Camping food

[celticknot]

Ive got 2 weeks off to hunt and i was wondering what yall take camping with you food wise i really would like to not have anyhting that will spoil. I have all the appropriate camp cookwear. Im just not sure what to by to eat. Please keep in mind i may have to pack some of this in. Thank you for your time and thoughts.

[Sarah]

Cheese.

I have a friend that backpacks a lot and he told me once that he pretty much survives off of bread and cheese when he's out. I think he's crazy, but nonetheless a good semi-firm cheese is an awesome thing to have on the trail.

Also if it were me I'd pack some dried rice and beans. If you have a little pressure cooker they cook in no time and can be made extra-tasty with spices like cumin!

Coffee is a must. I've also enjoyed pasta and oatmeal while camping.

Have fun!
 

[Friends call me Pac]

I use to backpack hunt alot when I was stationed in Alaska.  One of my staples was Minute rice and beef bullion to add flavor.  I admit eating this for a week gets old but it was very light on the pack in.  Other options are mac and cheese, oatmeal, ramen noodles.  

Also if you repack some things you will save room.  For example take mac and cheese out of the box and put it in a ziplock to reduce size and ease in fitting in a backpack.

[Minuteman]

http://www7.mailordercentral.com/longlifefood/products.asp?dept=1025
 
  http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/ubb/postlist/Board/25/page/3
 
 Here's a coupla places to find info on Bpacking grub.

[oldskool]

Oriental noodles are small and light,easy to pack and makes a quick easy meal

[NightHawk]

Ramen noodles, oatmeal,grits single packages only, coffee, splenda packets, block of cheese, tortias instead of bread, and hotdogs

[Killdeer]

Packing in or car camping?

Killdeer

[the not so straight arrow]

uh oh, this is one of my flaws when it comes to hunting. i just absolutly need my munchies. for day hunts you can bet ive got one hell of a sandwhich or sub hiding somewhere in my pack along with cheese crackers, some tea, a nice big water bottle and probably a few chips.
however when it comes to extended pack-in hunts. i like to carry a few seasonings, some tea, saltines, a little flour (or ill crush up the crackers in a pinch) with some oil (olive or cananola for frying) and some sugar is in there too cuz i like me tea sweet. all this can fit into a small coffee can and is what i go to when i can manage to catch some trout or arrow a grouse/ rabbit for dinner.  which depending on where abouts im hunting usually isnt all that out of the ordinery for the trout.
however relying on my own skills as a fisherman alone would leave me hungry. so i also pack a goodly amount of ramen noodle and maybe 2 or 3 of the fifteen ounce cans of dinty moore beef stew( carefull though they can get heavey quick). dinty and ramen is dinner food for breakfast, i usually bring big tortilla's and make a breakfast wrap to bring with me on the way to the stand site, blind, or wherever because theyre nice n portable. throw some in some eggs, then use that cheese and seasoning with a little canned ham and you got yourself breakfast. and dont forget your tea in the mourning, bad things happen when a hunter doesnt get a nice hot beverage in the mourning cold lol!
lunch is usually a combination of what ever i got kickn around from dinner or break fast, but i usually just cheese and cracker it for the lunch on stand stand.
most importantly, dont forget a nice big bottle of franks red hot or tabasco sauce. becuase whatever you cook, no matter how god awful it turns out, you can usually burn the bad taste out with enough hot suace. my old man says thats why they put a bottle of tabasco in MRE's lol.
good luck and have fun hope this helped.
-cory

[Billy]

These are the things on my list for a pack in. Ramen,oatmeal,granola/cereal bars,hot cocoa/coffee,dried fruit,jerky...
IF, you have a vacuum sealer you can do -carrot/celery sticks,apple slices,potato slices,onions sliced/diced...
I talked to a guy who puts onions,potatoes and seasoning in a vacuum sealed bag for boiling or frying 'out there'. He precooks and seals meat, as well. The theory being, warming a meal is easier than cooking from scratch in the woods.
The one thing that worries me most (about not having it) WATER! It is the most important thing.
I have a pack with a bladder and am looking for filtering methods.

[John Scifres]

I live off Lipton Rice/Pasta meals, tuna, GORP, oatmeal and peanut butter when I backpack hunt.  If I am car camping, the weather will determine what I take.  If it's warm, I take a couple meals that need to be kept cold on ice and then eat out of cans the rest of the time.  If it's cold, I just bring whatever I want.  Heavy on the meat  

[shortstroke 91]

Oatmeal,peanut butter,dried and canned soups,rasins,some type of carbs like tortillas, coffee or hot chocolate,instant tea,sugar,salt and pepper and don't forget lots of toilet paper.

[Hackbow]

In my limited backpacking trips/hunts I use an Esbit stove, a 16oz stainless cup and rehydrate Ramen noodles, dried soups, instant oatmeal, etc. Different flavored teas and instant coffee provide a little more taste variety and keep things compact and lightweight. Tuna packets and homemade jerky provide the protein. A couple energy bars per day are used for snacks in between meals.

When car camping I usually mooch off of Scifres. Last weekend I did cook 1 meal while hunting & car camping. I took a cooler of food and drinks and fixed a skillet of fried taters & onions to go along with some venison steak. Its definitely worth the extra effort to cook a nice meal or two when I have the space to do so.

[celticknot]

KILLDEAR" i will be doing a little of both

[the not so straight arrow]

completly forgot to mention that i carry a bladder filled with some quality H20 and water purification tablets in a nalgene bottle. leaves the water a little chemical tasting but its fine.
how long you planning on staying out? the whole 2 weeks?
-cory

[GingivitisKahn]

My son and I have been having kingly trail lunches.  You need...

* 1 bowl that with a sealable top and a plastic spoon
* a fair pile of minute rice
* a couple good handfulls of peanuts
* a liberal dose of Parmesan cheese
* two crushed bullion cubes (flavor is your buddy)
* enough boiling water to cover all of that for 5 min or so.
* some Tobasco sauce - just because.

viola! - rib sticking goodness.

oh and to clean up - a tiny squirt of liquid soap and a bit more hot water - spoon in / lid on / shake like a maniac for a bit.  Good to go.

[Hattrick]

JIMBEAM:)

[tradtusker]

a staple iv come to use when i go camping is Cous cous i take a Nalgene bottle and fill it with cous cous and a few chicken or beef stock cubes.
then all you need is boiling water and its done in minuets its the easiest quickest base food to cook that i have found.

[JEFF B]

rice lots of rice and noodles and beef stock cubes and chicken ones as well.  

[WindWalker-AK]

Mr. celticknot,
We eat a lot of Mountain House.
Lite weight and all you need is boiling water.
Best Wishes

[mmgrode]

Yes, can't forget the mountain house freeze dried meals.  They can be a bit expensive, but you can have a full meal from them by just adding boiling water.  This really pays off when backpack hunting/camping.  The rice/pasta meals as John Scifres mentioned also sound like a good idea as are the boullion cubes.  Much of the decisions regarding food revolve around whether you will have it strapped to your back(as light as possible) or left in camp the whole time(weight not as much of a concern). MAKE SURE YOU GET ENOUGH CALORIES! Try to get about 100 calories from every ounce of weight for backpack hunting. Oh, and don't forget to have a protein source for extended trips.  Many load up on carbs(cheap and light), but neglect meats, nuts, etc.  You need protein and fats!!

One staple for me for the first few days in the mountains is peanut butter and bacon sandwiches.  They are around 1000 calories for each sandwich and taste pretty darn good.

    Happy hunting, Matt