Copyright 2008 by Lewis Harris. All rights reserved. |
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Lewis Harris Books
| What does a backpacker eat? |
Mmm...
Don't these pictures make your mouth water?
No? Well that's okay. It's not exactly what I eat
at home either, but when you're backpacking,
all foods taste wonderful!
Which isn't exactly true. I guess what I mean to
say is that there are very few meals I won't eat
on the trail. In fact, there is only one food that I
have ever turned my nose up at while hiking.
Can you guess? Exactly!
Sardines.
Don't these pictures make your mouth water?
No? Well that's okay. It's not exactly what I eat
at home either, but when you're backpacking,
all foods taste wonderful!
Which isn't exactly true. I guess what I mean to
say is that there are very few meals I won't eat
on the trail. In fact, there is only one food that I
have ever turned my nose up at while hiking.
Can you guess? Exactly!
Sardines.
But I love tuna! Improvements in the way foods
are packaged allow for a variety of dinner
options, which is great. One rule I have is
never to carry any canned goods. Canned
foods tend to weigh an awful lot --and then
you've got the empty can to carry out with you!
That's way too much trouble! Dried foods are
the way to go. A backpacker must always be
thinking about pack weight. Food is a heavy
component in a hiker's load, but the good thing
is that part of the load will lighten as you travel.
are packaged allow for a variety of dinner
options, which is great. One rule I have is
never to carry any canned goods. Canned
foods tend to weigh an awful lot --and then
you've got the empty can to carry out with you!
That's way too much trouble! Dried foods are
the way to go. A backpacker must always be
thinking about pack weight. Food is a heavy
component in a hiker's load, but the good thing
is that part of the load will lighten as you travel.
One of the best foods to carry is peanut butter.
It's heavy, but definitely worth it. Hiking burns a
tremendous amount of energy and peanut
butter is a terrific energy food. Plus it's easy,
filling, and tastes great on a pita or muffin. And
so does cheese! And tomatoes!
But how do you carry a tomato inside a
backpack without it getting squashed? I've
found that a Pringles potato chip tube makes
an excellent tomato carrier. Of course, you
have to eat the Pringles first, which is a real
chore :-).
It's heavy, but definitely worth it. Hiking burns a
tremendous amount of energy and peanut
butter is a terrific energy food. Plus it's easy,
filling, and tastes great on a pita or muffin. And
so does cheese! And tomatoes!
But how do you carry a tomato inside a
backpack without it getting squashed? I've
found that a Pringles potato chip tube makes
an excellent tomato carrier. Of course, you
have to eat the Pringles first, which is a real
chore :-).
Most of the meals I eat in camp are cold. There
was a time when I carried a backpacking stove,
but I rarely do anymore. Hot meals now are a
treat. Every few days I'll build a fire and heat up
some noodles in my old three-quart cooking
pot. I've been hiking and camping with the
same pot for almost twenty years! It has a large
lid that makes a perfect plate. It's like an old
friend. When I encounter other hikers on the
trail, they often comment on the size of my big
pan, which is how I got my hiking name: "Big
Pan".
was a time when I carried a backpacking stove,
but I rarely do anymore. Hot meals now are a
treat. Every few days I'll build a fire and heat up
some noodles in my old three-quart cooking
pot. I've been hiking and camping with the
same pot for almost twenty years! It has a large
lid that makes a perfect plate. It's like an old
friend. When I encounter other hikers on the
trail, they often comment on the size of my big
pan, which is how I got my hiking name: "Big
Pan".
Here are some of the foods I routinely carry:
English muffins
Pop-tarts
Tuna fish
Gorp (a mix of nuts, dried fruit, and m&m's)
Granola bars
Cheese
Pita bread
Pringles
Tomatoes
Noddle dinners (Lipton, Ramen, etc.)
Peanut butter
Stove Top Stuffing
Granola cereal
Crackers
Dried soup mix
English muffins
Pop-tarts
Tuna fish
Gorp (a mix of nuts, dried fruit, and m&m's)
Granola bars
Cheese
Pita bread
Pringles
Tomatoes
Noddle dinners (Lipton, Ramen, etc.)
Peanut butter
Stove Top Stuffing
Granola cereal
Crackers
Dried soup mix
Cheese and crackers with a helping of
gorp and my trusty bottle of Kool-aid.
gorp and my trusty bottle of Kool-aid.
Tuna fish on a pita with a delicious side
of...gorp. And more Kool-aid.
of...gorp. And more Kool-aid.
Cooking over a fire at an AT shelter
| The gourmet hard at work. |