Eat Well In The Wild!

[Dave]

Meal planning is one of the most important considerations for any trip.  We all know that being hangry can derail a trip, so it’s worthwhile to take some time to explore alternatives for fast and easy food while out there on the go. And since we know that hunger sometimes strikes when we’re minimally prepared, it’s good to be knowledgeable on the high quality, shelf stable choices available to keep on hand for potential emergencies like being stranded or socked in by fast moving weather systems. Having at least three days of extra food at all times is a hard requirement for anyone traveling the back country by boots, paddles, peddles or 4WD.

That said, over the years we’ve expended a lot of time and resources on camp cooking during our longer trips.  You can bring the entire Snow Peak or Camp Chef catalog to camp, and it’s easy to invest considerable time and money on...

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[Dean]

This article made me very hungry.

 

[minhster]

Great article, can't wait for the reviews coming up. I use to eat freeze dried stuff WAY BACK in the days when my wife and I were still hiking before we were married and then we haven't at all since getting married and having kids. But about a year ago we go back into it and have been going through at least a pack a month if not more. We tried doing the fancy camp meals and they were definitely delicious but with kids running around and crying and trying to cook a meal that takes 30mins plus another 15mins of clean up and hauling all the cooking gear, cleaning supplies, food, etc. it just got overwhelming.

Now we either pick up food on the way or do freeze dried and we have SO much more time to explore and play not to mention more room in the rig, less packing, and less stress. We keep 3 days worth of freeze dried now in the truck at all time with a jetboil in a pelican case and have use it randomly when we just didn't feel like having to deal with or look for a restaurant (especially during covid).

 

[Dave]

Great article, can't wait for the reviews coming up. I use to eat freeze dried stuff WAY BACK in the days when my wife and I were still hiking before we were married and then we haven't at all since getting married and having kids. But about a year ago we go back into it and have been going through at least a pack a month if not more. We tried doing the fancy camp meals and they were definitely delicious but with kids running around and crying and trying to cook a meal that takes 30mins plus another 15mins of clean up and hauling all the cooking gear, cleaning supplies, food, etc. it just got overwhelming.

Now we either pick up food on the way or do freeze dried and we have SO much more time to explore and play not to mention more room in the rig, less packing, and less stress. We keep 3 days worth of freeze dried now in the truck at all time with a jetboil in a pelican case and have use it randomly when we just didn't feel like having to deal with or look for a restaurant (especially during covid).

Thank you and welcome to American Adventurist, please take a moment and stop by our new member thread HERE and introduce yourself!

Good point about freeing up more time for exploring and hanging out, less planning and packing and above all, less STRESS. It really doesn't get any easier than these meals, especially once you figure out which menus and brands you really like.

I'm a big fan of curry so the curry chicken and rice varieties are mouth watering to me

 

[Dave]

This article made me very hungry.

Mission accomplished!

 

[smlobx]

I can understand if you’re backpacking and every ounce counts but in an overland scenario it is much healthier, less expensive and much tastier to spend a few minutes cooking up something.

Don’t get me wrong here. We have a stash of freeze dried foods for our go bags etc. but for a normal trip, no thank you. For us the time to prepare, cook and enjoy a meal in the great outdoors is one of the major draws to this kind of traveling.

 

[Herbie]

I can understand if you’re backpacking and every ounce counts but in an overland scenario it is much healthier, less expensive and much tastier to spend a few minutes cooking up something.

Don’t get me wrong here. We have a stash of freeze dried foods for our go bags etc. but for a normal trip, no thank you. For us the time to prepare, cook and enjoy a meal in the great outdoors is one of the major draws to this kind of traveling.

Ditto. Even when I'm solo, I'm going to spend a little time enjoying the act of cooking. It just means I can be more creative with recipes if I don't have to feed the family...

 

[Dave]

I've run the gamut from over the top, full Snow Peak Iron Grill Table ensembles with multi-course meals, and multiple types of h'ordeuvres served non-stop well into the night. Like at a Rendezvous. It's certainly fun sharing food and hanging out, especially if you have a truck to carry it all, and a 12v fridge or two to pull from.

But, not all trips are Overload Overland style, so thankfully there are better, lighter options for the human powered crowd.

When we flew into Isle Royale NP by seaplane, we had what was on our (mostly my) back for the several days we were on the island. Fresh fruit and many things would have been nice, but they wouldn't keep and they're quite heavy considering their actual caloric and nutritional value. Hiking, kayaking and canoeing in a place like Isle Royale or the Great Smokey Mountains NP require a completely different mindset and gear set. In an environment like Joshua Tree NP, I can carry more water and go farther if I save weight on food.

As I do more and more solo travel by boots, paddles, pedals and 4WD, and in diverse geographic regions and climates, I'm learning that less can be more, and that light and fast are always preferable to me.

YMMV