What do you eat if you don't use a stove?

[Sheriff Cougar]

Just wondering how folks get along without a stove while hiking the trail. I am thinking of going stoveless and need some ideas on what to eat. Thanks.

[takethisbread]

pbj burritos is my mainstay. cheese blocks, salami, bagels, gorp. cold cuts , chips, tuna fish, sardines, fruit, cereal . some people soak meals but that ain't my gig


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[Just Bill]

people, preferably live to prevent spoilage.

[david_1]

yes but cold :-)

[Mags]

Some food ideas used by myself or others:


Dehydrated beans in bulk: Dehydrated black beans, lentils and hummus (chic peas) can all be found in the bulk section of many grocery stores. Add water and add to a starch and you have a filling meal that “cooks” in minutes.
Instant mashed potatoes: Cold mashed potatoes mixed with a protein (pepperoni for example) actually hits the spot for me
Couscous: I find that the Near East brand rehydrates quite well in a zip-lock bag after 5-10 minutes.
Ramen: If you have time in camp, let it sit for a bit (30 minutes +/-) and the noodle re-hydrate fine
Tortilla wraps with cheese or peanut butter or beans and so on: A tortilla is almost miraculous in its versatility!
Pita chips: Yummy and great for dipping in the rehydrated beans
Tuna or Chicken packs, jerky, salami, pepperoni sticks: Even with hot meals, protein often has to be packed in non-dehydrated. I often mix and match my protein with some of the above… be it eating cold or using a stove
Typical backpacking snacks: GORP or fig bars with peanut butter makes a good breakfast; some jerky, tortillas and cheese make a perfectly fine meals. After a while you stop thinking of meals and just think of food. Need a power lunch to fuel for the last half of the day? Have the couscous and hummus for a mid-day meal.

[Just Bill]

live people are like MRE's with self heating pack- no stove needed.

[4eyedbuzzard]

people, preferably live to prevent spoilage.
live people are like MRE's with self heating pack- no stove needed.

with some fava beans and a nice chianti ?

[Just Bill]

Not sure how to no-cook fava beans, but maybe the people you are eating will have a stove.

Hard to find chianti in a bag, especially nice one.

Bag wine is like real wine without all those pesky bottles and corks to carry.

Bring NIDO, eat cold cereal, I hear people who don't eat people, who don't bring stoves eat cereal. I prefer beer-I-O's, or Honey-Nut beer-I-o's with a good Weiss.

Goodnight Claric(ssss)e

[10-K]

From the thread, "Stoveless? What will I eat!!!"

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AtY4aZg7o84sdDdVckNJUW9FUXhlSGJKajNJTUJTM 0E&usp=sharing#gid=17

Click the tabs along the bottom of the spreadsheet....

[yellowsirocco]

Sandwiches (yes I carry bread, not tortillas) with cheese and summer sausage. Country ham is good too (people will hate you, or its is a good way to make friends if you share). I like to roast some hot dogs or smoked sausages over the fire. Fresh fruit is good. Tuna salad in the pouches on some pumpernickel bread. Pastries. Just go wild. As long as you have 800 fill down etc to keep the weight down and an appropriately sized pack where you don't have to compress the hell out of your stuff then the sky is the limit.

[bigcranky]

I've been going stoveless on my summer sections, and it's been great. I'll still carry a stove in cold weather, but for warm weather hiking there's no going back.

Breakfast: any sort of cereal and powdered milk with dried fruit and nuts. So granola works great, as do Grape Nuts and other dense, non-crushable cereals. Pop Tarts (duh.) Gorp. For coffee I bring the Starbux Via Iced Coffee packets, which are terrific. Highly recommended. Also chocolate covered espresso beans can work if it's not too hot. You can also make muesli from oatmeal, nuts, and fruit.

Lunch: the usual trail lunches. For me that's various things wrapped in a tortilla -- tuna, cheese, peanut butter, pepperoni sticks, etc. Powdered hummus mix and crackers (and a cucumber the first or second day out of town.) Hard cheeses. More gorp. Pretzels. You can pretty much go wild in the grocery store and it will work.

Dinner: a repeat of lunch.

[AngelEyez]

coffee infused almonds yum yum !!!!!!!!

[garlic08]

It helped me to stop thinking in terms of "meals" and to eat something substantial every couple of hours when you take a break.

If you add nuts and raisins to rolled oats you have a pretty good muesli you can eat any time. Rolled oats are already cooked/steamed in processing. Dip a cup into the bag, add water, eat, repeat. Instant refried beans and corn chips make a decent meal. Dried hummus and pita chips are pretty good together, too. I try to pack one fresh item, even if just a carrot, for every day.

With some care, you can eat a pretty good diet. Or you can eat Little Debbies all day, every day. Some really like that.

[perrymk]

Soon you can carry MRE pizza (http://www.armytimes.com/article/20140130/NEWS/301300012/It-s-not-delivery-s-MRE-Researchers-seek-secret-downrange-pizza).

[Coffee]

Dried hummus was one of my favorite lunch foods last year but I have found it very hard to find anywhere except online. I used the Fantastic Foods brand, purchased as a full case from Amazon.com. Not cheap ... works out to about $4 per box purchased as a case of 12. I used 1/3 of a package per meal, but still not cheap. Hummus is like an olive oil delivery system. I hydrated the hummus with a half oil, half water mixture. Ate it with tortillas for a high calorie lunch.

http://www.amazon.com/Fantastic-Foods-Hummus-Garbanzo-Beans/dp/B000GZUA7W/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1392736379&sr=8-8&keywords=fantastic+foods

[daddytwosticks]

I am slowly trying to give up my morning coffee fix. Very slowly. I'm cutting back on volume. So far, I've eliminated all caffeine except for my morning coffee. If I succeed, I'll finally try stoveless during the warmer months this year. :)

[Coffee]

Lack of hot coffee would be my biggest obstacle as well. I've tried Starbucks via cold and it is drinkable but I don't like it ... Still, it would deliver the caffeine fix.

[CalebJ]

Caffeinated gum is another alternative to the coffee. Loses the aesthetic appeal but definitely gets the job done. I use it occasionally when a cup of coffee isn't readily available.
http://www.amazon.com/MILITARY-ENERGY-GUM-MEG-SPEARMINT/dp/B002U2IMBA/

[Sierra2015]

Dried hummus was one of my favorite lunch foods last year but I have found it very hard to find anywhere except online. I used the Fantastic Foods brand, purchased as a full case from Amazon.com. Not cheap ... works out to about $4 per box purchased as a case of 12. I used 1/3 of a package per meal, but still not cheap. Hummus is like an olive oil delivery system. I hydrated the hummus with a half oil, half water mixture. Ate it with tortillas for a high calorie lunch.

http://www.amazon.com/Fantastic-Foods-Hummus-Garbanzo-Beans/dp/B000GZUA7W/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1392736379&sr=8-8&keywords=fantastic+foods
Buy a dehydrator and make your own!

[garlic08]

Dried hummus was one of my favorite lunch foods last year but I have found it very hard to find anywhere except online...

Yeah, I know. The only place I found it on my AT hike was at The Coop in Hanover.

[AngelEyez]

target idk might be other place but they have whats called "go picnic" meals ready to eat all kinds of good mixs black bean n plantain, hummus, meat n crackers a little trail mix chocolate or sweet they really good :)

[bigcranky]

Trust me, fellow coffee fiends, the Iced Via is darn good. It has a little bit of sugar, and mixed with 16 oz of water it really hits the spot.

[Coffee]

Trust me, fellow coffee fiends, the Iced Via is darn good. It has a little bit of sugar, and mixed with 16 oz of water it really hits the spot.
I'll have to try that. I attempted to make regular via with cold water. It works...but barely.

[map man]

Nuts and high quality bars -- my preferences are Organic Food Bars (the vegan varieties) and Clif Bars.

[Sheriff Cougar]

Thanks, Takethisbread. I am going to have to try this at home before committing to going stoveless. I also found some more info here on WB.

[Sheriff Cougar]

Thanks, Mags and the rest of you folks for your input. I love instant mashed potatoes. I will attempt to eat some of this stuff cold and see if it makes me gag! I don't think I will have a problem with the beans or meats, tortillas, cheese, pnut butter. I cannot for the life of me try the Ramen noodles. I don't know why I am so averse to eating them. Hahaha. I hope I can do this. It is a pain having to 'cook' meals.

[Sheriff Cougar]

Cereal is definitely something I can do!

[DumbAss]

I am slowly trying to give up my morning coffee fix. Very slowly. I'm cutting back on volume. So far, I've eliminated all caffeine except for my morning coffee. If I succeed, I'll finally try stoveless during the warmer months this year. :)

Any metal cup or pot can be used to boil a cup of water over a small twig fire. You just have to be keep a few dry sticks around and any pine fat lighter you pick up along the trail helps. YouTube how to find pine fat.

Something like this is another option that doesn't require carrying fuel

http://www.backcountrygear.com/emberlit-mini-titanium-one-size.html?gclid=CMHnp5Ki3bwCFaE7Ogod5xEAfg

[DumbAss]

DumbAss is an athletic nutritionist so here is his free advice.

Remember that junk food doesn't have micronutrients needed by your body or your brain. If you are not getting enough vitamins and minerals you will suffer far more anxiety on the trail. The AT is a long way to walk undernourished. Two foods that will help you get thru the trail far healthier and happier are:

1) Dried seaweed-like the kind used in sushi rolls. Almost weightless and extremely high in vitamin and mineral content. You can snack on them like flakes or rehydrate them. Have them mailed dropped to you along the trail.

2) My secret to training world champion athletes and possibly the best source (and cheapest) of vitamins, minerals and protein per oz of any food - Beverly Ultra 40 freeze dried Argentinian grass fed beef liver tablets - 2 grams of quality protein per pill and minerals that have already been processed by an animal into a form your body can quickly absorb. There are few options as high in Vit A or B12 either

http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/bev/beef.html

a $35 bottle has 500 pills or 1000 grams of protein. This would equal a two gallon 3# jug of whey powder and the whey powder would not have the vitamins or minerals.

I am no way affiliated with Beverly just a HUGE fan. If you are skeptical message me for my resume.

[HikerMom58]

DumbAss is an athletic nutritionist so here is his free advice.

Remember that junk food doesn't have micronutrients needed by your body or your brain. If you are not getting enough vitamins and minerals you will suffer far more anxiety on the trail. The AT is a long way to walk undernourished. Two foods that will help you get thru the trail far healthier and happier are:

1) Dried seaweed-like the kind used in sushi rolls. Almost weightless and extremely high in vitamin and mineral content. You can snack on them like flakes or rehydrate them. Have them mailed dropped to you along the trail.

2) My secret to training world champion athletes and possibly the best source (and cheapest) of vitamins, minerals and protein per oz of any food - Beverly Ultra 40 freeze dried Argentinian grass fed beef liver tablets - 2 grams of quality protein per pill and minerals that have already been processed by an animal into a form your body can quickly absorb. There are few options as high in Vit A or B12 either

http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/bev/beef.html

a $35 bottle has 500 pills or 1000 grams of protein. This would equal a two gallon 3# jug of whey powder and the whey powder would not have the vitamins or minerals.

I am no way affiliated with Beverly just a HUGE fan. If you are skeptical message me for my resume.

Hey DumbAss.. welcome to WB and thanks for sharing! :)

[Wise Old Owl]

Welcome DumbAss! nice post.... can I suggest you start a new thread that you can build on? I won't eat seaweed, tofu, or Sushi anytime soon, it just doesn't deliver the energy I crave - How do you feel about consuming shelter mice?



Hi Hikermom, pass the Dorito's I am cyber hiking now....:)

[Sierra2015]

Welcome DumbAss! nice post.... can I suggest you start a new thread that you can build on? I won't eat seaweed, tofu, or Sushi anytime soon, it just doesn't deliver the energy I crave - How do you feel about consuming shelter mice?



Hi Hikermom, pass the Dorito's I am cyber hiking now....:)
Seaweed won't satisfy your hunger, but it's incredibly nutrient dense. And that's important when you're eating nothing but Ho-hos.

[daddytwosticks]

Hey DumbAss, love your trailname. How'd you get it or did you name yourself? :)

[Wise Old Owl]

Seaweed would be a better trail name...


See... oh nevermind scratch a little to the right - now where was I?

http://cdn.cottagelife.com.s3.amazonaws.com/files/2014/02/02-Barn-Owl.gif