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Recipes

Marv's And Others' Backpacking Recipes

Many people new to backpacking, and even experienced hikers, think that they need to purchase expensive, freeze dried food from sporting goods stores. Not so. A trip to your friendly neighborhood grocery store will provide all the light weight food you will need for a 2-, 3-, 4-day hike. The intent of this page is just to show you that you can meet your needs at the grocery.

Some of the things you will find at your grocery are instant rice, instant oats, various packaged rice or noodle dishes, small cans of chicken, small cans of fruit, dried fruit, powdered soups, candy, granola cereal, summer sausage, English muffins, bagels.

Backpackers tend to prepare single pan meals. They cook their entree in a pan and eat it from that pan. The entree is supplemented with fruit and dessert. With a little planning you can keep your pack weight down by carrying only the single pan.

On the trail you will need 3000 - 4000 calories per day. Eat hearty. Don't worry about counting to 4000, just don't skimp on your food. You will probably lose weight, perhaps as much as a pound per day, even if you are eating well.

Breakfast

Breakfasts are usually fit in around breaking camp. I have no good recipes. I usually have instant oats and fruit (I liked oats better when there were riddles on the packets). I find that two packets of instant oats and a personal sized can of fruit make an adequate breakfast. Some friends favor pop tarts.

Lunch

I have never had a satisfactory solution for lunch. You are on the trail, so you probably do not want to cook; but you are hungry. Some suggestions follow.

Summer sausage slices and mustard on a bagel or English muffin. Summer sausage will not spoil without refrigeration, but it is a little heavy in the pack.

Pita bread keeps well, but can get dry. Try pita plus a block of Velveeta (processed) cheese. Cut off a hunk of cheese and wrap pita around it. (Thanks to Evan, ecstone@gnu.fdt.net)

Other possibilities are tuna, crackers, peanut butter, fruit, and all the stuff under Snacks. Cheese spread in an aerosol can in any weather, chunk cheese in cool weather. I have heard that yogurt keeps in cool weather, but I haven't tried it.

Snacks

Take a lot of snacks. You will need snacks as you hike; meals, alone, are not enough. Think about eating something every hour you hike. This is not the time to diet.

Gorp is good. There are many gorp recipes based on granola cereal. To the granola add M&Ms, peanuts, raisins--whatever suits your taste. I stick with granola and M&Ms.

Chocolate candy bars are good in cooler weather, but tend to melt in the summer. M&Ms or Reese's Pieces don't melt, of course. Granola bars are always popular--plain granola bars, or the granola/chocolate/caramel concoctions.

Dinner

Your tent is up. You have cleaned up. You have napped. It's time to treat yourself to a good meal. Below are some recipes for main courses that will be adequate for one adult if you supplement them with fruit, cookies, candy. All good recipes have creative names.

In preparing for the trip, put everythingl you need for a meal in a recycled newspaper bag--food, paper towel, mints. At dinner time just pull out a bag and you are ready to go.

Poulet L'Onion

One small can chicken (about 5 oz.)
One cup dry instant rice
One packet onion soup mix

Chicken Diablo

One small can chicken(about 5 oz.)
One cup dry instant rice
One packet tomato soup mix
One-half teaspoon chili powder
Some other spices you may have in your cupboard (be wild and crazy)

Chicken Angelica

Chicken diablo without the spices.

Jambon Pacifica

One small can Spam
One small can pineapple slices

In camp heat the Spam in a cook kit skillet. When it is cooked, add the pinapple and leave on the burner until the pineapple is warm. This is a heavier meal to carry, so eat it the first night out.

Beef Bangkok

Summer sausage slices (eat rest of summer sausage for lunch)
One cup dry instant rice
A Taste Of Thai Tangy Hot Sweet and Sour Sauce Mix (1 packet)

Mix the dry ingredients at home and store in a recycled plastic bag. In camp add enough boiling water to prepare the rice (about 1 cup) plus another 1/2 cup (so about 1 1/2 cup in all). Stir in the summer sausage slices and warm the rice /sauce/sausage over the stove burner. Summer sausage is heavy (depending on how much you buy) so you might want to have it for lunch and dinner the first day out.

Ham DeLeeks

One small can lean ham chunks (about 5 oz.)
One cup dry instant rice
One cup dehydrated Knorr Potato Leek Soup

Corn On The Cob

This is a great addition to a first night supper most would not think of. At home, soak the corn over night in the fridge in water. Before you leave put the cob into a ziplock bag. Once at your camp site cook in boiling water for about 5 to 8 minutes. Heaven. (Thanks to Mark Jones, Fredericton, NB {mjones@ngl.ca} for recipe and enthusiastic endorsement)

Broc Au Rotten

4 - 6oz. of pre-cooked chicken or turkey (5 oz can)
1 pkg of Uncle Ben's Chicken and Broccoli Au Grauten
4 - 8 fresh broccoli flowers
2.5 cups of water
2 Tbs Butter or margerine (optional)

Put all ingredients into pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Let set for a few minutes. Stir and serve. Feeds two. Probably a first nite meal. (Thanks to Howard Peck {whpeck@interserf.net})

Eric's Ravioli

1 Can Ravioli

Open can. Dump contents in pan. Heat until contents warm. (Thanks to my son, Eric Welte, who views a backpacking trip as incomplete w/o this entree)

References

The Backcountry Recipe Book, Version 2.1

Cooking for Scouts and Scouters