Backpacking Overnighter - Backpacking Foods

Somehow I got a years subscription to Backpacker Magazine awhile ago, and really enjoyed reading through the articles about all the awesome adventures awaiting out there!  But, one of the best things I got out of it was some of their backpacking food ideas.  I ripped them out of the magazine and filed them away for the next backpacking trip I'd go on.  There was simple stuff like using the tuna in a pouch from the store and adding pasta and seasonings to make a pasta meal.  The tuna weighed some, but in all reality, if you're backpacking where you might be able to fish, then you could do the pasta with the fish you catch just as easy.

We've tried the packages of freeze-dried meals (mostly the dinners) and have done just fine - in fact usually had too much food and ended up taking some of it home.  The nice thing about them is that they are so lightweight, and that for most of them, you boil water in a pot and dump it into the pouch the dinner comes in and let it sit for 10 minutes or so.  Then you either eat or serve out of the pouch and you don't get the pot dirty.  The bummer is that it is expensive.

Freeze Dried Meal, 2 servings for $8

So, here's a list of meals I typically try to pull from for backpacking trips.  Feel free to use whatever you want, and add whatever you want on your own trip.

Breakfasts

• Instant Oatmeal
• Instant Grits
• Instant Cream of Wheat

Lunches

• Munchies
• GORP (Good Old Raisins and Peanuts)
• Granola Bars
• String Cheese (individually packaged will stay good for over a week, just in your bag)
• Crackers (a sleeve of Ritz will go a long ways)
• Cheese to go with the Ritz (weighs a lot, but it's pretty good)
• Summer Sausage with the Ritz (weighs a lot, but it's worth it)
• Jerky
• Bagels

Dinners

• Lipton Noodle packets are lightweight, and "just add hot water"
• Hamburger Helper are also good, but you'll need to precook the hamburger and dehydrate it beforehand
• Raman Noodles
• Stove-Top Stuffing (sounds weird, but it's good)
• Tin-foil dinners if you're not hiking too far (heavy, and the meat may go bad if it's left out too long)
• Freeze-Dried Meals
• Macaroni and Cheese
• Pasta Creation (whatever secret recipes you have that you might be able to adapt for low weight)

Eating Utensils

I like to bring up just a bowl, cup and spoon.  Almost everything you eat while backpacking can be eaten with just a bowl, cup and spoon.  You may need to use your pocketknife at times, but you'll get along alright.

For my bowl and cup, I shop at a dollar store, and buy a plastic (tupperware type) bowl and cup (they usually come in 4/dollar packs).  They are totally lightweight, and the plastic keeps your hands from getting burnt on hot liquids (compared to the metal scout mess kits).  On my cup, I measure and mark beforehand lines on the cup to measure a cup or 2 of water.

For my spoon, I actually use the Light My Fire Spork.  It's only a couple of bucks, and it's pretty sturdy and long enough to use for a mixing spoon if need be.

Light My Fire Spork

Cooking Utensils

I can get by on most trips with just a pot to boil water in.  Sometimes I'll bring a pot, and a small kettle if we're going to have 2 stoves.  My pot is 2 Liters, and my kettle is 0.9 Liter.  Both are aluminum and weigh hardly anything.  I will sometimes bring a large, lightweight spoon to stir contents in the pot, but it's not always necessary.

0.9 Liter lightweight kettle (Primus, $20)

RETURN TO BACKPACKING OVERNIGHTER

Pin It