I did buy a postal scale today as people suggested.

I've been working on food the past 2 or 3 days trying to condense calories. Here is one day's menu. The weight is just for the food and no packaging. Each meal will be packed in a snack size baggie. The snacks will be in one bigger daily grazing bag. I'll probably get rid of the granola bars and just mix my own things. I expect packaging to be another 3/4 to 1 ounce a day.

I found organic brands often have a better nutrient mix. Old style things like Graham crackers and Ritz crackers have more calories and nutrients/ounce. They are cheaper, too. Stay away from anything with a fancy picture on the box or that hints it is lite food.

Calories: 3,063, 59% carb, 19% fat, 16% protein.

Weight 24.3 Oz
Calories/Oz 127

B=Breakfast
M=cooked meal
S=Snack

Serving sizes are in grams

B Bob's Red Mill 8 grain hot cereal 40
B Unswtnd Carob Chips 15
B Biq Health Food Brownie Mix 50
M Bob's Red Mill finely ground potato flour 34
M Dr. McDougal's Black Bean and Lime 47
M Nile Spice Couscous Lentil Curry 56
M Nile spice Couscous Minestrone 52
M olive oil 14
S Natural Grocers Unsweetened Banana chips 120
S Extreme Trail Mix Granola bar 30
S Nature's plus: Exotic Strawberry Plus Ultra Energy bar 60
S Extreme Trail Mix Granola bar 30
S Peanut butter 30
S Classic Rich Crackers 15
S Peanut butter 30
S Classic Rich Crackers 15
S Peanuts 35
S Potato chips 14

Everything can be cooked in the 2 cup pot with my Svea 123 stove, so I'm getting rid of the big pot and the coffee cup. The stove stays. I just like it too much. But I will get a smaller bottle to carry gas for shorter trips.

Instead of coffee, I make a thick hot chocolate with the brownie mix which I eat with a spoon. In the evening, I'll make potato soup from the potato flour instead of coffee. I found a company that dehydrates beans. They look pretty good.

http://readybeans.com

They are in Ft. Collins for anyone who lives around there.

Added: The refried beans are fully cooked. Just add water ans use as a dip, or heat. The pinto beans take 20 to 25 minutes to cook.

Unless I can come up with some new and wonderful ideas (keeping in mind I'm vegetarian) it's going to take about 2 lb to get to my goal of 4,000 calories a day. But for 3 nights/4 days, I think 3,000 calories will work.

The next step is to figure out the cost for each serving and see how much this all is.