I have written about food for/in the outdoors for a very long time, and there is one truth that never fails:
“Pack only what you like“.
Seems simple enough, but it is a real issue that is easy to get mired in.
Back in the day, when hiking forums were the place to be, at least once a month (or every week in summer), a new hiker/backpacker would show up and be excited about a light pack-weight idea! And easy meal planning! That they had come up with.
It would invariably be a half-baked idea, where he had meticulously weighed out dry protein powder for every meal and planned to chug down 3 of those a day. Out of a crusty peanut butter jar or ancient Nalgene bottle.
After a few years of this, I noticed a pattern.
The kind of guy who would espouse this tended to be a white-collar guy who worked in a land of spreadsheets.
He’d run the numbers: Protein, calories, fat, fiber, and do it for his weight/exertion levels.
And yes, some of these guys actually would post their Excel charts.
As the years went by, it got worse on Facebook. Then you have lots of photos to accompany their delusions.
But he’d be sure to tell the readers that he had it alllllll dialed in. He didn’t need to chew his food. He’d be too busy hiking, food is just fuel, etc, etc. Flavor didn’t matter. After all, at home and at work, his diet rarely changed!
And we all know how it went, of course.
The hiker would get on the trail.
He’d be OK for the first 1 to 3 days. Chugging his chalky powder shake. That never quite mixed up.
Then one “meal” he’d sit down, and the throat would clamp over. He couldn’t do it.
Too late, not listening to advice on those forums, he’d realize that actually liking your food is why you can eat it day after day. Texture, aroma, flavor, and actually chewing are far more important than your spreadsheet.
That maybe….a bit of real food might be worth any potential weight. After all, food is the one thing where your pack weight goes down by the day.
This is a truth:
Going on a trip is not the time to try out a new idea/concept/theory. Food is what fuels you. So does also rituals.
If you open your food bag and nothing looks good, you have lost the game. I have done this to myself a few times.
If at home you happen to chug protein shakes every day, great, continue on.
But if you like to sit down to a dinner at home, take food similar to what you eat at home, just designed for cooking in the wild. Eating is a morale booster. And when dinner looks gross, you won’t eat.
If you have had a hard day, are exhausted, or dehydrated, a small mug of broth soup can restore your energy. The salt gets you drinking, and before you know it, you feel like eating. Your appetite wakes up, and eating comfort food soothes your tired muscles. You go to bed and feel human again. Food can restore us.
Over the years, I have often been asked, “What do I pack?” when it comes to food.
And that is something I cannot tell you what to do. I can give advice. But without knowing what you like, it’s a wild guess.
My advice is always “take what you like”. So if you claim you only eat lentils and quinoa, or can survive on protein shakes in a bag, be real. Maybe what you need on day 3 is a bar of chocolate, or cheesy rice with meat. Maybe you secretly think about hamburgers the entire hike.
Try new foods on dayhikes or when car camping. Where, if it sucks, you can toss it and get something else. And btw, this applies to commercial meals as well. Don’t be like me, ok?
~Sarah