Sure Foot Food Options

Food Options List

If you have any questions about food or would like to propose other food options for your trip, contact Jonah anytime

How many meals during my trip?
Why these foods?
Breakfasts
Lunches
Dinners
Snacks
Desserts
Drinks
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How many meals?

You can figure this out based on your trip length:

2 breakfasts
2 lunches
2 dinners
3 days of snacks
2 desserts

3 breakfasts
3 lunches
3 dinners
4 days of snacks
2-3 desserts

You can use this formula to figure out the number of meals for any length trip, because we will typically not arrive at the trailhead until after lunch on the first day and arrive back at the vehicle(s) before dinner on the last day.

Why these foods?

You'll notice some strange items on the meal lists: summer sausage, TVP, Nutella, etc. Because we will not be near a refrigerator or cooler, all of our food must stay fresh without artificial cooling. So, here are our reasons for some of these choices:

Meats: Though it may not sound exciting, summer sausage is a wonderful addition to any backpacking meal. It is called summer sausage because it is cured and can last the summer without refrigeration. It's somewhat similar to a stick of pepperoni. Canned (or they now come in foil pouches) chicken or tuna also work well, because they are packaged. For vegetarians, we can use TVP (textured vegetable protein), which is like crumbled up dried tofu. It rehydrates easily to add protein to a meal, but is flavorless.
Vegetables: Through trial and error, we've found that certain vegetables stay fresh in the woods better than others (for instance, mushrooms will NOT stay fresh in a backpack). We love bringing fresh vegetables because they provide a huge amount of flavor and nutrition for their weight. We also bring onions and garlic to add to most meals.
Cheese: Hard cheeses (cheddar, parmesan, swiss, etc.) will last up to five days without refrigeration, if properly packed. The insulation of the backpack helps keep them from spoiling. And cheese tastes SO good in the woods!
Other items: Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread) is a favorite in the woods. Most items are chosen based on their flavor, weight, and lifespan. We are always looking for more food items that hold up well (and taste good) in the woods, so tell us if you have more ideas!

Breakfast Options:

Oatmeal w/ cinnamon, brown sugar, nuts, & dried fruit

Individual packets of oatmeal (assorted flavors)

Dried cereal or granola with powdered milk

Bagels or tortillas with P.B. and honey/nutella/jelly

Lunch Options:

Sandwiches:

bagels, tortillas, or baguettes
PB, jelly, honey, and/or Nutella
cheese

Hummus and bread

Cheese and crackers

Dinner Options:

African Groundnut Stew (made with onion, garlic, vegetables of your choice*, ramen, meat/protein of your choice*, and peanut butter)

Backcountry Shepherds Pie (made with garlic, onion, ramen, instant potatoes, melted cheese, vegetables of your choice*, and meat/protein of your choice*)

Pasta and Sauce (made with tortellini or pasta of your choice, marinara, parma rosa, or pesto sauce, vegetables of your choice*, meat/protein of your choice*, and cheese)

Red or Black Beans and Rice (with cheese, tortillas, meat/protein of your choice*, and vegetables of your choice*)

Soup: (corn chowder, curried lentil, split pea, or black bean soup, made with meat/protein of your choice*, and vegetables of your choice*)

Hobo Meals (wrapped in aluminum foil before the trip and cooked over the fire. Can include: onion, garlic, bell pepper, carrot, potato, and chicken)

*Vegetable options: carrots, bell peppers, green beans, yellow squash, and/or zucchini.

* Meat/protein options: beef summer sausage, canned chicken, canned tuna, TVP (textured vegetable protein - like dried tofu).

Possible Snacks:

GORP/Trail Mix (peanuts, raisins, and M&Ms; craisins, sesame sticks, other dried fruit, and/or nuts are optional)

Chex Mix

Sesame sticks

Granola bars

Dried fruit (apples, peaches, apricots, mangos, and/or papaya)

Possible Desserts:

Puddin' Cookie (pudding and crunched up Oreos)

Dirt (chocolate pudding, chocolate cookies, and gummy worms)

Cheesecake (instant mix with graham cracker crust)

S'mores (chocolate, graham crackers, and marshmellows

Roasted marshmallows

Hot cocoa

Chocolate bars

Possible Drinks:

Tea

Coffee (individual steeping bags)

Crystal Light