I've done quite a few 10-12 day trips. That much food takes up a lot of room in a pack for sure.
One thing I've started doing is packing in "bulk" instead of individual packages. You can get cans of MH for less than the packets, put them in a ziploc or two and you don't have to worry about packing out trash. I can adjust my dinner for how hungry I am, same with oatmeal or granola in the AM. Just get a cozy for your mug, or cook in in a JB. A little clean up usually isn't that big of a deal to me.
I like to make a big batch of taco burger and dehydrate it. A pound will dry up to about 4-5 oz, and rehydrate to about 8, or enough for 4 meals, easily. Add in equal parts dehydrated re-fried beans. Top with taco sauce packs and cheddar roll in a tortilla and, and you have a great meal.
Also for breakfast, you can buy dehydrated hash browns that just need to be soaked in warm water. Add in some dehydrated eggs, precooked bacon on a tortilla and you'll never eat oatmeal again.
Doesn't weigh much and fuels me all day long.
I always bring a small jar of peanut butter/honey 16oz?, and chocolate bars and snickers, one minimum per day. I get really tired of cliff bars after a few days. The peanut butter is great fuel/weight ratio as well.
The single pack dry roast almonds with cocao are really good, and I generally pack at least one pack per day.
I always bring a hard salami, a couple packs of smoked salmon, and a pound of cheese.
A home cooked stew dehydrated is really good too, more meat than the MH, and less sodium.
Stovetop dressing, instant mashed, instant gravy and dehydrated canned chicken, is a great meal as well. Not sure its any better than the MH version, or weighs less, but I can make it cheaper.
Dehydrated fruit, like bananas, apples, pineapple are a nice treat as well.
I usually end up around 1.25-1.5lb of food per day or a bit less. Never go hungry, and usually have food left over.
