[eric strt6]

Shit has changed in the world of back packing foods in the 20 years since I last went out. Looking for some suggestions. Probably going to take some instant oatmeal for breakfasts, coffee is a must, I have a melitta drip funnel set up. aside from some fast cook noodles I am up in the air. two dinners, three lunches. any edible freeze dried stuff? I am looking for simple and easy I will have an MSR cookset with me

 

[Westy]

My standard daily diet on the trail is dried fruit and oatmeal for breakfast. I do the Quaker Oats instant stuff. I just eat is straight from the packet, it is actually good if you have something to drink with it, YMMV. I generally do not eat a traditional lunch but snack constantly throughout the day. I do the standard trail mix in addition to a fair amount of chocolate and cheese. All provide a good calorie to weight ratio. Despite modern misconceptions a block of cheese does not require refrigeration if sealed well, in addition it's gastro intestinal binding characteristics limits trail side Hershey squirts. For dinner I usually do a Mountain House freeze dried meal. The lasagna and chili-mac options are particularly tasty. I usually bring a little garlic and chili pepper to zest things up a bit.

 

[eric strt6]

My standard daily diet on the trail is dried fruit and oatmeal for breakfast. I do the Quaker Oats instant stuff. I just eat is straight from the packet, it is actually good if you have something to drink with it, YMMV. I generally do not eat a traditional lunch but snack constantly throughout the day. I do the standard trail mix in addition to a fair amount of chocolate and cheese. All provide a good calorie to weight ratio. Despite modern misconceptions a block of cheese does not require refrigeration if sealed well, in addition it's gastro intestinal binding characteristics limits trail side Hershey squirts. For dinner I usually do a Mountain House freeze dried meal. The lasagna and chili-mac options are particularly tasty. I usually bring a little garlic and chili pepper to zest things up a bit.

Yeah I usually carry the trail mix. hadn't thought about a block of cheese but i remember now that we used to take that and some dry salami. thanks for the mountain house suggestions

 

[Westy]

Yeah I usually carry the trail mix. hadn't thought about a block of cheese but i remember now that we used to take that and some dry salami. thanks for the mountain house suggestions

Ooh yeah, forgot about that. Some kind of dried meat goes really well with the cheese. Prefer that over the typical beef jerky.

I know it is not your thing, but a Nalgene bottle full of 100 proof lightweight camping bourbon like Wild Turkey Rare Breed is nice to have.

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

 

[stevew]

i'm too fucking picky....would be reduced to granola and water.

can not stand oatmeal/food in a bag.

 

[slyfink]

For lunch I'll typically do a salami and cheese in a tortilla wrap.

One of my go to dinners, especially backpacking, is pasta with pesto, goat cheese and sun dried tomatoes.

 

[Pesqueeb]

I usually do a Mountain House freeze dried meal

I remember being three days into the back country with my dad, and burying a freeze dried Beef Stroganoff because it was so bad. That said the freeze dried stuff has improved a lot in the last 20 years. Hell, even a genuine MRE has come a long way. Filling, and generally tasty, but LOADED with sodium, like multiple hundreds of percents above suggested daily intake. I figure as long as it's only a couple days, no real harm in eating them. I'm okay usually with oatmeal and/or granola for breakfast and lunches, but I've got to have something more for dinner.

Also, last motorcycle trip I took a chance one these things:

I'm generally a believer that friends don't let friends drink starbucks, but for on the road or backpacking these are pretty awesome. Little packets take up almost no room, don't weigh very much, can be stashed almost anywhere, and deliver much needed morning caffeine.

 

[I Are Baboon]

Egg salad
Sushi
Yogurt
And bring a Vitamix with a bunch of produce to make fresh smoothies

 

[StiHacka]

 

[SkaredShtles]

Do yourself a favor and check out the Indian and Thai foil packets of pastes available on Amazon.

Cheap and delicious. Although the quantities might be a little much for a solo packer.

 

[Montana rider]

I like quinoa bc it cooks quicker than rice and has some protein to boot...

I'll cook up a small batch and doctor it up per meal

quinoa, with butter walnuts maple syrup for breakfast
Quinoa with reconstituted beans cheese and tortilla for lunch
Quinoa with fresh caught fish for supper, except I don't fish...

Ramen, the fancy kind with less sodium

Our larger grocery stores have a decent selection of quick cook beans and other quick cook dried foods to choose from, for much cheaper than the prepackaged brand name meals.

And I try to bring fresh "herbs" and spices to help with flavor and appetite...

 

[Jm_]

For some extra jazz, bring pecans and dried cranberries and put those in your instant oatmeal for breakfast.

Macadamia nuts have a very high caloric count and are full of "good" fat and protein....except they are expensive.

 

[stoney]

Mountain House is pretty good for dehydrated and you can often get big boxes for relatively cheap at Costco. It's good emergency food as well.

 

[jonKranked]

if you have a food dehydrator you can make a lot of good dried stuff for packing out. including various meats (salmon, chicken).

 

[TN]

cous cous with olive oil, hard cheese and salami

 

[TN]

always fun to freeze a ribeye & pull it out at nite to throw on the open fire (if you can have one).

 

[jonKranked]

always fun to freeze a ribeye & pull it out at nite to throw on the open fire (if you can have one).

i do the frozen route even for car camping. if i have the time i'll cube some chicken and marinate it.

 

[stevew]

if you have a food dehydrator you can make a lot of good dried stuff for packing out. including various meats (salmon, chicken).

BAH to the white courtesy phone....

 

[jonKranked]

damn you all now i wanna go camping

 

[DirtyMike]

Add your choice of coffee, plus some single serve trail mix packets and you are good. Everything here is a dollar a pack aside from the mre's which I get as a hook up from a friend. Always keep an mre in the bottom of your pack, as in a real mre like these that are 3500 plus calorie and a days worth or more of nutrition for emergency, should you find yourself in need of sudden shelter you know you have it ready with minimal prep.
I stay away from the mountain house stuff, just too expensive for crappy tasting food.
Everything I show here preps in minutes, tastes good, and has a secondary plus of being very sealed. No odor to attract bears and such and it all packs very well.

 

[DirtyMike]

And.... In case you all are curious, this is my big pack I use
https://ads.midwayusa.com/product/387896/alps-outdoorz-commander-frame-backpack-nylon-tan?cm_mmc=pf_ci_connexity-_-Hunting+-+Backpacks+&+Duffel+Bags-_-ALPS+Outdoorz-_-387896

 

[KenW449]

View attachment 126338 View attachment 126339

Make sure you get eggs that are not from a grocery store.
Breakfasts: I usually do flavored oatmeal, plus another type of oat cluster, and protein clusters and powdered milk.
Ex, Strawberry oatmeal, blueberry oat clusters and honey and oat protein.
Banana oatmeal, choco oat clusters and peanut butter protein clusters.
Its all in the cereal isle in resalable bags. A bit expensive buy you can make several breakfasts with them and change them to your liking. I use it for kayaking a lot.

Lunch: Raman and fried up spam. Add your favorite freeze fried veggies if you wish.
Or round flat bread from Trader Joes, packets of tuna, or salmon or what ever you prefer and mayo packets.

Dinner: Stove top broken up into serval days for meals.

 

[DirtyMike]

Make sure you get eggs that are not from a grocery store.
Breakfasts: I usually do flavored oatmeal, plus another type of oat cluster, and protein clusters and powdered milk.
Ex, Strawberry oatmeal, blueberry oat clusters and honey and oat protein.
Banana oatmeal, choco oat clusters and peanut butter protein clusters.
Its all in the cereal isle in resalable bags. A bit expensive buy you can make several breakfasts with them and change them to your liking. I use it for kayaking a lot.

Lunch: Raman and fried up spam. Add your favorite freeze fried veggies if you wish.
Or round flat bread from Trader Joes, packets of tuna, or salmon or what ever you prefer and mayo packets.

Dinner: Stove top broken up into serval days for meals.

For the purpose of debate..... Why not eggs from a grocery store?

 

[KenW449]

For the purpose of debate..... Why not eggs from a grocery store?

Fresh eggs straight from the hens baby cannon better survive without the need for refrigeration.

 

[Westy]

You can get pasteurized eggs if one is concerned about such things.

 

[DirtyMike]

Fresh eggs straight from the hens baby cannon better survive without the need for refrigeration.

Yeah.... They also bypass any cleaning or fda standards check. Unless you are going three or four weeks it's not a concern

 

[KenW449]

Half the stuff the FDA approves backfires anyway, so i don't count on them as a reliable source.

 

[rockofullr]

Yeah I usually carry the trail mix. hadn't thought about a block of cheese but i remember now that we used to take that and some dry salami. thanks for the mountain house suggestions

Lots of good recommendations in here! If you do go with a cheese brick, the dryer and sharper the cheese, the longer it lasts.

Are you staying at a lake or some camp for a few days? You can actually grow your own sprouts for some fresh greens.

 

[DirtyMike]

Half the stuff the FDA approves backfires anyway, so i don't count on them as a reliable source.

I've been taking eggs hiking/camping for the last 25 years. The one time I did have a problem was with farm"fresh" eggs that were improperly washed and molded up in the carrier. Longest I have kept eggs was two weeks without refrigeration.

To be fair eggs are also my first source of protein I will use up when hiking/camping

 

[KenW449]

I've been taking eggs hiking/camping for the last 25 years. The one time I did have a problem was with farm"fresh" eggs that were improperly washed and molded up in the carrier. Longest I have kept eggs was two weeks without refrigeration.

To be fair eggs are also my first source of protein I will use up when hiking/camping

Hmm. Bad luck.

 

[eric strt6]

Going to give these a try. Plus I am taking along stuff from the market that I know is edible.

 

[Westy]

Going to give these a try. Plus I am taking along stuff from the market that I know is edible.

bring a little garlic powder and cayenne.

 

[slyfink]

I remember being three days into the back country with my dad, and burying a freeze dried Beef Stroganoff because it was so bad. That said the freeze dried stuff has improved a lot in the last 20 years. Hell, even a genuine MRE has come a long way. Filling, and generally tasty, but LOADED with sodium, like multiple hundreds of percents above suggested daily intake. I figure as long as it's only a couple days, no real harm in eating them. I'm okay usually with oatmeal and/or granola for breakfast and lunches, but I've got to have something more for dinner.

Also, last motorcycle trip I took a chance one these things:

I'm generally a believer that friends don't let friends drink starbucks, but for on the road or backpacking these are pretty awesome. Little packets take up almost no room, don't weigh very much, can be stashed almost anywhere, and deliver much needed morning caffeine.

for coffee, I bring (roasted) beans. I have one of these

and one of these


makes grrrrreat coffee. The grinder fits inside the aeropress, so it's pretty streamlined for camping. I have to admit, I haven't gone backpacking in a while, it's mostly been canoe-camping and a couple of car-camping trips where space isn't at a premium... But still, good coffee makes such a difference...

 

[Pesqueeb]

for coffee, I bring (roasted) beans. I have one of these
View attachment 126342
and one of these

View attachment 126343
makes grrrrreat coffee. The grinder fits inside the aeropress, so it's pretty streamlined for camping. I have to admit, I haven't gone backpacking in a while, it's mostly been canoe-camping and a couple of car-camping trips where space isn't at a premium... But still, good coffee makes such a difference...

We take an aeropress and a grinder when car camping, and I've taken it on the press on the motorcycle, but it's a bit ambitious for backpacking.

 

[DirtyMike]

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Stanley-Classic-Vacuum-Travel-Press-16oz-Hammertone-Green/41677822?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222228031771842&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=m&wl3=74803588608&wl4=pla-104602063728&wl5=9021321&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=41677822&wl13=&veh=sem

 

[KenW449]

I have to admit, I haven't gone backpacking in a while, it's mostly been canoe-camping and a couple of car-camping trips where space isn't at a premium... But still, good coffee makes such a difference...

I hear that. Most of my camping as of lately as mostly all been kayak camping where space and weight isn't as much as an issue.

 

[Westy]

We take an aeropress and a grinder when car camping, and I've taken it on the press on the motorcycle, but it's a bit ambitious for backpacking.

I took the aeropress when backpacking in Iceland. Wasn't a big deal, I certainly didn't bring a grinder.


Backpacking pro-tip. Take some paper shop towels and put them in a 1 gallon ziplock bag with a 50/50 mix of rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide. Makes for a nice sponge bath. Keeps ya clean and stink free, also good for disinfecting all the little scratches and cuts you tend to get in the wilderness.

 

[eric strt6]

simple and makes good camp coffee

 

[SkaredShtles]

We take an aeropress and a grinder when car camping, and I've taken it on the press on the motorcycle, but it's a bit ambitious for backpacking.

This. Those Via tubes are super-nice for backpacking. They literally weigh *nothing* and a couple tossed into a cup makes a nice, strong backcountry cuppa joe.

Add to that that there is basically nothing to pack out (other than the insignificant foil tube), and they win.