Backpacking Meals Advice

[archeranthony]

Hello Fellow Members,
Im going to be on a couple day backcountry elk hunt in september. My question is what meals do you suggest for the jetboil. Like Mountain House or Any other brand and what specific meals (flavors) do you suggest. Ive been told by many people to stay away from the eggs. Advice?

Thanks,
ArcherAnthony

 

[JimP]

Different people have different taste. One likes hot and spicy and the next likes mild.

I would suggest that you pick some up that you might like and try them before putting them into your backpack. That way you will find what you like and not really have to depend on the opinion of others.

 

[taskswap]

I do pretty much what everyone else posts about here, the usual tricks with things like stovetop stuffing, foil-packet tuna and chicken, etc. I've also done the MRE route and Mountain House, and have a few still to use in my closet.

The one thing I do I haven't seen others post about is Udi's granola. Now granola is a pretty standard option... the difference with this one is I've found you can pretty much just eat it with a spoon and no liquid. I doctor mine up with raisins or craisins (sometimes both, <gasp>!), but yeah, a ziploc sandwich bag of that stuff is an easy 2-3 lunches. It's super filling without being heavy, and the energy stays with you for hours.

I love minimal-cleanup meals. I almost never cook anything that requires cleaning a pot. I'm just too dang lazy. If it isn't "just add water" or "put bag IN water", I usually don't bring it.

The only change I've made in recent years is ditching nuts. I hike and hunt a lot with a friend with a nut allergy so I've been going nut-free myself. It's an easy item to skip and not worth the risk. YMMV.

 

[Slugz]

Checkout Back Country Fuel Box

 

[mntnguide]

Checkout Back Country Fuel Box

+1... I've been a member since the first box, and it truly is the best $33 i spend each month. I have found numerous things i never had heard of that now will definitely be in my pack. . Couple of my favorites, Green Belly meals for lunches.. lightweight, taste amazing and pack serious calories.. protein puck is a great snack. Munk pack cookies.... in terms of meals, i personally use a mix of mountain house, peak refuel and heathers choice. In the summer, i will have breakfast ones with me because i have more time. Once it is hunting season, i try to make breakfast very quick and usually try to not use water cause most areas i hunt water is not easy to come by. One of my go to's is Erin Bakers Breakfast Cookies. Then usually a pro bar later on the morning as well. Tons of options out there, just gotta find what works for you.

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[ScottR]

I wouldn't start thinking at the meals point, I would start out with how many calories you will need, then work out from there with a meal plan. 3500 on an archery elk hunt is a pretty good starting point and honestly, you might might want more based on your weight and normal calorie expenditure.

That said, one freeze dried meal per day is what most can handle. We are lucky enough to have four very hunter friendly options available to us now. Basekamp, Heather's Choice, Peak, and Offgrid Food Co are all hunter friendly options. I have had all of them and have been very pleased with how good their food is, there are some others that I am simply just choking down calories.

 

[CrimsonArrow]

I strictly look at how many calories per serving, and portability. Like Rambo, I can eat things that make a billy goat puke, and after hiking mountains all day, I need to replenish a ton of calories. Do not underestimate how much energy you will burn while elk hunting.

 

[Slugz]

The older I get the more I focus on quality calories to get me through the hunt with a constant energy level. I try and limit big glucose spikes from poor diet. It seems to allow me to glass a little longer, stay out past dark and have a higher mental focus.

 

[archeranthony]

What are the best things you guys use to get calories are you using meals? or just a specific type of food that you take with you?

 

[Fink]

Different people have different taste. One likes hot and spicy and the next likes mild.

I would suggest that you pick some up that you might like and try them before putting them into your backpack. That way you will find what you like and not really have to depend on the opinion of others.

Only problem with this, is that all freeze dried meals taste terrible when you're at home. I'd pick some that you think you'll like, and then throw in a packet or two of top ramen, just in case you hate your choice of freeze dried that night.
I've pretty much gone to either top ramen, or cup o noodles for dinner, its light and quick, and I'm rarely hungry at night. I much prefer to eat a few granola bars in the morning, a payday and mixed nuts mid morning, some good salami and hard cheese on crackers for lunch, more mixed nuts mid afternoon, and probably another fun sized candy bar in there too. Gotta have some cheetos at some point.
I just find it easier to snack throughout the day, vs sitting down to big meals.

 

[Micah S]

I have freeze dried meals for dinner and breakfast. My favorite dinner is mtn house chicken noodle casserole and breakfast is the breakfast skillet. I add olive oil to all of my freeze dried meals and hot sauce to some of them. For lunchs I make butthole sandwiches, cured meats and and nuts. Snacks I have Justin's almond butter, fruit snacks, jerky, chilli cheese fritos and pepperoni sticks.

 

[ScottR]

Serious question, is this worth doing a video on?

 

[kidoggy]

Serious question, is this worth doing a video on?

hells yeah!!!

 

[kidoggy]

I have freeze dried meals for dinner and breakfast. My favorite dinner is mtn house chicken noodle casserole and breakfast is the breakfast skillet. I add olive oil to all of my freeze dried meals and hot sauce to some of them. For lunchs I make butthole sandwiches, cured meats and and nuts. Snacks I have Justin's almond butter, fruit snacks, jerky, chilli cheese fritos and pepperoni sticks.

what's butthole sandwhich????? I ain't never been that hungry

 

[Micah S]

what's butthole sandwhich????? I ain't never been that hungry

Peanut butter, honey and bacon on a bagel. When you vacuum seal them the peanut butter comes through the center of the bagel. It looks like a butthole.

 

[D_Dubya]

Peanut butter, honey and bacon on a bagel. When you vacuum seal them the peanut butter comes through the center of the bagel. It looks like a butthole.

That is funny stuff right there, I don’t even like peanut butter but I make make some of these this year just to offer one to my hunting partners...fisticuffs might ensue. I guess you really wouldn’t want to make one with Nutella.

 

[joens]

What are the best things you guys use to get calories are you using meals? or just a specific type of food that you take with you?

Definitely look into "Heather's Choice packaroons" https://www.heatherschoice.com/collections/packaroons , I made a home made version before I found them .I like larabars as well. i got seriously burned out on clif bars back in the day. I do most of my hunting hiking in and I usually don't want to cook much other than water for coffee. ill have dried fruit ,nuts, jerky, packaroons or homemade version , larabars, and a few other bars I might throw in . for me on the freeze dried meals the mountain house beef strogonof always could go down. and I am looking forward to trying some Heathers Choice meals. I always have a freeze dried meal or 2 in the pack.

 

[archeranthony]

What do you think about packing these for snacks when away from spike camp? Flavor is pretty dang good and doesn?t have to be chilled

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[mcseal2]

Here is a copy of my file on the ones I've tried

Mountain house meal review

GOOD
-Chicken breast w/ rib meat
DISCONTINUED-Chicken fajita filling (added some cheese and on tortillas, Great! Also would be good w/ rice)
-Chicken & noodles (darn good by itself, or a real filling meal over mashed taters.)
-SW breakfast hash
-breakfast skillet
-apple crisp ?not to bad, to filling for just a side maybe a good breakfast.
-biscuits and gravy ? 2 serving very filling, quick rehydration at 9 min. Pretty decent taste

OK
lasagna
beef stew (good w/ extra burger)
chicken teriyaki
Macaroini & cheese was decent, noodles were a little hard. Lots of extra cheese that could be used on mashed taters or something.
Sweet & sour pork and rice best of the ones I ranked decent, good flavor pork doesn?t rehydrate as well as chicken. Beef either.


BAD
-Beef stroganoff


Backpacker?s pantry review
Beef Stroganoff very good, especially over mashed taters

Fettuchini alfredo w/ chicken very good

Cincinnati style chili with beef ? Very Good. Stir well and add a little salt. I had to much of the seasoning in the bottom and not enough on top when I ate it. One of the top 5 meals of this type for me.

Colorado Omlette terrible, only ate 2 bites.

Dark chocolate cheesecake ok at best. Nothing special.

BP natural cooked chicken (to add to meals) The chicken rehydrated well but had extra water I squeezed out. No seasoning and not much flavor, just chicken. Good addition to every chicken meal I think.

BP apple cobbler ?not to bad. It requires cooking but is decent, not great. Has a bread like texture to the cobbler part so it?s got more texture than most freeze dried foods.

BP hamburger to add to meals. Fine texture, rehydrated good, worth adding to any burger meal

Alpine Aire review
-Forever young mac & cheese Pretty decent and a bigger filling meal. Would be better with some meat added. I think bacon bits would be a good addition. Maybe the freeze dried beef or chicken could work too. Not a bad option though, one of the more filling. Next time might add some pepperjack moon cheese too. Dehydrated beef would be another good idea.

-3 cheese chicken pasta Not a big fan. It didn?t have a lot of taste. Not a bad taste, just not much taste. I added the BP chicken to it too and it still wasn?t real filling. Edible after I added salt and pepper but nothing I?d be in a hurry to eat again.

-Strawberry Granola Not to bad, quick and fairly tasty. Would be worth using for a couple breakfasts per hunt. Just needs 1 cup of cold water and has 780 calories in a 2 serving so it?s quick and hearty. Might be worth eating after the mornings glassing slows for all day fuel.

Moon cheese is decent too. Not a bad snack alone or can be crumbled and added to MH or similar meals for added flavor.

Hawk Vittles
-bacon baked beans
Darn good! Couldn?t tell it is not fresh made. Made one plastic cereal bowl full, not enough for a big meal but plenty as a side or breakfast. These need transferred into a ziplock to cook and have to be careful not to get to much water.

-cowboy pasta
Also darn good. A little extra burger wouldn?t hurt, or some fried up chunks of moose meat but this is one of my favorite camp meals I?ve tried. Rehydrated really well. Some BP dehydrated burger would be a good addition.

-Shrimp Campanili
-again pretty filling. Shrimp didn?t re-hydrate perfect but wasn?t bad. This one is a prime candidate for extra burger or chicken. Has some spice, would make a guy drink more water. Pasta rehydrated awesome and was very tasty.

Beef Stew
-least favorite so far. Not real filling and the beans and larger beef chunks didn?t rehydrate great. Skip this one in the future.

Peak Refuel
-Beef Pasta Marinara average at best, Macy got half of it.



Big filling meal that takes no goods that need refrigeration serves 2 480 calories each:
1 can Progresso steak and vegetable soup (18.8oz can, 180 calories)
1 bag Beef Ramen Noodles (380 calories)
1 packet Idahoan mashed potatoes (400 calories)

Use liquid from soup to boil Ramen, add seasoning packet, pour over mashed potatoes. Pretty damn good.

Top 5 camp meals
-HV Shrimp campanili
-BP Fettuchini alfredo with chicken
-HV Cowboy pasta
-MH Chicken & noodles (especially over mashed taters)
-BP Cincinnati style chili with beef

 

[taskswap]

It's all personal preference. My hunting buddy and I just got back from a 3-day backpacking trip in the Flat Tops. We had a chuckle the first night over what we brought for food because we both had the same thing: Mountain House Beef Stroganoff (the BEST flavor!) for the first night and Mtn House Chicken Teriyaki (the SECOND BEST flavor!) for the next. But a reviewer above hates it.

Eat what you like that keeps you going.

Then again I have nothing else to do so what the hey, I'll brain dump what I bring.

Breakfast: Pack of pop tarts, beef jerky, dehydrated bananas or apples, 8-16oz water ("drink until you pee!"). I never cook breakfast and basically eat the same thing every day. I don't get bored of it. I never eat pop tarts any other time so it's almost a treat.

I do not drink coffee. I bring caffeine in the form of 35mg tablets and I'm religious about knowing exactly how much I've had. I take roughly the same amount as 3 cups of coffee but spread evenly over the whole day.

Lunch/Snacks: I don't eat "lunch" unless I'm with a buddy who really wants to. Usually I have 2-3 "big snacks" at around 10am, 1pm, and 4pm. Dehydrated bananas or apples, beef jerky, snack baggie of goldfish crackers, 1-2 Justin's Nut Butter packs, jerky sticks, yogurt covered raisins. Before a trip I pack "snack" size Ziploc baggies of these things and pick whatever I'm in the mood to graze on.

Dinner: Mountain House Beef Stroganoff, Chicken Teriyaki, or Italian Pepper Steak. I never hunt longer than 6 days (responsibilities) and this way I can buy multi-packs.

Dessert: I usually bring some thin-sliced salami, craisins, or something else like that for dessert. If I'm camping with a buddy I often bring a small flask with some Evan Williams bourbon.

All these items are very small, require zero actual cooking other than boiling water, and are extremely lightweight. And if you'll notice there's actually only about 7-8 "different" things up there. I have a 10-tray dehydrator, so I can get the fruit done all at once and it's a short list to buy after that. And I can mostly buy in bulk.