Food is one of your most concentrated weight items. If I do not need a bear cannister, I pack food in Eagle Creek zip rectangular "cubes". This way I can keep the heavy food closer to my center of gravity. Food cube goes in the upper part of the pack, closest to my back and lighter items on the "outside" side. If I use a bear can, I pack it so that heavier food items are in one vertical half and lighter items the other, and place the side with the heavier items next to my back. Also, if you plan on cooking on a fire at all, be sure to put pots in a plastic bag so everything does not get sooty. I pretty much get rid of all original packaging and re-pack in snack or sandwich zip-locks then organize by meal type-breakfast stuff in one gallon freezer bag, lunch stuff in another, dinner in another and condiments-drinks in another. Every time I pre-plan a day's food, when I am out I change my mind and want something else! So the pack-by-day method does not work well for me.