[at-l] thru-hike question: resupply tactics

[gwright@connix.com (gwright@connix.com)]

Slyatpct@aol.com writes:
> > .  I'd rather use the NOLS-type ration system
> > with good basic foods, 
> 
> Before I can begin to answer,  what would they be?  

NOLS = National Outdor Leadership School

>From the introduction of NOLS Cookery by Claudia Person:

	Each year, approximately 2,600 students attend NOLS courses.
	The majority of these courses last thirty-one days.  How
	does NOLS plan meals for so many people over such a long
	period?  Each course is divided into cook groups of two to
	four individuals, and each cook group is given a wide
	selection of bulk foods and spices.  Teere are no set
	menus. The students decide what meals to prepare with the
	raw materials they are provided.

	We call this method NOLS bulk rationing...

The book goes on to explain how to divide up your pounds of food
per day per person into various groups.  For example, the
food supply for a person eating two pounds of food per day would 
be something like:

Breakfast			5 x .33 = 1.65
Dinner				5 x .35 = 1.75
Cheese				5 x .24 = 1.20
Trail Foods			5 x .37 = 1.85
Flour and baking		5 x .16 =  .80
Sugar/Fruit Drinks		5 x .14 =  .70
Soups/bases/dessert		5 x .13 =  .65
Milk, eggs, margarine, cocoa	5 x .28 = 1.40

Totals				5 x 2   =10.00

In this system, the 1.75 pounds for dinner would consist
of some mixture of rice, pasta, beans, couscous, and so on.
Similarly for breakfast (oatmeal, granola, pancake mix, etc).

This method is best viewed in contrast to a menu-planning where
each meal is planned ahead of time or is purchased pre-packaged
(commercial dehydrated/freeze-dried meals for example).