Specific concerns to transporting, preparing, and consuming foods during excursions into the great outdoors.
4
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3answers
89 views
Can I get away with less advanced food storing methods if backpacking in areas where meeting bears is unlikely?
A page like this one, as well as a number of questions on this site, discuss how to pack food safely from bears.
What about other animals?
This post advices a pretty sophisticated way to protect food ...
10
votes
2answers
109 views
Do kevlar sacks work against bears?
We ran into a hiker on the AT last year using a kevlar back to keep out bears and rodents. He said the product was an Ursack and seemed very happy with it. However he'd never had a bear try to get ...
4
votes
3answers
95 views
Should food be in a bear bag/canister even when I'm hiking?
I've read that in the western US, backpackers need bear canisters or bear bags, for bears or for other animals. For example, a post comparing different methods is here. I must admit I'm a bit ...
5
votes
4answers
133 views
What's the problem with electrolyte imbalance and how do I mitigate it?
In the past week I've seen two answers mentioning electrolytes; one about the grand canyon and one in an answer on a question that was actually about wildlife, but where other desert dangers were ...
34
votes
9answers
1k views
What is the most efficient food to take a for a 12-15 day hiking trip?
Last summer I spent 15 days hiking with my boyfriend, in Sarek National Park, where there are no places to restock with more food.
The food issue was a major part of the pre-planning, as weight was ...
12
votes
4answers
1k views
Are there any low sodium freeze dried meals?
For health reasons, I usually try to keep my sodium intake fairly low. However, most freeze dried dinners offered in camping stores contain an more sodium than I'm looking for. I consider 800mg a ...
8
votes
5answers
669 views
Is it safe to eat poison ivy berries since I don't react to the leaves?
Is it safe for someone who doesn't react to poison ivy to eat the berries? I am not going to try it without authority from someone who knows. Is it like smoke from burning vines, that can affect even ...
5
votes
1answer
196 views
Is freeze-dried food healthy?
I've recently heard an opinion (from a sailor that attempted to beat a 122 day, westward route, around the world sailing record) that freeze-dried food is actually very healthy, as it contains less ...
1
vote
1answer
78 views
Good “real” fridge for car camping
I'm looking for a decent fridge with a 12V-outlet to use in the car for car camping. When I say fridge, I mean something that can keep products cool at 4°C/39°F, regardless of outside temperatures, so ...
5
votes
2answers
90 views
What are some good gluten-free foods for backpacking?
I have quite unfortunately found out several months ago that I'm gluten sensitive. Nearly all my meals I've planned and eaten on the trail have included wheat, and thus gluten, in them in some ...
6
votes
2answers
74 views
Winter food: which types of food are less inclined to freeze?
I already asked if I had to change the food for winter.
Since freezing is a major concern in winter, which types of food are more suitable because they are less inclined to freeze ?
8
votes
6answers
2k views
How long does mayonnaise last unrefrigerated in the back-country?
Yes, mayonnaise. It is sold unrefrigerated, and is an essential component of any back-country sandwich. Has anyone reached its limit and had it spoil on them?
(I haven't. Of course, I've never had an ...
5
votes
2answers
190 views
Is it safe to drink out of rusty thermos?
I've got a thermos for coffee and/or water storage that I use on hikes and for bike touring since it keeps things hot for hours. However, it seems like the inside is rusting a bit.
Is this safe to ...
7
votes
2answers
157 views
Does the solar powered fridge work as advertised whilst hiking?
I stumbled across this link the other day which seems rather ingenious and was wondering if anyone has tried such a contraption whilst hiking? If not, do you think it would be effective? I'm tempted ...
10
votes
2answers
165 views
What dried vegetarian foods have the highest ratio of calories to volume?
I mostly hike in bear country, which limits how much food I can take to the volume of my bear canister. This excellent question dealt with foods that are great on a trip where food-selection criteria ...
12
votes
4answers
253 views
Cheese and eggs on backpacking trips
I have taken some hard cheeses onto backpacking trips quite successfully without spoilage, but I have not dared taking more than I can eat in about 3 days. Eggs I have not dared to take. I am ...
11
votes
5answers
150 views
Is a varied diet necessary while backpacking?
Often when planning food for a backpacking trip, I rely heavily on a very large amount of extremely varied trail-mix, and only throw in some jerky and a scant few "cookable" meals for variety. I ...
25
votes
6answers
2k views
How can I identify edible berries/fruit from poisonous?
How can I identify edible berries/fruit in the wide and avoid the poisonous varieties? Is there a general guideline that can be followed or is each plant specific?
3
votes
3answers
203 views
Are 35mm film canisters safe for holding spices?
Some of you may remember 35mm film** and the black cases it came in. I have a few lying around, and have seen people use them as backpacking salt and pepper shakers. I have also heard that's a good ...
10
votes
2answers
168 views
Jerky or Freeze-dried food : Is the salt they contain a concern?
Almost all outdoors activities require having a certain quantity of water to prevent dehydration.
Many types of jerky or Freeze-dried foods contain high amounts of salt. Should that be considered?
If ...
6
votes
2answers
118 views
Energy bars for outdoors activities: what are the important criteria?
What are the criteria that I should worry about when buying energy bars ?
What are the ingredients to avoid and those to look for ?
7
votes
2answers
89 views
Winter food : Should I change my habits for winter?
Should I change my food habits for my winter activities?
Is simply increasing the quantities or choosing food with higher calories enough?
16
votes
3answers
1k views
Can I eat rotten meat and carcass providing enough cooking?
I've met often with the concept, that rotten meat and carcass is inedible because of bacteria and toxins. The most harmful of it the botulinum toxin.
However, in the question Can any waterborne ...
3
votes
1answer
138 views
How much garlic in the mountain kitchen? [closed]
How much garlic should I use in the mountain kitchen during backpacking camps?
I'm asking from the perspective of the person who wants to plan such a camp and the menu on it. Walking a lot with a ...
18
votes
6answers
721 views
A list of suitable foods for a long hike
In my opinion, the priorities when selecting trekking food are:
many calories per kilogram
not easily spoilable, especially in hot weather
not very very expensive
diverse.
Diverse. That is why I ...
34
votes
8answers
4k views
Which will keep my food colder longer, draining the melted ice water, or leaving it in the cooler?
Say you have a cooler of frozen food and ice to last for several days or weeks of river-trip / car camping. To keep things as a cold as possible for as long as possible, is it better to leave the cold ...
7
votes
3answers
94 views
Is there a straightforward way to calculate energy requirements for a trek
If I know my route will take x days, over terrain y, with a change in height of z, in temperatures of p, is there a simple rule of thumb which will let me calculate food requirements?
Water is ...
13
votes
3answers
250 views
What are the vitamin considerations for extended backpacking
For short hikes you can generally ignore nutritional concerns, because you don't generally become malnourished in two days. However, for a long trip like the Appalachian Trail or other long hikes (at ...
8
votes
1answer
130 views
How can I tell when pemmican has spoiled?
Following this video I have made pemmican. When making the pemmican I used a food processor instead of rocks (because I'm lazy). I handled it with care, and according to this handbook, this stuff ...
14
votes
1answer
383 views
Raw meat on hikes
When backpacking we often carry raw beef which we have salted and frozen, usually cut into strips that can be easily cooked through. I'm confident that this is good for 24 hours, and I know that meat ...
8
votes
1answer
157 views
Wild berries in Southern California
Are there any edible wild berries in southern California? Are there any conventional berries (like wild strawberries or blueberries) and how far out of the city do I have to go to find them?
10
votes
1answer
137 views
Eating in a long sport activity (scuba diving) to keep your strength up
We're planning a 9 to 10 hour dive. We can't go that long without eating.
What kind of 'food' could replace at least 2 meals of the day so we can 'survive' a long dive like that?
We'll figure out if ...
5
votes
1answer
58 views
Is it okay to trust your health to a mushroom hunters guide?
If I were to go mushroom hunting on a hike, Should I trust a field guide, or do a little research on it first? I've heard of too many deaths caused by mushroom eaters making a mistaken identification ...
9
votes
1answer
363 views
Are barberries edible?
Barberries are so common around here that there would be enough for a fruit serving a day for quite a while. But there is a problem: I do not know whether or not they are edible. Are they edible in ...
9
votes
2answers
1k views
Cooking by pouring hot water into plastic bags?
Recently I came across pour and store bags. They seem a bit similar to the bags for trekking freeze-dried meals like Travel lunch. That gave me the idea of preparing the meals myself beforehand and ...
8
votes
2answers
181 views
What good options are there for wine transport?
Large glass bottles just don't strike me as a "good idea" for hiking.
What options are there for carrying wine and preserving the flavor for a couple of days while hiking?
18
votes
1answer
366 views
How to calculate backpacking food requirements for a dog
So I know how to calculate how many additional calories a day I need while backpacking. My question is how do I calculate how much food my dog will need while backpacking.
I'm hoping for a general ...
7
votes
3answers
363 views
Is the “Rule of 3” proven for food?
The proverbial "Rule of 3" says you can live three weeks without food. Are there any documented cases of people actually living three weeks with no food in the wilderness and surviving?
For those ...
16
votes
4answers
282 views
What are the rules for eating raw, wild meat?
Can you always eat raw meat (wild) as long as it is fresh?
10
votes
2answers
94 views
Are there any specific guidelines for edible plants in North America?
I know there are dangerous plants and fruits to eat, but are there any basic rules one can use when in an emergency situation that apply to all safe foods? The 'rules' don't necessarily have to apply ...
