Food items you abo****ely can't be without on a long hike.

[Different Socks]

For those of us that still do food drops, I would like to know what one or 2 or even 3 things must be absolutely in each food drop. Essential to the point that it is the first thing out of the box and you eat it right at that moment if you can or the first night back on the trail.
For me essential food items would be

--rice crispie treats eaten right out of the box.
--Lipton/Knorr Cheddar Broccoli
--brownies/cupcakes/muffins to bake on the trail
--full container of PB M&M's/nuts/craisins/gummy bears
--cans of sardines
--Fastbreak candybars

My absolute list! What's yours?

[Different Socks]

For those of us that still do food drops, I would like to know what one or 2 or even 3 things must be absolutely in each food drop. Essential to the point that it is the first thing out of the box and you eat it right at that moment if you can or the first night back on the trail.
For me essential food items would be

--rice crispie treats eaten right out of the box.
--Lipton/Knorr Cheddar Broccoli
--brownies/cupcakes/muffins to bake on the trail
--full container of PB M&M's/nuts/craisins/gummy bears
--cans of sardines
--Fastbreak candybars

My absolute list! What's yours?

OOPS! on the OP title!

[Blissful]

For those of us that still do food drops, I would like to know what one or 2 or even 3 things must be absolutely in each food drop. Essential to the point that it is the first thing out of the box and you eat it right at that moment if you can or the first night back on the trail.
For me essential food items would be

--rice crispie treats eaten right out of the box.
--Lipton/Knorr Cheddar Broccoli
--brownies/cupcakes/muffins to bake on the trail

My absolute list! What's yours?

You bake brownies on the trail?!?

For me in a maildrop it's more essentials like my medicines and a roll of TP along with some standard trail food items I can't get in towns. Fun food items I want to eat right away I get in town, including something to drink besides water. That and a good meal.

[hikerboy57]

nido.
microwave bacon.
cashews.
lobster .
okay no lobster.

[Different Socks]

You bake brownies on the trail?!?

YEP! And I have them with frosting too. Also make nobake cheesecakes and PB pies/cookie and cream pies. Funny thing is that when I pull them out to make them, people around me look at me like I am nuts to carry it, but then they catch the aroma of the fresh baked goods and the begging begins!

[Different Socks]

nido.
microwave bacon.
cashews.
lobster .
okay no lobster.

What's a Nido?

[Sandy of PA]

Nido is powered whole milk. I crave banana chips and walnuts.

[Lone Wolf]

gummi bears

[annamagpie]

Well, it won't be next year til I hike it, but I am dehydrating like crazy because I plan on eating like a queen. But I'm gonna say, buffalo jerky (I'm from South Dakota), and maybe some nuun tablets for when I want a different flavor of water than..water.(love this banana)

[Marmaduke]

Gatorade powder to spruce up any water that might taste a bit off........and lots of homemade beef jerky.

[fredmugs]

Nothing. I like to mix it up.

[Double Wide]

Jack Links Carne Seca spicy beef jerky. Holy cow that stuff is good!

[max patch]

Knob Creek cuz ya just can't find it everywhere.

[Slo-go'en]

Knob Creek cuz ya just can't find it everywhere.

Yep, while you can now get beer most places along the trail in NC, hard liqueur is still outlawed. There was a time, back in the dark ages, when you couldn't even buy a beer along the trail in North Carolina. I imagine the tourist trade in hikers and rafters changed that.

Anyway, Glazed honey buns are the only way I can get going in the morning...

[Zippy Morocco]

I can do without anything but I can't do without everything

However, I do enjoy Hot Tamales and Pringles

[Transient Being]

jalapeno poppers wrapped in bacon.

[tiptoe]

I do a lot of dehydrating, and my maildrops would be sorely lacking if they didn't include my homemade muesli mix, an assortment of dried fruit and fruit rollups, and pesto. I also like to take Tang, though it's heavy, for a daily bottle of orange juice.

[icemanat95]

My thing was skittles. I had a pack of skittles per day along the trail during my thru. Made a big difference in my mood.

There is some water along the trail, or at least there was in 95, that tasted so off that Gatorade couldn't help. High Point NJ, the water was so sulfurous it was practically undrinkable. Ran it through the filter several times without significant effect. Hope that has changed.

I loved the Lipton /Knorr Broccoli and Cheese noodles. Much preferred to standard mac and cheese.

[RED-DOG]

These are in my food bag where ever I go, Tabasco Sauce, Black pepper, and Starbursts, Every thing else varies.

[steve0423]

Parmesan cheese and bacon jerky to help the noodles/rice, payday candy bars, and Fritos!!!
Do love me some Fritos!!
Would crunch them up, pour em in a gallon zip lock, then every day at lunch allow myself five minutes in the Frito bag with my long handle REI soup spoon
pure freaking heaven!!!!!!