Title: Backpacking simple food ideas
 Categories: Camping, Backpack, Trail fo, Vegetarian, Vegan
      Yield: 1 Servings
 
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  Here are very, very simple ideas for dehydrated and light-weight
  foods.
  
  1) Any packaged dinner mix from the grocery and packed in ziploc
  baggies
  
  ie, Macaroni & Cheese, Rice-a-Roni, Broccoli and Cheese, etc There
  are tons of these things available today. If they call for milk, then
  the boys can carry powdered milk in baggies. Margarine will travel
  well, and since they will be working hard, the extra fat might be
  desireable.
  
  2) Instant oatmeal and instant grits and bagels are great for
  breakfast. Again, powdered milk can be used with these. Get some of
  the new Fantastic Foods hot cereal mixes--they are warm and filling.
  
  3) Dehydrated vegetables and full meals can be found in camping
  stores. Add dried peas to a box of mac & cheese, for instance
  
  4) Try Ramen noodle soups, or any of those "soup in a cup"s (that can
  be packaged in baggies so they take up less room).
  
  5) Dehydrated bean flakes that mix up almost instantly with water are
  available in HFS. Mix these with some cooked minute rice and put in a
  tortilla. Yum! Flavor them with onion, garlic, cumin powders.
  
  6) Cheese backpacks well. Again, the fat may not be so bad if they are
  hiking all day. And if it's cold, then the fat is almost necessary to
  help them stay warm. (You need a lot more calories when it's cold.)
  Add a hunk to any soup, pasta, rice, or dehydrated veggies you're
  cooking.
  
  7) Pasta, pasta, pasta. Top it with sauces made from the dry package
  mixes. A lot of these are tasty. High in sodium and preservatives
  sometimes, but for a couple of meals they won't hurt you.
  
  8) Instant mashed potatoes that can be mixed with the powdered milk or
  water only. Make up an instant gravy to go top. (I *really* like the
  Hain's brown gravy mix and it's fatfree and all natural.)
  
  9) Dried fruit can be cooked in some water and put on top of a piece
  of angel food cake for dessert. (Hey, the cake might get crushed a
  little, but it is lightweight!) Add some cinnamon and Tang (in lieu
  of orange juice) and you approximate a Cooking Light recipe.
  
  10) The dry veggie burger mixes would make a great meal. Most of them
  make up with water only and many are quite tasty.
  
  11) Bulgar and couscous cook up in only a few minutes with boiling
  water.
  
  12) There are lots of dried meats and fish available, but I've never
  used them
  
  As you can see, when we camp, I like to cook things that require water
  only. No fancy cooking and then tough clean up for me! I find that
  when I'm "on the trail", ALL foods taste wonderful because I'm always
  so hungry. I eat things when hiking that I'd never, ever eat at home.
  I bought hash potatoes and green pepper breakfast package from Sam's
  freezer and fried in black skillet for first morning quick and smells
  and taste good.