Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Food that's worth the weight

For overnights, what is that one food item(s) that goes in the pack regardless of weight? Logic be damned. For me it's canned Habitant French Canadian Yellow Pea Soup.

Nothing canned makes its way into the ultralight pack. That's just too dmned heavy.

I do put a "king size" snickers in the pack. We (wife, son and I) always celebrate sheep, goat, elk etc. success with the snickers.

Everything else is dried berries, oatmeal, powdered Gatorade and other ultralight fare.

Canned tuna or chicken is hardly any heavier than the foil pak. I buy what is available. Also, the lightest foods will be those with water removed, which typically take water to reconstitute, which sometimes must be carried, and more fuel to cook, which must be carried, if you aren't burning wood.

For an overnighter, a can of Chef Boyardee Ravioli goes in the pack. A pack for an overnight trip with a can of ravioli in it still weighs a lot less than a pack with a week's worth of supplies.

I've always had a thing for a big can of peaches ever since I saw Steve McQueen eating some in a scene from the movie "Nevada Smith".

Set in a cold creek in the summer time, nothing is sweeter, colder and more refreshing to my whole soul than a big can of cold peaches, not even a beer

1) A Nalgene flask of scotch. In the spirit of ultralight, I have multiple sizes. When you're sore enough, the weight is meaningless--even if the circular logic isn't.
2) Regular peanut butter. I tried dehydrated. Once.

First nights dinner is always my homemade Elk/Deer/Bear Polish sausage. Its worth the weight! Also fry bread and pancake mix, its worth the weight of a frying pan.



Good point...

Glad I'm not the only one. Make mine Pendelton.

I pack a lot of weird stuff. Dried apricots are heavy, but they are a nice change from mountain house. Olive oil is actually pretty light for the calories it contains. I just try to eat the heavy stuff early so I'm not carrying it around forever...

There's nothing like a good beef steak grilled over a campfire 5 miles from the road. MMMMMMMM If you play it right, you don't have to carry your pack to the camp site and you'll have all the steaks you can eat.

^^I'm going with Rock Chuck^^ next time! And he has llamas to carry out the leftovers!
Actually for just an overnighter I don't think weight is an issue at all. But for unnecessary weight carried I'll go with cheese and some salami. Both heavy. Add some of those little wine boxes and I'm golden!

We did a backpack trip when I was in high school with a bunch of folks. A buddy and I packed steaks, eggs, cast iron skillets, several pounds of black licorice, a 5-man dome tent....

We learned a lot on that trip. Looking back, I've become a big pussy.

A couple of Mountain House meals, powdered Gator Aid, chocolate, some Granola and I am good to go. !

You didn't ask, but we typically camp near water! Our sheep cam p which is the same year after year, has a spring where we camp.
Kodiak is also a good example, water is everywhere up high where we goat and deer hunt. The last thing one needs to worry about is water.

We do have hunts that are exceptions (Idaho elk and deer), but not usually.
A squeeze bottle to purify and life is good...
Plus we burn our garbage and foil wrapped food doesn't burn well or at all.

You guys would love this guy I hiked with years ago. We took my oldest son, about 10 at the time, and he took his 2 kids about the same age. We hiked in about 5 miles on an old mining road. My boy carried his own bed but my friend had to carry 3 sleeping bags because they were too heavy for the kids. After supper, he broke out dessert - all the fixings for a cheese cake. He had a graham cracker crust, the fixings for a simple cheese cake....and a huge can of cherry pie filling to go on top.
It's no wonder I could hear his knees popping from 200 yds.

Rocks and Fosters lager beer, my kids taught me 4 years ago to always check you pack as we were along lake Superior and they found some cool rocks that they smartly stuffed in dads pack unknowingly for the trek out.

I've since used their idea to put Fosters oil cans hidden in their pack for dad and they have packed it in and I put them in the ice cold stream and laugh the whole time I'm drinking them.

Kids do teach much if ones eyes are open.

For overhighters and weekend (2-night) trips that aren't long or steep, I like to bring some prime filets and red potatoes, a little olive oil/rosemary, and some foil, along with a Purcell Trench grill. Nothing like a steak grilled over an open fire with roasted potatoes.

Food that's worth backpacking with:
-Tastes good when your body is wasted; this is usually different for everyone, and is not necessarily the same as what tastes good on the average trail day
-Nutrient dense enough to dig your body out of the hole you put it in

polychoke:

Like most people my backpacking food is mostly freeze-dried and dehydrated. But ocasionally I do carry some "full strength" stuff.

I like chocolate. When the going gets tough, the tough eat a Hershey bar. I also will ocasionally take some summer sausage and some of those little Baby Bell cheese balls wrapped in wax. I like to take Cup-O-Noodles. Yes it's dehydrated but the hot salty broth tastes great when you are hot and tired and thirsty. I have, on rare ocasions, carried an orange or apple or a small can of fruit.

KC

I like to throw apples in my pack. Don't really spoil, can eat on the go, and the core is fun to feed to birds and squirrels. ..can't go wrong with food and a little entertainment.

Beef Jerky, small packs of tuna, and Zip lock bag full Honey Nut Cheerios mixed with walnuts. Main meals are usually Mountain House. These items go with me on nearly every hunt.