food suggestions for 7-day hike

[Sara]

ADackR and I continue to experiment each trip. Here are some of our better discoveries: Wal-Mart carries tubs of Gatorade powder. It's much cheaper than bottles and can be packed in ziplocks to be made on the trail. In the morning while eating breakfast we will make a packet of black beans and rice. Then we slice a brick of sharp cheddar (it will last for a few days in your pack without refrigeration) and we make bean and cheese burritos. I prepack a few sheets of tinfoil and we wrap 4 burritos. One each for that days lunch and one each for the next day. I agree with Danielle, the chicken pouches are great and now they have salmon packets as well. Last weekend we had Lipton sweet and sour noodles with a salmon pouch and a couple packets of soy from a chinese restaurant. Dole fruit cups make a nice treat, and we've experimented with powdered pudding on the trail and cooling it in a cold stream. Every trip we discover something new!

 

[insight]

*continues taking notes*

Thanks folks.. Now I'll have a better idea what to look for when I hit the supermarket to stock up before we go. The tuna and cheese and fruit cups are sounding very good. I forgot to mention we plan to bring some tea and/or powdered coffee as well. Tang is a good suggestion.

I'm still a bit scared of the weight issue, as percious mentioned in the dehydration thread that they've managed to pack as light as 1.3lb per person per day, and that's with dehydrated foods! Even if I was that careful with the preparations, it would still wind up being almost 10 pounds of food alone. A more realistic guess would be 15+.. hmmmm, this relatively small trip is starting to look like more of an expedition in my mind hahaha..

 

[Remix]

I suggest bringing multi-spectrum vitamins (one-a-days such as Centrum)

 

[Nadine]

Mmmm, salt potatoes do sound good. It's nice to eat real food the first night out. I've frozen meat and taken it with me on my frist night to cook. It keeps well insulated by all the other stuff in my pack. Most of the time I eat the freezedried package meals, or the spiced up lipton noodle meals. I tend to do a lot with cous cous and and foil pack chicken, also dehydrated black beans, instant rice, and tortillas.

 

[Jasonst]

On my last backpacking trip I did the "wander around the supermarket" thing and didn't have much luck when it came to finding lightweight food. I know it's out there! i am mostly looking for "just add hot water" type of food (It's the guy in me... Who can be bothered doing dishes?) Anyhow, I stumbled on "Easy Mac" Mac & cheese, just boil water, no butter, milk needed. Anyone else out there as lazy as I?

I also find that I lose my appetite on a strenuous hike, and have to force myself to eat. Anyone else have that problem? Also, Little Bear, more power to you... It sounds like you really enjoy yourself.