I have a tendency to overdo it on food.
I always take too much. When I'm hunting, I find that I just don't eat that much.
Packing too much food is a GOOD thing. A lot better than not having enough. I have come out eating my last granola bar when I was 5 miles from the trailhead. I said I would never do that again and now always pack an extra days worth of food. I don't like cutting it that close when things can happen and you could be out unplanned an extra day or two.
Diyelker, your probably not hungary because of elevation and exertion. I know when I was up around 8,500 ft(thats high for me)this fall I did not eat barely anything. Got back down to the trailhead after 5 days and hit the all you can eat pizza place on the way home!
Yeah, I think your right. I still pack too much though. I always plan for an extra day or so of food, but when I get back to the truck I always have well more than a days worth of food left. I just eat less than planned generally. That may not hold true for everybody though. I really need to repackage my mountain house meals. I barely eat half of those, and the last few bites I'm just forcing down my throat because I feel like I should be eating. I'm still learning about backcountry hunting, but I've learned what I will and won't eat while hunting and also how much of it. Probably a good practice to slightly overpack on food, but bringing 3 days of food back out isn't that fun either. Each guy needs to evaluate the area, conditions, and personal hunger level and pack accordingly.
When I go out, even for a day hike or hunt, I almost always carry an "emergency" ziplock that has a teabag, pack of instant oatmeal, hot chocolate and a couple of cup-o-soups. And of course a stainless cup and one of these in titanium:
http://www.emberlit.com/I figure this would get me through an unplanned night out or other.
I rarely take multi-day trips, mostly 1-2 days. A backpack hunt in Idaho last October was an exception. I had to force myself to eat during the day, I just wasn't hungry. When I say I "overdo it" on food, I'm talking about the "luxuries" like cheese, little wine boxes, salami or summer sausage, tortillas...these are heavy compared to freeze dried or dehydrated and the weight adds up fast. Just have to decide priorities.
Oh, and a Starbucks VIA and pack of instant Hot Chocolate mixed makes a great "Backwoods Mocha" and a pretty good energy boost.
