need help with choosing food

[southsidefire29]

ive never been on a overnight canoe trip before. there will be 3 people going and our trip will last for 3 to 4 days. I have no idea what type of food to choose but im looking to keep the weight down in my canoe but at the same time we dont want to chew on cardboard for 4 days. we want tasty meals that are easy to fix. I will be bringing a coleman 2 burner cook stove to cook our meals. also how much food and water and snacks should I bring also if anyone can share any receipes thanks in advance

[BMuu]

If you like them then one idea is canned tuna or sadines. No need to keep cool and you can open them up, mix with stuff and eat.

[southsidefire29]

plan on taking packaged tuna but cant eat that for 4 days

[okieboater]

Do some google searches on camping menus and take a look at Grand Canyon Commercial Outfitter menus for ideas.

Trip menus are a compromise on what the group is willing to carry, prepare, pay for and want to eat. The larger the group the more compromise. Good luck.

[Clif]

more boats = more room .. split the load

[Roger]

Evening meal=

foil packages of chicken (depends on how hungry you are but 2-3 will probably suffice)
1 can of black beans, drained well
1 bag of shredded cheese
1 plastic container of salsa (can substitute Velveeta if refrigeration is issue)
1 package of tortillas

Spread one side of tortilla with cheese, chicken, beans, and a bit of salsa, fold over. Heat in skillet till cheese melts. Cut in half and serve with more salsa. Repeat as needed.

Add tortilla chips to round out meal.

Be sure to use block ice if possible or go to your local family food market (smaller the better) and ask them to freeze gallon jugs of water for cooling. (This type of frozen liquid works better than commercial block due to oxygen content in block and will last longer)

Plus, you will have drinking water.

Breakfast day two: Freeze cartoons of Eggbeaters ahead of time to help hold cool. Take out the evening before if still frozen to aid in thawing being. Be sure to return to cooler before retiring. Use these along with the pre-cooked bacon available to make egg, cheese, and bacon omelots (using left-over cheese) and dress with leftover salsa if any left.

Just a few ideas.

[arfish]

I used the precooked shelf stable bacon my last long river trip and it worked out well. We actually used it for dinner, made bacon wraps and quesadillas. Try to keep your cooler closed, and if you are bringing drinks that you want to keep cool, keep them in a separate soft sided cooler so you aren't opening your food cooler fifteen times the first day on the river. I froze some hot dogs & ham, and we had them on the third and fourth days of our trip on the 4th of July week and they were still fine, but we still had ice by then too since I pack dry ice in my cooler. The key is to open your cooler as little as possible. I think if you plan it out right, you could have fresh foods up to three days and at least two.

Otherwise you are left to those expensive packaged meals, tuna, summer sausage, noodles, trail mix, etc. You can buy pancake mix that only require water to make the batter. If you have a food dehydrator there are a lot of things you could do.

This guy has some good ideas:
http://www.maddythegoose.com/Home/food" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Deuce]

Some of the boxed meals (E.g. Zatarains RB&R, Jambalaya, etc.) are not bad at all and can be easily and frugally augmented with vacuum packed meats (andouille, boudin, etc.). They also take up very little room and don't require cold space (except for the meat of course). Make some slaw to go with it before the trip and stash it in a gallon ziplock or two. Generally speaking you'll find that if you break down pre-packaged perishables into gallon ziplocks they'll be much easier to pack and take up much less space in the cooler. If you want to splurge steaks and taters are a good choice. Boneless cuts (ribeye, sirloin, filet) take up less space and can be thrown in a ziplock with marinade (I recommend redundancy to prevent cross contamination; i.e. ziplock inside garbage bag). The taters can be tossed in wherever there's room, and if you're like me and feel compelled to have something green throw in a couple of zucchinis to grill along with the cow. Again, no cold space required. Add raisins to instant oat meal for a breakfast that's reasonably hearty. Bacon is a cheap and easy addition if you're so inclined. For lunch skip the bread (biggest space hog I can think of) in favor of pita pockets or tortillas. So, when are we going? I'm getting hungry!

[panicman]

If its 3 or 4 nights and 3 or 4 people just make each person responsible for 1 dinner and breakfast and then you just have to worry about 2 meals.

[cpresoz]

I'm getting hungry reading all this! The Backpacking Arkansas has a forum on backcountry eating. Lots of good ideas and great links, like Maddythegoose link above. Tom Trigg is a great resource with the forum he maintains: http://www.backpackingarkansas.com/view ... 3b03bcc207" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Of course you can just drink beer the whole time and chew on some beef jerky once in a while. . .

[texasannie52]

I have done many trips into the wilderness either by horseback or by kayak and have found that if you do a bit of planning, forget bringing water and buy a water filter or tabs to purify you water, you can have some memorable meals. For a three night four day trip:

first night - fresh food such as a steak, baked potatoe, salad with all the fixings including french bread. Just buy your salad dressing in the individual servings from Wal-Mart. Desert - Banana Fosters (banana split into with a knife, chocolate chips inserted into opening, wraped all in foil and cooked over campfire).

Second night - Jambalaya made with Zatarains box meal and Smoked Sausage... suppliment with a fresh ear of corn grilled over the fire. Dessert - smores? or cabasita (yellow squash, zucchini and onions cut up and sauteed with a little olive oil). Freese meat before hand. Take jamabalaya out of box and take only the mix with the instructions.

Third night - King ranch chicken casserole comprised of can mushroom soup, canned chicken, onions, ranch seasoning package, cheese - serve over top of tortilla chips. Cook until hot and bubbly. Cheddar cheese will keep although it will be a bit soft in this heat when you use it.

I agree that the precooked bacon is the best way to go - less mess in cooking and you don't have to dispose of the drippings. I always take a thermos of eggs that have been cracked open and placed in the thermos. That way you can pour out the number of eggs you need and there isn't any leftovers. Of course, one of your most important things to take is ziplock bags as these serve as mixing bowls and storage.

Lunches have always been something quick to eat like a bagel with peanut butter, or an energy bar. Smoked oysters, crackers and cheese, yummy.

Breakfasts have always been instant oatmeal, bacon and scrambled eggs or whatever vegetables you have left over made into a frittata.

[jermdog]

Freeze lunch meat and it will be ready to eat the first day. Freeze steak, and it will be ready by the third night. Use real block ice, not the compressed chip stuff and it'll last for a few weeks, the compressed junk will last for a 4 day trip though. Have food and drink coolers seperate and you're ice will last a lot better.

[Roger]

Ahhhh, I forgot the famous omelot in a bag. Take smaller freezer bag (ziplock), add two eggs (or eggbeater equivalent), chopped up pre-cooked bacon (or real bacon bits), and cheese. Cook in simmering water til mixture firms up solid (usually 10-12 minutes depending on amount). Roll up in tortilla or eat as is with salsa or jelly!

[justin.payne]

I'd take a fishing pole and .22 pistols for squirrels. light and economical, last resort....just eat mushrooms you find.

[Roger]

I'd take a fishing pole and .22 pistols for squirrels. light and economical, last resort....just eat mushrooms you find.

So you want these folks to starve?
:roll:

They are first-timers for an overnighter. We want them to enjoy!