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 right wingin', rock climbin', photo takin', computer geek
North Van, BC
Canada
742 Posts |
Posted - 09/09/2003 : 10:11 AM
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Ok. So my backcountry cooking experiences to date have been like this. I'll plan the route, and my hiking partners will plan the food. This has been a great arrangement and has worked fine...Until now that is, what with the CT hiking trip coming up. So, I'm in need of some help.
Simply put: What do you guys bring on your backcountry trips? I know all about Lipton Noodles, dehydrated soups, bagels, Quaker oatmeal, and hot chocolate. One friend of mine even brought along powdered milk and pancake mix. But after that, my knowledge and/or imagination runs dry.
So I'm turning to you guys here. What do you buy? What does your shopping list look like? I've bought a couple of those dehydrated meals from MEC before, but they are expensive and I'd much rather buy 'real' food and preapre it on my own. Plus that way I'll learn a thing or two as well.
Thank you, oh great and knowledgeable CT'ers!!!
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 double-double seeking, snow-chasing, short-cutting, vertical feet collector
4523 Posts |
Posted - 09/09/2003 : 12:51 PM
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I bring real food.
hiking trip: sandwiches and an apple, and ample quantitites of water. Owning a water filter helps :)
backpacking: ziplock is wonderful!! cooked chicken, cooked pasta, cooked vegetables, spices in little containers, sauces... then just throw things into the pot to reheat, not cook from scratch. Emphasis is on light-weight containers (did I mention that ziplock is wonderful?) rather than mess with bottles, cans, etc...
I never used to bring seafood to the backcountry, but now there's tuna in pouches - that's new as of a year ago, no need to carry empty tin cans out of the backcountry, just carry back empty pouches (in empty ziplocks).
This approach means I am cooking at home a little more, instead of cooking in the field.
Hope this provides you with some alternatives MecKid - I am assuming that you are not bringing fishing gear with you to the backcountry (now there's a thought)
cheers ! C Wall
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Vancouver, BC
Canada
3 Posts |
Posted - 09/09/2003 : 11:46 PM
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DO NOT BUY THE MEC FOOD - it's unbelievably expensive!! For dinner you can use any of the Uncle Benn's or Sidekicks dehydrated rice or pasta meals available at most stores (Real Canadian Superstore is the cheapest). One of my favourite recipes is salami (Landjaeger are fab and do not require refridgeration) chopped into Uncle Benn's quick cook cheese and brocoli rice (very light to pack and high in protein and calories!). Seawallrunner mentioned the tuna packs which are excellent thrown into one of these meals. Sometimes a fresher pasta meal is good, dried pasta, olive oil, lots of garlic and chilli with parmesan cheese all pre-prepared in ziplocks. After dinner, Drambuie is a good tipple, and Kaluha works well in hot chocolate. For snacks I always take lots of trail mix, gummi bears and granola/power bars. For lunch I like to take Marmite/Vegemite, butter and bagels. Breakfast consists of cookies, Quaker maple oatmeal and tea with powdered milk and sugar. For water I recommend the "Pristine" treatment drops - way easier than a filter, with no bad taste.
Hope this helps MecKid, enjoy!
PineNut
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right wingin', rock climbin', photo takin', computer geek
North Van, BC
Canada
742 Posts |
Posted - 09/10/2003 : 09:46 AM
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Thanks C-wall and PineNut. Excellent suggestions. I do have a couple of questions though:
C-wall, you mentioned ziplocks a couple of times in your post. Were you speaking of the ziplock tupperware containers, or the ziplock bags themselves? And...
PineNut, you mentioned pasta meals in your post. Would these meals be pre-cooked link C-wall talks about, or would you get all the ingreidents mixed up, and then dump the whole kit-and-kabootle into the pot while out in the field?
Thanks again!
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Vancouver, BC
Canada
3 Posts |
Posted - 09/10/2003 : 3:33 PM
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Hi MecKid,
I cook all my meals in the field (I like it better that way, but it’s up to you whatever you prefer). I try and prep everything before I go, e.g. peeled garlic in ziplock etc. For the packet meals there ain’t too much prep but you need to take butter to add to them. I put all the packets/ingredients for each evening meal into a large ziplock bag (e.g. day 1, day 2 etc.) so you just pull out a different bag each night, throw everything in the pot and hey presto .. your delicious meal is ready. You can then use the large ziplock bag that contained the meal as a garbage bag.
More meal ideas are:
Idaho dehydrated potatoes, they come in plain, garlic and cheese flavour. I have only tried the plain, I fried some garlic in butter before adding the milk powder / water and dried potato. It’s yummy, really quick to cook and goes great with real sausages, salami or tuna. mmmm I’m getting hungry!
I always take a bag of pre-grated cheddar/parmesan cheese, it can’t hurt to add to most meals right?
If you really want a treat you can buy foil wrapped salmon that keeps unrefridgerated, although you may need to watch out for bears!
As for Seawallrunner’s question, I store most things in ziplock bags (ziplocks really are wonderful) unless it’s something that may get sticky/messy (e.g. Marmite), then I use small plastic tubs and put them in a ziplock too. If you’re unsure about something, double bag it. I also try and re-use as many ziplocks as I can, to be kinder to the environment.
That’s all for now, I hope that answers all you questions MecKid.
Have a very tasty, tummy-filling trip,
PineNut
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double-double seeking, snow-chasing, short-cutting, vertical feet collector
4523 Posts |
Posted - 09/10/2003 : 6:00 PM
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hi guys,
like PineNut, I like to use ziplock bags. I prefer to use as little space as possible for food - the ziplock tupperware is great for work or school, but the tupperware will use excess space in a backpack (and there's never excess space in a backpack!  )
But unlike PineNut, I pre-cook at home, and reheat in the field. Fewer variables to worry about (like packing dry pasta and running out of fuel, or out of water...)
cheers !! C Wall
(also getting hungry - great suggestions PineNut!)
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right wingin', rock climbin', photo takin', computer geek
North Van, BC
Canada
742 Posts |
Posted - 09/11/2003 : 11:48 AM
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Wow, these are all great suggestions. Thank you very much  . I'll definitely have some new ideas of what to cook now. And with the CT hike up the Stein around the bend, the timing couldn't be better. Although I think from now on I shouldn't read this forum so close to lunch - someone's getting hungy 
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Port Moody, BC
Canada
458 Posts |
Posted - 09/14/2003 : 9:17 PM
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I always to a vegetarian chilli for the first or second night... I cook it a couple of nights before, DOUBLE ziplock it, freeze it and then put it in my pack before the hike... depending on the weather it will stay for two days... being frozen, it also keeps other foods cool... it is a welcomed meal with pumpernickle bread and creme cheese... Ingredients are easy... onions, garlic, green and red peppers, can of tomatos, can of kidney beans, and whatever spices you want... you can add lentils as well if you have a well aired tent... It may be a little heavy if you are doing food for over three days, but the nice thing is that it requires no water... Enjoy...
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
Albert Einstein
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10 Posts |
Posted - 09/14/2003 : 10:40 PM
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How do you pack the butter so it doesn't become a small puddle in the ziplock? or do you just let it melt and get all smooshed up?
DJ
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Night owl posting,Subie driving, backpacking Dad who is perpetually trying to catch up to his kids on the trail.
Vancouver, BC
Canada
3055 Posts |
Posted - 09/14/2003 : 11:31 PM
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quote:
How do you pack the butter so it doesn't become a small puddle in the ziplock? or do you just let it melt and get all smooshed up?
DJ
I used Coghlan tubes. However, the problem with butter wasn't so much the melting as the solidifying. In cold weather I was splitting the tubes trying to get the stuff to squeeze. I finally gave up and resorted to Becel margarine in a tube.
"Aging ... it beats the alternative" |
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10 Posts |
Posted - 09/15/2003 : 09:56 AM
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As I am new to the whole cooking thing, indoors or out... where do I get a hold of the tube stuff?
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3 Posts |
Posted - 09/28/2003 : 4:37 PM
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Hi
Just some more food suggestions:
There is a store on broadway and Stephens-just east of Macdonald (I think) called broadway specialty foods and they sell all manner of exciting outtrip foods in bulk in case you get bored of pasta and rice pilaf, including:
DINNERS
_I like to have a soup to start with for rehydration and as an emergency meal
-veggie burger mix (add water, fry patties, eat with pita/tortilla, cheese, cuke, onion, condiments. This is good, but it really needs some kind of moist vegetable to be palatable, so don't make it when you can't afford to carry the weight of say, a cucmber
-falafel mix
-tabbouleh mix
-couscous
-dried veggie chili mix (make sure you rehydrate completely or your tentmates and anyone behind you on the trail the next day will suffer mightily
-lentils cook quickly and are tasty and protein-rich (with another grain)
_if you have more room, or weight is not as much of a concern (paddling/short trips) stir fry with a sauce you throw together at home, or a curry with curry paste, dried coconut milk, vegetables and a bean,
I also like to bring seeds and nuts (sunflower, pumpkin, almonds, cashews) to add to my dinner for protein, fat, flavour and crunchy goodness
Also, you can salvage just about anything given cheese and garlic powder
BREAKFASTS
-pancake mix is good if you have lots of time
-So is burritoes, with dried eggs, fried garlic, salsa, dried refried beans, tortillas, whatever else you like. You can make your own tortillas with cornflower and salt if you're really leisurely
-I worked at a summer camp where we made "fried granola": melt peanut butter with some butter/margarine, add brown sugar or honey, mix in some granola and choccolate chips. This will get you going like you wouldn't believe.
-plain granola and powdered milk is nice too
-oatmeal/red river/cream of wheat with dried fruit, nuts, dried milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, whatever else you like
-"apple crapple": melt marg/butter with brown sugar, add in some rolled oats, cook for a bit, add some dried or fresh apple slices and cinnamon
LUNCHES
Bread product: wasa, stoned wheat thins, bagels, pitas, tortillas, heavy backpacking bread
Spreads: hommous powder (just add water-delicious, light, easy to clean), PB, jam, honey, salsa, cream cheese, mustard
Solids: cheese, onion, cucumber, tuna packages, sausage
HOT DRINKS
Hot chocolate, coffee, tea, cider mix
DESSERTS
-you can make pudding with dried milk by shaking it in a water bottle and leaving it in a cold river
-no-bake cheesecake
OK, that pretty much exhausts my idea inventory. Good luck.
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Night owl posting,Subie driving, backpacking Dad who is perpetually trying to catch up to his kids on the trail.
Vancouver, BC
Canada
3055 Posts |
Posted - 09/29/2003 : 12:48 AM
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quote:
As I am new to the whole cooking thing, indoors or out... where do I get a hold of the tube stuff?
Just about any outdoor gear shop will have Coghlan tubes or some similar product. They are thin plastic tubes with a screw top on one end and the other end is open. You fill what ever squeezable product you want (e.g. peanut butter) in the open end and then fold it over and close with a plastic clip.
"Aging ... it beats the alternative" |
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93 Posts |
Posted - 09/29/2003 : 08:02 AM
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Here's a tip for using the tubes. When you want to fill them, screw on the lid and then stand them open-side up in a heavy glass tumbler or tall mug. That makes it stand up while you are filling it and you can use two hands.
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93 Posts |
Posted - 09/29/2003 : 08:03 AM
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Oh, I forgot to add to the above message. When it comes time to clean out the tubes, a baby bottle cleaning brush works wonderfully.
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 Trail cuttin, GPS packin bushwhacker, wiki hike compilin, who is now Hope-less
2543 Posts |
Posted - 10/06/2003 : 12:36 AM
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So here's the million dollar question... what do you take on a backpacking trip when you're severely allergic to MSG?
Whenever I have that evil substance I get this whole jeckll and hyde thing going on, getting just grumpy, crabby, and a nasty headache. Many, many dried/instant foods are loaded with MSG (tricks your brain into thinking its actually good).
The other question I have is that there was alot of perishable foods listed - wouldn't taking baggies of precooked foods make you extremely sick due to the lack of refrigeration.. or is there some sort of backpack cooler I'm unaware of?
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double-double seeking, snow-chasing, short-cutting, vertical feet collector
4523 Posts |
Posted - 10/06/2003 : 07:19 AM
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hi Shadowchaser, pre-cooking foods reduces some of the risks of food spoilage. Cooking kills the bacteria, sealing food well in the ziplock bags prevents new bacteria from coming in. Reheating in the field kills any remaining bacteria and warms the food to a yummy level.
My backpacking experience was mostly acquired over winters - so there's a big natural fridge outdoors while I hike and camp 
During a summer backpack I've frozen foods before heading out, and let them thaw slowly.
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bushy faced bright pink and orange sporting snow shoveling slacker
Seattle, WA
USA
572 Posts |
Posted - 10/06/2003 : 08:34 AM
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Shadowchaser,
re: MSG, check out natural food stores. You may have better luck there. MSG is a natural by-product of some foods (fish, I think), so avoidance of it isn't entirely possible. The concentration of added MSG is generally what causes people problems. If you want to buy pre-packaged meals for backpacking that are free of MSG, check out (yes, time for yet another plug for 'em) http://www.maryjanesfarm.org. 100% organic freeze dried foods that taste good. They are all vegetarian or vegan, but a little home-dried meat fixes that. I believe you can get some of her stuff from MEC. That route may be less expensive than ordering to ship into Canada.
As for taking perishables, as C-wall stated, winter is the best time to do it because of the cold temps. You can take them other times of the year, but you have to be more careful. Some suggestions I tend to follow in doing this:
- multi-package, or vacuum-seal the food and freeze it a few days before you leave for the trip. Zip lock bags are great, but they don't always seal entirely, double-bagging helps with possible leaks. I prefer vacuum sealing. Use a good sealer (such as the Food Saver you can get at Costco)
- Take the food from the freezer right before you leave and transport it to the trailhead in a cooler
- Try to get the frozen/perishable food more towards the center of the pack so it's a bit more insulated
- Create a natural "refrigerator" at camp: use a creek, lake or snow to keep the food cold
- Cook the food thoroughly
Going by these, I've grilled steaks in the backcountry, had friends do game hens on a fire three days out from the car.
harder cheeses can last longer without refrigeration, as can cured/smoked/dried meats.
It's not too difficult to do this. You have to plan a little bit more. It's a lot more work than grabbing a pasta meal off the shelf at the grocery.
*****
A trip is about the journey as much, if not more than about the destination. What is the joy in reaching your destination if you've ignored everything along the way?
Alex Lowe said it best: "The best climber is the one having the most fun." |
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Calgary, AB
Canada
136 Posts |
Posted - 04/02/2004 : 1:27 PM
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Where can I find the no bake cheese cake? I have read and heard of it. I have asked people in several health food stores. They look at me like I am crazy. I have looked in MEC and grocery stores (Safeway). Is there a particular brand that is superior?
Barry
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May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds.
- Edward Abbey |
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Victoria, B.C.
Canada
14 Posts |
Posted - 04/16/2004 : 03:43 AM
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| Backcountry pantry is the brand I think. Give robinsons in victoria a call @ 250-385-3429 |
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30 Posts |
Posted - 04/30/2004 : 4:11 PM
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If you have access to a dehydrator, you can also make and dehydrate your own homemade chili, spaghetti sauce, jerky. etc. and have tasty meals (just rehydrate with boiling water) on the trail. Three major benefits of this: no MSG, it's relatively cheap, and, a big plus, it keeps your weight down. (Plus no worry of food poisoning.) Also, for no MSG, check out some "make a mix" recipe web sites for your own homemade spice blends, that you can add to your own pasta, instant rice, dried potato flakes ,etc.
I'm heading out on the West Coast Trail next week, and this is what we are doing. We also will be Ziploc bagging everything.
Everybody has one large Ziploc bag per day, each containing smaller Ziploc bags containing labelled for that days Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snacks and Beverages.
This way with menu planning, you know you have enough food, and there will be no nasty surprises of hiking out the last day or two on an empty stomach. (I know people who made that mistake, and had no choice but to hike out hungry and cranky.)
As well, if a certain menu item doesn't appeal to you at one meal, just swap it for another one out of a different day's Ziploc baggie.
Beverages: tea, coffee (and powdered milk and sug
ar), hot choc., ice tea /juice cystals, water.
Breakfasts: instant oatmeal, bagels, dried fruit, etc.
Lunches: bagels, cream cheese, pepperoni sticks, Landjaeger sausages, etc.
Dinners: various rice mixes, noodle mixes, instant mashed potaotoes, dried soup mixes, etc. supplemented by smoked salmon, various canned meats (heavier, but much cheaper than pouches, and your pack weight is dropping daily as you consume your meals), as well as our wonderful homemade dehydrated chilis, sauces, etc.
Snacks: whatever you personally fancy, (and don't mind carrying as weight), including but not limited to: trail mix, granola bars, crackers, cookies, choc. bars, Cliff bars, dried fruit, hard candy, protein bars, etc.
My own personal treat will be fresh fruit. (It's heavy, but worth it. ) I'm going to take 4 small oranges, and 4 small Gala apples, and will enjoy these immensely at the end of every day.
Hope this gives you ideas.
Cheers! |
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New to Backcountry Cooking - Help!
