Tips To Ensure Your Stomach Is As Happy As You Are When You Go Backpacking!

A happy backpacker is a well fed backpacker! Do you agree? If yes, then you will also agree that when hiking, there is nothing like getting some healthy and tasty meals that you cook yourself – and therefore you know exactly what goes in there!

On the other hand, this is also an easy way to avoid processed or pre-packed store-bought meals!

And the other concern is obviously what to pack to prepare and cook those delicious meals without feeling like you are actually lugging around about half of your kitchen!! So here’s your guide that will answer all these questions!

What to Pack??

When you go backpacking, you don’t want a very heavy backpack! So here’s a list of essentials that are lightweight and less space consuming!

• Pots with foldable handles, foldable spatulas, collapsible cups, pasta strainer.
• Utensils that are light and preferably of two different sizes for cooking different items.
• Easy to use utensils for toasting etc.
• Foil wrap, can be used to cook in the fire itself.
• Stove or supplies for open fire.
• Collapsible coolers for food and beverages.
• Cast Iron utensils.
• Aluminum windscreen to put around the stove.
• Cozies for keeping things warm.

And since you are carrying all the utensils and intend to eat healthy, processed foods should not be an option! Alternately, imagine a world where food is bland and tastes  just like boiled some stuff without salt!
Consider having:

• A spice kit – so that you have a few basic spices handy…
• Snacks foods – nutella, peanut butter, etc.
• Pre-packed Indian meals – they are cheap and spicy.

They will help you jazz up all your meals on the hike!

Techniques for outdoor cooking:

There are a number of techniques when it comes to setting up your own “kitchen” amidst nature! Here’s a list:

• Frying – for which you should use cast iron skillets.
• Planking – where you put fillets of meat or fish or dough on a plank soaked in water and place it near the flame. The food is actually roasted in this way.
• Baking – you can either use an aluminum pot and place hot coals on the lid, or use a Dutch oven.
• Another option is of course boiling.
• Also it is useful to keep food in small and thin portions to help it cook better.

Specific meals

And now let’s look at some specific meals.

Oatmeal Breakfasts!

Oatmeal packets can be really convenient, right? Now consider making your own custom oatmeal packet! Here’s how:

Mix together in one zip-lock bag:

• ½ cup chopped dehydrated fruit
• Just about 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt

In another put:

• 3/4th cup Oatmeal
• 2 tablespoon Wheat germ
• 1 teaspoon Fiber-sure
• 2 tbsp brown sugar

And take a packet of peanut butter with honey.

And make sure you push all air out before zipping them. When you are hiking, boil 1 ½ cups of water, and add the contents of the first packet first, and add the oatmeal once it comes to a boil and follow up with the peanut butter after a minute and mix in well… and you have the most delicious and healthy breakfast you can imagine!

Pre-preparing your own meals

The other thing you may want to try out is to dehydrate your own meals! Here are some easy tips to make yourself a classic hamburger, baked beans and mashed potatoes meal for your hiking trip!

Follow these tips:

• Cook off the minced meat on a very low heat for about 15 minutes till it looks cooked. Put it through a strainer and wash well. Break up all the big pieces.
• Place it on the tray of your dehydrator.
• Spread out the baked beans straight out of the tin on a dehydrator tray covered with plastic wrap.
• This will considerably decrease the weight, because it’s dry.

When you are on the hike, just adding hot water will rehydrate the beans and the dry potatoes (that you can buy). The meat needs to be stewed in some water, the excess of which will have to be drained (You could also use this same water for the potatoes for a better flavor!).

There are many other things you could try out (especially if you already have a dehydrator!)… So now prepare the right way for the ultimate backpacking adventure, with food that you WANT to have, the way you want to have it!