked up a whole bunch of MREs. they last practically forever, but they arent lightweight at all. the snacks, especially the peanut butter packets, make great emergency food to keep in my 10+ essentials bag.

[Dick]

Wilderns and Dick, if you were going off for a couple of months in winter and all your meals were going to be brought to life by pouring boiling water on them and either eating them right away or keeping them in vacuum bottles for the next morning and next afternoon how would you exploit the techniques outlined in the book? Would you recommend the book in these circumstances?

Neil,

Well, I didn't factor in a two-month winter sojourn! Is this that Saskatchewan trip you mentioned? I guess I don't see why vacuum-sealing dehydrated food for two weeks vs. two months would be any different. Food would be to your own liking (you made it, you know you like it, you know what's in it). That would be a lot of meals to prepare beforehand, of course. How long between resupply? Will your vacuum bottles really keep the food warm enough? How many, how much do they weigh, and how easy are they to pack and to clean? Are you in serious bear country? One downside to vacuum sealing: the plastic bags used with sealers are heavier and bulkier than regular plastic bags (they can be reused). Do all of your meals have to be hot ones?

Interesting, and I'm going to think about it some more.

Dick

[Neil]

Yes, this is about the Manitoba trip.
I was thinking of drying meat and veggies and adding it to purchased freeze-dried meals. Also, stuff making soup for the next day's lunch with dried meat, veggies, powdered base and angel hair pasta.

The vacuum bottles would be the best availble and the idea is to prepare all the next day's breakfasts, coffee/tea, and hot soup and drinking water the night before while it is dark but too early to sleep. The bottles would be well wrapped in articles like down coats. They will weigh what they weigh and go in the sleds. We will never wash them, just let the dregs freeze and be part of the next meal. (we'll have to take care not to mix them up!).

No bears to worry about.

I guess we will be carrying a lot of plastic and other wrappers.

We will probably have one menu that is one week long and repeat it week after week.

Dinners will be hot and hot soups will be for lunch but we will be nibbling on sausage, chocoate, nuts, candy all day long.

[Dick]

I was thinking of drying meat and veggies and adding it to purchased freeze-dried meals.

Why not make your own meals (less expensive, tastier)? If you're doing the same menu each week, you could cook in bulk (but for two months, I'd personally want a little more variety!). Is there a problem ingesting the high cholesterol/saturated fat/sodium content of the freeze-dried meals over such a long period?


But it sounds like you've got it covered pretty well!

Dick