View Full Version : Lunch Food Ideas
DuneElliot
07-11-2018, 22:33
So I eat granola bars or Cliff bars for breakfast. I am happy with that choice.
I have Knorr sides or FD meals for dinner. I am also good with that choice.
I like my peanut M&Ms, cashews, crackers and cookies for snacks.
I'm struggling with lunch stuff. I love my cheese sticks and they are great but struggling to find something else I like with them. I am OVER jerky and can't stomach it anymore.
I don't like any nut butters, tuna or salmon which really cuts down on my options. Summer sausage is okay in limited quantities for a few days.
I'm really looking for ideas outside of what I might not have thought of but don't just want to snack through the day...I like my set snacks, dinner, lunch etc.
illabelle
07-11-2018, 22:49
That's a tough one. We eat a hot breakfast and a hot dinner. In between is a long snack-snack-snack that serves as "lunch." It consists of the crackers and cookies and snack bars - no prep, just eat. But now and then I'll bring along an apple or some other fruit. It's a nice treat when you're sick of the same old snacks. It isn't lightweight, but I remember one trip that we were eating peanut butter and jelly tortillas. Depending on temperatures, a hard boiled egg can add some variety.
Odd Man Out
07-11-2018, 22:58
PB and J on Tortillas
I think I've had that for every lunch on every hike.
I did PB, tuna, pepperoni, spam or just cheese on tortillas for lunch. I also had dehydrated humus on tortillas.
I did cheese sticks or carried a half pound of extra sharp cheddar and just sliced off some for lunch sometimes.
I usually finished with a Lara bar, nutty bar or snickers for dessert.
DuneElliot
07-11-2018, 23:10
PB and J on Tortillas
I think I've had that for every lunch on every hike.
Covered in my first post....I don't like nut butters, including peanut butter. I do like jelly though.
DuneElliot
07-11-2018, 23:11
I did PB, tuna, pepperoni, spam or just cheese on tortillas for lunch. I also had dehydrated humus on tortillas.
I did cheese sticks or carried a half pound of extra sharp cheddar and just sliced off some for lunch sometimes.
I usually finished with a Lara bar, nutty bar or snickers for dessert.
I like the dehydrated hummus idea. Where did you buy it? I am living out of my truck right now so honemade anything is out of the question.
Slo-go'en
07-11-2018, 23:17
I was looking for alternative non-cook food options and noticed cans of deviled ham, Corned beef and spreadable Spam. These highly processed meat products in a can aren't something I'd normally consider to eat, but decided to give them a try. The spreadable Spam comes in a small aluminum can and packs 280 calories. Put it on a bagel and you probably up about 400. It's eatable. The deviled ham and corned beef are similar in taste and texture to the spreadable Spam.
Maybe not be the ideal lunch or dinner for an extended trip, but good for a day hike lunch or a weekend trip. Or maybe to mix it up occasionally on a long trip.
DuneElliot
07-11-2018, 23:33
I was looking for alternative non-cook food options and noticed cans of deviled ham, Corned beef and spreadable Spam. These highly processed meat products in a can aren't something I'd normally consider to eat, but decided to give them a try. The spreadable Spam comes in a small aluminum can and packs 280 calories. Put it on a bagel and you probably up about 400. It's eatable. The deviled ham and corned beef are similar in taste and texture to the spreadable Spam.
Maybe not be the ideal lunch or dinner for an extended trip, but good for a day hike lunch or a weekend trip. Or maybe to mix it up occasionally on a long trip.
Hmmm...good possibilities for lunch on the first day or two of a longer hike. I'm definitely needing ideas for linger hikes as nothing I'm doing this year is under 60 miles
after a town stop I eat my leftover pizza for the next day lunch ( if it survives past breakfast)
If I missed them I’m sorry.
I don’t see dried fruit anywhere in your first post.
Dried apricots, raisins, bananas, craisens, cherries, apples, etc. with cheese, cream cheese, the hummus if you find it, and tortillas, or any flatbread could work.
Wash it down with a Breakfast Essentials + Nido Whole Milk shake.
Good luck!
Wayne
So I eat granola bars or Cliff bars for breakfast. I am happy with that choice.
I have Knorr sides or FD meals for dinner. I am also good with that choice.
I like my peanut M&Ms, cashews, crackers and cookies for snacks.
I'm struggling with lunch stuff. I love my cheese sticks and they are great but struggling to find something else I like with them. I am OVER jerky and can't stomach it anymore.
I don't like any nut butters, tuna or salmon which really cuts down on my options. Summer sausage is okay in limited quantities for a few days.
I'm really looking for ideas outside of what I might not have thought of but don't just want to snack through the day...I like my set snacks, dinner, lunch etc.
The "I am happy with that choice." is where I would start. Change up breakfast and eat your cliff bars for lunch. Or, make lunch a bigger heartier meal and small snacks for supper. Consider revamping the entire meal plan because you seem stuck with choices you've made but clearly are not entirely "happy with that".
Good Luck
I was looking for alternative non-cook food options and noticed cans of deviled ham, Corned beef and spreadable Spam. These highly processed meat products in a can aren't something I'd normally consider to eat, but decided to give them a try. The spreadable Spam comes in a small aluminum can and packs 280 calories. Put it on a bagel and you probably up about 400. It's eatable. The deviled ham and corned beef are similar in taste and texture to the spreadable Spam.
Maybe not be the ideal lunch or dinner for an extended trip, but good for a day hike lunch or a weekend trip. Or maybe to mix it up occasionally on a long trip.
good old canned sardines - pull top lid, priced right, and the can is not bad to carry out - who cares that they stink, so do you
DuneElliot
07-12-2018, 01:12
The "I am happy with that choice." is where I would start. Change up breakfast and eat your cliff bars for lunch. Or, make lunch a bigger heartier meal and small snacks for supper. Consider revamping the entire meal plan because you seem stuck with choices you've made but clearly are not entirely "happy with that".
Good Luck
No seriously, I am very happy with with my granola for breakfast...it is what I eat every day when I am home. I need something light but sweet for breakfast...can't handle a full meal and U generally wqnt something savory for lunch. I'm still very happy with cheese but I need to add something extra. I tried the big meal at lunch but was rarely hungry enough to eat it and enjoy at hot meal at camp.
good old canned sardines - pull top lid, priced right, and the can is not bad to carry out - who cares that they stink, so do you
Oh my gosh...I think I'd rather starve. Sardines are horrible...lol. i'm also trying to keep this lightweight...no canned food.
I like the dehydrated hummus idea. Where did you buy it? I am living out of my truck right now so honemade anything is out of the question.
We have a food coop here in Pittsburgh that carries it. I made three versions - plain, added red pepper flakes, and added ummin. The red pepper hummus had a real bite to it. I added too much water once and had red pepper hummus soup, I tore up the tortilla and crushed in cheese crackers to thicken it.
daddytwosticks
07-12-2018, 07:06
Something I tried once and it really hits the spot...grab one of those "beef and cheese" packs that grocery stores usually display right by the checkouts. They are also widely available in convenience stores. Slap them on a tortilla with a pack of spicy mustard. Really nice zesty lunch. :)
Puddlefish
07-12-2018, 09:21
Dr. Kracker brand crackers, solid, crunchy, stuffed with seeds and such for decent trail nutrition. Sesame sticks, packed with flavor, crispy, a nice change of pace. Both are great with cheese or hummus. Joseph's flax oat pita bread lasts forever. Babybel has varieties of flavored cheese in individual wax portions, same with Laughing cow in the foil packs. Amazon sell dehydrated hummus, but I thought the prices were a bit high. Cheap pre-sliced bags of pepperoni, the hard/Genoa salamis from the deli, sopresetta dry cured salami.
good old canned sardines - pull top lid, priced right, and the can is not bad to carry out - who cares that they stink, so do you
Putting aside my personal aversion to such food, I would be averse to packing the empty can in BEAR country unless I knew for a fact that I could burn the oil out of the can. In light of recent fire bans along the CDT burning empty sardine cans was not an option.
Wayne
LittleTim
07-12-2018, 12:21
Dr. Kracker brand crackers, solid, crunchy, stuffed with seeds and such for decent trail nutrition. Sesame sticks, packed with flavor, crispy, a nice change of pace. Both are great with cheese or hummus. Joseph's flax oat pita bread lasts forever. Babybel has varieties of flavored cheese in individual wax portions, same with Laughing cow in the foil packs. Amazon sell dehydrated hummus, but I thought the prices were a bit high. Cheap pre-sliced bags of pepperoni, the hard/Genoa salamis from the deli, sopresetta dry cured salami.
Second this post.
Still quite a novice, experience limited to short planned trips, I've evolved from various types of gorp to separating the sweet and savory. Due to virtually useless hip belt pockets, I resort to a very small fanny pack from mountain smith, each morning packing it with 5 snack size baggies of peanut butter m&ms, dry cured chorizo/salami, seasoned roasted almonds /pepitas, dry golden raisens/cranberries, etc. Then I alternate munching on them throughout the day, getting about half my calories throughout the day. I'm very much like the OP in breakfast and dinner, so I may evolve to something else in the future, but this is functional for now.
DuneElliot
07-12-2018, 13:47
Second this post.
Still quite a novice, experience limited to short planned trips, I've evolved from various types of gorp to separating the sweet and savory. Due to virtually useless hip belt pockets, I resort to a very small fanny pack from mountain smith, each morning packing it with 5 snack size baggies of peanut butter m&ms, dry cured chorizo/salami, seasoned roasted almonds /pepitas, dry golden raisens/cranberries, etc. Then I alternate munching on them throughout the day, getting about half my calories throughout the day. I'm very much like the OP in breakfast and dinner, so I may evolve to something else in the future, but this is functional for now.
Agree with you on this. I am going to look at some of the suggestions made by Puddlefish, esp the Pita bread suggestion and the pepperoni/salami. I love crackers but they crush so easily. Got some great ideas in here.
Slo-go'en
07-12-2018, 16:19
I mostly eat Corn Chips for lunch these days, especially when it's hot. Lots of fat and salt and pack well. Liquorish for sugar. Snack on these every few hours through the day.
Puddlefish
07-12-2018, 18:36
Agree with you on this. I am going to look at some of the suggestions made by Puddlefish, esp the Pita bread suggestion and the pepperoni/salami. I love crackers but they crush so easily. Got some great ideas in here.
The Dr. Kracker ones, if you can find them, are like 1/4 inch thick bricks, they're fairly large to start with, not easily crushable. Sometimes a corner will break off. So much of my standard trail food is mushy, I appreciate having to crunch into something. The Sesame sticks, I expected to crumble, and they did break, but still into useful sized pieces. From a pure envious looks of other hikers value, these rated high.
Fritos, I tried to save to mix in with my meals in the evening, again, just for some texture.
To go with the cheese, get dehydrated refried bean flakes. These rehydrate fine in cold water. Put on a tortilla with cheese, and some taco bell sauce for a bean burrito. If pre-made in morning using hot water, the cheese will be a bit melty. If time, I suggest making them in the morning, and add the cheese right into the beans as they rehydrate in the boiling water. The cheese incorporated into the beans is great. Beany-cheesy goodness!
trailmercury
07-13-2018, 15:00
To go with the cheese, get dehydrated refried bean flakes. These rehydrate fine in cold water. Put on a tortilla with cheese, and some taco bell sauce for a bean burrito. If pre-made in morning using hot water, the cheese will be a bit melty. If time, I suggest making them in the morning, and add the cheese right into the beans as they rehydrate in the boiling water. The cheese incorporated into the beans is great. Beany-cheesy goodness!
my post is where Venchka would likely post a picture and a link to Sante Fe instant refried beans. They must be damn good as much as he promotes them!!!
Wayne?
Once or twice. They’re everywhere in Texas. Often on sale cheap cheap.
Nowhere near as often as Knorr, Tuna, Spam and myriad other things I find unpalatable.
To each his own.
Wayne
trailmercury
07-13-2018, 19:59
I can dig it...I have never tried them, but I imagine them to be quite good!
I will buy some off amazon soon enough...
Haven't been back to Texas since 2005 after living in College Station for 5 years...
I already have a dinner recipe in mind for them...dehydrated ground venison burritos with dehydrated sour cream
There are several brands of instant beans available. Surely you don’t need Amazon.
Andrew Skurka has a Beans & Rice recipe online. Try it.
I paid my dues. 10 years in Houston courtesy of Hurricane Katrina.
All the best!
Wayne
If not another protein bar, I do Peanut Butter or Tuna on a tortilla... or bagel ...
trailmercury
07-14-2018, 12:41
Surely you don’t need Amazon.
well, no, I don't "need" Amazon...but at this point I can't imagine life without it!
as far as online backpacking beans and rice recipes go, I'll go with Hungry Hammock Hanger's (who I believe is a Texas boy too)
Gig 'em
My favorite lunch is tortilla wrapped Genoa or hard salami and babybel cheese with a good brown mustard.
Genoa is fermented pork while hard salami is usually smoked beef. Genoa is a bit more oily and spicy while hard salami is drier and often has a smoky flavor. Babybel cheese now come in a lot of varieties. I usually use a couple in each tortilla.
Both the Salami and Babybel's do pretty well unrefrigerated.
randall_mcduberson
07-16-2018, 16:50
You can also dry soak any dehydrated meals you may like and eat them for lunch. When I do some of my shorter hikes I usually plan one or two of the lunches to be rehydrated noodles, vegetables, and whatever else I decide to throw in. Start cold soaking before I leave in the morning and by lunch time it is more than ready. Can also be done with oats. There are also some dehydrated soup bowls I get from World Market for lunch at work and stuff that could easily be repackaged into a bag and cold soaked.
Fornfearen
07-16-2018, 18:14
INstant hummus is hard to find. I"ve been searching unsuccessfully in my area, except for one package at a canoe outfitter. I just learned that within the same chain of supermarkets, one store might stock it, while other locations don't. Also, try Co-ops, "health food" stores, etc. Brands: The one at the canoe outfitter was the same brand as a lot of their other dehydrated food, but I don't remember the name. Other brands are Fantastic Foods, OUtdoor Herbivore, and Camp Cuisine. If you find a store stocking one of these brands, maybe they'll have it on hand or be able to order it for you.
Moosejaw sells Alpinaire Hummus. Or order from Moosejaw with the Walmart app.
https://www.moosejaw.com/product/alpineaire-spicy-southwest-hummus_10342126
Wayne
I think I'd be asking myself what it is that I normally eat for lunch when not hiking...and build from that.
Seems like mixing in a FD meal or similar that you like for dinner now and then for lunch might make some of the things you listed that you don't want a little more palatable on the other days.
Or maybe another paradigm is needed...stop thinking about three square meals a day. Supposed to be healthier to eat small "mini-meals" often throughout the day anyway.