I do not do a lot of hiking due to my back but I do make my own dehydrated meals for camping or for emergencies.. I use a lot of the rice and noodle sides as bases and add dehydrated meat and "doctor them up" as my mom likes to call it. One of the doctorings i do is powdered milk or coffee creamer to things that call for milk on the packages. I also use the powdered butter substitute/flavoring. A good example of one of my breakfast meals is oatmeal, coffee creamer (cheaper than powdered milk) butter flavoring and sugar in a ziplock bag with as much air pressed out as i can get. Add a piece of bacon jerky and coffee and I am set. For dinner a creamy chicken and rice side with butter and milk subs and either canned or dehydrated chicken. I will add a chicken bullion cube per cup of water needed. All dry ingredients are ziplocked. I will write the amount of water needed per meal on the package as well as what it is.
This is a point-on video. You covered a plethora of topics and food. Made me rethink about what I was bringing on my next trip, but your options shown are well appreciated. Love the idea of a simple can, and how it can be so simply used. Thanks Much. Miami heading north !
One of the best vids on backpacking food. Heading to Yosemite next week and I've never really considered the calories needed for energy based on what you burn. I'm rethinking everything. Thanks!
Great point! I meant to bring up PB but left the jar in the kitchen and totally forgot to bring it up. 170+ calories per ounce and one of the tastier options. Single serving pouches are convenient, or for longer trips a small jar can provide emergency calories for the whole group.
Man, I watched this video over a month ago while prepping a future winter snow show trip in remote New Brunswick, Canada and I keep going back to watch this! lol Great tips with the overall score with calories/weight. I consider myself an experienced hiker but this winter hike will be a challenge for sure, im convinced with your strategy ill be carrying the best bang for the weight food now, seriously appreciate this one!! id like to say that the 100 000 people who have seen this video have learn't as well! :) Thank you, love your videos, a few chuckles but educational!
Great advice especially rating foods on calories per ounce. I'd like to point out that the regular Mountain House meals say 2 servings but are usually just about 500 calories total so not too much. The Pro packs were designed for high altitude hiking since the normal bags would swell and take up more space for nothing.
Tomato paste in a tube. Squeeze it into a smaller container and take only what you need. Mix with a little water and dehydrated veggies and you have pasta sauce. Sprinkle over your fav pasta with a little oil & parm.
Caro Ryan of Lots of Fresh Air, has a video where she talks about her trail food. She makes her own müsli for breakfast. Oats, dried fruit, nuts and then milk powder. I've used that a lot and it really makes for a good solid breakfast.
Actually, Vienna Sausages are good to take, and the can is easy to turn into an alcohol stove. Also, MREs from Army Surplus are quite nice and they have many extra supplies you can use like Toulet paper, matches, and instant coffee as well. (On that note, never use the water from the chemical heter to make your coffee, it is poisonous.)
You can dehydrate the hormel chili by using plastic wrap on a dehydrator tray. This way it's super light an all u have to do is rehydrate it with water!
if you like stuffed peppers try pre making them and bring them with.. i use pork sausage and cheese and things like zuchinni and stuff the peppers with that after letting the mix cool in the fridge..then wrap the peppers in foil and bring em for a night..usually it was first night so you could shed the weight..put them in the coals and let em cook up till the cheese it melted and make some quickrice and have the peppers with the rice..the best trail dinner i found yet..like gourmet . after seeing your buddy with his potatoes i thought i had to share my recipe with you.
Instead of Romen Noodles in the package, try the noodles in the bowls instead, you can usually find them next to the Romen. They come with a seasoning packet, dehydrated meat packet and a dehydrated veggie packet. Only 76 cents at Walmart and equals about 2 packs of Romen Noodles so it is a larger heartier meal with meat and veggies :)
I really appreciate your videos. Thanks for taking the time. I'm going to transition from car camping to backpacking as my young son gets, older starting in the Spring. You're saving me many trips worth of learning with all the info you provide. You're saving me some serious trial and error $ too. Thanks a million and keep them coming, if you have the time.
Thank you my outdoors friend. This was a very informative video. I am preparing for an upcoming winter trip to the Northern Sierras. The information you shared in this video will assist me in finalizing my food selection. Always be safe out there and have fun. 🤗
As for the oatmeal, I just use the pre packaged instant oatmeal because the little packages it comes in are waterproof so I just boil water and pour it right in and eat out of the bag just like the other dehydrated meals. It works great and the minimal clean up is a huge plus.
I always mix my instant coffee with a spoonful of hot chocolate mix to "fix" the flavor a little, plus you get a slight calorie boost with breakfast too.
My last backpacking trip, one guy in our group of three did just that and seemed to work well. Freezer ziplock bags seem to hold up well to boiled water. It won't stand on its own like a Mountain House package would, but saves a lot of space. If you use bear canisters, any saved space is huge.
i was in that exact same spot as you sintax. at 3:20 you were at the abandoned tunnels on the old turn pike in central PA. that very same spot I went to with a group of friends and we also camped there and saw all the bikers going thru the tunnels! best part about that place is the huge wind turbines! if you go to the upper part of the tunnels it echos like crazy up there! thanks for you Time :)
Buddy of mine disappeared for a few minutes, up near Ice Water Springs, in the Smokies. I thought, maybe he went to the outhouse. An hour later, just as we were finishing dinner, he said, “I’ll be back”. I cleaned up cookware and stoked the small fire. Looked up and out of the woods he came holding two pies. He had mixed up instant lime pies with Graham cracker crumb crust. It was cooling in the cold spring. I near passed out, it was sooo good. WHAT A GREAT TREAT!!! He had done it in secret. Much better than a Snicker Bar. Kentucky
Great summary of options - weight vs. convenience is always a big decision. Getting a good food dehydrator can save tons on that dehydrated food, and it's fun. It's amazing how light fresh fruit becomes once you remove the water. The Spam is heavy, but sure tastes great fried up with eggs if you're base camping!
One thing that we typically enjoy in our boy scout troop is a peanut butter sandwich in a tortilla. We find it to be fairly delicious, and the peanut butter for one exceeds the 150 Cal/oz mark.
Vacuum seal ANYTHING you can. Throw that can of chili in a vacuum seal bag, take the air out, and you've dropped a lot of weight and gained a lot of space. Also, if you can, fish, hunt (same thing really), and gather. Saves your food for when you might really, really need it.
I've wondered before about simply splitting up a a large dehydrated meal into two separate Ziploc bags, but never actually tried it. I don't see why it wouldn't work though, since plenty of guys use that method for home dehydrated meals, oatmeal, etc. Just make sure to use a pot or something similar to keep the bag upright.
For on-the-go, small oven bags can open up a whole new realm. They are capable of handling high temps like pouring boiling water directly into it. An example is making oatmeal by putting in dry oatmeal and boiling water into an oven bag. Squish and squeeze to mix and tie the bag off. Cut a corner of the bag off to basically create a decorating pastry bag. Squeeze the oatmeal into your mouth and enjoy... doubles as hand warmer too. You do have the oven bag trash to carry out but there's no mess or fuss of cleaning pots and utensils. Its perfect for eating while hiking.
Always like the Pay Day candy bars. Don't melt, have 240calories per standard bar and is 1.82oz. Not the greatest, but light weight and filling since it has peanuts, sugar and so on. Good energy booster and emergency food imo.
I agree, the Starbucks Via is the best instant coffee in my opinion, although a bit pricier of course. For some reason I never think of coffee until the last minute, so it really comes down to where I'm at when I remember. Jersey Turnpike rest stop? - Starbucks Via. Route 91 in the middle of Vermont? - Folgers Crystals from the Quickie-Mart. ;)
What about packing some protein powder in a zip lock? You can just shake with water, mix it with oatmeal etc. That way its easier to get some protein with all the carbs that your eating throughout the day with the other foods.
gnonymouse Yes, I've done something similar that and it works pretty well (a protein breakfast smoothie from Packit Gourmet, which is basically protein powder and dehydrated fruit). Usually though, I get my protein from jerky etc and whatever my dinner is at the end of the day.
calories per oz! What a great concept. I'm sure it's obvious to some people, but I didn't know where to start with measuring calories on the trail. I'll aim for 100-150 cal/oz now too! Thanks Sintax!
Plain oatmeal is nasty. Place measured oatmeal, cinnamon and powdered milk (enough to make about 1/3 cup) in a zip lock bag. Put 1T honey and 1 T oil (I use coconut oil) in a smaller zip lock bag and pop it into the larger zip lock. Boil enough water for the oatmeal and milk, remove from the heat and add the honey/oil zip lock to it for a minute or two to thin the ingredients (especially if you're snow camping). Squish it all together in the large zip lock bag, zip it up, toss it into your sleeping bag to retain heat, wait two minutes and enjoy. If I want more calories or just variety, I might leave out the cinnamon and add 1 T. of chopped, mixed nuts or a handful of raisins or craisins or other dried fruit or any variety of those ingredients any combination of which can go in the zip lock when you make it up at home. Great stuff on a cold morning. Other than the nuts, nothing will spoil so these make a great BOB addition and you can vacuum pack to reduce the volume.
Heard ya about the mashed potatoes and not having milk, however, just a helpful hint....there is "powdered milk" just add water to it. It works great and it gives more options to food and adds to flavor. I was so happy to learn that one myself. -happy trails.
There is also dehydrated milk solids, which is used in bread making, and I think it is denser than powdered milk. I will have to check this out. I know that we don't use powdered milk in bread because it sometimes has other stuff than just milk.
Great ideas.. I see that I'm not so far off on my thinking based on your experienced presentation here.I always add trail mix to my hunting bag, and instant coffee is a must, beyond that if its just a day hunt I may add a snickers bar, or a PBJ sandwich or a cup of noodles in my bag. But this is far more advanced and you have given me more ideas, thanks for sharing. I love pop tarts never thought of adding them to my hunting bag. Will do so now!
I'm old enough to have started hiking before freeze dried food was available. Having said that I have always relied heavily on freeze dried, until recently that is. I'm a big guy and need the calories but I can only eat so much. Mountain House Pro-Paks are about perfect for me. Standard Mountain House two person entrees are too much for one person yet not enough for two. Weird. AlpineAire, Natural High, Richmor, etc. are in the same class: too much for the solo mountaineer, not enough for a duet. Backpacker's Pantry will feed two normal eaters, hence the higher price and weight. BP also requires more water, and the ultralight titanium mug I use can't hold enough water to reconstitute with a single boil. Some quick comments to address several of your points: Pop Tarts (R) is a very popular breakfast at high altitudes when appetites go away. There is no need to avoid milk. Powdered milk is readily available and Backpacker's Pantry sells powdered WHOLE milk! You have to look for it, even on their website...just enter "milk" in the search box. They also sell individual packets of olive oil which are expensive but oh so easy to use.
What ill do to a lot to save a lot of energy and not carry a lot of food is to bring a freind. People have a lot of calories in them but its really hard to eat them without them noticing so nibble when theyre sleeping and it provides a lot of calories for not much effort
Nick Carbaugh better still, if you have rescued a mother and son from the abanaki Indians and are returning g to base, food has run out so what your commanding officer does is takes the couple into the woods, kill them and take the flesh, food for the trip........that's what Robert Rogers did during the war against the French and on his retreat from at Francis. books rule!!.
I went out a couple of weeks ago on a day hike. It was a cold, rainy 9 degrees Celsius. And I'm pretty sure I didn't bring enough calories. I hadn't factored in the conditions and the milage. I was also pushing myself to go further even though I could feel the need for food. Needless to say, I was in pretty bad shape when I got home. I was 90% certain I had a fever, but it was just my body being really pissed at me. I'm definitely doing that chart come July when I'm going out on a 3-4 day hike.
Jerky with the ramen is delicious. I dice up some and steep with the noodles. Tastes great. Great video. I am new to dehydrating my own stuff so still learning there but its fun.
Thanks for the video. I'm usually a day hiker, so I usually don't think about this stuff. Thanks for all the tips. I'll make sure to pack some extra calories for my longer day hikes.
One thing I do to Ramen is add a third or half package of gravy mix, some dried vegies, meat of what ever you have on hand to 1 and a third cup of water. bring to boil. quick and easy.
I wish some of those freeze dry companies would lower their prices ? Man , those prices are way to pricey . Spam has a one slice package now . Thanks Spam and Thanks for other companies for making backpacking 🎒 food affordable. AND, THANKS FOR YOUR VIDEO, MOST HELPFUL.
very nice video,very helpful, but with the snickers bar? I understand the calories per ounce thing, but wouldn't it be better to fill your body with the right kind of calories per ounce? I don't know much about this stuff, but it doesn't seem like that's a good idea
Define "right kind of calories per ounce". Protein? You will never get as many calories per ounce with protein that you get with carbohydrates like sugar and high fructose corn syrup. Also, protein fills you up faster than carbs, so you end up having to eat more often. You have to keep in mind packers only eat this way on the trail, where they need thousands (yes thousands) of calories per day.
Lisa Smith, I'm with you. I can't eat most of this junk because of allergies to grains (including corn, which means corn syrup, too). He keeps turning packages over reading the calories & macro nutrients, and I keep saying, "Yeah, but what's in it?" Something I have to do to keep healthy. I'm trying to find nutritious trail food, because working that hard, I want to give my body what it needs, not harmful stuff, and not just sugar spikes & crashes, excess super processed salts, unhealthy fats & carbs it can't handle. That's me. To each his/her own. It's not a bad video, but I didn't learned anything new. :-/
You use a "tin can" for heating up water, most of them have plastic coatings the can leech chemicals at 150°F+ (BPA free still falls under this category). Why not the GSI kettle set? It all nests and still fits the MSR fuels. www.rei.com/product/798276/gsi-outdoors-halulite-ketalist-cookset
Hey man, great video. I just found your channel last night and I'm about 4 hrs into your videos. Really great stuff. I've been car camping twice a year for the past 6 years or so at various eastern locations with my best friend. We are planning our first 3-4 day backpacking trip in the SNP. Got the maps, itinerary, etc covered, but had no idea on food. I'm also buying a hammock because of your vids. Thanks for the advice. At less than 5 miles per day, what should my calorie intake be? -Wolf
Really good info here, i really learned a lot and got some good ideas. Just getting started in real backpacking and your videos are invaluable. Have you done any trips to Maine? Again.. thanks.
I really enjoyed the video! It seems no matter how I plan, things always change for me. For example, on Day 1, I might be so starved that I start dipping into Day 2 snacks, and then I have to ration the rest of my food. Or, sometimes I'll come off a 4 day trip with a full day's food leftover! Also, I have found that the standard bagel is extremely durable. It can take a lot of abuse without tearing for falling apart.
Thanks for the video. I am a prepper and would like to put together enough food to load into my new Osprey Kestrel 48 to last for at least 3 days. Do you have a vid on this? Anthony.
I really like video...it's really good, with a lot of good ideas. I would recommend to remember there is a difference between volumetric oz and weight oz.
knorr rice and knorr noodles are ~100cal/oz, but so are many of the MH/BP dehydrated stuff, but I can get 540 cal/$1 rather than 168cal/1$, so for budget minded/student backpackers, the typical rice side is actually pretty effective, both in cost and weight
4StrongWinds When you're sweating on the trail, it's worth it. Also, 30%, take 3 of them per day and you're close to the RDA. It's called "recommended" for a reason haha. Also, is your name a reference to the Neil Young song?
A word of warning on certain dehydrated meals, especially vegetarian(backpacker pantry), watch out for fiber content. It could be up to 200% of your daily allowance in one meal,since they use TVP. Frozen homemade meals are good in cold weather or early summer just find some snow in the shade to keep them cold. Vacu seal bags can hold up to reheating to keep the mess down, and compact nice after use.
Great video as usual! Covers most subjects or at least mentions them. I have only 4 things to add. 1. Proteins - your body require 1-1.5g of protein per 2lbs (1oz/20lbs) of your body weight, otherwise it will start to burn your muscles. Ammonia smell in your sweat will indicate it. 2. Fats - slow but long lasting energy. Best for night and cold weather. 3. Carbs - quick but fast burning energy. 4. Peanuts = aflatoxins - I usually try to avoid any trail mixes with peanuts or peanut butter.
Pre cooked bacon that does not need to be refrigerated like the Oscar Myer brand makes a great snack. Just heat it up over a fire or lay it across the top of ur pot.
+Andrew “Drew” Tilley If you go to the baking section at your grocer you can find dry milk powder. It comes in packs that make a quart each, which is a lot, but you can always measure it into smaller portions in zip locks if you're solo. Its taste is not bad, a little hint of dry staleness but not enough to be unappetizing.
I have a question, when showing the Hormel chilli you brought on your trip, was that a light my fire eat n tool? If so how did you like that because I almost bought one today but was wondering how it would handle noodles? Thanks.
Cool videos! We just cannot help taking a couple of canned food goods on a long weekend hike just because we like the variety. We do not mind the weight. Mre type food works well with us because we go to many places where there is no water available. Sometimes we carry a gallon and a half each of water. Keep up the great videos.
Great video! Very helpful. I'm gonna be thru hiking the AT pretty soon and looking for good backpacking foods. Those labels on some of the packages, was some of that food from Big Lots? Thanks for the ideas! And I always take a small can of pork and beans with me on a backpacking trip! It is a little bulky but nothing compares to a hot can of bbq baked beans after a long day of hiking!
MKirkbro52591 Yes, those are Big Lot's labels. I find some interesting stuff in there for pretty cheap from time to time. And I agree, sometimes the less wight conscious food options are well worth the fun factor, which is ultimately what it's all about.
Hey, I've been interested in going backpacking for a while now, and I was wondering what kind of practice you would do before you went on a long hike. How long of a distance would you walk before throwing on a backpack or something like that?
I would really suggest, besides a good dehydrated, a good quality vacuum sealer, is a good thing to have. Even if you don't dehydrate you food. With a good sealer you not only save volume you can seal things to last a lot longer. I once cooked a few.steaks, and.put them in the freezer. Once you get to camp you can heat them on a fire, and / or boiling water. They will last a few days.But on drying, aside from the chili or spaghetti, I buy bags of frozen veggies,sand dehydrate them. It is very good to add to the pot to pick up your veggie count. Knott side with dehydrated chicken, a 1/4 up dried veggies and you have a meal
Is that Silvermine Lake at 10:13? Looks like a dead ringer for it. That fallen tree is half of what gives it away for me. I'd climb out and eat a little lunch halfway along it. Unless that's just a very similar felled tree...
Another great video! Just some things to think of. SPAM comes in foil packs now called SPAM singles, great cold like lunch meat. No more cans to mess with. Coffee, you could try coffee singles. I prefer them over instant but to each his own. Dehydrated meals, other suppliers, Pack-it-Gourmet and Hawk Vittles. Also freeze dried ice cream!! Its the bomb!! Add nothing and eat it straight up. Great stuff!! A little piece of home in the woods!!! Thanks
peanut butter has 165 calories per ounce. you can put it in ziploc bags. i also store several jars of peanut butter at home for emergencies because it is high-calorie and ready to eat. it's a great survival food.
Really enjoy the videos! Just wanted to share with you the best backpacking meal I've ever prepared that is 1)light weight 2)calorie filled 3) cheap! and 4)delicious! Tortelini (the dry package, I got mine at aldi for $1.00) Real bacon bits (not the artificial ones) Olive oil (2 tbsp) Parmesan Cheese packet (free from pizza joint to-go) Simple prep: boil tortellini, drain, mix oil, bacon, cheese, enjoy! (10 min) Very enjoyable!
FYI I see you were using a new tin can over the fire, they have the BPH liner "white" inside. Not advised to use over heat, it is unsafe for food cooking chemical will leech out.
hey man, this was a great video, Love the chart. i'm getting ready for a 3 day in Vermont and its been a while since i was out. good refresh for me. thanks
I do not do a lot of hiking due to my back but I do make my own dehydrated meals for camping or for emergencies.. I use a lot of the rice and noodle sides as bases and add dehydrated meat and "doctor them up" as my mom likes to call it. One of the doctorings i do is powdered milk or coffee creamer to things that call for milk on the packages. I also use the powdered butter substitute/flavoring. A good example of one of my breakfast meals is oatmeal, coffee creamer (cheaper than powdered milk) butter flavoring and sugar in a ziplock bag with as much air pressed out as i can get. Add a piece of bacon jerky and coffee and I am set.
For dinner a creamy chicken and rice side with butter and milk subs and either canned or dehydrated chicken. I will add a chicken bullion cube per cup of water needed. All dry ingredients are ziplocked.
I will write the amount of water needed per meal on the package as well as what it is.
An oldie but a goodie!! Thanks sintax!
This is a point-on video. You covered a plethora of topics and food. Made me rethink about what I was bringing on my next trip, but your options shown are well appreciated. Love the idea of a simple can, and how it can be so simply used. Thanks Much. Miami heading north !
One of the best vids on backpacking food. Heading to Yosemite next week and I've never really considered the calories needed for energy based on what you burn. I'm rethinking everything. Thanks!
Right on - enjoy Yosemite!
Always take a squeeze bottle of olive oil to cook the squirrel in ;)- Good info, thanks for sharing!
Great point! I meant to bring up PB but left the jar in the kitchen and totally forgot to bring it up. 170+ calories per ounce and one of the tastier options. Single serving pouches are convenient, or for longer trips a small jar can provide emergency calories for the whole group.
Man, I watched this video over a month ago while prepping a future winter snow show trip in remote New Brunswick, Canada and I keep going back to watch this! lol Great tips with the overall score with calories/weight. I consider myself an experienced hiker but this winter hike will be a challenge for sure, im convinced with your strategy ill be carrying the best bang for the weight food now, seriously appreciate this one!! id like to say that the 100 000 people who have seen this video have learn't as well! :) Thank you, love your videos, a few chuckles but educational!
My pleasure. Good luck on your winter adventure and have a blast!
Great advice especially rating foods on calories per ounce. I'd like to point out that the regular Mountain House meals say 2 servings but are usually just about 500 calories total so not too much. The Pro packs were designed for high altitude hiking since the normal bags would swell and take up more space for nothing.
Tomato paste in a tube. Squeeze it into a smaller container and take only what you need. Mix with a little water and dehydrated veggies and you have pasta sauce. Sprinkle over your fav pasta with a little oil & parm.
I read people dehydrate the tomato paste to make it even lighter!
I started keeping old Mountain House bags in my pack just wash them out and you have lightweight bowls for oatmeal and sharing
+Oishii gaijin Nice tip, thanks!
Oishii gaijin Genius!
sintax77
Caro Ryan of Lots of Fresh Air, has a video where she talks about her trail food. She makes her own müsli for breakfast. Oats, dried fruit, nuts and then milk powder. I've used that a lot and it really makes for a good solid breakfast.
You got me including pop tarts in my camping trips now, great choice!
+BirdShot IV Welcome to the Tart Side. ;)
A great tutorial with some cool insights. Thanks for putting this together and sharing dude. Kind regards from here in London ~Peace~
Actually, Vienna Sausages are good to take, and the can is easy to turn into an alcohol stove. Also, MREs from Army Surplus are quite nice and they have many extra supplies you can use like Toulet paper, matches, and instant coffee as well. (On that note, never use the water from the chemical heter to make your coffee, it is poisonous.)
You can dehydrate the hormel chili by using plastic wrap on a dehydrator tray. This way it's super light an all u have to do is rehydrate it with water!
wax paper is correct way to dehydrate
if you like stuffed peppers try pre making them and bring them with.. i use pork sausage and cheese and things like zuchinni and stuff the peppers with that after letting the mix cool in the fridge..then wrap the peppers in foil and bring em for a night..usually it was first night so you could shed the weight..put them in the coals and let em cook up till the cheese it melted and make some quickrice and have the peppers with the rice..the best trail dinner i found yet..like gourmet . after seeing your buddy with his potatoes i thought i had to share my recipe with you.
Instead of Romen Noodles in the package, try the noodles in the bowls instead, you can usually find them next to the Romen. They come with a seasoning packet, dehydrated meat packet and a dehydrated veggie packet. Only 76 cents at Walmart and equals about 2 packs of Romen Noodles so it is a larger heartier meal with meat and veggies :)
Brenda Odom They don't pack very well. Kinda big and bulky
Well ya gotta dump the content into a zip lock bag for travel then just add hot water.
Because the ones in the bowl have dehydrated meat and vegetables being more nutritious.
+Brenda Odom nice tip Brenda....never thought I would see the words "ramen" and "nutritious" in the same sentence though ;P
Yea I even eat them at home lol
I really appreciate your videos. Thanks for taking the time. I'm going to transition from car camping to backpacking as my young son gets, older starting in the Spring. You're saving me many trips worth of learning with all the info you provide. You're saving me some serious trial and error $ too. Thanks a million and keep them coming, if you have the time.
Thanks, Ding Dion Glad you like them - I plan to keep them coming!
Thank you my outdoors friend. This was a very informative video. I am preparing for an upcoming winter trip to the Northern Sierras.
The information you shared in this video will assist me in finalizing my food selection. Always be safe out there and have fun. 🤗
Thanks, Ronald. Be safe and have fun out there!
I keep watching your videos before each trip. I've shed quite a few pounds from my base weight. My back thanks you!
Yup, Chili Mac is probably my fave pro-pak. The Asian themed ones are pretty good too, for variety's sake.
I repackage the Mountain House and Backpackers Pantry using a vacuum sealer to save volume and portions.
I like to bring some Nido dry milk to add to granola for breakfast.. Its whole milk - almost 140 calories per ounce, and it tastes delicious!
I'll have to look into the coconut oil, sounds interesting. Does it still taste like coconut? What kind of dishes do you work that into?
As for the oatmeal, I just use the pre packaged instant oatmeal because the little packages it comes in are waterproof so I just boil water and pour it right in and eat out of the bag just like the other dehydrated meals. It works great and the minimal clean up is a huge plus.
Thanks for all the great info on types And how to plan your meals
I always mix my instant coffee with a spoonful of hot chocolate mix to "fix" the flavor a little, plus you get a slight calorie boost with breakfast too.
My last backpacking trip, one guy in our group of three did just that and seemed to work well. Freezer ziplock bags seem to hold up well to boiled water. It won't stand on its own like a Mountain House package would, but saves a lot of space. If you use bear canisters, any saved space is huge.
Bagels and smoked oysters. Don't drain the oil from the oysters, but dip your bagel in it. My newest favourite on the trail.
"you can do what you want at your our risk so dont come complaining to me when you get a tummy ache buddy".lol. thats classic.
Lots of the same stuff I use for bushcraft trips but picked up some new ideas. Always looking for new camp foods. Thanks. Good vid man.
i was in that exact same spot as you sintax. at 3:20 you were at the abandoned tunnels on the old turn pike in central PA. that very same spot I went to with a group of friends and we also camped there and saw all the bikers going thru the tunnels! best part about that place is the huge wind turbines! if you go to the upper part of the tunnels it echos like crazy up there! thanks for you Time :)
Buddy of mine disappeared for a few minutes, up near Ice Water Springs, in the Smokies. I thought, maybe he went to the outhouse. An hour later, just as we were finishing dinner, he said, “I’ll be back”. I cleaned up cookware and stoked the small fire. Looked up and out of the woods he came holding two pies. He had mixed up instant lime pies with Graham cracker crumb crust. It was cooling in the cold spring. I near passed out, it was sooo good. WHAT A GREAT TREAT!!! He had done it in secret. Much better than a Snicker Bar. Kentucky
Great summary of options - weight vs. convenience is always a big decision. Getting a good food dehydrator can save tons on that dehydrated food, and it's fun. It's amazing how light fresh fruit becomes once you remove the water. The Spam is heavy, but sure tastes great fried up with eggs if you're base camping!
One thing that we typically enjoy in our boy scout troop is a peanut butter sandwich in a tortilla. We find it to be fairly delicious, and the peanut butter for one exceeds the 150 Cal/oz mark.
Excellent video. Wide range of food types and calorie densities. Good job!
One thing I to bring is those Jiff peanut butter cups. I dip the tortilla flat bread in the cup as I'm hiking for lunch. Good overview of the food.
Vacuum seal ANYTHING you can. Throw that can of chili in a vacuum seal bag, take the air out, and you've dropped a lot of weight and gained a lot of space. Also, if you can, fish, hunt (same thing really), and gather. Saves your food for when you might really, really need it.
Very cool, looks like you're gonna have some nice weather!
I've wondered before about simply splitting up a a large dehydrated meal into two separate Ziploc bags, but never actually tried it. I don't see why it wouldn't work though, since plenty of guys use that method for home dehydrated meals, oatmeal, etc. Just make sure to use a pot or something similar to keep the bag upright.
For on-the-go, small oven bags can open up a whole new realm. They are capable of handling high temps like pouring boiling water directly into it. An example is making oatmeal by putting in dry oatmeal and boiling water into an oven bag. Squish and squeeze to mix and tie the bag off. Cut a corner of the bag off to basically create a decorating pastry bag. Squeeze the oatmeal into your mouth and enjoy... doubles as hand warmer too. You do have the oven bag trash to carry out but there's no mess or fuss of cleaning pots and utensils. Its perfect for eating while hiking.
"Don't come complaing to me if you get a tummy ache there buddy" lol I died laughing at that part..great video btw
Always like the Pay Day candy bars. Don't melt, have 240calories per standard bar and is 1.82oz. Not the greatest, but light weight and filling since it has peanuts, sugar and so on. Good energy booster and emergency food imo.
Much appreciated, makes me hungry already and I haven't even hiked today!
I agree, the Starbucks Via is the best instant coffee in my opinion, although a bit pricier of course. For some reason I never think of coffee until the last minute, so it really comes down to where I'm at when I remember. Jersey Turnpike rest stop? - Starbucks Via. Route 91 in the middle of Vermont? - Folgers Crystals from the Quickie-Mart. ;)
What about packing some protein powder in a zip lock? You can just shake with water, mix it with oatmeal etc. That way its easier to get some protein with all the carbs that your eating throughout the day with the other foods.
gnonymouse Yes, I've done something similar that and it works pretty well (a protein breakfast smoothie from Packit Gourmet, which is basically protein powder and dehydrated fruit). Usually though, I get my protein from jerky etc and whatever my dinner is at the end of the day.
When you talk about pop tarts I think of Shugs accent “peanut butter pap Tarrtts”
calories per oz! What a great concept. I'm sure it's obvious to some people, but I didn't know where to start with measuring calories on the trail. I'll aim for 100-150 cal/oz now too! Thanks Sintax!
First time I heard of it too. Great!!
Hi from Connecticut,new in hiking community I trying to get into backing,I am 50 year old .What you recommend.Awesome videos
This was defenitely helpful. I'm planning a 7 day hike (100 miles). Preplanning log and calorie ideas is a big help.
I will be going up to the whites this coming weekend , from saturday to monday. Doing the bonds. Can't wait ! Hope all is well.peace
Plain oatmeal is nasty. Place measured oatmeal, cinnamon and powdered milk (enough to make about 1/3 cup) in a zip lock bag. Put 1T honey and 1 T oil (I use coconut oil) in a smaller zip lock bag and pop it into the larger zip lock.
Boil enough water for the oatmeal and milk, remove from the heat and add the honey/oil zip lock to it for a minute or two to thin the ingredients (especially if you're snow camping). Squish it all together in the large zip lock bag, zip it up, toss it into your sleeping bag to retain heat, wait two minutes and enjoy. If I want more calories or just variety, I might leave out the cinnamon and add 1 T. of chopped, mixed nuts or a handful of raisins or craisins or other dried fruit or any variety of those ingredients any combination of which can go in the zip lock when you make it up at home. Great stuff on a cold morning. Other than the nuts, nothing will spoil so these make a great BOB addition and you can vacuum pack to reduce the volume.
Heard ya about the mashed potatoes and not having milk, however, just a helpful hint....there is "powdered milk" just add water to it. It works great and it gives more options to food and adds to flavor. I was so happy to learn that one myself. -happy trails.
There is also dehydrated milk solids, which is used in bread making, and I think it is denser than powdered milk. I will have to check this out. I know that we don't use powdered milk in bread because it sometimes has other stuff than just milk.
That sweet and sour chicken is amazing, I had it on my last winter hike.
I just want to say that I thoroughly enjoy your videos.
Thanks Travisb85 :)
1 point for the chicken salad tip, 2 points for the Hank Williams III channel icon. ;)
Great ideas.. I see that I'm not so far off on my thinking based on your experienced presentation here.I always add trail mix to my hunting bag, and instant coffee is a must, beyond that if its just a day hunt I may add a snickers bar, or a PBJ sandwich or a cup of noodles in my bag. But this is far more advanced and you have given me more ideas, thanks for sharing. I love pop tarts never thought of adding them to my hunting bag. Will do so now!
I'm old enough to have started hiking before freeze dried food was available. Having said that I have always relied heavily on freeze dried, until recently that is.
I'm a big guy and need the calories but I can only eat so much. Mountain House Pro-Paks are about perfect for me. Standard Mountain House two person entrees are too much for one person yet not enough for two. Weird.
AlpineAire, Natural High, Richmor, etc. are in the same class: too much for the solo mountaineer, not enough for a duet. Backpacker's Pantry will feed two normal eaters, hence the higher price and weight. BP also requires more water, and the ultralight titanium mug I use can't hold enough water to reconstitute with a single boil.
Some quick comments to address several of your points: Pop Tarts (R) is a very popular breakfast at high altitudes when appetites go away. There is no need to avoid milk. Powdered milk is readily available and Backpacker's Pantry sells powdered WHOLE milk! You have to look for it, even on their website...just enter "milk" in the search box. They also sell individual packets of olive oil which are expensive but oh so easy to use.
Thanks, should be a couple new adventures coming your way shortly!
Great run down! We have similar taste in food.I also have a few hawks vittles and Packit Gourmet meals that are great!!
What ill do to a lot to save a lot of energy and not carry a lot of food is to bring a freind. People have a lot of calories in them but its really hard to eat them without them noticing so nibble when theyre sleeping and it provides a lot of calories for not much effort
Nick Carbaugh best tip by far
Nick Carbaugh better still, if you have rescued a mother and son from the abanaki Indians and are returning g to base, food has run out so what your commanding officer does is takes the couple into the woods, kill them and take the flesh, food for the trip........that's what Robert Rogers did during the war against the French and on his retreat from at Francis. books rule!!.
I went out a couple of weeks ago on a day hike. It was a cold, rainy 9 degrees Celsius. And I'm pretty sure I didn't bring enough calories. I hadn't factored in the conditions and the milage. I was also pushing myself to go further even though I could feel the need for food. Needless to say, I was in pretty bad shape when I got home. I was 90% certain I had a fever, but it was just my body being really pissed at me. I'm definitely doing that chart come July when I'm going out on a 3-4 day hike.
Jerky with the ramen is delicious. I dice up some and steep with the noodles. Tastes great. Great video. I am new to dehydrating my own stuff so still learning there but its fun.
Awesome video. Thanks for some great tips.
Thanks for the video. I'm usually a day hiker, so I usually don't think about this stuff. Thanks for all the tips. I'll make sure to pack some extra calories for my longer day hikes.
For what it's worth I, too, enjoy the Mountain House dehydrated packs. Even the Scrambled Eggs taste good in the morning during a trek.
Your videos are far and away the best on here always enjoy watching them.
Thanks, bentstraight , I'm glad you're enjoying them.
Man you have soe great videos! Learning a bunch! Thanks for taking the time to do this for the world!!!
+Brian ansel My pleasure :)
Very thorough and informative. Thanks for giving me a base to build off of.
One thing I do to Ramen is add a third or half package of gravy mix, some dried vegies, meat of what ever you have on hand to 1 and a third cup of water. bring to boil. quick and easy.
I wish some of those freeze dry companies would lower their prices ? Man , those prices are way to pricey . Spam has a one slice package now . Thanks Spam and Thanks for other companies for making backpacking 🎒 food affordable. AND, THANKS FOR YOUR VIDEO, MOST HELPFUL.
very nice video,very helpful, but with the snickers bar? I understand the calories per ounce thing, but wouldn't it be better to fill your body with the right kind of calories per ounce? I don't know much about this stuff, but it doesn't seem like that's a good idea
Define "right kind of calories per ounce". Protein? You will never get as many calories per ounce with protein that you get with carbohydrates like sugar and high fructose corn syrup. Also, protein fills you up faster than carbs, so you end up having to eat more often.
You have to keep in mind packers only eat this way on the trail, where they need thousands (yes thousands) of calories per day.
Lisa Smith, I'm with you. I can't eat most of this junk because of allergies to grains (including corn, which means corn syrup, too). He keeps turning packages over reading the calories & macro nutrients, and I keep saying, "Yeah, but what's in it?" Something I have to do to keep healthy. I'm trying to find nutritious trail food, because working that hard, I want to give my body what it needs, not harmful stuff, and not just sugar spikes & crashes, excess super processed salts, unhealthy fats & carbs it can't handle. That's me. To each his/her own.
It's not a bad video, but I didn't learned anything new. :-/
You use a "tin can" for heating up water, most of them have plastic coatings the can leech chemicals at 150°F+ (BPA free still falls under this category). Why not the GSI kettle set? It all nests and still fits the MSR fuels.
www.rei.com/product/798276/gsi-outdoors-halulite-ketalist-cookset
Hey man, great video. I just found your channel last night and I'm about 4 hrs into your videos. Really great stuff. I've been car camping twice a year for the past 6 years or so at various eastern locations with my best friend. We are planning our first 3-4 day backpacking trip in the SNP. Got the maps, itinerary, etc covered, but had no idea on food. I'm also buying a hammock because of your vids. Thanks for the advice. At less than 5 miles per day, what should my calorie intake be? -Wolf
Really good info here,
i really learned a lot and got some good ideas. Just getting started in real backpacking and your videos are invaluable. Have you done any trips to Maine? Again.. thanks.
Thanks, glad you're enjoying them. Just got back from the Grafton Loop!
I really enjoyed the video! It seems no matter how I plan, things always change for me. For example, on Day 1, I might be so starved that I start dipping into Day 2 snacks, and then I have to ration the rest of my food. Or, sometimes I'll come off a 4 day trip with a full day's food leftover! Also, I have found that the standard bagel is extremely durable. It can take a lot of abuse without tearing for falling apart.
yes your stomach expands or shrinks based on the volume of food you regularly consume
Thanks for the video. I am a prepper and would like to put together enough food to load into my new Osprey Kestrel 48 to last for at least 3 days. Do you have a vid on this? Anthony.
I really like video...it's really good, with a lot of good ideas. I would recommend to remember there is a difference between volumetric oz and weight oz.
Perhaps my favorite trail food: Jack Link's Jack Packs. Jerky, cheese, and pretzel rods all in one convenient pack. 230 cal/2 oz pack.
knorr rice and knorr noodles are ~100cal/oz, but so are many of the MH/BP dehydrated stuff, but I can get 540 cal/$1 rather than 168cal/1$, so for budget minded/student backpackers, the typical rice side is actually pretty effective, both in cost and weight
Elliott Mazur But the Knorr sides are so high in sodium; about 30% of RDA/serving.
4StrongWinds When you're sweating on the trail, it's worth it. Also, 30%, take 3 of them per day and you're close to the RDA. It's called "recommended" for a reason haha. Also, is your name a reference to the Neil Young song?
Elliott Mazur A Waylon Jennings song.
A word of warning on certain dehydrated meals, especially vegetarian(backpacker pantry), watch out for fiber content. It could be up to 200% of your daily allowance in one meal,since they use TVP. Frozen homemade meals are good in cold weather or early summer just find some snow in the shade to keep them cold. Vacu seal bags can hold up to reheating to keep the mess down, and compact nice after use.
Nice tip, I'll have to give that a shot sometime. Thanks!
Great video as usual! Covers most subjects or at least mentions them. I have only 4 things to add.
1. Proteins - your body require 1-1.5g of protein per 2lbs (1oz/20lbs) of your body weight, otherwise it will start to burn your muscles. Ammonia smell in your sweat will indicate it.
2. Fats - slow but long lasting energy. Best for night and cold weather.
3. Carbs - quick but fast burning energy.
4. Peanuts = aflatoxins - I usually try to avoid any trail mixes with peanuts or peanut butter.
Some great ideas... thanks for the video
Pre cooked bacon that does not need to be refrigerated like the Oscar Myer brand makes a great snack. Just heat it up over a fire or lay it across the top of ur pot.
sintax77 If u need milk you can take the small almond milk singles.
+Andrew “Drew” Tilley If you go to the baking section at your grocer you can find dry milk powder. It comes in packs that make a quart each, which is a lot, but you can always measure it into smaller portions in zip locks if you're solo. Its taste is not bad, a little hint of dry staleness but not enough to be unappetizing.
I have a question, when showing the Hormel chilli you brought on your trip, was that a light my fire eat n tool? If so how did you like that because I almost bought one today but was wondering how it would handle noodles? Thanks.
Which dehydrated brand would you suggest and after all the trips, which would you say is your favourite?
Cool videos! We just cannot help taking a couple of canned food goods on a long weekend hike just because we like the variety. We do not mind the weight. Mre type food works well with us because we go to many places where there is no water available. Sometimes we carry a gallon and a half each of water. Keep up the great videos.
Excellent vid. Learned a lot. Thanks.
Great video! Very helpful. I'm gonna be thru hiking the AT pretty soon and looking for good backpacking foods. Those labels on some of the packages, was some of that food from Big Lots? Thanks for the ideas! And I always take a small can of pork and beans with me on a backpacking trip! It is a little bulky but nothing compares to a hot can of bbq baked beans after a long day of hiking!
MKirkbro52591 Yes, those are Big Lot's labels. I find some interesting stuff in there for pretty cheap from time to time. And I agree, sometimes the less wight conscious food options are well worth the fun factor, which is ultimately what it's all about.
Great video! I mostly stick to mountain house but have heard that pack it gourmet is a great hiking food
I've heard good things about them as well, but haven't tried them yet. Looks like they have single-serving versions for most of their dishes, too.
planning my first backpacking trip and this is so helpful! Thankyou!
Hey, I've been interested in going backpacking for a while now, and I was wondering what kind of practice you would do before you went on a long hike. How long of a distance would you walk before throwing on a backpack or something like that?
I would really suggest, besides a good dehydrated, a good quality vacuum sealer, is a good thing to have. Even if you don't dehydrate you food. With a good sealer you not only save volume you can seal things to last a lot longer. I once cooked a few.steaks, and.put them in the freezer. Once you get to camp you can heat them on a fire, and / or boiling water. They will last a few days.But on drying, aside from the chili or spaghetti, I buy bags of frozen veggies,sand dehydrate them. It is very good to add to the pot to pick up your veggie count. Knott side with dehydrated chicken, a 1/4 up dried veggies and you have a meal
Is that Silvermine Lake at 10:13? Looks like a dead ringer for it. That fallen tree is half of what gives it away for me. I'd climb out and eat a little lunch halfway along it. Unless that's just a very similar felled tree...
Another great video! Just some things to think of. SPAM comes in foil packs now called SPAM singles, great cold like lunch meat. No more cans to mess with. Coffee, you could try coffee singles. I prefer them over instant but to each his own. Dehydrated meals, other suppliers, Pack-it-Gourmet and Hawk Vittles. Also freeze dried ice cream!! Its the bomb!! Add nothing and eat it straight up. Great stuff!! A little piece of home in the woods!!! Thanks
peanut butter has 165 calories per ounce. you can put it in ziploc bags. i also store several jars of peanut butter at home for emergencies because it is high-calorie and ready to eat. it's a great survival food.
Really enjoy the videos! Just wanted to share with you the best backpacking meal I've ever prepared that is 1)light weight 2)calorie filled 3) cheap! and 4)delicious!
Tortelini (the dry package, I got mine at aldi for $1.00)
Real bacon bits (not the artificial ones)
Olive oil (2 tbsp)
Parmesan Cheese packet (free from pizza joint to-go)
Simple prep: boil tortellini, drain, mix oil, bacon, cheese, enjoy! (10 min)
Very enjoyable!
FYI I see you were using a new tin can over the fire, they have the BPH liner "white" inside. Not advised to use over heat, it is unsafe for food cooking chemical will leech out.
^ this plus many of those things come in foil paks anyways
GOYA makes a pretty decent blister pack style sausage as well, keep 'em coming Syntax77, cool channel.
Trying to get back into backing after a long break awesome videos!
Thanks, man ...now go and get out there! ;)
hey man, this was a great video, Love the chart. i'm getting ready for a 3 day in Vermont and its been a while since i was out. good refresh for me. thanks