View Full Version : Needed - tuna alternative
hootyhoo
01-20-2009, 19:41
Not Sweet Sue Chicken - I almost barf just typing the words. I have a 6 day coming up and need an alternative to tuna. I like to make tuna helper meals and tuna mixed in mac and cheese for dinner. I am afraid that I will get bored with the same ole everynight - any suggestions for an easy to make, Walmart available dinner meal would be greatly appreciated.
Nearly Normal
01-20-2009, 20:05
http://www.trailfoods.com/
These are pretty good.
canned chicken, vienna sausages, potted meat, beef jerky
Cool AT Breeze
01-20-2009, 20:10
Microwaveable Hamburger Helper.
Blissful
01-20-2009, 20:11
You can dehydrate canned chicken and add to it. You can also make beef crumbles from a good piece of beef, boil it in broth on the stove, put it in the food processor and then dry it on a cookie sheet in the oven.
But these options would require food mail drops.
bigcranky
01-20-2009, 20:14
The pink salmon in the little packets works well with a fettucini alfredo dinner.
sausage!
pepperoni
dry salame
landjaeger
smoked chorizo
etc...
http://www.bplite.com/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=1078
Check out some of the "Annie Chun's" products. They contain noodles and a sauce packet, realy easy to make and taste pretty good too.
Had some jealous hikers watching me eat some in GA. Try one.
Jan LiteShoe
01-20-2009, 20:45
It's so obvious!
BACON!!!!
;-)
hootyhoo
01-20-2009, 20:59
That did not take long - and some great ideas came out of it. Being lazy just got a whole lot easier for me.
Thanks for the info.
Lone Wolf
01-20-2009, 21:04
Spam single slices. found at Walmart
2 I use are the zanaran packets, little extra water weight but pretty good. I think the are for the microwave but works well in a pot, I like the sausage and rice/beans. The other goodie is the 3 cheese dehidrated bertolli tortellini. The only downfall is having to be near water so ya dont waste water you are keeping for drinking, sorry but I cant drink the boiled starch water. After I boil them I use a little olive oil packet (subway freebie) and pan fry them then top with parm cheese.mmmmm
Wise Old Owl
01-20-2009, 21:17
Today this is almost a non issue - check out two places Zabars Freezer bag cooking and head into the supermarket and look for retort packages. Today next to the tuna is salmon, chicken with various sauces, hams, all in foil packs that are light and easy to use. Remember you don't have to do anything special for the first night out, Just cook it.- I think its a no brainer.
Jack Tarlin
01-20-2009, 21:27
Jan beat me to it. The pre-cooked packages of bacon are great. They can be diced and put into just about every every dinner (Lipton pastas; rice dishes; mashed potatoes, etc). They're great at lunchtime, too. Bacon and cheese sandwiches on pita, bagels, or tortillas make for a great lunch, even better if you bring along an onion and a green pepper (which also go into my dinners). The bacn packages weigh next to nothing and will keep for days if you Ziplock them.
Jan LiteShoe
01-20-2009, 21:33
Bacon
in Cajun Red Beans 'N Rice
is a dinner fit for a king.
Hikes in Rain
01-20-2009, 21:42
Can't find them here in Tallahassee so much anymore, but there used to be foil packets of shrimp, crab, oysters, and the like. Great in Lipton sides.
toddhiker
01-20-2009, 23:22
Can still get crab packets in Tallahassee!
I made a great dish this past weekend on a 3day trip: Lump Crab packet, Ramen, some Alfredo sauce (Knorr), two scoops Nido, a dash of cayenne pepper.
Ummmmmmmmmmmmm! (& got the crab at Publix @ Killearn)
Hikes in Rain, greetings from a fellow Tallahassee hiker!
DocSarvis
01-20-2009, 23:39
Try canned or pouched Bonito...if you can find it. Ate lots of it as a starving grad student because it was much cheaper than tuna and had lots of flavor.
there are some chicken foil packets that are better tasting than sweet sues, add a little texas pete or bbq sauce.
Not Sweet Sue Chicken
They are the worst of the worst......Valley Fresh (http://valleyfresh.com/Products/) is way better.
But hey...I'd say shelf stable bacon. Hard to go wrong with it.
I think Tyson has a foil pouch of chicken. It's in a red pouch with the canned chicken in some stores. Tastes really good, and I think they come in the 7 oz packs like the tuna.
Hikes in Rain
01-21-2009, 06:48
Can still get crab packets in Tallahassee!
I made a great dish this past weekend on a 3day trip: Lump Crab packet, Ramen, some Alfredo sauce (Knorr), two scoops Nido, a dash of cayenne pepper.
Ummmmmmmmmmmmm! (& got the crab at Publix @ Killearn)
Hikes in Rain, greetings from a fellow Tallahassee hiker!
Hey, Toddhiker! Greetings back, and what a truly small world. Ironic we meet here, isn't it?
You can indeed get the crab, and it's pretty darned good stuff. I do miss the other stuff, though, I had great plans for that. On my trip through the northern Smokies last May, I mixed a couple of packets with four cheese pasta, Nido, a couple of turns from my backpack pepper grinder, and more sliced cheese. Everyone stopped eating their "glop in a bag", and I started preening....until I noticed they were looking past me at the fellas that had packed ribeyes all the way into Peck's Corner!
Textured Vegetable Protein. It tastes like whatever you add it to.
randyg45
01-31-2009, 00:59
Two words. Bear. Creek. Soup.
Two words. Bear. Creek. Soup.
That's three.:D
I just bought some dehydrated veggies from North Bay Trading Company. I haven't used them yet but they look great. I am going to use them with noodles, stovetop stuffing, several different packaged meats, and as stand alone side dishes. They were a little pricey but they look well worth the price for some variety in my meals.
I had a lovely experience with Liptons Side "Broccolli and noodles" (or maybe a fancier name for noodles) with a pouch of "chipotle mango salmon"
I precooked and dehydrated the noodles at home.
Grinder
I don't know if you are an "adventurous eater" but I found some bowls of Vietnamese Pho at the local Oriental Market that taste delicious.
They come in three flavors with ribbon rice noodles and three packets, dehydrated veggies, seasonings and REAL MEAT.
For backpacking you could repackage them to save on bulk.
The brand I buy are made by USA Canning Food in Ontraio Canada. have a cartoon picture of a Viet girl on the front and say "Tay ho" Hu Tieu Thit Bam" which means "Ground Pork Rice Noodle".
Beachcliff Fish Steaks in Louisiana Hot Sauce.
boarstone
01-31-2009, 14:38
Not Sweet Sue Chicken - I almost barf just typing the words. I have a 6 day coming up and need an alternative to tuna. I like to make tuna helper meals and tuna mixed in mac and cheese for dinner. I am afraid that I will get bored with the same ole everynight - any suggestions for an easy to make, Walmart available dinner meal would be greatly appreciated.
I don't know what "6 days" your going to be out, but unless you've kept an eye on the weather channel, you've got some nasty weather coming in for next Mon-Tue...we're getting word on a possible Nor'ester up here in Maine...:(
2 I use are the zanaran packets, little extra water weight but pretty good. I think the are for the microwave but works well in a pot, I like the sausage and rice/beans. The other goodie is the 3 cheese dehidrated bertolli tortellini. The only downfall is having to be near water so ya dont waste water you are keeping for drinking, sorry but I cant drink the boiled starch water. After I boil them I use a little olive oil packet (subway freebie) and pan fry them then top with parm cheese.mmmmm
Virtually all dried stuff -- pasta, oatmeal, rice -- can be cooked so that all the water is used up, avoiding the temptation of drinking starch water, waste, hassle, and chance of accident when draining stuff on the trail or in camp. Just combine one part dried stuff to two parts water. Boil until it starts to stick on the bottom, remove from heat and cover with a cozy. (I just toss a fleece or down jacket over the pot and let it sit for the rest of the cooking time, plus a minute or so longer.)
Consumer Reports printed a recipe for Mac & Cheese many years ago that didn't involve draining. I've lost the recipe, but I use the 2-1 ratio for cooking the macaroni, and after the macaroni is almost done add dried milk, oil or butter, salt and pepper, cheddar cheese cut in small pieces, and whatever spices I may have in my pack. A packet of prepared mustard or a little dry mustard, adds important flavor. So does onion powder or dried onions.
I stopped draining pasta after I dumped dinner on the ground while camping with 12 people near Gulf Hagas in the 1970s. I was cooking for the whole party. Luckily everyone was sightseeing so I just rinsed off the dirt, added more water, and tried again.
Weary
A little heavy, but for a first evening out, small can of oysters and most anyone's Cajun gumbo mix.....throw in some extra dried okra. AiiEeeeee!!!
Nearly Normal
02-01-2009, 03:19
http://importfood.com/rtcf1501.html
Hikes in Rain
02-01-2009, 09:36
Now that's just, well, wrong!
http://importfood.com/rtcf1501.html
I worked for I.F. for a couple years...and Cuttlefish is pretty good ;)
beef jerky or for a day regular beef (not ground) will not spoil even in warm temps, from home wrap in foil and freeze for an extra day, a 20 oz gatoraide bottle of red wine helps me choke down my steak
Hillsinger
02-01-2009, 15:03
Wal-Mart and Kroger's both carry the foil packs of fish and chicken products mentioned above, many with seasoning sauces. While somewhat heavy due to water and foil, they offer a big variety of flavors.
The bacon pack with red beans and rice sounds awesome; I]ll have to try that one soon!
budforester
02-01-2009, 16:34
I stopped draining pasta after I dumped dinner on the ground while camping with 12 people near Gulf Hagas in the 1970s. I was cooking for the whole party. Luckily everyone was sightseeing so I just rinsed off the dirt, added more water, and tried again.
Weary
Tee-hee; now the secret is out!