Camp food

Wow, I didn't realize I only posted once last month. I guess it was really the only place of note to write about. Everywhere else we ate at were chain restaurants like Carraba's or Logan's. Anyway, I thought I would take a little different approach to this post. Mel and I went back country backpacking and camping this past weekend so I thought I would write a short piece about the food we ate.

For snacks we had trail-mix, Jack Link's beef jerky and beef sticks, and Clif bars. The trail-mix was made by Mel and was simply honey roasted peanuts, raisins, and peanut butter m&m's. It was a nice little snack to have on breaks. Then there was the jerky and beef sticks. I won't go into too much detail because I am pretty sure that everyone has had them before. They are nice for the trail. They back tight and are a good little meaty food source that won't spoil quickly. Clif bars are similar to powerbars. They are an energy bar. They usually have a rougher texture to them because they use whole grains in the bar. So you feel like you are eating real food, not a processed bar. They are good and are a great idea for backpacking in the back country. They provide some calories in a small, easy to eat bar. I had mine for breakfast.

For food we had a few choices of freeze dried food packs. These are pre-made meals that are dehydrated so they last a really long time. They also come in two serving bags that are light and easy to pack. To rehydrate you add boiling water, mix well, seal back up, and let stand anywhere between 10-20 minutes depending on meal. We had a little MSR pocket-rocket burner that screws on a fuel canister. We also had a couple of small, light weight mess kits. The first one we ate was a fettuccine alfredo by Backpacker's Pantry. It pretty much goes without question that none of these meals are restaurant quality. But after being on the trail for hours on end, it is nice to have a hot meal. The name is a little misleading; yes there was alfredo sauce, yes there was chicken. But no, it was rotini not fettuccine. No big deal though. Mel loved it. It was ok to me but a little too salty for my taste buds after that hike. See, your sense of taste changes depending on what you have been doing. Physical exertion does this. That is why the same flavor of Gatorade can taste different before and after a hard bout of exercise. But overall it was a good choice.

We also had beef stew from Mountain House. I enjoyed this one much better than the alfredo. There is something comforting about a bowl of beef stew after a long hike. I though the balance was much better, and there is just something about meat and potatoes that satisfies the soul. It also had some carrots, and I think celery, in a light gravy. This one got a thumbs up from both of us.

The last meal we had was a southwest style bean chili by Coleman. It was probably the best of the three we had. The chili was basically black and red beans and sweet corn. It was a nice consistency and the little bit of cumin and other spices added a nice warmth to the chili. It was perfect for eating around a campfire as the sun set and the air grew cooler.

I also recommend bringing some individual Gatorade powder sticks to mix with water if you are ever going to go for a long hike on a tough trail. It adds some sugar and electrolytes as well as flavor to your water. I also liked Maxwell House instant latte mix sticks. It was a great way to start the day with a cup of hot latte in the cool morning.