Backpacking Foods

“I'm going to have some time the week of Oct. 6th or therebouts to backpack by myself. I'll take my gear and practice using it all by myself like a big girl. LOL
Kids are going to Va. for a week with my parents during Fall break.
I am wondering about cooking on that tiny stove. I know Ramen noodles, rice-a-roni and such should work ok to cook easily?? I also know some of these trail foods from Enertia .. the dehydrated stuff is good...... some is not. I'd rather have some suggestions before I purchase that mess and wind up hating it. No sense paying for something barely edible. Ideas?”

“Mountain House, Lasagna & Chili Mac’ w/ beef are two of my favs’”

“Just be careful when the Chili Mac hits the fan!”

“I have a bunch of the Enertia Trail food, some of it I will be trying this weekend, but have you ever had hummas? I always take some pits and a small container of hummas with me for lunch or something to go along with dinner. Yummy good! Try it.

I have taken the Lipton packetts of either rice or noodles and sauce. Make sure you pick the kind that does not need butter. However you can take butter with you without worring about refridgeration (is that a word?) I have packed butter for week long trips canoeing and never became ill.”

“any prepackaged "pasta meal" on the grocery aisle will work....and there must be a hundred at any grocery store I have been to.

Take the foil packaged chicken as well.

I take the pasta mix out of the package or box, put it in a ziplock bag and mix it really well by shaking it. If I need to divide it to smaller portions, I just divide it out into smaller bags.

I use ziplock freezer bags. I usually add the chicken (you can add extra spices by cooking this a time or two and measuring how much additional spice you used and then learn to add it to the bag prior to the trip); pour the required amount of boiling water in the bag; cover in a towel or bandana while it "steams" and eat it out of the bag.

The possibilities are almost unlimited.”

“Oatmeal Cream Pies!”

“Dana I like the lipton asian beef lomein noodles. I think the package costs areound $1, and I like it better then some of the high calorie backpacking food. I know we need the calories, but hey...if I can do without them I will...

for breakfast I like the hot oatmeal packages. THey have one specially for women,has a little bit more calcium in it.”

“sooooo tell...you're going all by yourself??

tell me all about it, so we can all come and scare ya!!”

“That was what I meant Gemini. The Lipton Asian noodles. Those are good.”

“Those lo mein noodles are great Gem.”

“danababy, I become "Chef Bobo" on the trail. You come hiking with me honey and you'll gain weight while you're on the trail! Which would be a good thing because you're looking mighty skinny these days!

;~)”

“okay bobo, I am not sure I want to hike with you. Sure don't want to gain no weight...

anyway, and if you get those alfredo lipton noodles you'll need milk, just take some of the coffee creamers, works the same. I don't put butter in it, still tastes good enough.

(oh make sure you take creamers without flavors, I know you don't want your alfredo to taste like amaretto)

yeah, the lipton stuff is good #&%!$!”

“I LOVE Enertia foods in many respects, but be aware that, IMHO, they tend to run a little on the spicy side. But that's according to my taste preferences, which is why I often hestitate to recommend foods.

Having said that...

Breakfast: In addition the usual Oatmeal, etc., I like good ol' cereal, Cheerio's, whatever. If you buy Enertia's dehydrated whole milk product, cereal actually tastes like cereal (and also very lightweight)

Lunch: Try the small cheeses rounds packaged in wax, available at Costco, etc., they last forever. I have a great lunch of cheese / (dried) fruit & crackers, healthier than fat-laden salami and more tasty...

Also try PB & J, also available in individual packets from Enertia.

Dinner - a lot of Lipton noodle dinners are GREAT, just add a small can of chicken., ham, shrimp, etc., and you have a great, well-balanced dinner that weighs very little.”

“for all the liptons meals that optionally add butter - just substitute olive oil - works just as well if not better. If using ziplock cooking with pasta or noodles add the olive oil first and try to mix well before adding the boiling water - the oil will tend to keep the pasta from sticking together in a lump.”

“Mountain House is WAY better than Enertia, but avoid the Turkey Tetrazzini, it does not rehydrate very well and the asparagus is just nasty.
I like bagels and peanut butter for lunch along with a couple of oranges. I know the oranges are heavy or whatever, but they are good!”

“Gemini - Who you kiddin? You could use alittle meat on those bones too!

I had to get away from the freeze-dried food like "Backcountry Panties" - they give me heartburn. I do pack in light foods (no really!) on extended hikes, but I like to have something goooood for the first night or two. I like making up stuff like chili or chicken and aspragras in blue cheese sauce and freeze and then vacuum-seal with a food saver machine.

But don't put it past me to eat everything in your pack while you're not looking!!!

>;)”

“You think the enertia stuff runs spicy?! Wow! I end up adding more spices!”

“That's why I don't like making food recommendations!

A number of prople have told me they LOVE the Enertia stuff, and I do also, however, to ME, it is too spicy. That's just personal preference, which is why everyone needs to experiment on their own. What tastes good to you, or me, is diff than what tastes good to someone else.

I can never understand the "food preerence" posts... it's the same as asking "would you rather go to an Italian, Chinese or French Restaurant?

To each their own...”

“Well.. Gemini...... I have been told I need to be a big girl and spend some time doing this stuff by myself. However the first impulse is to say to this individual.... Kiss my grits and secondly "Gemini, will you go with me?" But then I'll get teased and be wussing out. :-(
Anyhow..... I love all the suggestions and am saving this post to favorites to print out.
It was very very helpful.
Capn Kangaboboroo..... I think you're very cool, but I don't know about that weight gaining thing.
Some dude the other day told me though " You ain't gotta worry bout me hitting on you. I like my wimmen with sum meat on thar bones." I was devastated. Seems he likes BBW's and I don't rate. Imagine that.”

“Mountain House Sweet & Sour Pork. serious yumminess.”

“others of you have NO CLUE!!!

I eat resturant grade, home made, gourmet meals while in the back country...capn boo boo...you got it goin right dude...gain weight while on the trailll heeeeeeee hawwwwwwww...yipee kayaaaaay

eat right, drink right, sleep right, have sex when you can...life is good!”

“Lol!”

“Restaurant-grade, etc etc etc etc crap ain't important to some of us.

I REALLY appreciate going out to a good restaurant for breakfast, being served by a knowledgeable individual, etc.

I ALSO like Cheerios. Can't I eat my cheerios & have some peace? Do I have to listen to you critisize me for my preferences?

Maybe I LIKE oatmeal? Did that ever occur to you?”

“I am so tired of dehydrated meals - I almost threw up trying to eat one last weekend.”

“I like Cheerios too. Unadulterated.”

“the new Triple Beryy Cheerios are yummy. but i wish they wouldn't glaze the Cheerios - they're tasty enough plain.”

“the new Triple Beryy Cheerios are yummy. but i wish they wouldn't glaze the Cheerios - they're tasty enough plain.”

“some of us are sooooo sensitive...didn't realize I had singled you out...really very sorry mate. and, Im a frosted miniwheat kind of guy...that doesn't offend anyone does it?”

“me! i'm deeply offended by your preference for frosted miniwheats. they are an inferior cereal.”

“@ tarbubble...sorry I offend you,,,errr no, I'm not really...so there mmmmmmmmmmmm :-p”

“gasp! you vulgar cad!”

“Whole watermelon.”