OT: backpacking meal ideas

I know a good number of you guys do backpacking and was wondering if we could share some of our knowledge with each other. Im looking to do a trip here soon and was wondering what kind of lunch items you guys take. In the past I have always taken granola bars, trail mix, beef jerky, dehydrated humus and crackers and sausage. After years of doing this though I am looking for alternatives.

I was just curious what others that backpack take along for lunch. I looked some stuff up in Backpacker but the lunch ideas they have in there are generally pretty fancy and require a bit of prep time. Im not against prep time, just want to keep it to a minimum.

Anyway, just thought we could share some ideas and try something different.

Thanks,
Andy

Just got back from a 4 day trip... For lunch, I've done bagels (or flour tortillas rolled) with peanut butter and jelly (or nutella), summer sausage (you mentioned) and sharp cheddar cheese (will last several days unrefrigerated). I've known others to take packaged tuna (or salmon). I'm sure others will have more ideas.

For lunch on the trail/in the field I usually have a variety of items. I like having an apple for the trail. They are a little bulky and heavier than other things but a nice, crisp apple hits the spot for me. I also usually have a cliff bar or two and some granola/trail mix for snacking. One of the things I come back to often as my main lunch is a tuna lunch pack - the flat package with tuna in a pouch, mayo, relish, and crackers. You mix the tuna on the spot. This is a good protein lunch that doesn't need refrigeration. The package is a little bulky but not bad. The main downside is packing the trash. I've also taken lunchables, same concept. The packaging keeps things from getting smashed and I don't have to prepare something special.

For breakfast I usually eat instant oatmeal or a cliff bar. Dinner is usually a freeze dried dinner. Again, I'm willing to pay a little more for the convenience of packaged meals (make the meal in the pouch) than making my own homemade rice/noodles or something and packing utensils. If I do make something in my own utensil, it's usually what I can do in my jetboil can like ramen or something.

I tried a few options already mentioned for lunch like lunchables and tuna. I also make wasa crackers or even rice/corn cake sandwiches with cashew butter and honey. Sometimes I cook some edamame or any other frozen veggie and throw it in azip lock bag. It's a good, nutritious snack. I also love Sunflower Market's bulk goods section. I make my own trail mix and add some sweetened mango or other dry fruits. Less bulky then fresh fruit and still a good source of energy. For dinners on long trips (I know you didn't ask for this but I figured I'd share) I tried instant mac n' cheese with summer sausage or even spam or any canned meat. It sounds really gross but when you finish a 14 mile day nothing else beats it. And the dehydrated meals are very limited on calories so a big fatty dinner will give you that bust you need in the am. When I'm backpacking I want to make sure I eat a lot more calories then my normal diet and I still manage to come back a few lbs lighter.

Hope this helps! And thanks for starting the topic, I love learning tips from everyone else

1 Keebler Grasshoppers (they're just like Girl Scout Thin Mints)
2. Butter toffe popcorn, like Crunch 'n' Munch
3. Sour Patch Kids
4. Red Vines

There you have it, the four food groups. I have no idea why I'm so fat.

I usually raid the bulk foods aisle and the organic aisle for my lunch options. The organic area usually has some unusual small packaged items that are good for mixing it up. My current favorite is Justin's Nut Butter, in a variety of flavors. And while it may sound gross, I absolutely love the Jack Links meat/cheese stick combos. I've never been a fan of these things, but these are now pretty tasty (esp. the pizza version). Flat fruit bars, nutella rolled in tortillas, dark chocolate, small packets of Tilamook cheddar cheese ... just some of my faves. But, nothing beat a Subway sandwich for lunch/dinner on that first day!

I eat very light during the day on the trail and frequently skip lunch. Typically for lunch I'll have one of the tuna kit lunches, or if I'm with my wife, summer sausage and gouda with crackers and a bit of trail mix. If I'm backpacking by myself, I'm pretty likely to skip lunch all together. I typically carry a bit of trail mix and some of the fruit snack packets. The fruit snacks are good for bumping up the blood sugar for a short time. The plus side is that its a good way to shed some pounds.

I have much better meals for dinners. But these are always a balance between fuel consumption, packaging weight and other factors.

1) Mahatma wild rice + canned chicken. Unlike many types of wild rice that require an hour to cook, this one takes only 25 minutes and its pre seasoned. Add the canned chicken with its juice in the last 10 minutes. It feeds two with a can of veggies. Unfortunately this particular rice packet has been hard to find lately, but I like their saffron rice done the same way too. Chicken cans are small and light.

2) Same as above with ramen noodles instead of rice. Shorter cook time and a smaller portion size for 1.

3) Alpine Aire freeze dried meals - especially the Summer Chicken. I can't stand backpacker's pantry stuff. It always sounds good on the shelf, but every one I've had has been awful. Alpine Aire's food on the other hand has been quite good. Summer chicken has freeze dried asparagus in the mix, and who would have guessed that it comes out crisp and tasting almost fresh. I figured it would end up like canned asparagus. Turkey Thyme is good if you like barley. I've got a shrimp alfredo on the shelf for my next trip. Their portions can feed 2 lightly or 1 person pretty full. The only place I've found the Alpine Aire stuff is Mountain Chalet in Colorado Springs or online, but I would think Mountain Miser or such in Denver might have them too.

4) Trout with bay leaves and bacon. I haven't had this in years because I don't like to light fires when backpacking and personally I'm not big on trout as food (though I very much like to catch and release). But if you're going to eat trout, this is about as good a way as any. This is a more reliable option from Memorial Day until the middle of July. After that time, the water temp rises and trout feeding can be less predictable, so I would make sure to have a backup supper. You need tin foil, butter, a couple slices of bacon and a couple bay leaves. You need a campfire with good coals. Clean the trout and place it on the foil. Lay the bay leaves, bacon and butter inside the trout and seal the foil packet. Place the foil in the coals to cook. Usually cooks in about 10-15 minutes.

This is a good topic since I'm going on a long hike in about 2 weeks. Usually I just take granola and peanut butter bars but I'm likin' this tuna idea.

I'm luving this! I like the can/bagged meats and I'll add tons of carbs rice or noodles with condensed soup packet or any condiment packets for flavor. Great ideas here.

I always take a picnic hamper with champagne and cucumber sandwiches, wait did I just say that! Well then I guess the truth is that it's energy bars/granola bar thingies and an occasional bag of nuts. An apple is good if you didn't pack a toothbrush.
I like the trout with bay leaves and bacon idea but not sure where to get the bay leaves and bacon when in the hills! Maybe prickly pear cactus and smoked squirrel would do?
Another option would be to watch Bear Gryls, mind you he eats some disgusting stuff.

What a great thread! I tend to rely a lot on the tuna packets for lunches--the flavored kind in the cans with crackers (sold at Super Target and I don't know where else). There's nothing to mix, but there's some plastic packaging that you can take off before you pack. My new favorite is chicken & rice. Mine is a variation on the combo that Mel mentioned. Takes 7 minutes. Next to the tuna in a pouch, you can now find seasoned precooked chicken in a pouch. Yay! I buy those, and a package of the flavored instant rice (comes in a pouch, and costs about $0.79). The rice is enough for 3-4 people, so you can split it into ziplocks. The rice calls for 2 cups water, but each chicken pouch has about 1/2c juice in it, so use that. Boil the rice for 7 minutes, in water and chicken juice, then add the filet at the last minute to heat it up. Eat it out of the pan, or put it into a pita pocket if you're feeling "extravagant" with your weight allowance.

A staple from my backpacking days was:

"Simple Foods for the Pack"
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Simple-Foods-for-the-Pack/Claudia-Axcell/e/9781578051106

They're great recipes, although they make enough to feed 2 hungry people if I remember, and the variety is awesome. MUCH cheaper than freeze dried (and in some cases, tastier too). If you prefer something a little more gourmet than just ClifBars and PBJ every day, this is the way to go, IMO.

The one downside is the prep time, especially for longer trips (prep time meaning, packing the food yourself into Ziplocs, which is usually measuring a bunch of things and dumping them together). The plus side at camp is that it's usually 1 Nalgene bottle + stove + pot + bag = dinner for two.

Enjoy,
-D

A lot of my standbys have been suggested, but might add that some granola and dried milk mixes up with water for a nice refreshing breakfast. I must mention that when I'm in bear country, which probably includes most all of the Colorado high country, I'm a little touchy about taking along tuna or cooking trout in camp. Also the bacon odor seems a little persistant. A while back I had a bear climb a tree trying to get to my food pouch and rummaged through camp. Ever since I've been a little paranoid about things.

I like to take pasta in ziplock bag. You don't have to worry about it getting smashed and it's good hot or cold. Also I like to take a small jar of peanutbutter. Actually I like to take just about anything since I can eat almost anything hot or cold. and the dogs carry all the food and water for the day so weight's not a problem.

Tuna Packets with stolen mayo packets. Hummus and other random small expanding items from the bulk organic isles. Hot multi-grain cereal..

But really, freeze dried mountain house meals. Especially the mac 'n cheese (most cals).

For winter treks involving some snowshoes- I make homemade cocoa, no sugar added variety..with heavy whipping cream(!) and agave nectar. 1 tbsp of cream=50 calories. Snowshoeing can burn 600 cal/hr. I feel like a nuclear powered sub with this in the backpack. First time I tried this, I never even broke out the granola bars-mid calf deep powder snow on Guanella pass. Didn't know why i was so sated through out the 4 hr excursion until i looked up the caloric value of cream.

For lunches? Keep it simple. Bagels, granola bars, gorps of various types, apples, summer snausage, some sort of hard cheese (I like Manchego), and a packet of EmergenC.