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Coffee
06-05-2014, 16:23
On all of my hikes requiring resupply so far, I have relied on shipping myself food ahead of time to post offices or other places where I can receive packages such as hostels. I have only relied on shopping for food in towns as a non-essential supplement to what I am sending in resupply boxes. The food that I typically send in resupply boxes is repackaged ahead of time to eliminate bulky packaging materials and to properly size portions. I don't dehydrate my own food and everything I use is purchased from stores, although some items are from specialty stores like Trader Joe. At this point I have a "menu" of options that I regularly prepare and have things pretty much dialed in. However, for a few reasons, I want to start buying most of my food on the trail rather than relying on resupply boxes. The main reason is because I plan to hike the PCT next year and the idea of preparing and sending so many boxes is overwhelming and seems inflexible.

To get more accustomed to buying food along the trail, I am planning to buy food at grocery stores for most of my resupplies along the Colorado Trail this summer. But I don't want to be wandering the aisles inefficiently so I'm thinking of having a list of things I could buy ahead of time categorized by meal. That way if I know I'm shopping for 4 days of food, I can just check off four breakfasts, snacks/lunches, and dinners quickly.

What I'd appreciate feedback on is the type of foods I'm including in my shopping list and whether these types of foods are usually available in small groceries. Any additional items I'm not thinking of that could be good for the trail and readily available?

I'm finding this aspect of planning to be challenging, especially when it comes to estimating the weight of the resupplies and caloric density of what I might find in various small stores along the trail.

Breakfast Items
Instant oatmeal packets
Dried raisins or cranberries to put in oatmeal
Nido/Dry milk (could be hard to find?)
Pop Tarts
Instant grits
Instant coffee (Starbucks Via preferred)

Snack/Lunch Items
Peanuts, mixed nuts, prepackaged trail mix
Peanut butter
Tortillas
Granola bars
Candy bars
Trail stable cheese (like the individual wax wrapped variety)
Calorie dense chips like Fritos, possibly crushed to save volume

Dinner Items
Idahoan mashed potatos
Mac & Cheese
Stuffing mix (not my favorite...)
Knorr sides (also not a favorite)
Couscous
Taboule
Candy bars - dessert

In addition to these items, I'll buy fresh fruit and dairy items when available to eat while in town, but I won't carry fruit on the trail. Any ideas on perishable items that are reasonably calorie dense that I could take with me on the first day out of town and prepare for dinner?

FarmerChef
06-05-2014, 16:44
Much of this is available at even small shops. My best advice on this is don't overthink it. Just let it happen. Food on the AT is plentiful and easy to get.

ChinMusic
06-05-2014, 16:49
Much of this is available at even small shops. My best advice on this is don't overthink it. Just let it happen. Food on the AT is plentiful and easy to get.

This pretty much sums it up.

Unless you are very picky or have special dietary needs, resupplying on the fly on the AT is the way to go.

RED-DOG
06-05-2014, 17:03
Most of the food you mentioned you should be able to find even in the smallest of stores, it might be a different version of the same food, but sometimes you just have to settle with what they got, Don't over think just go with the flow, I too plan to hike the PCT next year and plan to buy 100% of my food on trail but their is a few places i plan to send myself a food drop such as: Example Go into Idyllwild buy food for the next section plus buy 6 days food and send it to myself at Sauleys, and also when i leave towns i try and get a Sub from Subway or a pack of Hot Dogs with buns and a few to go packs of Ketchup and cook it over an open fire that would be my Dinner for the first night.

RED-DOG
06-05-2014, 17:07
Most of the food you mentioned you should be able to find even in the smallest of stores, it might be a different version of the same food, but sometimes you just have to settle with what they got, Don't over think just go with the flow, I too plan to hike the PCT next year and plan to buy 100% of my food on trail but their is a few places i plan to send myself a food drop such as: Example Go into Idyllwild buy food for the next section plus buy 6 days food and send it to myself at Sauleys, and also when i leave towns i try and get a Sub from Subway or a pack of Hot Dogs with buns and a few to go packs of Ketchup and cook it over an open fire that would be my Dinner for the first night.
Also i think buying 100% of your food along the way is the best way to go Don't matter which trail your on.

Coffee
06-05-2014, 18:13
I am probably overthinking this... I'm a bit of a spreadsheet geek and like to calculate my pack weight. With town resupplies I'll just have to use common sense and be flexible. I guess it is a good sign that there are no stories of hikers starving along the trail.

ChinMusic
06-05-2014, 18:43
I am probably overthinking this...

Honestly, on the AT you only have to think about how much food you need for your first 3 or 4 days. The rest takes care of itself.

Coffee
06-05-2014, 18:56
Honestly, on the AT you only have to think about how much food you need for your first 3 or 4 days. The rest takes care of itself.
My next hike is the Colorado Trail but I'm hopeful the same applies, with a bit more miles between certain resupplies.

July
06-05-2014, 19:18
For me, one of the best things about resupply on the fly is taste changes sometimes week to week. Being able to switch up food choices means alot, both for the taste and motivation. Plus your body craves certain foods at certain times, ie fresh fruits and veggies etc etc.. Go with the flow, you can eat well as you travel.

FarmerChef
06-05-2014, 20:03
For me, one of the best things about resupply on the fly is taste changes sometimes week to week. Being able to switch up food choices means alot, both for the taste and motivation. Plus your body craves certain foods at certain times, ie fresh fruits and veggies etc etc.. Go with the flow, you can eat well as you travel.

Yup. This. If you have the $$ town food is ample and frequent as well. So you can fill up in town and go a bit leaner on the trail in between stops. And +1 to tastes changing. I've been sectioning the trail for four years with big gaps between each section. You'd think with all that time of not eating certain things that it would be "great" again but we've found there's some stuff we just do not care for any longer (Pop Tarts is one of them). Resupplying gives you the flexibility to switch it up.

rafe
06-05-2014, 23:18
Picking up a maildrop used to be a ritual for thru-hikers, but less so as the years go by. Where maildrops (or bounce boxes) are involved, nowadays they're mostly for stuff other than food. If you're gonna tie yourself to that ritual, make sure it's stuff you really need or love, or stuff you absolutely can't find locally. Hostel hiker-boxes are full of unwanted, unclaimed maildrop items.

CarlZ993
06-06-2014, 00:05
You might consider buying some Olive Oil as you go. It adds a bunch of calories per ounce & improves the taste of your evening meal (IMHO).

Farr Away
06-06-2014, 14:55
If you like/eat meat, you might want to pick up a foil pack or tin of tuna, chicken, oysters, etc. The weight difference between foil packs and tins is very little. Possibly also things like salami or pepperoni to add to dinner options.

Unless very hot outside, most harder cheeses (cheddar, colby, romano) will keep as long as it takes you to eat them. No need for waxed. They may get a bit 'oily' but they're still safe to eat.

You might consider a dense breakfast cereal like granola or breakfast bars to give you other no-cook breakfast options.

First night out of town, the sky's the limit. We've had things like steak and grilled veggies (squash, onions).

-FA