Up until this spring, I had always carried my food in a stuff sack (with my small pot and stove in there, too, if there was room.) My logic was that all I had to do was grab one bag when I was ready to cook. I'd put the freeze-dried entrees in by themselves, and tend to group small items (granola bars, oatmeal packets, tea bags, etc.) in ziploc bags; those ziploc bags then became garbage bags to haul trash out.

Lately, I've taken to carrying my stove inside the pot, which in turn goes inside a small stuff sack. Each day's food (meals and snacks) goes in its own gallon ziploc bag. Each morning, I take the day's bag out to fix breakfast, and take the day's snacks (usually a couple of granola bars) and lunch (often a Bear Valley Pemmican bar) to put into a pack pocket for the day's walk. Trash then goes into that day's bag. I'm finding that I can pack more efficiently, placing food bags where I need to for a balance load rather than finding a spot for the big sausage-shaped stuff sack I used to use.

One big thing to remember: I'm usually not hiking in bear country, and don't need to hang my food. We get squirrels, mice, and raccoons that will nibble if they get a chance, but they aren't even a real nuisance if I'm in the tent with the food. If I think they might be, I simply hang my pack. Obviously, when I do go into bear country, I'm back to taking a separate stuff sack for food and for hanging food at night.