View Full Version : Food w/o additives
mjaynes288
02-10-2006, 19:04
I am new to backpacking and need help finding food I can eat on the trail. I cannot eat anything with nitrites, sulfites, or MSG. In addition I am allergic to all milk products(lactose, whey, sodium casinate, cheese, etc) and all beans, ect(too many to list). This means no Lipton or raman. At home I use all organic foods. It is impossible on the trail for long trips. Any suggestions would be helpful.
You can do it....it isn't as hard as you might think-take what you eat at home, and dry it. Simple as that!
Learn to use stuff from www.justtomatoes.com-their freezedried and dried vegs/fruits are top quality.
I eat about 80% organic at home, and I am a limited diet nowdays due to my health (I eat little that is processed).
I was very frustrated to go from eatinganything I wanted-to trying to figure out what the heck I could eat. Then I slowed down mentally and thought..well, duh, I'll just eat what I do at home.
Can you eat rice? Wheat? Most pastas are easily precooked and dried at home, and will come back to life with just boiling water.
You might look at my newest website..you might get a few ideas, at least, from the vegan section:
http://www.freewebs.com/healthytrailfood/
Your best bet is to get a dehydrator if you don't have one, and get cracking! Dry a ton of fruit and veggies up, cook up your favorite foods, and dry them :)
get a food dehydrator and you can just dehydrate the foods you normally eat at home. You can make dried fruits without the sulfites. Can you eat rice? Success rice makes a brown rice that cooks in 10 minutes. It's not exactly organic brown rice but it's quick. You could add dried meats and vegies and some herbs and make your own quick dinners.
mjaynes288
02-10-2006, 21:14
Thanks for the suggestions. Keep them coming. I am looking for a dehydrator.
Sarbar thanks for the website. It has wonderful ideas. I can have plain rice and a limited amount of wheat(1 serving a day).
Klezmorim
02-11-2006, 16:51
Can you eat oats? The instant variety?
Your one serving per day of wheat could be bulghur (cracked wheat). It cooks fast and really fills you up. It makes a nice change of pace from rice.
Also, take a look at http://www.herbaladvantage.com (http://www.herbaladvantage.com/)
They have a nice variety of dehtdrated veggies, herbs, stevia (natural non-caloric sweetener) and the like. Great prices!
you haven't mentioned meat... if you're not adverse to eating venison, it's some of the best, healthiest meat around, and it makes great jerky... most of it has absolutely no fat (deer are also long-distance hikers in a way... and most are very toned) and therefore it dries quickly and easily... a little salt, soy sauce, worchestershire, and teryaki sauce are about all you need to make it taste great (though there are probably ingredients therein that you can't eat)... or you can dry it raw or cooked with no seasonings...
you can do the same with lean beef, ground beef and turkey, and chunk chicken... all good, all lighter than the foil packets, and no garbage to pack out!
corn and sliced carrots are easy too.
mjaynes288
02-13-2006, 16:10
Klezmorim: I can have quick oats and one of the websites above tells how to make them instant. My one serving of wheat is not usually totally wheat(pita bread, crackers, pasta) so I think bulghur might be to much.
Seeker: I do eat meat(hard not to when allergic to all beans) but it has to be hormone and antibiotic free meat. I am allergic to all antibiotics(makes it fun when I get sick). The hormones act like drugs on me. I eat mostly chicken because of budget concerns but do throw in some others(mmm potroast). I was always planning on dehydrating my meat but need something to go with it.
my immediate reaction to 'what goes with meat' was 'liptons'... duh (me, not you)... i see the problem now... clearly... amazing how you take things for granted, like 'i can eat that'...
what about corn pasta? haven't a clue where to find it locally, as i live... well, it's not the ends of the earth, but i can see it from here... a little way's north and west...
anyway, heard that corn pasta can be found in larger, decent grocery stores (BiLo, Kroger, Wegman's) and in health food stores... not sure of the cost... but i'll bet a stew of meat, corn pasta, and dried veggies (carrots/celery/corn) would be good... sort of what i already add to my ramen noodles...
rice would also be a good alternative... i think you said you could have it... barley goes good in soup, and would probably make a good stew filler vs noodles... not sure where to get it, or how nutritious it is though...
If you eat corn pasta, at least eat Quinoa corn pasta blend..that stuff is more edible ;)
Klezmorim
02-13-2006, 20:29
And you *definitely* want to test out corn pasta for taste and consistency well before your hike. I've tried it and had great difficulty cooking it in such a way as to not create a gloppy, gummy mess. I ended up having to time it *very* carefully, drain, rinse with cold water, and then add olive oil or butter to keep it edible. Even with all that effort, I still didn't like the texture or flavor, but that's only my experience.
If you can eat corn, try instant grits or polenta. You can add just about anything to it for variety and pazazz. I love to add dried Roma tomato flakes, basil and Parmesian cheese - molto bene!
Skidsteer
02-13-2006, 20:42
If you can eat corn, try instant grits or polenta. You can add just about anything to it for variety and pazazz. I love to add dried Roma tomato flakes, basil and Parmesian cheese - molto bene!
Grits/polenta with lots of salsa! One of my favorites and very easy to dehydrate using organic salsa. Or, on the trail, you can use "borrowed" packets of salsa from Waffle House( check ingredients ) with your grits/polenta. I love it for breakfast, YMMV.
Dried organic salsa is easy to do :) Yumyumyum!
Skidsteer
02-13-2006, 21:24
Dried organic salsa is easy to do :) Yumyumyum!
Sarbar, I just ordered your book. Been meaning to for a while and your post just reminded me. Can't wait!
Thank you! I hope you enjoy it :)
LostInSpace
02-14-2006, 01:36
I'm wondering what soy pasta is like. Anyone ever try it?
Skidsteer
02-14-2006, 07:54
I'm wondering what soy pasta is like. Anyone ever try it?
It's OK, but carry an equivalent amount of metamucil;) . YMMV.
Soy flour in large amounts is not a good thing tastewise. My dad was on a gluten free diet for years-and I cooked for him. Soy flour was one thing I never used a lot of - ot is very heavy, dense and has a damp feel-and a very, very prominent flavor. The soy pasta....well, it has a flavor of its own ;)