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