Trail Food - What do you bring?

[BeninVA]

I have a long and challenging day hike in the works for early September and one thing that has always plagued me is bringing the right amount of food and food that I enjoy eating on the trail. I have done the usual bagels, power bar, etc. I am just curious what you all pack in? What fuels you well and what tastes good?

 

[keepin' on]

I do the regulars that you mentioned. In addition I make some trail mix: Salted mixed nuts, whatever dried fruit sounds good, m & m's, chex (rice or corn). Most important for me is a good meal when I hit camp. I also try to get a hot meal in the AM...oatmeal and/or a grilled and buttered bagel.

 

[jfb]

Seedless grapes, homemade chocolate chip cookies, PB&J sandiches on multi-grain bread (cut in small pieces), fresh plums

 

[dr_wu002]

Summertime: Peanut Butter M&M's
Wintertime: Chicken Soup!

Good Luck!

-Dr. Wu

 

[ADK Rick]

Trail food

This is the first year back seriously hiking for me, and I have accepted a lot of new "technology" and new foods, etc. I was always a stalwart "old-timer" but I have found that in many cases, newer is better.

1. For food I have been carrying Power Bars, Clif Bars, dried fruit, jerky, and nuts.
2. I have found that the hydration bladder is a fantastic innovation.
3. I have discovered the joys of the wicking fabrics.

I still refuse to go electronic with GPS, etc. but I'm sure it won't be long.

A little far afield of your original question, but fairly well on-topic!

ADK Rick

 

[giggy]

well I am allergic to nuts which really blows - I tend to bring candy bars, precut cheese (so I don't have to cut the cheese). some sort of meat like a beef jerky or pepperoni - I have brought imitation crab meat, chips, cold pasta, etc..

in winter, might take some soup, or noodles.

 

[ADK Rick]

(so I don't have to cut the cheese)

That would make you absolutely unique amongst the hiking partners *I* usually have!

ADK Rick

 

[Camper58]

For a dayhike I usually bring KFC popcorn chicken, a snak-pak chocolate pudding, and a Del-Monte Tropical Fruit Cocktail. The chicken really travels well and tastes amazingly good in the middle of a long hike. Oh yeah, and GORP too!

 

[BorealChickadee]

One of my favorites is a bacon sandwich. Precook about half a pound of bacon for two sandwiches and bring in a plastic bag. Bread is carried in a very lightweight plastic sandwich container and mayonnaise are those little take out packages.

On a real long tiring hike I lose my appetite but these always taste good.

 

[yam]

subway sandwiches can hit the spot, but i don't always get a chance to swing by a subway to pick one up on the way to a trailhead.

 

[the starchild]

mmmmmm.......foooood!

gotta love the pepperoni! and cheese, make it pepperjack! in hot weather putting these next to my water bladder keeps them a bit cooler. add a bagel for a great trail grinder. very dense and hearty and quick.

i always have something salty like cajun trail mix from the bulk section at the grocery store.

and i always have some good old chocolate too!

wow Buddy, popcorn chicken from KFC!

 

[carole]

If I take a sandwich it's either an egg bagel with Sara Lee Honey Ham, Old Neighborhood Swiss Cheese and lots of Gulden's mustard or else a chunky peanut butter and strawberry/rhubarb jam on Branola bread Now I'm hungry

 

[chinooktrail]

I usually make Anadama bread for sandwiches, dense and fresh it makes the best PB&Js. Carole, where do you get Strawberry Rhubarb jam? That is my absolute favorite, but I can only find it in Canada. I can't even find Strawberry Rhubarb pies around here... In the summer I like to bring a Mike's hard lemonaid for the destination, in the winter I bring one of those small bottles of red wine. Cheese and crackers always taste great, preslicing is a good idea, but I always forget, or am throwing things together at the last second... Bananas seem to work for me on the trail, and I usually try to bring some fresh fruit, whatever looks and smells great at the grocery store on the way to the trailhead. Pea pods are fun too, crunchy and thirst quenching.

 

[Adk_dib]

I like to bring nuts, raisins and beef jerky. What I really like are the lil debbies cookies. They are individually wrapped and very small ( you can put a couple in your pants pockets). Also they are nice and soft. I hate dry cookies which make you thirsy.

 

[carole]

Carole, where do you get Strawberry Rhubarb jam? That is my absolute favorite, but I can only find it in Canada. I can't even find Strawberry Rhubarb pies around here... .

It's actually called 'Rhubarb-Strawberry Preserve' made by Trappist Preserves and I have no problem finding it in Hannaford stores in with the other jelly and PB's (very likely in Shaws also).

As for pies, I make my own (the best around ) from my rhubarb patch. (It doesn't look that yummy after a ride in a pack but it still tastes good for a trail treat).

 

[Artex]

I think Wal-Mart was created by Lucifer himself, but they have good deals on my two primary hiking snacks:

1. Wal-Mart brand trail mix - you get a HUGE bag of it for $3-5, and it really is just as good, if not better, than any other brand.

2. 6-pack Snickers Marathon bars - Costs ~$5.50.

 

[lumberzac]

Cliff Bars, Snickers, and Cheese-its are my main staples while I’m hiking. When I can find them, I also like to bring dehydrated mangos.

 

[keepin' on]

1. Wal-Mart brand trail mix - you get a HUGE bag of it for $3-5, and it really is just as good, if not better, than any other brand.

I second that. Wal*Mart brand trail mix is shockingly awesome. "homemade" (or is it mixed?) is almost always better though!!

 

[MrAmeche]

What a great thread; I'm getting so many ideas for other foods to bring on the trail. I get so sick of my usual peanut butter and jelly, trail mix, banana, and chocolate.

Actually, perhaps I'll modify my lunch with a peanut butter and rhubarb strawberry preserves sandwich. Mmmm....

 

[spaddock]

My fantastic discovery this year was Vegetable Samosa's. They keep really well in the heat of summer and are really tasty.

Other gems for me are: fruit cups, cheese and crackers pack, bits and bites, hot rods, baby bell cheese, toblerone, pringles, P&J, mixed nuts...

-Shayne