For many years I packed Mountain House, Peak, Back Packers Pantry, etc. meals on multi-day hunting trips. Last couple of years I eliminated those and shopped for food items in local grocery stores. I must say it is working out well.
I get whatever looks good and doesn't weigh much until hydrated, plus nurishing high nutrient dense food that doesn't need refrigeration and I am used to.
For instance, I like sweet potatoes. They hold up well with no refrigerator and can be sliced thin for quick cooking. I like to eat on trail what I do well with at home. That way there's no digestive surprises. Young guys don't worry about that as much as over fifty, but everyone should consider that. It can take a couple weeks for gut flora to develop to deal with major dietary changes. Heavy fruits like apples and oranges are great because of the enzymes that help the body under stress. They are responsible for many hundreds of functions. I can tell the difference eating live uncooked food and nothing but cooked. See if you can too. Ask yourself how you feel energy wise and if that would be a good thing while hunting and hiking.
Just my two cents.
If there's water nearby, dry goods are fine, but watch out for overindulging on trail mix. It's easy to get a bunch of goo backed up. It's a common cause of death in seniors.
For meat, I just go with jerky. A quality UNpreserved bacon with lots of fat holds up after cooking. .summer sausage too. Only go with no nitrates. Nuts are very dry as well, but you get a lot of good oil from them.
