Hunting & Fishing Backpacking food

I do this sort of thing and have been most of my life, but I also grew up in the desert and don’t eat much to begin with so take the following for what you paid for it.

Powdered eggs and cooking bags, you can boil omelets. Jerky can be turned into soups and stews. Packs of pre made stuff like rice dishes, etc from the store warm up great (red beans n rice, dirty rice, yellow rice, etc). Anything that is shelf stable.

You can carry actual rice and beans, but that requires time to actually cook it, which isn’t always in the cards.

Look for calorie dense stuff that sounds tasty and try it at home. The Mountains House stuff is good, but it’s expensive and kinda low on the calories. Tuna packets are good, ramen noodles are dirt cheap and take up no real weight.

Hope this helps, I’m hunting bear and deer this year in several of Arkansas’ wilderness areas, and I visit as often as I can. I grew up out west. My home wilderness is actually on fire right now, the Superstition Wilderness in Arizona.

I find mountain house to be the most “like” home cooking.
Not too much spice but not bland etc.
If you’ll be hungry get the meals that are 2 servings.
Usually the same price, go for the hard pack stuff. Nothing worse then opening up a chicken cutlet and having it in pieces.

Pb, bread, cheese, salami, granola, chocolate, candy bars, cake icing, honey.

I went backpacking for 6 months and after the first I found out I hate cooking rice dishes. I would just go to the store and grab whatever looked good that I didn’t have to cook.

I have eaten quite a few FD over my life and in my experience Backpacker Pantry has the best or more easy to eat flavor. I add a few extra ounces of water so they are well hydrated, soupy, they tend to stop me up if not. I haven't eaten one in years though because...

I make my own. I start with dried meals like hamburger helper and soup starters. Remove from the store bought package and place one meal in a large zip lock, I prefer freezer, cut out small tab from the box and place inside the zip lock or sharpie it so I know what the meal is. You can buy FD meat but my own is better, it does not reconstitute like store bought though but has way better flavor. You can rehydrate in the zip lock, they will not melt with boiling water. I eat straight from the zip lock. They all taste better than any FD meal and easier to eat when tired at altitude even some of the mistakes I had. There are too many different combos from the grocery store to list but go shopping and see for your self. Experiment like I did.

Instant potato flakes and butter add some volume, calories and taste to any meal for very little weight. I have also thrown in a bouillon cube too. Instant rice too but sometimes its can be a little crunchy with more volume to tote, not weight.

At my base camps, one of the most revered tastings from my clients was a fried bagel for breakfast. Secret recipe but experiment on your own.

Also at my base camps when weight was not much of an issue, I also used a double boiler. Its a aluminum grid about 3/4" tall with half" squares that fits inside a 2l ti pot. Add water to just covered the grid, place a cooking bag on top of the grid, lid on, and steam boil the food in the bag. Once boiling turn the stove down to save the water, you are not boiling it just want to boil then simmer the steam. I have made pizza, cookies not so pleasing to the eye, rolls biscuits, pasta and everyone fav cinnamon rolls. Eggs are good but they sort of have green tint to them, don't know why but they do but taste good with chopped up bacon included. The food combos are endless. We ate from the cooking bag too, saves clean up and less weight. We usually burned them to melt them down and rid of food smell for wondering hungry bear and then pack the melted out.

I cant understand why any one would eat FD meals when its so easy with superior taste making your own.

good luck

Thanks for the tips
Green eggs are from the aluminum or stainless pans.
Look at a chafing tray, the edges are green tint

Boil bag meals. Not the whole solution and a lot to weed out; but these are some additional options.

The boil-in bag rice will make that rice cooking more tolerable, etc..

Altitude makes boiling things more of a chore. The altitude lowers the boiling temp, requiring longer cooking times.

I live at 4350ft ASL, and the time addition is significantly noticeable. Personally, with my CHF and COPD, I cannot live at 8000ft and above, so not much of the activities at higher than that are on the menu; but the rest of us get to go higher, so it's a real consideration.

As a Scout Leader years ago, I did a lot of cooking on a Svea 123 stove. That included spaghetti dinners for 20+.

Then the PC Mafia in the Scouting program issued a blanket ban on all liquid fuels. and essentially disabled the ability to cook outdoors, indoors, anywhere. It was the beginning of the end for me as an adult Scout Leader, after 40 years as such.

Look at them now. I wouldn't touch them these days with somebody else's ten foot pole.

Greg

Good vid, I have been doing this for decades, before this guy was born

Yes, eat a high caloric breakfast and snack throughout the day. Eating an actual lunch will take blood to digest and can make you tired as the blood is used for digestion. I try to snack every hour with water, keep the fire fueled.

Weight is ok but the volume of those FD meals can be cut in half if you roll your own or cut them open and use a zip lock Vs still foil. Light is right but also is the volume of what you are packing.

Good advice on sugars, you want fat and protein.

I forget to mention rocket fuel, chocolate covered coffee beans. I have some in a pocket and snack on when needed, like 2000 foot of scree or end of the day going back to camp. I also throw in a few almond M&M, quick burn sugar to amp up, fat and protein of the almonds for the long burn.

Logan bread. high fat, high protein, dense calories. Experiment to get that flavor mix you prefer.

The best way to get the most from caffeine; stop all caffeine intake at least 14 days from your hunt, decrease it over another week or longer. Now on the hunt, a short cup of coffee will zoom your body, then use rocket fuel over day or a shake down and brew up a cup, I never leave camp without my stove.

Greg mentioned altitude and cooking. To save fuel, I let a lot of food simmer after the boil to rehydrate it. Save fuel.

This is all an experiment with time in the hills.

Supersubes said:

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I’m surprised no one mentioned the good, old, military MRE. Those suckers pack tons of calories, and come with a heater. A reliable option if you can get your hands on them?

Also, and this is coming from a season fighting fire out west, Smuckers Uncrustables. Those things are like crack, and a few of those in a pack made a great snack on the fire line.

Something to toss in for quick carbs are the organic energy chews from Honey Stinger. I swear by these things. They've got something like 40g of carbs. Definitely something to look in to!

thejeep said:

Pb, bread, cheese, salami, granola, chocolate, candy bars, cake icing, honey.

I went backpacking for 6 months and after the first I found out I hate cooking rice dishes. I would just go to the store and grab whatever looked good that I didn’t have to cook.

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wow, that is some terrible advice. There is no reason for that much sugar - especially processed/refined sugar. It does you no good. Much better off with getting your cals from fats and more complex/natural carbs.

I've taken potato flakes for supplementing and they're a good idea, but for me the ultimate is Stove Top Stuffing! I used to get the butter in the ketchup packets and add it after it soaked, no extended cooking times at altitude, because it doesn't really "cook", and a normal portion fills you up. I'd always throw in a few bags with my other food. On several trips I could have sold a portion for a few hundred dollars to the guys who just brought ramen... (which is also light and full of energy).

Checkout the peak refuel meals. Way better tasting than MH and more protein/calories.

Winny94 said:

wow, that is some terrible advice. There is no reason for that much sugar - especially processed/refined sugar. It does you no good. Much better off with getting your cals from fats and more complex/natural carbs.

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Thank you, I didn’t even mention the time I had to buy 4 days worth of little Debbie oat meal cream pies and still walk 20-28mi /day.

What I was getting at is for a short period one might not even have to cook. Even eating the most bullshit foods from a gas station one can haul there gear and walk 25mi/day for 25 days in a row. I have since evolved.

Light weight trail hooch 2oz pga + powdered lemonade + 28oz water+ a dissolved vitamin
Ymmv

Nicotine is an appetite supressant. Take plenty of chew, eat less, lose a bit of weight.

I usually bring oatmeal fortified with weight gainer or Mountain House freeze-dried breakfast, Cliff Builder Bars for lunch, and Mountain House for dinner. Snacks consist of dried fruit (mangoes, strawberries, cherries are great and can often be found in the bulk aisle), Cliff Shot Blocks, Honey Stinger Waffles or anything else that comes in at 100+ quality calories per ounce. I'll sometimes bring a fishing rod so I can supplement with the occasional trout feast.

You can pretty well live on Mountain House (Chilly Mac and Breakfast Skillet) and Greenbelly bars. Agreed - MH are light in caloric intake. Greenbelly bars are great for mid-day snacking, and I find that they can easily tide you over until dinner time.

The biggest hurdle for me is making time for breakfast. It's usually an 'on the go' meal while hiking ridges in the dark until I get to the parts of the mountain I want to hunt.

At the end of each hunt, usually 7-10 days (shorter depending on success), I have dropped around 5% of my body weight (that's 10lbs on 200lbs for you non-math types). Waist size shrinks a tad which aint a bad thing. There is hardly any difference in energy levels until I get out of the mountains and start pounding calories. Reminds me of watching young kids get a sugar high, LOL.

Looking at one of the above posters... I'm going to try out some of the Peak Refuel meals this year.

As an aside... what goes in must come out. Check out Dude Wipes. As always, versatility and weight are key with all things high-altitude hunting.

Do NOT eat a freeze dried meal for every meal! I limit myself to 1 per day max. You may think your stomach is healthy, but if you eat a mountain house 3 meals a day...hope you bring an extra pack full of TP.

ChrisAU said:

Do NOT eat a freeze dried meal for every meal! I limit myself to 1 per day max. You may think your stomach is healthy, but if you eat a mountain house 3 meals a day...hope you bring an extra pack full of TP.

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LOL. Wrong.

Please do tell us all about your adventures up in the high country wilderness, and all the light weight food options you pack along with you as a freeze dried replacement.

SkyScrapin said:

LOL. Wrong.

Please do tell us all about your adventures up in the high country wilderness, and all the light weight food options you pack along with you as a freeze dried replacement.

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Are you trying to kill some posters? Maybe you’re a lucky one. I’m just saying in general, 3 rehydrated freeze dried meals a day for someone who’s gastrointestinal system is used to a normal diet can be hell.

I take a variety of meal bars, freeze dried fruit, jerky, candy bars are good for calorie/ounce, nuts, honey stinger waffles, cheeze-it’s...all over 100 cal/ounce.

Skyscraper
You will really enjoy the Peak Refuel meals. They are IMO much better than MH and definitely easier on the stomach.
A buddy of mine can’t eat MH without problems but has been eating the Peak Refuel with no problems.
MH uses so many fillers that I think it’s a big reason many people have problems with them as well as the sodium levels in them.

I too plan on trying a Peak Refuel this fall, the beef pasta marinara comes in around 135 cals/ounce.

ChrisAU said:

I too plan on trying a Peak Refuel this fall, the beef pasta marinara comes in around 135 cals/ounce.

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this looks better.

i work a desk job. train 5 days a week for short 40-60 minute sessions (powerlifter) and my normal calorie consumption is 4000-4500. i'm pretty worried about a multi-day/week hunt. when i shoot a match i typically eat a big breakfast, 3-4 metrx100 or similar big bars during the day and a dinner and it's not uncommon for me to be down 4-6 pounds the next day

Chris
The beef pasta is very good. I usually add a crushed red pepper packet to my meals also. My favorites are the chicken Alfredo and beef chili mac.

B6
Try some Green belly meal bars or Pro Bar meal bars.

ChrisAU said:

Are you trying to kill some posters? Maybe you’re a lucky one.

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I don't eat 3 MH per day in the mountains regardless. But the MH farts... that's hilarious. My diet is pretty dialed in, as well as my workout regiment, so perhaps my stomach can handle MH well? Who knows..

My post was designed to have you share insight on what eat vs MH, and you responded with some good recommendations.

Snack bars tend to give me slight indigestion. Was thinking about replacing them with my own freeze dried pre-prepped meals.

SkyScrapin said:

I don't eat 3 MH per day in the mountains regardless. But the MH farts... that's hilarious. My diet is pretty dialed in, as well as my workout regiment, so perhaps my stomach can handle MH well? Who knows..

My post was designed to have you share insight on what eat vs MH, and you responded with some good recommendations.

Snack bars tend to give me slight indigestion. Was thinking about replacing them with my own freeze dried pre-prepped meals.

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I think the biggest reason to not do 3 freeze dried meals a day is the time you spend preparing them in the field, I'm not gonna get up early enough to cook for 15 minutes haha. I'll eat breakfast when I sit down to glass before the sun comes up or when my eyes need a break. Also keeps me from lugging around stove and pot/cup for boiling water during the day.

Justin's Peanut Butter has single serve puches. Their weight to calorie ratio is pretty good. I also pack some of the Starkist Tuna pouches have some decent calories and good amounts of protein. These are both good snake size things that don't weigh a ton. I also like the Stinger Waffles too.

One thing we liked last year were “Just the Cheese” bars on Amazon. 187.5 calories/ounce is pretty stout, but admittedly I burnt out on them so hard I still don’t want any right now haha.

Just The Cheese Bars, Crunchy Baked Low Carb Snack Bars - 100% Natural Cheese. High Protein and Gluten Free, Aged Cheddar, Pack of 12 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0738R2QH3/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_gKNjDbB9YE7H5

I don’t eat ramen at home ever, but that is one of my go to lunch for late September when temps start dipping. I always break up some beef jerky and put it in with it before I pour my boiling water in. It’s nice to have a warm meal mid day.
I also have oatmeal a couple mornings on a five day hunt, keeps me from eating to much mountain house. I buy a pack or two of the bacon that you don’t have to refrigerate and I will break up pieces of that and throw in my oatmeal. Pretty good stuff and makes oatmeal more enjoyable.

On another note, coffee is a must for me. I used to use my JetBoil with the french press but then you're stuck cleaning up a mess of grinds. I've since been buying reusable tea bags. They're awesome for making coffee.

I’m partial to Backpacker’s pantry meals for entrees. Jerky, nuts and granolas bars are a good addition as well.

I like the Starkist pouches as well, and was very impressed with the last batch of MRE's i bought a case manufactured in 2018. More than enough calories for hiking around in the mountains.

TACC said:

I like the Starkist pouches as well, and was very impressed with the last batch of MRE's i bought a case manufactured in 2018. More than enough calories for hiking around in the mountains.

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If you get the cold weather MREs, they have freeze dried meals in them too. A decent bit more calories in them too compared to the normal MREs.

Fat and protein energy is longer lasting than suger for sure.
You have to find what you'll eat or it doesn't make any difference.
Serious humping seems to take my hunger away and I have had days that I feel
I force myself to get the day's calories down.
100 cals or better per ounce and a few treats thrown in for morale.

R

Supplement Mountain House with tuna in foil packs. I ate it every other night on a four night, stir it in the mac and cheese for tuna casserole.

For coffee, get Starbucks instant in straw tubes. Very good.

553SBR said:

For coffee, get Starbucks instant in straw tubes. Very good.

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I've tried the instant coffees and the pre-teabagged stuff and didn't care for it. I just get a ziploc bag of some folgers or BRCC and toss in a couple of the reusable teabags. It's nice because you can control how strong you brew it too.

When I backpacked, it was all about convenience and weight. The ones from Starbucks taste great, easy to make and take up very little space. Lots of options out there, these are the best with a Jetboil, IMO.

553SBR said:

When I backpacked, it was all about convenience and weight. The ones from Starbucks taste great, easy to make and take up very little space. Lots of options out there, these are the best with a Jetboil, IMO.

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If we were out walking, I wouldn't turn it down, that is for sure.