CookManFood.com!

            In the many backpacking and hiking trips we take throughout the year, we are often asked what we bring with us.  Too many times you see trail mix, power bars, power gels, and other crap foods that people bring for just energy with no real flavor.  Granted, when we are trying to put in an 8 – 20 mile day in the backcountry, we do pack gels to get us through the trip but for the most part, we bring food that tastes good and gives us the energy we need.  For day hikes this is what we typically bring:

1. Smoked Gouda, Provolone, or Edam Cheese
2. Summer Sausage
3. Beef Jerky
4. Hard Salamis
5. Pepperoni
6. Smoked Salmon Pouches
7. Stone Ground Wheat Crackers
8. Mayo Packs for lunches

There are also other variants that go with this list.  Depending on the terrain of overnight hikes, we also pack in some good Manfood.  One thing we love to bring is pork tenderloin and roasts.  How we bring it in during the summer months without it going bad is to freeze it a few days before you leave.  Pack it the morning you leave and it will thaw out as you are hiking in.  Another tip is to leave it in the center of your pack and keep it next to other items that you would want to stay cold such as some goat cheese and smoked sausages.  By dinner time, it is usually defrosted but still cold ready to be put in the fire or on a small backpacking grill.  Caution: people that go with you who do not decide to carry and extra pound or two to eat well will be very jealous when you are cooking and eating this.  This does make the first few days of a trip much more enjoyable to the stomach.  On trips longer than 3 days, you will have to resort to catching fish, small game or give in to the freeze dried camping dinners or MRE’s.  I recommend being a good fisherman or going with someone who is.