[pct-l] Trail Meals/Food

[Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes]

On Mar 25, 2008, at 11:20 AM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:
>
>
> Trying to get my thoughts on food organized before I make a big  
> shopping
> trip. I thought I would poll you all for some new food ideas while out
> hiking. I will be using an alcohol stove and would like to build my  
> arsenal
> of good, healthy, hiker-friendly meals. So, what are your favorite  
> things to
> eat on trail?
>
> Pura vida
> Brian
>

I have been testing foods with the intention of not eating the same  
thing day after day. I have always done 4 or 5 day trips, never one  
this long, so I'm hoping to find things that are more natural and  
nutritious than the usual ramen and instant potatoes and instant mac  
and cheese I normally subsist on.

I have found that red lentils cook up very quickly, especially if you  
soak them in water during the day. They soften in a few hours. Yellow  
lentils would work too, but the normal kind and the french green kind  
take too long too cook.

Quinoa is ready to eat as soon as the water is boiling. It tastes  
really good, too. I have found quinoa flakes, which is instant. Just  
add hot water. I think the whole quinoa tastes better.

Cous-cous is nearly instant (pour hot water on it and wait a few  
minutes) and there's also Israeli cous-cous which looks like little  
pearls. It's just as quick as the finer stuff but seems completely  
different. I also found whole wheat cous-cous which ought to be more  
healthy if it really is whole wheat.

I intend to bring some seasoning, including dried onions and finely  
cut up dried tomatoes. I was not able to make dried pasta sauce in my  
dehydrator. The Asian food store has packets of Indian and Thai spice  
paste. It's expensive but just a dab of it will do, so in the end it  
might actually be cost-effective. Some spice paste comes in cans and  
if you can vacuum pack it this might cost less. Some of the Thai  
curries require coconut milk, but the Asian store has a coconut milk  
powder you can use instead which is ok. Most of these asian foods  
taste great with peanuts , peanut butter or cashews added.

The Asian market also had freeze-dried tofu blocks. And I believe  
that despite what the package says, miso keeps without refrigeration  
for a reasonable amount of time. I love a cup of miso soup to  
replenish my sodium and warm up in the evening when it starts to get  
cold. I have usually brought some very expensive powdered stuff  
called Miso Cup but I'm thinking it would be much more cost-effective  
to bring the real thing. Asian markets are a great place for unusual  
dried things. The mushrooms are delicious but you have to soak them  
during the day.

Other "seasoning" I've found are dried fruits called "Just Fruit". I  
think they are freeze dried. I like the berries. Just a few added to  
oatmeal or granola adds a ton of flavor and the stuff is practically  
weightless. Costs less than dehydrating your own fruit.

I would like some input on fats. I need more fats to make the food  
more satisfying. Squeeze Parkay and other disgusting things like  
squeezable cheese just gross me out. Got any better ideas?

Diane