[at-l] re:food

[pmags at yahoo.com (Paul Magnanti)]

I recently organized a "Beginners Backpacking Trip"
for the outdoor group I am active with.  I was told th
doc I put together was fairly decent for getting the
basics in an easy to digest form. In any case here is
the blurb I put together about food. Hope it helps.


*********************
In my Boy Scout days, camp food was typically Spam,
canned beef stew, canned beans, etc.  When I started
backpacking, I thought that is what I was supposed to
bring. I found out in a hurry that there are easier to
cook and lighter foods to bring on a backpacking trip.
 Backpacking food should be high in calories, light
and easy to cook.  On a short trip such as we are
doing, packing a lightweight food that is high in
calories is not as critical, but it is still good to
keep these facts in mind. A can of tuna won’t hurt.
Packing five cans of Hormel “Big and Meaty” chili
might. 

One alternative is the “MountainHouse” type meals you
see for sale in such stores as EMS. These freeze-dried
meals taste halfway decent, are light and easy to
cook. (Just add boiling water!). Be warned, they are
VERY expensive.  But the convenience and ease of use
makes them a good choice for many people.
And on an overnight trip, the cost factor is not as
important.

The local grocery store has many items that work great
for backpacking meals. Instant oat meal, mac n’
cheese, candy bars, nuts, raisins, etc.  Without
spending as much money, you can pack some food that
packs a caloric punch without breaking the wallet and
offers more variety than the freeze-dried meals.

Another alternative is to make your own dehydrated
meals. With a food dehydrator you can make your own
fruit leathers (aka fruit roll-ups), dehydrated soups,
chili, sauces, etc. One memorable meal for me was
eating my homemade chili while watching the sunset
over Franconia Ridge in New Hampshire. Life (and the
chili) was good. 

Whatever strategy you decided to go with for food, the
rule of thumb is to pack 2 lbs of food/ day. You will
burn the calories while hiking, so plan accordingly. 
Backpacking is the time to indulge in your favorite
food. Burn the calories. Eat guilt free!

On a quick note, you will also want to eat all day.
Rather than stop for a long lunch, it is better to
“graze” all day. Munch on your trail mix. Eat some
cheese. Nosh on that bagel with peanut butter. This
fact is more important on long hiking days, but it is
still a good rule to keep in mind. Your body is a
furnace. And it needs fuel to run. While backpacking,
you will be burning a lot of fuel.  Stoke that
furnace! As my Grandma Magnanti would say: “Mangia!
Mangia!” 

Still not quite sure what to bring? Here is a sample
menu for an overnight trip using food bought at a
grocery store:

BREAKFAST: At home, before hitting the trail
SNACKS: Bagel with peanut-butter, trail mix (raisins,
nuts, M&Ms), granola bars ,cheese
DINNER:  1 pack Lipton’s Rice w/ Stove Top Stuffing,
add some raisins
BREAKFAST: Two packs instant oatmeal, some more trail
mix 
SNACKS: Beef jerky, dried fruit, cheese, bagel with
peanut butter, trail mix
DINNER: We did it! Your first overnight backpacking
trip! Pizza and beer at a local bar to celebrate!
*************

As an aside, this was pretty much my diet on two
thru-hikes. Though, I did tend to do a cold brekfast
rather than oatmeal.

As a further aside, if anyone is curious to read the
little primer I threw together, go to:

http://friends.backcountry.net/pmags/begbp.htm

It is aimed at people on their first overnight trip,
but maybe some people who want to thru-hike may gleen
some info from it. :-)

Mags

ps. (CHAOS = Colorado Hiking and Outdoor Society)


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The true harvest of my life is intangible.... a little stardust caught, a portion of the rainbow I have clutched
--Thoreau

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