|
Perhaps the only thing Richard Simmons has in common with the average backpacker is an interest in "eating light." Of course, backpackers care more about how much their meals weigh than they do about their own weight. Still, just because you carry your kitchen on your back, doesn't mean you have to eatt nothing but trail mix and energy bars. Every backpacker's skill set ought to include the ability to prepare a well-earned meal to restore both spirit and the body. 1. Spice it up. A few key seasonings such as salt, pepper, garlic salt, and basil are a backpacking gourmet's best friend. They weigh next to nothing and can transform a mediocre spaghetti sauce into something ambrosial. 2. Pack some veggies. Garlic and onion will stay fresh for any trip shorter than the Lewis and Clark expedition. Other vegetables, such as carrots, celery, eggplant, and mushrooms, can be stored in a brown paper bag and will add vitamins and flavor to any meal. If you invest in a home dehydrator (about $30), you can dry some of these ahead of time for longer trips. 3. Eat the meat first. Meat, if properly prepared, can stay fresh for a day or even two. You can even carry frozen meat for a day wrapped in a plastic bag and stuffed deep in your pack. If you're going to be hiking in cold weather, take advantage of nature's free refrigeration to preserve fresh foods that would perish on a summer trek. 4. Repackage. You can buy all kinds of "gourmet" dehydrated meals at any outdoors supplies store, but you'll also find a wide variety of convenient "just-add-water" foods at your regular market. Simply repackage these in individual plastic bags for easy storage. Couscous, for instance, cooks up quickly as a tasty rice substitute. Of course, you'll need to pack out all bags and foil packages. 5. Pack snacks. Be sure to bring foods such as gorp to eat while you're hiking. That way, you won't be famished and impatient when it comes time to cook the real meal. 6. Bring extra. If you're buying pre-packaged meals, be sure to buy extra. Although many of these claim to be a double serving, hiking up hill all day with a 40-pound pack does wonders for the appetite. 7. Plan some special dishes. If you're not a natural cook, you aren't condemned to dehydrated omelets from a bag. Get a good cookbook for backpackers and learn how to make polenta cakes and crab a la king on the trail. 7. Don't forget the marshmallows. Photo courtesy USDA Up to Top |
Looking forward to that upcoming backpack trip, but dreading the same old backcountry routine of oatmeal for breakfast, gorp for lunch, and Ramen noodles for dinner? Think again: heavenly food doesn't have to be heavy.