The ultimate one-week back-country menu for all!!

Just because you are eating out in the wild doesn’t mean you can’t have your brand of mouth watering menus… Backcountry hiking goes by its own set of culinary rules: “short and simple” is the catchword of backcountry trip menus.

All you need are the basic ingredients and a vivid imagination!!  And here we bring you some mouth watering easy to cook meal menus: straight from the experts!!

P.S.: Strike your own Variation in the menus.  🙂

But before that, some pointers to remember:

• Group taste the meals beforehand at home; carry the menus out in the wild only if it is approved by all.
• Instant food loses out to homemade energy bars.
• Rehydrate home cooked pasta with hot water at the camp site if you don’t want to cook it there.
• Consume the heavier meals earlier in the trip.
• Elaborate breakfasts are for laid back camping days or shorter trips.
• Compensate your calorie intake with nuts and snacks.
• Try and leave off desserts if you can.

Getting to business, here are 2 sets of meals each for breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts and snacks:

Breakfast set 1:

1.    Coffee/tea
2.    Harvest oatmeal bars
3.    Fruits like apples and pears




Breakfast set 2:

1.    Cereals
2.    Bagels
3.    Sandwich and pre-cooked self stable bacon
4.    Fruits and nuts

Lunch set 1:

1.    Tortilla wraps
2.    Cheddar cheese slices
3.    Bacon

Lunch set 2:

1.    Bagels
2.    Peanut butter
3.    Cheddar cheese

Dinner set 1:

Try a delicious Chicken Curry over Brown Rice

Ingredients:

• 1 7-ounce foil pouch of chicken in water
• 1 crushed cube of chicken bullion
• 1 tablespoon onion flakes
• 1/4 cup freeze-dried peas
• 1/3 cup sliced and dried mushrooms
• 1/2 tablespoon chopped ginger: crystallized
• 1 cup instant brown rice
• Either 1/2 tablespoon clarified butter or 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1/4 package of Golden Curry Sauce
• 1 cup of tropical fruit trail mix

Pre camp prep: Pack the mushrooms, peas and onion flakes together; and chicken bouillon and ginger in separate zip-top pouches. Pack the brown rice, butter/olive oil, trial mix and curry sauce individually.

At camp: Put the mushrooms in a bowl, cover with hot water and rehydrate for 10 minutes. Add chicken, and ginger; stir. Boil rice in 2 cups of water; let it stand for 5 minutes. In another pot add curry sauce and oil/butter and 3 cups of water. Heat till thick, combine chicken mix and sauce, serve with rice.

Dinner set 2:

For vegans, try some Queets Valley Shepherd’s Pie

 Ingredients:

• 1 7-ounce packed baked tofu: any savory flavor will do.
• 1/2 cup dried mushrooms
• 1/4 cup dried mixed vegetables
• 1/ 4-ounce buttery mashed potato
• 1 packet powdered mushroom sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon of vegetable bouillon
• 1 teaspoon full of olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon of dried sage
• 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
• Salt and pepper added to taste

Pre camp prep: Vegetables, thyme, sage, and bouillon to be combined in a quart-size zip-top pack. Potatoes to be stored in another zip-lock bag, oil in a spill-proof container.

At camp: Boil 3 cups of water, dice tofu, and add 2 cups of boiled water to potato and 1 cup to the veggies. Squish the potatoes. Leave to rehydrate. Heat oil and sauté tofu for 2 minutes. Remove from heat to add vegetables, add mushroom sauce, and stir to thicken the mix. Top with mashed potatoes and serve.

Dessert set 1:

• Canned fruits
• Energy bars.

Dessert set 2:

• Packaged pudding
• Brownies/cookies

What are the options if you are a vegan?

• Pasta with dried sauce – the meatless variety
• Canned soup or stew – the meatless option
• Tortillas, pizzas

So now that you have a basic idea about a one week menu for a backpacking trip, bring varieties to your options and enjoy a perfect hike!!  🙂