After the "24 hour ration packs" thread I got to thinking about food. I know a lot of you guys like to hike, what kind of foods do you carry with you when doing, lets say, a 5-15 mile hike. What do you carry to eat during the hike? Do you carry some other kind of food with you seperate just for survival use? Also, how much water do you usually carry with you, and do you mix something in your water? I have heard a pinch of salt in your water is a bit good for hiking?

While walking - Gorp with chocolate chips, BonBell baby bell cheese, summer sausage or pepperoni or jerky or salami and if it's the first day on the trail I might have some fresh fruit.

GORP recepe, in unmeasured portions favoring the nuts roughly 3 to 1

pistachios, almonds, peanuts, peacans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts
raisins, dried cherries, dried apricots, chopped dried dates, (sometimes dried pineapple)
chocolate chips (sometimes yogurt covered raisins)

carry 2 liters water drink continuously no salt

Breakfasts invariably oatmeal with added powdered milk, gorp (or atleast the raisin part of the gorp), and Ghi and brown sugar

Dinner dehydrated stuff from home. On recepe is dehydrated refritos and dehydrated meaty spagetti sause and potato flakes and a couple tbl's of olive oil. If I've brought enough summer sausage or salami it will often go in the dinner pot as well.

I carry a minimalist kitchen so it's boil water, add to dehydrated stuff in bowl in cozy and wait 10 min while I pack up the stove and pitch camp.


The breakfasts are pre-mixed baggied separately for each day - I tried one big bag once but I ended up with no breakfast for the last day <img src="images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Dehydrated dinner supplies are carried as separate items and I often end up with extra potato flakes at the end of the trip.

Ghi and olive oil are mandatory calorie boosters as well as very tasty. Carry these in squeeze bottles inside ziplocks.

Choose your meats carefully for spoilage rates and weather. In the winter you can carry steak in the summer Jerky is a better option.

during the walk I eat
boiled sweets
chocolate
biscuits

a lot of people in england don't bother eating whilst they are walking, they like to stop around mid day and have a sandwich and a brew.

drink wise i like to take at least a litre of water and a flask of coffee.

Ditto on everything MiniMe listed, though I like more fruit in my GORP mix, to each his own.

Since they've started selling Tuna in those foil packs, that with some pita breat has become one of my favorite no cook meals. Peanut butter's always good too.

I also like Ramen Noodles, not everyone does, but they're light, easy, and about the cheapest thing you can find.

Hope this helps,
Chris.

You reminded me I have recently found the skippy peanut-butter single serving tubes - What a bonus! These are great for lunch or as an addition to dinner! Those with some of those "string cheese" mozzarella cheese treats pack really well, keep really well and are real good calorie / nutrition items. I am not a fan of the extra trash generated by the packaging but without the packaging the pb wouldn't be nearly as convenient.

Some Ramen noodles with tuna, a little curry, yum!
We lived on Ramen in college, and found that spices will go far in making them more palatable.