Backpacking

Breakfast Ideas

• Bagels with Cream Cheese

  • Cream Cheese in the small tub is more spreadable and less messy than the block kind

• Precooked Bacon

  • Keeps well In resealable container or Ziploc

• Powdered Eggs 

• Flavored Oatmeal

  • In single-serving packs

• Raisins

• Cereal Bars

  • Fruity varieties

• Pop-Tarts 

• Dense Breakfast Cereals

  • Fruit Loops, Cheerios, Cocoa or Fruity Pebbles, Frosted Mini-Wheats

Condiments

• Salt / Pepper

  • Most preserved and dehydrated food has a lot of salt already

• Margarine

  • A small tub or butter-flavored Crisco will keep OK in cooler temperatures

• Mustard & Ketchup Packets

  • From fast food place

• Hot Sauce

  • Small Tabasco bottle, or hot sauce packets from Taco Bell

• Wheel Dispenser of Various Seasonings

  • Recommended:  garlic, basil, oregano, chili flakes, or chili powder

Drinks

• Powdered Milk

  • Note:  powdered milk can be hard to find. Look in the international aisle of your favorite grocery store.

• Hot Chocolate Mix

• Instant Coffee/Espresso

  • Add powdered creamer (the kind that contains sugar) if desired.  

  • Full-brew coffee is not worth the trouble for backpacking

• General Foods International Coffees/Teas

• Carnation Instant Breakfast Mix

  • Can be added to coffee or powdered milk

• Koolaid Singles

  • The kind with sugar in them

• Gatorade or Propel Singles

• Instant Tea

• Tang

  • Small 12 oz canister good for multiple people, makes 8 quarts

Lunch Ideas

• Tortillas

• Pita bread

• “Sandwich Thins” whole-grain bread

  • These keep for 2+ weeks if kept dry and sealed

• Crackers

  • Ritz, Townhouse, Wheat Thins, etc.

• Cans or Foil Packets of Chicken, Tuna, Smoked Salmon

• Pepperoni

  • Either stick or ziplock variety; doesn't need to be refrigerated and will last several days if kept cool

• Summer Sausage / Salami

  • smaller individual sizes

• Vienna Sausages

  • Small can

• Spam

  • Small can or Spam singles

  • (lower sodium variety tastes better)

• Sardines

• Underwood Deviled Ham, Chicken Salad

  • Spreadable, 4-oz cans

• Cured Ham 

  • individual slices

• Hard Cheeses

  • Firmer varieties keep well without refrigeration

• String Cheese

  • In single-serving packs

• Beef Jerky

  • 12-oz pack from Wal-Mart is resealable and good for 4+ meals; available in 3 flavors

• Hudson Bay Bread

  • Look up recipes on the internet -- pack individual servings in cling wrap

• Peanut Butter

  • Jif To Go singles

• Jelly

  • Get single serving sizes from I-Hop

• Ramen / Cup-o-Soup Noodles

  • Some varieties have dehydrated vegetables

• Spicy Asian Noodles

  • many varieties available in the international aisle

• Olives

• Dried Fruit

  • Recommended:  cranberries, apricots, bananas   

Snacks/Energy Food

• GORP/Trail Mix -- peanuts, raisins, M&Ms

  • Mountain trail mix from Wal-Mart comes in a 2-lb bag

• Cookies

• Mini Pretzels or Combos

• Graham Crackers

• Cheesy Crackers

• Peanut Butter Crackers

• Granola Bars

  • Fruit and Nut variety or Fiber One Bars are a good option

• Hard Candy

  • e.g., Skittles, Jolly Ranchers, Fruity Lifesavers

• Snickers Bars

• Cosmic Brownies

• Rice Krispies Treats

Supper Ideas

• MRE's / Instant Heater Meals

• Hormel Compleats

  • 20+ varieties available; 2 of these can be warmed up in a 1-qt pot and make a filling meal

• Old El Paso Tortilla Stuffers

  • Beef and Chicken varieties are available in the international aisle. It makes 3-4 burritos with tortillas.  add hot sauce and a bit of cheese if desired

• Various Rice or Noodle Dishes

  • e.g. Lipton, Zatarain, Uncle Bens

  • Get the kind that are heat and eat, or if dehydrated the kind that says butter/oil optional

  • Some varieties include dehydrated vegetables or beans, which are of good nutritional value

• Black Beans

  • In envelope pack

• Dehydrated Soup Mixes

• Chef Boyardee Ravioli, Spaghetti or other single-serving pasta

• Mac 'N' Cheese

  • get the kind with the cheese sauce packet, not the powdered stuff.  a family-size pack feeds 3-4

• Pasta with Dehydrated Pasta Sauce

• Indian Dishes

  • various types of ready-to-eat Indian food are available in the international aisle, spicy and very good!

• Instant Mashed Potatoes

  • Garlic & butter flavored kind is awesome

• Bisquick or other easy bread mixes

  • Requires aluminum dutch oven or backpacker oven

• Pudding Cups or Instant Pudding

  •  instant pudding requires powdered milk