Backpack Food Planning

1
Backpack Food Planning
2
Introduction

• We need more power Scotty!
• Energy

3
Contributors to an enjoyable backpacking
experience

• Attitude
• Food is part of the adventure and fun
• Knowledge
• Flexibility
• Creativity
• Planning

4
Good Hiking Food

• Nutritious
• Easy to fix
• Quick
• Light weight 1 ½ to 2 lbs per day
• Tasty
• Compact and sturdy
• Not to costly approximately 5-10 per day
• Non perishable
• Philosophically acceptable

5
Good Hiking Food

• Circumstances under which some of the above
  conditions can be ignored
• Winter camping
• Short trips
• Gourmet camping food very important
• You are rich

6
NUTRITIONAL NEEDS

• Energy calories
• Basal metabolism 2000 calories
• Moderate backpacking add 1000 3000 calories
• Strenuous backpacking in cold weather even more

7
Food Energy Conversions

• 1 gram 0.0022046 pounds
• 1 pound 453.6 grams
• 1 oz 28.35 grams
• 1 gram carbs 4 calories
• 1 gram protein 4 calories
• 1 gram fat 9 calories
• 1 oz carbs 113 calories
• 1 oz protein 113 calories
• 1 oz fat 255 calories
• 1 pound carbs 1814 calories
• 1 pound protein 1814 calories
• 1 pound fat 4082 calories
• Calories Carbs
  Protein Fat
  Pounds
• 3000 70
  15
  15 1.4
• 3000 40
  30
  30 1.2
• 4000 70
  15
  15 1.9
• 4000 40
  30
  30 1.6

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FOOD GROUPS

• Carbohydrates 1gram 4 Calories
• Protein 1gram 4 Calories
• Fat 1gram 9 Calories

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Diet

• Diet breakdown
• 60 70 carbohydrates (more when active) short
  term
• 15 20 protein (small amounts frequently) long
  term
• 15 20 fat (more when cold, small amounts
  frequently) long term
• Sources
• Carbs cereals, grains, pasta, fruits,
  vegetables, honey, bread.
• Fats nuts, nut butter, seeds, oils, cheese,
  butter, margarine.
• Proteins grain legume combo, seeds, nuts,
  peanut butter, meat, fish, dairy products.

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MENU PLANNING

• Master Plan (Show Examples)
• Guidelines
• Length of trip
• Type of Activity
• Foods to Avoid

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THE MASTER PLAN

• A good starting point is a trip calendar that
  graphically shows how many meals youll need, as
  well as special requirements and possibilities.
• FRI. SAT. SUN.
  MON. TUES.
  WED.
• Breakfast B
  B Early B
  B B
• On road Hike
  move (Mtn. Climb) loose
  a.m. exploring
• all day
  camp
• Car lunch L
  L L
  L L
• same camp
  move camp
  hike out
• Camp dinner D
  D D
  D home
• For this trip youd plan 5 trail lunches (1
  during Mondays climb
• 5 camp breakfasts (1 early/ 1 around camp
  Tuesday, could use stove)
• Quick/easy for the mountain 5 camp dinners (1
  quick/easy for after Mondays
• Climb day, Monday 1 could be climb)
• late/leisurely for the unstructured Snacks,
  drink powders and such
• Morning, Tuesday)
• 1 car lunch

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STYLES

• Outdoor Store (Freeze Dried)
• Expensive, very light weight, and bulky
• Ex Individual items or whole meals
• Home Prepared
• Economical, compact, heavier
• Ex Dried fruits and vegetables, granola,
  museli, gorp, bread
• Specialty Store
• Trader Joes, Whole Foods, Loma Linda Market
• Ex Dried fruits vegetables, TVP, quick cook
  soups, pasta grains, museli, dried tofu or soy
  milk, energy bars
• Grocery Store
• Quick cook soups, grain meals, pasta, instant
  pudding, oatmeal

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WINTER COOKING

• Hydration - gt 3-4 qts Liquid
• Force yourself to drink (you wont be as thirsty)
• Camp near water if possible
• Higher caloric needs ( 1000 calories/day)
• Menu planning
• One pot dishes
• Soak in boiling water v.s. cooking
• Fortify food at home (dry tofu milk, wheat germ,
  sesame seeds, sunflower seeds
• Add margarine cheese to most dishes (for fat
  protein)
• Use quickest cooking form of ingredients (small
  peas, skinny noodles, granola, TVP, etc.)
• Freeze dried foods have shorter preparation time
  than dehydrated ones
• Plan some blizzard meals requiring no cooking
• Use closed cell foam to sit on, place stove on

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Back-country Kitchen Techniques

• Low impact cooking eating
• Soft soled shoes/moccasins
• Carry cook 200 feet from water if possible
• Clean dishes well away from the water
• Minimize trips to water source (use watersack)
• Dont cook in tent
• Protect the food (and you) Hang it or better
  yet, use bear cannister

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PACKAGING

• Prepackage to eliminate bulky materials, using
  recyclable bread and produce bags.
• Packaging Styles
• All food for one day / package
• Breakfasts, lunches, dinners in separate bags
• Using different colors
• Include instruction with the package (cut off the
  container).
• All ingredients for a dish together, all parts of
  a meal in one bag.
• Items for use with multiple meals in a separate
  bag
• Herbs and spices
• Cooking oil
• Tofu / milk
• Dishwashing tools
• Matches
• Eating utensils

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COOKING GEAR

• Stove
• Fuel flask with pour spout
• Pans
• Pot grabber
• Water bottle
• Water sack
• Eating tools
• Clean up stuff
• Kitchen bag
• Strenuous BP in cold weather even more