Backcountry Forum
Backpacking & Hiking Gear

Backcountry Forum
Our long-time Sponsor - the leading source for ultralite/lightweight outdoor gear
 
 
 

Amazon.com
Backpacking Forums
---- Our Gear Store ----
The Lightweight Gear Store
 
 WINTER CAMPING 

Shelters
Bivy Bags
Sleeping Bags
Sleeping Pads
Snow Sports
Winter Kitchen

 SNOWSPORTS 

Snowshoes
Avalanche Gear
Skins
Hats, Gloves, & Gaiters
Accessories

 ULTRA-LIGHT 

Ultralight Backpacks
Ultralight Bivy Sacks
Ultralight Shelters
Ultralight Tarps
Ultralight Tents
Ultralight Raingear
Ultralight Stoves & Cookware
Ultralight Down Sleeping Bags
Ultralight Synthetic Sleep Bags
Ultralight Apparel


the Titanium Page
WM Extremelite Sleeping Bags

 CAMPING & HIKING 

Backpacks
Tents
Sleeping Bags
Hydration
Kitchen
Accessories

 CLIMBING 

Ropes & Cordage
Protection & Hardware
Carabiners & Quickdraws
Climbing Packs & Bags
Big Wall
Rescue & Industrial

 MEN'S APPAREL 

Jackets
Shirts
Baselayer
Headwear
Gloves
Accessories

 WOMEN'S APPAREL 

Jackets
Shirts
Baselayer
Headwear
Gloves
Accessories

 FOOTWEAR 

Men's Footwear
Women's Footwear

 CLEARANCE 

Backpacks
Mens Apparel
Womens Apparel
Climbing
Footwear
Accessories

 BRANDS 

Black Diamond
Granite Gear
La Sportiva
Osprey
Smartwool

 WAYS TO SHOP 

Sale
Clearance
Top Brands
All Brands

 Backpacking Equipment 

Shelters
BackPacks
Sleeping Bags
Water Treatment
Kitchen
Hydration
Climbing


 Backcountry Gear Clearance

Topic Options
Rate This Topic
#137609 - 08/13/10 09:05 PM Lite foods?
danogorman Offline
newbie

Registered: 08/13/10
Posts: 1
i have found pre-cooked bacon is so lite and a good meal but what are some other good ideas for super lite foods.

Top
#137664 - 08/15/10 10:55 AM Re: Lite foods? [Re: danogorman]
GDeadphans Offline
member

Registered: 12/26/08
Posts: 382
Loc: Maine/New Jersey
mmmm bacon.

Speaking of light foods....just yesterday I was coming back from a vacation in central Maine. Passed a yard sale and saw what looked to be a dehydrator on the table! I hesitated to ask my pops to pull over and let me out, considering we had other cars following us out there and there was tons of traffic on this one lane road. Now...I sit at home and am on a light food thread and kick myself!

Anywho, I don't know why but I have a love affair with beans and rice and hot sauce. The Zatarains type. A bit more of a pain to cook as far as time, but so worth it. I take it all out of the box and I have a small bottle of hot sauce...mmmmmmmm
_________________________
"To me, hammocking is relaxing, laying, swaying. A steady slow morphine drip without the risk of renal failure." - Dale Gribbel

Top
#137788 - 08/18/10 04:25 PM Re: Lite foods? [Re: danogorman]
finallyME Offline
member

Registered: 09/24/07
Posts: 2710
Loc: Utah
Check out the light food section of this site. Lots and lots and lots there.
_________________________
I've taken a vow of poverty. To annoy me, send money.

Top
#137794 - 08/18/10 06:37 PM Re: Lite foods? [Re: finallyME]
OregonMouse Online   content
member

Registered: 02/03/06
Posts: 6799
Loc: Gateway to Columbia Gorge
TrailCooking.com is a great website with lots of recipes and ideas, often using foods available at your local supermarket. Some of us go beyond this and dehydrate our own meals, and there's lots of info about that, too. The owner, Sarbar, is a frequent contributor here.

Do a search in the "Lite Food Talk" section (where your post has now been moved) and you'll find lots of other references. For instructions on searching this site, which can be a bit tricky, see the "sticky" post at the beginning of the "General Discussion" section.
_________________________
May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view--E. Abbey

Top
#138069 - 08/26/10 09:45 PM Re: Lite foods? [Re: danogorman]
MikeDT Offline
newbie

Registered: 08/26/10
Posts: 1
Have you tried quinoa? Cooks fast, loaded with good stuff like B vitamins - protein - iron etc. throw in some dehydrated veggies and a seasoning, you have a fast and nutritious one pot meal. I started carrying it about three years ago and it has become a core staple to my packing meals.

Top
#138908 - 09/16/10 11:01 PM Re: Lite foods? [Re: MikeDT]
GDeadphans Offline
member

Registered: 12/26/08
Posts: 382
Loc: Maine/New Jersey
The quinoa idea is great. Also check out textured Soy protein. Just add it to whatever you are cooking and you get an added boost of protein. It weights practically nothing too.
_________________________
"To me, hammocking is relaxing, laying, swaying. A steady slow morphine drip without the risk of renal failure." - Dale Gribbel

Top
#138934 - 09/17/10 12:31 PM Re: Lite foods? [Re: GDeadphans]
CamperMom Offline
member

Registered: 01/04/02
Posts: 1228
Loc: Eastern MA, USA
Try your quinoa at home.

No personal experience on this, but I've read that this grain needs to be "washed" to remove some bitterness. Some brands may come pre-rinsed. How a food behaves and the care it needs is important in my considerations for backpacking foods. Pre-rinsing requires more water than just add water foods. Actual cooking (or actual boiling watr) VS adding hot water changes the fuel dynamic.

For example, I usually have add water only foods. If I need cold water, I don't need to carry fuel for that meal. If I need hot, but not boiling water, the one half-Esbit that I plan for my precooked and dehydrated meal may stretch to water just warm enough for a cup of tea or instant coffee (in the summer). If I needed truly boiling water or to simmer something, I might need more fuel.

Regards,

CamperMom

Top
#139003 - 09/19/10 10:25 AM Re: Lite foods? [Re: CamperMom]
POPsJr. Offline
newbie

Registered: 08/17/10
Posts: 5
I purchased a dehydrater a while back and have been dehydrating some of the dinners my wife cooks to use backpacking. Her Spaghetti sauce, chile, rice and beans, homemade jams for furit rolls, and so on - you mostly just have to add boiling water to to eat.

Top
#139633 - 09/30/10 04:56 PM Re: Lite foods? [Re: POPsJr.]
GDeadphans Offline
member

Registered: 12/26/08
Posts: 382
Loc: Maine/New Jersey
My next purchase will be a dehydrator and a food saver bag thingie. I think dehydrated meals is the way to do it. I am trying to talk my room mates and fellow backpacking buddies in to chipping in on this system. Also been looking at a cozy bag too. Found some neat ones online. Question for you folks though, is a cozy bag necessary? Or just a creature comfort so to speak.
_________________________
"To me, hammocking is relaxing, laying, swaying. A steady slow morphine drip without the risk of renal failure." - Dale Gribbel

Top

Shout Box

Highest Quality Lightweight Down Sleeping Bags
 
Western Mountaineering Sleeping Bags
 
Lite Gear Talk - Featured Topics
Backcountry Discussion - Featured Topics
Make Your Own Gear - Featured Topics
Featured Photos
Spiderco Chaparral Pocketknife
David & Goliath
Also Testing
Trip Report with Photos
Seven Devils, Idaho
Oat Hill Mine Trail 2012
Dark Canyon - Utah
Who's Online
0 registered (), 160 Guests and 0 Spiders online.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Newest Members
Noodles, McCrary, DanyBacky, Rashy Willia, WanderBison
13240 Registered Users
Forum Links
Disclaimer
Policies
Site Links
Backpacking.net
Lightweight Gear Store
Backpacking Book Store
Lightweight Zone
Hiking Essentials

Our long-time Sponsor, BackcountryGear.com - The leading source for ultralite/lightweight outdoor gear:

Backcountry Forum
 

Affiliate Disclaimer: This forum is an affiliate of BackcountryGear.com, Amazon.com, R.E.I. and others. The product links herein are linked to their sites. If you follow these links to make a purchase, we may get a small commission. This is our only source of support for these forums. Thanks.!
 
 

Since 1996 - the Original Backcountry Forum
Copyright © The Lightweight Backpacker & BackcountryForum