View Full Version : What is the most simple menu you've ever tried?
David S.
09-22-2005, 01:21
I've have long fancied the idea of literally, as I think John Muir once said...
"I never took much time to prepare for a trip—just long enough to throw bread and tea in an old sack and jump over the back fence."
In all seriousness, why not? Especially if its only a weekend trip. Would a loaf of bread, some cheese and some water be sufficent?
I'm just curious, what is the most basic menu you have ever subsisted on during a several day backpacking trip? Would you do it again? Did it add or take away from the experience?
Finally, have you ever gone out for more than a day with nothing more than just water. A fasting weekend in the forest so to speak?
not camping, but on a deployment to a really hot dry place with the army once, i lived on water and mostly mre crackers and cheese for a few weeks once... lost 10% of my body weight, and i was lean to begin with...
there were some other extenuating circumstances, but it took me 6 months to get my system 'regular' again, 2 months before i could eat three meals a day, and 1 month to get down more than a sandwich at a time... not sure what happened to me, but quite frankly, it sucked, and i wouldn't do it again... even camping...
eat healthy and take care of your body. it's the only one you get. (this time around anyway). yeah, you can live for a few days on bread and cheese and water... but lipton is lighter, tastier, and probably healthier.
Bread and butter, cheese, a little jam for dessert, and tea.
It actually worked quite well over a three day trip.
PKH
hikerdude
09-22-2005, 10:14
You can do it. but you will get sick. I have found my body addicted to sugars and fats. And Cold Turkey was tough kicking the habit and was sick for 6 months. I didn't loose any weight after I got normal size about 20 pounds less. Now this is what you wanted to know. After 6 months to a year and a half. Of bread and water and a vegatarian diet. Screw those diet books to, I just eat pure clean food. I can't even eat fast food with out getting sick and knoted up from the posion. So you can do it. but if you go to the restaurants the food will make you sick. But your doctor will say, Oh no your in as good a shape as Lance Armstong with the heart rate of a 14 year old. Just what the others in my age group spite. So I would advise you as to eat lots of high fat and sugar foods and be like everyone else.
Look I know John Muir mixed flour with water and drank it for months at a time. and that's what drove him is so few a words.
I put myself on a limb agian, making myself out a freak or WATERBOY. But I find it funny. But now you see why I kind of hike so much. Only place to go anymore If your not addicted to sugar and fat no more. I don't expect 90% of you to agree with me cause most people can't quit smoking 3 months yet alone quit fat and sugar for a year and a half and where do you start? Its hard to do in a world of sugar and fat addicts. The more greens and less beer you drink with half the can sugar, the more will spite you.
rgarling
09-22-2005, 10:24
for section hikes of 8 to 10 days (daily ration):
3 oz. mixed nuts, 3 oz beef jerky, 4 oz pretzel nubs, 1 pack granola bars, 2 ms field's cookies (or equivalent), coffee with 2 packages of hot chocolate.
sometimes supplemented with a couple of snickers bars...
provides enough go-power for about 15 miles / day
The Solemates
09-22-2005, 10:41
i feel like i subsist on very little on the trail anyways. since I lift weights regularly at home, my diet is about 2-3 times that of a normal person. so going hiking and eating lots compared to others still leaves me hungry. a typical diet for me at home looks like this:
Breakfast
6 egg whites
4 pieces of toast
Snack
Apple
Pre-Workout Meal
chicken breast
Orange
Granola Bar
Post-Workout Meal
Tuna Packet in Water
4 egg whites
3 oz raw almonds
banana
Snack
granola bar
apple
Supper
16 oz steak
brown rice
broccoli
Snack
2 egg whites
While a typical diet on the trail may consist of:
Breakfast
2 packets oatmeal
2 fruit bars
Lunch
tuna pack in water
peanut butter crackers
gorp
4 candy bars
sour candy
cookies
Supper
Rehydrated Soup
1 candy bar
Quite a change between the two.
The Solemates
09-22-2005, 10:41
for section hikes of 8 to 10 days (daily ration):
3 oz. mixed nuts, 3 oz beef jerky, 4 oz pretzel nubs, 1 pack granola bars, 2 ms field's cookies (or equivalent), coffee with 2 packages of hot chocolate.
sometimes supplemented with a couple of snickers bars...
provides enough go-power for about 15 miles / day
i just cant believe this....
HikeLite
09-22-2005, 11:11
I guesstimate rgarlings daily calories to be around 2000 per day and not over 2500.
My problem with simple food is it doesn't satisfy my inner wants..what I mean by that, is for me, part of living is the smell, the texture and the taste of food. Sure I could eat 5 king size candy bars a day and be just dandy-but there is something about a hot meal at night, that fills you up.
For me, simple is just not having a complicated meal-ie..dirty pans and cleanup ;)
Once did a three day, two night trip and only ate "draitch". That's oatmeal mixed with cold water. I had read that some prince, a Stuart I think, lived on it when in exile in Scotland, in olden times.
All I can say for it is that it will keep you alive and will keep you regular.
When I got back to civilization, I had a giant liverwurst hero and a banana boat. It was immense.
for section hikes of 8 to 10 days (daily ration):
3 oz. mixed nuts, 3 oz beef jerky, 4 oz pretzel nubs, 1 pack granola bars, 2 ms field's cookies (or equivalent), coffee with 2 packages of hot chocolate.
sometimes supplemented with a couple of snickers bars...
provides enough go-power for about 15 miles / dayI could do this for a day, maybe two days if it was the end of a hike, but as soon as I got out of the woods I'd find an AYCE and drive them to bankruptcy.
Never in a million years could I get by on so little for for 8 to 10 days.
alalskaman
09-24-2005, 03:12
Pemmican...dried meat mixed with fat. Lots of calories, not much weight. Don't try it if you are used to eating lots of sugars and starches...you will feel lousy for a couple of weeks. But due to diabetes and blood sugar issues, that's the way I eat all the time anyway...Idiosyncratic, I know, but it works for me.
hikerdude
09-24-2005, 13:33
I might go a little overboad. But really they only spite you at first. After a year and a half everyone gets used to you saying no to booze and sugar and fats. And here are a bunch of us here to. I knew this one guy hiking the whole A-T. Said he ate dog food cause it has all the nutrition. Of couse you don't believe it. They he takes out the label on the back of a dog food bag and showes me the vitamins and protien levels and then you wander. So I relax, I'm not filthy rich cattle drive and after a while he brings out his dog food bag and started eating dog food and of couse asked me if I want to try it.
saimyoji
09-25-2005, 12:43
Yeah, the thing about dog food is that its packed with nutritious stuff....FOR A DOG. Humans have different dietary needs.
I'd like to quote Crocodile Dundee on this one: "You can live on it, but it tastes like *****." :datz
Spirit Walker
09-25-2005, 13:17
I met a kid on the AT several years ago who was out for three days and was carrying only 9 peanut butter sandwiches - one per meal. I imagine he ended up very hungry.
Big Dawg
09-25-2005, 14:51
Dog food is for,,, uhh,,,, DOGS. Shewwwww,,, I can't imagine.......:eek:
jackiebolen
09-25-2005, 22:08
On most trips under a week or so I just bring straight trail mix. As in I go through my cupboard and freezer, find anything that will remotely count as "trail-mixy" and throw it in. Some recent things have included coconut, tortilla chips, raisin bran, almond flakes, etc, etc.
briarpatch
09-25-2005, 23:52
When I was in college, more years ago than I care to think about, I would frequently decide to do a weekend in the Cohuttas on short notice, and shorter funds. I would buy a load of raisin bread, a jar of peanut butter, and a pick up some honey or jelly packets from the cafeteria breakfast line. I would make the whole loaf into peanut butter sandwiches, and carry the honey to add as needed at meal time. It was OK fare for a day or 3, but would get old in a hurry on a longer trip. Plus, nutrition wise, 3 days of it was not gonna hurt me in the long run.
instant grits and ramens go a log ways.................
fiddlehead
09-26-2005, 17:43
I knew a guy who i hiked with in 96 (PCT) who was a Vegan. a few years later, he came to the east coast to do the LT. He was eating ONLY ground up beef mixed with lard!!! Well, he didn't finish the long trail. said it was tough. I later saw him on the CDT and he was carrying normal hiking food. Last i heard he was a monk.
My point is, the beef and lard was supposed to feed him for the whole 200+ miles.
It did not
the goat
09-26-2005, 18:11
i resupplied at a gas station in '01 (troutville, i belive?)...anyways, i ended up living on slim jims, vienna sausages, snickers and peanut butter crakers for a few days....last time i'll do that.:datz
Spirit Walker
09-26-2005, 18:19
On an overnight trip in the Grand Canyon I just carried a bag of gorp for lunch, dinner and breakfast. I was hungry when I reached the Rim, but I was able to pack really light.
saimyoji
09-27-2005, 00:10
On a one night trip up Tetas de Cabras (1200 ft climb) in San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico: a sixer of Tecate packed in ice, tortillas and a pack of ham.
David S.
09-27-2005, 01:17
On a backpacking trip a few months ago, I took a big bag of homemade trail mix....it consisted of a big bag of Combo's, a bag of Chex Party mix (cheese flavor) and a can of Cashews. I don't know about nutritious...all I know is that at every meal, I went straight for that bag and found it very satisfying over the next three days. Though it wasn't the only thing I ate, I feel like I could have subsisted on it for 3-4 days without growing tired of it. I find that my cravings change on the trail...usually for something savory...but sometimes I crave something wet like a big fruit salad or something. Chocolet is always welcome to the taste buds as well.
rgarling
09-27-2005, 10:57
>>> I guesstimate rgarlings daily calories to be around 2000 per day and not over 2500.
Good guess. I try for 2250 - 2500 per day. Over a 100-130 mile section, I usually lose about 3 pounds. Somewhere on a section I pick up some extra calories at a restaurant. (On my last section that was a cheezeburger @ mountain momma's)
I'm just curious, what is the most basic menu you have ever subsisted on during a several day backpacking trip?
Breakfasts: Off the shelf granolla
Snacks: Little Debbie
Lunches: Pita and Deviled Chicken Spread or Peanut Butter
Dinners: Bag ofLiptons with can of tuna, ham, chicken
Would you do it again?
Why not?
1) Complicated breakfasts can be a pain. Granola is good dry, better with cold water, and best with hot water. Dried milk is a waste unless you need the calories.
2) Deviled chicken is moist, and therefore palatable. I really won't make you gag.
3) Cans are not all that much more heavy than a pouch, mice proof, and guarantee food even if you don't have fire.
EDIT: Just read the entire thread. I guess my simple menue is really very complicated!
titeloops
10-07-2005, 19:43
I like lipton pasta sides and raman noodles just don,t add the flavor packs that comes with the raman noddles.Mix the two together and add some tuna.Why make it hard, those people telling you about how little they are living on are not hiking from Springer Mountain to Pearisburg Va in 26 days. Hard to enjoy your hike when your starving.
Titeloops
KS_Rockstar
10-07-2005, 20:20
ive done 48 hours with just water but not hiking. i suppose you could get away with a day or two on nothing but water but it would suck. if you were trying to do any real hiking, you would be a wreck without some carbs. any serious distance or speed and you would really need some protien as well.
a loaf of bread and some water for a day or two, sure but not much fun imo.