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Most/least favorites?

Which and why?

Care to narrow it down a bit? IE are you talking about freeze dried packaged stuff like MH? Homemade freeze dried or dehydrated? Etc?

Check out this link if you want to start making/putting together your own! Some tasty ideas. Or this one...

Also, rokslide has some pretty good info on backpacking meals and nutrition, might want to check out that site.

However, I will say that the MH blueberry cheesecake is awesome!

ETA: I'm assuming this is for your upcoming backcountry elk hunt in Co where you will be packing in?

To the last question; yep.

For me, I usually bring along a variety of MH meals (I got a really good deal on a bunch of cases, so it is what I use most of the time). Favs include beef stroganoff, the pasta with meat sauce, chicken teriyaki (like the sweet at breakfast for whatever reason), the fajitas are good as well (bring tortillas).

I also usually take some summer sausage and hard cheese for lunches, snacks and such. I have also been known to bring the asian ramen bowls that just require the addition of hot water and supplement protein with packaged salmon, tuna, or chicken.

Can't forget the instant mashed potatoes which can be added to almost any meal for some extra calories. Depending on your tastes bring additional seasonings to liven the meals up (I like the individual packets of tabasco).

And definitely try the MH blueberry cheesecake!

(I personally stay away from the MH chili mac as it does not agree with me)

For Condiments raid a KFC, gas stations, or try pressing a site like this...

I always found the foil packs of tuna were easy to pack, and good to eat plain.

Keeping up with the refuse was the issue.

Those things could get stinky after a while.

You smell bad enough as it is.

Campfires make for short work of certain types of refuse, and the remainders pack out easily.

Just toss them into the MH bag and seal...

ETA: Sorry, I just remembered...I personally do not like any of the breakfast (egg) dishes that I have tried. The texture is off to me and the taste lacking, however, I have heard that adding some olive oil helps to alleviate this issue (I have not tried it).

Now, let the real experts chime in!

I bring stuff similar to what jcubed said, and my favorite MH are the same--Stroganoff and spaghetti with meat sauce. You need more calories and fat than they provide so I bring a little nalgene with olive oil and put a tablespoon or so into each dinner. Go with the "Pro-pak" size, they're just right for one person who's been busting ass all day.

I also bring some pita bread (can't crush it), hard salami, and cheese and the little foil mustard/mayo packs.

Bring lots of snack food, nuts, dried fruit, jerky, etc. to eat throughout the day.

Via for coffee, not as good as good drip coffee but the size and weight makes up for that.

I used to bring instant oatmeal but have switched to just plain cereal. Most instant tastes like cardboard IMHO. Since there's no milk I mix up a sports drink like Cytomax to put on the cereal, if you get a flavor you like it's not bad.

Consider bringing some cytomax and some energy gel, if you knock one down and are packing out meat that stuff can keep you legs churning, and a few brands have caffeine added too.

Much like the above. MH for dinner. If space/weight will allow I'm not against throwing an MRE in the pack. Some of them are edible. Mix of Cliff bars/breakfast bars for the wake up. Really like the coconunt & chocolate chip Cliff bars. Lunches are flat bread sandwiches with PB&J or PB & Honey. Snacks are fun size candy bars, trail mix, and some hard candies. Atomic fireballs will allow you to get up the hill!

Hit a pizza joint on the way out and grab some of the red pepper flake packets. They help spice up the MH.

When backpacking, I don't want to do any cooking more complicated than heating water. For that I use a Jetboil.

I like all the MH type meals but won't buy the egg type stuff any more.

I usually have a dinner type for breakfast and dinner. If a MH meal has mashed potatoes, I don't buy it. Otherwise I'm not picky.

I love the CLIF brand powerbars for lunch. Not CLIF bars. CLIF brand powerbars.

It is not possible for me to not lose weight backpacking so I don't even bother with oils or any of that type of schit. If I carried enough calories to not lose weight my pack would weigh 400lbs.

Via is the ticket for coffee. Two Vias and one packet of instant hot cocoa will usually get most people moving in the morning.


My all time favorite meal is these two items heated in a gallon Ziploc freezer bag and put in a sleeping bag. Best tuna casserole on the planet.







Travis

Yep, moving toward the dark timber with a roll of paper in your hand.

This...

Which is not necessarily a bad thing, always good to lighten the load before hitting the trail.

WTH are these? Or is that your inner kawi typing?

Cliff Power Bars

PowerBar Harvest is my favorite! That's what I have for breakfast along with some dried fruit and almonds?

I carry an MRE for lunch and have MH for dinner. Snack on almonds and fruit. If you carry MH for lunch you'd have to carry a stove for hot water.

I have been eating a handful of trail mix or similar first thing, then snack while I'm glassing for the first 0.5-2 hrs of the morning. Bars I find tasty, sausage, cheese, etc. fill in the gaps.

Mountain House dinner works for me 'cause I've eaten several dozen of them and they've yet to make me sick. Backpack hunts aren't a good time for dietary roulette.

You can put a lot of time into nutritional analysis if you want, I personally keep it pretty simple.

http://www.samsclub.com/sams/clif-builder-s-variety/196623.ip?navAction=


Travis

You have failed me.

20 pushups.




Clark

FOOD OPTIONS FOR BACKPACKING
Gear Required: Camp Stove, Pot 1.5L for freeze dried, Pot 2.5 L for casseroles, frying pan
Criteria: Lightweight, Nonperishable, Easy to Prepare, Easy to Clean up.
Prerequisite: Each person brings their own Drinks and No-Cook Snacks.

BREAKFAST
Breakfast Cereal
-Milk (1 quart dehydrated packets)
-Cereal, Honey Nut Cheerios or Cinnamon Life

Oatmeal
-Quaker Fruit & Cream

Breakfast Burritos - freeze dried
-Mountain House Breakfast Skillet
-Tortillas
-Salt & Pepper

S. O. S.
-Bread, Sliced or Rolls
-Gravy Mix, White, Dehydrated
-Summer Sausage - sliced & chopped
-Additional Gear: Wire Wisk

Pancakes
-Bisquik Shake & Pour
-Syrup (small plastic bottle)
-Margarine (cafe' packs)

Eggs & Hashbrowns
-Mountain House Eggs with Bacon, Red & Green Chilis
-Hashbrown Potatoes (dehydrated)
-Margarine (cafe' packs)

Potato Pancakes & Sausage
-Potato Pancake Mix (dehydrated)
-Summer Sausage
-Margarine (cafe' packs)
-Syrup (small plastic bottle)

Toasted Muffins
-English Muffins
-Margarine (café Packs)
-Jelly (café packs)
-Additional Gear: Stove Top Toaster & Tongs

HOT LUNCH
Ramen Noodles
-Cup-O-Noodles or Maruchan Instant Lunch

DINNER
Beef & Noodles (freeze dried )
-Mountain House Beef Stroganoff

Sweet & Sour Chicken (freeze dried)
-Mountain House Chicken Polynesian

Fajitas (freeze dried)
-Mountain House Fajita Wraps
-Tortillas

Mac & Cheese
-Velveeta Shells & Cheese or Kraft Macaroni & Cheese
-Summer Sausage - sliced & chopped
-Margarine (café packs)

Burritos
-Refried Beans (dehydrated, Mexicali Rose)
-Rice (boil-in-bag)
-Tortillas
-Taco Sauce (café packs)

Chicken Casserole
-Dehydrated Casserole Mix (Knorr or Lypton)
-Chicken or Turkey (foil pouch)
-Margarine (café packs)

Tuna Casserole
-Dehydrated Casserole Mix (Lypton or Knorr)
-Tuna (foil pouch)
-Margarine (café Packs)

Beef & Noodles (dehydrated)
-Noodles (dehydrated pasta)
-Beef Stroganoff Mix (dehydrated)
-Summer Sausage - chopped
-Margarine (café packs)

Spaghetti
-Spaghetti Noodles
-Spaghetti Sauce (dehydrated mix)
-Tomato Paste (canned)
-Margarine (café packs)

SUGGESTIONS FOR INDIVIDUAL NO-COOK SNACKS
Beef Jerky
Sandwich Crackers
Summer Sausage
Cheese (paraffin wrapped)
Dried Fruit or Fruit Leather
Candy Bars
Salted Nut Roll
Granola Bars
MREs
Lunchables
Sardines or Oysters (canned)
P B & J - Bread, Peanut Butter & Jelly (café packs)

SUGGESTIONS FOR INDIVIDUAL DRINKS
Cocoa
Tang
EcoDrink
KoolAid
Milk (dehydrated 1 quart pouches)
Coffee
Tea