I need help with food ideas for my NOBO thru-hike!

Hey, guys. I need help with food selection for my thru-hike this year. I am so used to the amenities of my kitchen, that I admit I am a little daunted when it comes to keeping meals relatively interesting along the trail (i.e. not eating ramen all the time). I am not a picky eater, but I do like somewhat of a varied diet (within reason on the trail, I know). I plan on using an alcohol stove at least for the cooler months. If you guys can tell me a little about what you like to eat, for both summer and winter that would be great. Any ideas about what to buy and how to put meals together would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much.

http://www.onepanwonders.com/dinners.htm

Our two favorites:

ChiChi:
Snack Pack size bag Dorritoes crushed
Beef Ramen Noodles
Slim Jim
...Cook Ramen with Slim Jim, Crush Dorritoes on top prior to eating!

Taco Tuesday:
Instant mash potatoes
Taco Seasoning (Not much...needed...maybe tsp?)
Taco Bell Salsa packet (choose your flavor!)
Cook....
Add: Snack Size bag Fritoes

Mail drop food: Peanut butter, gorp, homemade power-cakes, jerky, powdered milk, various powdered soup mixes with dehydrated veggies, chocolate and candy bars of choice, fine cognac XO.

Town food pickup: eggs, fresh meat, produce, fruits, fast food, etc, etc.

....and Coffee, don't forget the coffee. Hot chocolate also.

TrailCooking.com has some great trail recipes. Even if you don't do FBC, it's always handy to have one or two on hand for those times when you're just too tired to cook a regular meal.

Also check out backpackingtrailchef.com. I got some great ideas there.

Mountain house has some great meals, and all that is required is hot water.

go to youtube and look at hungry hammock hangers post. he has some great meals that only cost about 1.10 a meal to make and the food is great

I'm not sure if most of the WB community doesn't like the website but www.backpackingchef.com has some great ideas, and they are all a canvas that you can add to or take away from. I just thought that I would bring it up because I haven't ever seen it mentioned before. As for recipes I like cheese grits with with black beans for breakfast. it's a perfect protein with the corn and beans and is a quick meal in the morning.

My favorite quick lunch was a ramen noodle sandwich. Pop the noodles open with your spoon handle like shucking an oyster then spread peanut butter or nutella on one side. Top it with other side and enjoy the crunchy goodness. Preferably while sitting atop a vista taking in the view- Yum!

Buy the book,Freezer Bag Cooking, by Sarah Svien Kirkconnell. You will be surprised at the wide selection of meals that can be put together in a one gallon freezer bags.

You mean one quart bags. :D One gallon bags will hold enough for five or six ravenous hikers.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Nitrojoe

Buy the book,Freezer Bag Cooking, by Sarah Svien Kirkconnell. You will be surprised at the wide selection of meals that can be put together in a one gallon freezer bags.

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Or you can preview select pages of the book first for free on Google Books:
http://books.google.com/books/about/...d=oTlQdlTVNS8C

My style is to hike without a stove and without mail drops, so I end up with whatever the local grocery store or gas station convenience store has on the shelves. I can almost always find my favorites: Tortillas, cheese, rolled oats, nuts, raisins, crackers, peanut butter if it's too hot for cheese, fig newtons, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables. I don't pack meals per se--I buy enough raw materials for the mileage and eat out of the bulk packages when I get hungry. This is an unusual diet and style, but very simple, efficient, and cheap.

I gather from your comment about carrying a stove in the colder weather that you might try stoveless in the summer. Good luck--it works very well for me.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Megapixel

http://www.onepanwonders.com/dinners.htm

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I'll second that. :cool:

I heard that the woman the runs that site is a little kooky though.

Only a little? ;)

Check out my blog on hiker food for some ideas

kraft mac and cheese, add a packet of tuna. Make it better by carrying some powdered milk and olive oil.
pad thai. (the kind that comes in a box.) Make it better by adding fresh baby carrots if you've come from town.
knorr sides. Make them better by adding nuts, extra cheese, some kind of meat (pepperoni, chicken in a packet, etc.)
I always had one Mountain House with each resupply. Polynesian Chicken and Beef Stroganoff were my faves. I would save these for long days, bad weather days, any day where I wanted to just boil water and have a delicious, salty, filling meal.