Chow time when hiking:
When on a long hike I only carry Meals Ready to Eat (AKA MRE's) for me they are perfect. Each MRE packs whopping amount calories. Since I am so big I don't need that much fuel when hiking, I carry my own fuel (in my spare truck tire) Anyway, one MRE can last me an entire day. Breakfast; I open a fruit pack sometimes dried fruit, or a pouch of applesauce. I can have coffee and cream, Tea, Cider or Cocoa. For lunch I have peanut butter jelly and crackers, fruit punch and I eat the main course at the end of the day.
I find I sleep much better when I have food in my stomach. The various candies are used on the trail for energy.
Ah, but you ask what about the taste factor? Well it mostly suks, but when its good its real good. I have been using Military rations every chance I get, since I was a soldier back in the seventies. I started weaning my son on them when he was six or seven, he absolutely loves the stuff, when he was little each C pack or K ration was like opening a present on Christmas morning. “Whoa Dad look at this pound cake, hey I got a brownie, this is great. Gee Pop candy, this great, what else is in here. Have you seen my P-38 can opener?” Years later as a teenager I introduced him to MRE's I believe I still got the same reaction. Without the military can opener cause there are no cans in an MRE. “Pop have you seen my little knife?”
Unless I am comfort camping I only use MRE's they are light, durable, cheap to buy and edible. Since the heater is self-contained I don't have to carry cooking equipment or utensils; the MRE has a strong Lexon spoon included in the bag. When properly stored they will last many years. Sometimes when I am hiking in the North Carolina National Forests I find that often times water is a precious find MRE's require only 1 ounce to activate the chemical cook heater.
But when I comfort camp I eat very well, I use an Alpine cook set, which I blacken with heat resistant paint to absorb heat better and use less cooking fuel. The kit has all the bells and whistles, from spice condiments to utensils.
I carry foods high in calories and carbohydrates; I make CornDodgers at home and sometimes Hardtack, Bannock and pack that in. Just Google the recipes they are easy to find.
While serving in Korea back in 75-76 I was introduced to Ramen, dry noodles and a seasoning pack that the Koreans eat for a snack or light lunch. I was always able to find them in the states at oriental stores; fortunately Ramen became a boom in the late eighties. The noodles require very little water and cook in three minutes. They are light to carry and tasty too, and they last forever when stored properly.
You can save the seasoning bag and use the noodles with melted cheese, and a thousand other recipes, sometimes I mix a little olive oil and Parmesan cheese. The soup from the seasoning pack is delightful as well.
If you can find some wild onions, oh my, my, my. See ya on the trail.
John L. Snider Sr has eighteen years of Law Enforcement experience serving his last fifteen years with the Mecklenburg County Police and Char-Meck Police departments. His years of service include: Vice and Narcotics Interstate Drug Interdiction, and the Emergency Response Team (ERT) An avid hunter and hiker Mr. Snider honed many of his Emergency Preparing skills while serving in the United States Army. He can be reached at his Web site www.Crimenc.com or by e-mail at support@crimenc.coml.com
www.CrimeNC.com
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