[pct-l] A Serious Challenge

[RJ Lewis]

Paul Mitchell wrote:
>> Maybe with some of your creativity here on the list, I can get some really
>>     
> good ideas to help me along here with my food ideas, cause that seems to be
> where I'm really really stuck so far in my planning for my own trip.
>
> Hello Ronnie
>
> Here's one way to avoid the worst of the junk:
>
> Start with the staples (good pasta, rice, etc) or side dishes/noodle boxes
> like annies pasta that don't have MSG or whatever else you can't eat.
>
> Then bring along a lot of extra sauces/spices etc, like hot sauce, mustard,
> etc.  Anything you can find to work with.  If you are a good cook, it's not
> too hard to find a lot of good stuff.  There are squeeze tubes of garlic
> paste, cilantro paste, pesto, hot pepper paste, etc and I'm pretty sure most
> of them don't have MSG.
>   
This is seriously where my biggest challenge will be, cause it's usually 
the sauces- the cream and tomato sauces that are the worst..soups too.  
Even those I create at home from scratch, so I may have to get seriously 
creative here.
> Then add freeze dried veggies and/or meats, tuna packs, etc.  By bringing
> along a bunch of bulk ingredients like this you can be quite creative.  In
> the sierras we found some green onions, which I combined with soy sauce, hot
> sauce, nut butter, nuts from my gorp, extra veggies, etc and made a satay
> sauce over pasta that was my fav meal of the trip.  Those hot sauce packets
> from McDonalds are super handy.
>
> Here are two suppliers of bulk freeze dried stuff that can really let you be
> creative out there.
>
> www.justtomatoes.com - excellent stuff.
> www.adventurefoods.com - terrible website, confusing, but reportedly very
> good quality stuff and PLENTY to choose from!
>
> It's well worth spending some money on these foods.  You might add a bunch
> to your shopping cart and get a bit of stick shock when it totals $150, but
> a little bit of the freeze dried stuff goes a long way and food is
> uber-important out there so you won't regret the expenditure.  Order quick
> cause time's running out!
>   
 I'm not making my hike til July 2008-- I have plenty of time for my 
supply. I still haven't figured out just how much I will eat out on the 
trail. I'm not a big eater to begin with. And, yes, I do remember that 
one has a rather hearty appetite when hiking all day!! *LOL* I have 
tried some of the Mountain House stuff that appealed to me by name, but 
haven't found much that appealed to my taste buds as of yet- oh yeah, I 
love good food, and am a good cook so I doubt there will be much of that 
stuff in my pack. Like you said, lazy nights only perhaps, or as an 
emergency stash. I'll have to try out some of the others too that are 
out there before summer's end.
> Be sure to add all the freeze dried ingredients to the water before you heat
> it up.  They don't reconstitute well if thrown directly in hot water.
>
> A lot of the packaged hiker meals are all natural too, but expensive and
> they can get old fast.  Still, keep a few in your bounce box as options for
> lazy dinner nights.
>
> Send your extra supplies along in a bounce box. When you get to a town that
> has some MSG-free food that you like (annies pasta, etc) add some to your
> bounce box for when you're in a town that has nothing but MSG ramen.  :-)
>   
 I figure if I can keep a 7 day rotation of meals or so, I will be a 
pretty happy camper. That is pretty much what I do at home, with a 
variation tossed in here and there. It seems to suit the other half 
here. I eat pretty simply and am happy with that style of eating.

Thanks a whole bunch for your help and suggestions!! Wow, alot of help 
in just a few short paragraphs...Amazing...hehe. I'm tickled pink. :)

> Cheers,
> Paul
>
> Here's an example:
>
> Bring along some tortillas, a foil pack of tuna, freeze dried onions or
> green onions, freeze dried cheese (or the real thing), mayo packets, hot
> sauce packets - you've got super yummy tuna-salad wraps, MSG free.  :-)
>   
I'm not a hot sauce fan, but I definitely see your point. ;) Thanks for 
all your help!

Peace!
Ronnie Jo
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