backpacking meals

[400bull]

Hay guys I need some ideas. I am a scoutmaster for the local Boy scouts group. We are currently working on our cooking merit badge and one of the requirements is to put together a 2 day meal plan suitable for backpacking. I have done some backpacking in the past but my meals have all consisted of Mountain house meals, MRE?s, Ramon Noodles, and breakfast oat meal. Beyond that I drawing a blank for meals that they could put together. For those of you that have done some backpacking what have you used or would you recommend using for backpacking meals?

400bull

 

[nickman]

Good luck!

Most kids I know today, won't eat anything but M&M's and Skittles, on a hike.

What does the BSA Handbook suggest?
I prefer the MRE system, but lot's of people do not.

"whackin' a surly bartender ain't much of a crime"

 

[Bman9900]

I'd suggest going with various mtn. house meals. They are quick, easy and for the most part, pretty tasty. I took some to a Webelos camp one year and the kids devoured them - I doubt they had ever had them before. Good luck and have fun.

 

[Cahunter805]

Don't forget in your meal planning things like dried fruits for breakfast. Canned tuna and crackers for lunches.

 

[littlebighorn]

LAST EDITED ON Mar-11-11 AT 01:53PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Mar-11-11 AT 01:50?PM (MST)

Hey 400,
I think the merit badge requirements are mostly designed to help them with the planning meals so my interpretation is that they do not preclude planning meals using Mountain House or any other freeze dried, MRE, ramen noodles, etc.
If you are just looking for additional ideas I might suggest some lunches of trail mix, jerky, dried fruit, granola bars, etc.--- powdered gator aide along with water is also good.
On my 10 day Dall sheep hunt we only had candy bars/granola bars for lunch, which actually worked out OK.
I also really like granola cereal with powdered milk(obviously add water), tang, hot chocolate mixes, pancake mix, etc.

You are a good man to help those boys grow up right in the outdoors! Good luck to you.

ps fresh fish should be on the list---then they have to learn how to catch them if they want to survive! Oh and potato buds and a little oil to cook sheep tenderloin! ummmmm!

 

[BuckeyeBoy]

Maybe check to see if Philmont has a website and see if they post a menu. I was there 3 times in the early 90's and all I can remember from the food was Pemican Bars and they were usually reserved until we were having a hard hike. I do know we used a lot of rehydrated meals there too though.

 

[Phantom Hunter]

If you have any scouts that are gluten intolerant they can substitute microwavable rice packages which can be heated in boiling water and served with foil pouch chicken or tuna also heatedin boiling water. Also a good idea to add Emergency C packets for flavoring drinking water. Just some things I have had to do since I can no longer eat MRE's or most freeze dried foods.

Phantom Hunter

 

[Roy]

Just sent my boy on an overnighter tonight where they are packing in about 2 miles and hiking out another 3 tomorrow - getting them ready for Philmont. For an extended period of time, you really need to go with the dehydrated meals as they are the only ones light enough to pack (especially for boys).

Other than that though they can do "scout soup" - where everybody brings a pound or so of the vegetable of their choice and you mix it all together with some beef or bullion cubes. Just kind of a surprise soup if you will. You do need a fairly large pot for this though so it may not be ideal for a long backpack trip.

There are a lot of things you can do with beef jerky!


UTROY
Proverbs 21:19 (why I hunt!)

 

[bingo]

rollerpin bagels flat and add pb&j and jelly. Very dense and high protein/carb. I saw this on an issue of huntinfool a while back. Havent tried it yet but plan to

 

[never_satisfied]

Here are some thing I take on my hunting trips
Good luck and keep them boys on the strait and narrow

POP TARTS
LUNCHABLES
BEEF JERKY
POWER BARS
GRANOLA BARS
TRAIL MIX
PRINGLE CHIPS IN A SMALL CAN
FRUIT CUPS
STRING CHEESE
TUNA & CRACKERS
HOSTESS DONUTS
PBJ SANDWICH
PB&BACON SANDWICH

JETBOIL MEALS
MRE'S
INSTANT OATMEAL WITH BROWN SUGAR
CUP OF NODDLES

 

[sneeky]

My favorite is any chicken flavored rice packet and the cooked chicken in the foil packs added together. It is enough for two people and very filling.
Todd

 

[Flint]

The dehydrated backpacking meals are good, but really expensive. I also find that their serving sizes are not very filling. I use them to supplement cheaper food from the store.

Any pasta mixes are good, including the plain old macaroni and cheese. I repackage them into plastic bags. Instant mashed potatoes are also good for energy without a lot of weight. For protein, the tuna fish in foil packs is good. Peanut butter is also great for protein and energy but you need to put it in a lightweight container instead of the heavy jars.

The Bear Creek powdered soup mixes are good.

Many grocery stores have food storage sections with dehydrated food in #10 cans. Many of them are great if they are repackaged. I have had some great chili mixes. The dried banana chips are light and make a good high energy snack.

 

[bigmoosie]

Lipton meals, come in a pouch and must be a hundred flavors.Take a little powered milk to add to them. For breakfast put a small box of raisins plus some hot chocolate mix in your oatmeal, meal fit for a king.Trail mix plus jerky for snacks along with dried fruits.Tang or some other flavor to add to your water your set.

 

[nickman]

One thing is perfectly clear here.....you won't need to pack a hell of a lot of toilet paper after eating most of the stuff listed!

"whackin' a surly bartender ain't much of a crime"

 

[bucklover]

LAST EDITED ON Mar-12-11 AT 02:16PM (MST)[p]For at least one meal try the old fasion scout meal. We used to do this one all the time. It made us feel like big time cooks. Just take some double layer aluminum foil, place a big patty of hamburger with chopped up onion mixed in it, cut up some carrots, and potatoes and put in there, maybe even some corn. Wrap it all up in the foil, go out and build a good camp fire, let it burn down to glowing coals and bury the foil wraps in them. Give them about 30 to 45 minutes, take them out and enjoy.

 

[archerybuff]

>Hay guys I need some ideas.
>I am a scoutmaster for
>the local Boy scouts group.
>We are currently working on
>our cooking merit badge and
>one of the requirements is
>to put together a 2
>day meal plan suitable for
>backpacking. I have done
>some backpacking in the past
>but my meals have all
>consisted of Mountain house meals,
>MRE?s, Ramon Noodles, and breakfast
>oat meal. Beyond that I
>drawing a blank for meals
>that they could put together.
>For those of you that
>have done some backpacking what
>have you used or would
>you recommend using for backpacking
>meals?
>
>400bull

 

[archerybuff]

Sorry guys I'm new to the forums. I do have an awesome solution to your back packing meals. Here is the website to go check out what our meal options are thus far. www.shaun.myefoods.com My phone number and email is on the site if you have any questions. It is all dry pack foods that you just boil soe water and then cook for about 20 min. This way you can have some of your boys tag team a meal for all the boys to eat. It may teach them a little more responsibility to cook for everybody else. Hope this helps.

 

[400bull]

Thanks for all the ideas they will helped out a bunch. At this particular time we are not planning any major backpacking trip. Most of the boys that I have in my troop are young, inexperienced, and lacking in gear. A two mile backpacking trip would be suicide at this time. Our last campout we went on a mother of one of the boys sent him with his Red Rider Wagon to carry his stuff because they did not have a stuff sack or backpack to put the boys gear in. Needless to say both the boys and parents have alot to learn before we try to venture out much.

400bull