Food

[Jolly J]

Ok, we've talked about stoves, water, filters...
How about food?

For overnight trips, I usually pack up bagels, flat breads, Granola bars, chocolate bars, Mr. Noodles and some canned soups. I'm looking for some lightweight foods that don't take up a lot of room. What do you take for overnight bc trips?

[boarder25]

When I go on an overnighter I bring spaghetti.Break it in half and throw it in a ziplock bag.It weighs next to nothing and is filling.That and some power bars.

[kfarrar]

Go to www.outdoors.org. (http://www.outdoors.org.) Do a search on their discussion boards. There are many recipies that the hikers share.

Myself, I tend to keep it simple usually grab and eat type of foods. For dinner, I like red beans and rice and if I am hiking in the cold weather I'll cook up some steak ahead of time and cube it then add it in. Makes for a great filling meal.

For dessert it always Jello Brand instant cheese cake, with a grahm cracker crust.

[jdew]

If you are looking for lightweight, steer clear of anything in a can. I go with anything that all you need to do is add boiling water. Seasonings will/can make most anything much better. Repackaging your food in zip-lock bags will also save you some ounces and they do add up.
:snowboarding:

[M@]

Bacon.

[Jolly J]

mmmm bacon.

[DMC]

Precooked bacon and instant eggs...
A can of turkey Spam...
Some Twizzlers..
A jar of peanut butter and some pita bread..
coffee...
Some frozen pasta stuff...
A bottle of tequila and a couple Guiness's..
Top Ramon noodles...
Some freeze dried Mountain Chili...
coffee...

[elwood]

DMC:
Precooked bacon and instant eggs...
A can of turkey Spam...
Some Twizzlers..
A jar of peanut butter and some pita bread..
coffee...
Some frozen pasta stuff...
A bottle of tequila and a couple Guiness's..
Top Ramon noodles...
Some freeze dried Mountain Chili...
coffee... Mmmmm...Tequila

[kfarrar]

MMMMMMMMMMMM. I second that Elwood!

[elwood]

If I am in a hurry and want to pack light I'll bring freeze dried meals. If I am prepared I usually make home-made beef jerky, pasta with a package of sun dried tomato basil sauce, summer sausage and cheese, JD or sometimes Jagermeister. P&J sandwiches are good, especially after being smushed for two days on the trail... Mmmm... smushed P&J. I usually grab power bars for quick snacks on the trail. Lately I have been using GU...

[Castlerock]

Elwood I didn't know you were a user!

Pasta
Some hard dry cheese
Can o clams (makes an excellent Pasta Sauce)with
EVOO
Spice Bag (fresh groud pepper, cayenne, dried habanereos, cinnamon, sumac, sea salt)
Dried Meats (including bacon varieties)
Dried Fruits
Chocolate
Bourbon
Oatmeal

[Steveboarder]

I never bring cans always dry stuff I can add hot water to... oatmeal, soup, tea, those flavored noodle package thingies are good. :chicken: flavored especially :D

[RR]

I actually do go with cans, fairly often. More often I bring the Tasty-Bite meals in a pouch. Sure they are heavy, but they can be eaten without cooking so no fuel, no stove, no pots, just the SAK (swiss army knife) and a spoon. No water to rehydrate..and voila!

Progresso Lentil Soup is my preferred canned meal and those Indian meals from Tasy-Bite rule!

These days I usually do bring the cooking stuff, 'cause I've become a whimp and like my food hot these days.

I look at it this way...it's heavy going in, but light going out.

[elwood]

Castlerock:
Elwood I didn't know you were a user!

Pasta
Some hard dry cheese
Can o clams (makes an excellent Pasta Sauce)with
EVOO
Spice Bag (fresh groud pepper, cayenne, dried habanereos, cinnamon, sumac, sea salt)
Dried Meats (including bacon varieties)
Dried Fruits
Chocolate
Bourbon
Oatmeal LOL. Yep, I'm a user... And I call it using GU, because it sure as hell is not eating. That stuff is freaky, but it works.

Castlerock, I am so with you on the Bourbon. Love the bottle o' Jack at the campsite... Or if I'm feeling crazy, it's Maker's Mark...

[Castlerock]

Yeah my first use was a winter climb of Mt. Hood a few years ago. I try to avoid it...It is hard stuff. Now the Jack on the otherhand, that is Mother's milk!

[M@]

I brought Oban two years back, in the mini-nalgean bottle.

[M@]

Tell me about this GU non food freakiness?

[elwood]

M@:
Tell me about this GU non food freakiness? GU is an "energy gel". It is a mixture of simple and complex carbs that is supposed to give you big energy gains. It comes in little foil packets. You are supposed to eat one 15 minutes before a workout, and 1 every 45 minutes for sustained energy. It works, but it is kinda nasty stuff. It's a little harsh going down.

[DMC]

GU is great... I like the Chocolate/coffee flavor..
It's what they promised the future would be...

Just rip open a little pouch squeeze some goo out and mmmmmm..... Steak dinner...

Next - FLYING CARS!!!!! WE WERE PROMISED FLYING CARS!!!!!

[kfarrar]

DMC -

There seems to be a common theme throughout many of your posts - Coffee.

Do we have an addition to something other than snow?

If yes, your not alone. I'm good for 5 - 6 cups a day.

[DMC]

kfarrar:
There seems to be a common theme throughout many of your posts - Coffee.It's all about the coffee... Must have it... Gotta have it... I will add pounds onto my bag to have it... Can't live without it...
Make it strong... steamy... aromatic... mmmmmm...... Extra cafiene please...

[elwood]

Speaking of which, I could use another cup of coffee... My roommate gets this stuff off the internet from Costa Rica. Good stuff...

DMC< I like the Chocolate flavor too, it's just that GU takes some getting used to. The berry flavor is interesting. Stick with the choc. or vanilla and you are ok. They definitely need the steak flavor though with a side of mashed potatoes...

[DMC]

Kyle: Do you ever think maybe you shouldn't give your son coffee?

Mrs. Tweek: Why would you say that?

Kyle: Well, look at him. He's always shaky and nervous.

Mrs. Tweek: Oh, that. He has A.D.D., attention defecit disorder. That's why he's so jittery all the time.

[kfarrar]

My favorite coffee is Jamaica Mountain Blue. Ever had it? The last time I bought a pound it was $40 and I have seen it as high as $60. It sucks because now I can afford to drink it. :(

[elwood]

Have some coffee, boys! (http://www.southparkstudios.com/media/video/217/sp217_coffee.mov)

[M@]

I got me a big coffee cup here at work. They charge $0.75 for a refill, so I bring in this big sas cup and "Stick it to the man"

Coffee is great. The only thing wrong with my wife is that she doesn't drink coffee. That's the only thing. Well, maybe it's a good thing.

2 beer lunch... does it show?

[M@]

We have a good friend Jill who is a coffee bean too, so I always make sure she comes to TUX and she always makes the coffee happen first thing in the morning.

M@: "Morning Jill!"
Jill: "Why don't you boil some ****ing water"

[kfarrar]

Our wives must be alike M@. Mine won't touch coffee, she's a tea totteler(sp).

Let's just say two beers at KC's during lunch makes for a really long afternoon, not that I would know. I heard it from a friend.

[Steveboarder]

I dont drink coffee but I may have had one...two.. ok Three T&T's at lunch :eek:

needed somthing stronger than :beermug: it's been a rough day :envy:

[M@]

MMMmmm... T&T. Ones not enough and two is too many. And three is just right.

[2plankerider]

much like everyone above i usually bring the power bars,cup a soups, peanut butter, bagels COFFEE,I TOO MUST HAVE COFFEE! (which brings up a question?)how do you make it? a mug
press?,instant packs?, etc...

i also bring a mini nalgene of rumplemintz, an oil can or two or three of beer, pasta with sundried tomatoes, cabot cheese, tuna in a foil pouch, BEEF JERKEY, mmmmm BEEF JERKEY, hard candy (a few jolley ranchers in a nalgene adds a bit of flavor), tea bags and on the extended trips crystal light drink mix (stuff packs a punch when you get sick of water) and thanks to M@'s suggestion PRE-COOKED BACON! mmmmmmm bacon
ahhhhhhh, can't wait to get back hiking in the mtns.

[M@]

I dunno if I've ever had pre-cooked bacon. I've always brought it raw and pissed off the rest of the lean-to by cooking it in the morning. The grease left over is good for frying up the eggs after and baiting the garbage shoot for the squirlls.

[DMC]

2plankerknuckledraggerVTr:
how do you make it? a mug
press?,instant packs?, etc...yes and yes...

Actually I like to tie a percolator onto the back of my pack to give me the Beverly Hillbilly's look.. I like to make a lot of coffee.. Enogh for everyone at each brew...
But I've had it in bags - instant - french(freedom) pressed - precolated - you name it...

[2plankerider]

hmmmmmm, i thought is was you M@ that i saw on the boards once who said he ALWAYS has the pre-cooked bacon, comes in a box and sounds nasty, but in the mountains it is not bad. i'll leave my judgement 'till i actually have some.
mmmmmmm bacon grease! my parents EVERY sunday used to cook up a pound of bacon and then fry the eggs in it. can you say coronary? tasted good though.

[2plankerider]

i tried the tasters choice instant packs last year. NASTY! also have tried the "tea bag" style maxwell house. use two in a cup and it's not bad. still trying to find a way to make a kick a$$ cup though. i have a perculator, BUT it is for car camping and quite BIG and heavy. i'm thinking of getting a mini french press.
mmmmmmm cofffeeeeee!

[Castlerock]

They do have insulated French Presses, but I just use a single cup Drip filter cone into my mug. It is basically the same way I make coffee at home. You can find them most placed for $2-$3
http://www.sweetmarias.com/filtercones.3black.jpg

[2plankerider]

$2-$3 ???
guess you can't go wrong there. good tip, will scour the campmor catalog for one on my next order.

[NH_tele]

When I'm on the trail, I stick to dehyrdrated food. I'm a firm believer in going light for backpacking (although I have a real tent instead of a silynilon tarp). Anyway, here's an average day for me:

Breakfast:
2 packets Instant Oatmeal
1 packet Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate
2 Pop-tarts (or crumble tarts as I affectionately call them)

Lunch:
1 or 2 Dunkin' Donuts bagals (or others if no Dunkin' Donuts available)

Dinner:
1 packet Swiss Miss
1 Instant soup of some kind

Besides this, I also eat 1-2 Snickers bars a day, 1-2 Clif bars a day, a few Jolly Ranchers, and a good helping of gorp. Sometimes I'll add some more candy in there, as candy is a great energy food that tastes good.

Sometimes my Dinner instant soup will be a freeze-dried meal instead, or even a tuna-melt (one exception to my usual light rule).