HINTS AND TIPS
From my experience the key to enjoying food on longer treks involves:
- Keeping the weight down
- Keeping the taste and variety up
- Keeping the mistakes to a minimum
Achieving these objectives involves learning how much food you need in a day, investing time in planning and preparation of that food, and being creative with your food ideas.
Tips to reduce weight
- Purchase dehydrated ingredients – such as cup-a-soup or dried fruit and vegetables
- Remove unnecessary packaging – avoid tins and jars, and use zip-lock bags to reduce both weight and bulk
- Dehydrate or freeze dry your own meals – everything from jerky to goulash to apple crumble
- Minimise fuel and equipment requirements
Tips to increase variety
- Carry a handful of common spices to add flavour to meals – such as salt, pepper, chili flakes, paprika, Italian herbs, allspice, sugar, or cinnamon
- Fill a small, lightweight screw-cap container with oil at home and add to meals at camp
- Use mixed nuts and dried fruits liberally in your meals
- Use readily available packet mixes that come in a variety of flavours – such as porridge or soup
Tips to minimise mistakes
- Create a detailed menu plan and test it with your companions prior to buying ingredients
- Taste test your dishes at home before your trip
- Avoid taking high-risk foods into the outdoors – such as uncooked meats, uncooked seafood, dairy products, cooked rice and pasta