No Cook LDH Ideas

[Brian Frankle]

RJ’s ‘theoretical’ food scenario garnered a lot of thought about food and nutritional intake for a demanding long distance hike.

I am planning a LDH this fall, and am interested in some ideas.

The main issue is severe lack of water. As such I am hoping to formulate good ‘meals’ that do not require water. (I understand that cooking and eating helps with hydration, but play along!) So, with that in mind:

*The menu is primarily NO COOK.
*Resupply is every ~5-10 days
*Trip Duration: 65-75 days
*Temps: 15-80 degrees
*Elevation Range: 5K-14K
*MPD: 15-25 (terrain dependent)
*Body Type: Beanpole. No excess fat.

Re-supply locations are more ‘settlement’ than ‘town.’ Gorging oppurtunities are not possible.

While all thoughts are appreciated, please keep in mind that I HAVE TO EAT WHAT YOU RECOMMEND! Caloric theory is interesting, but please also consider the actual ability of someone to be able to ingest (and keep down) what you suggest! Thank you in advance…

I can provide more details as the conversation develops. Thanks for your thoughts…

Brian

[David Bonn]

I’m a bit confused. Are you assuming that you are carrying water for 5-10 days, and don’t want to carry more to rehydrate food? Or do you want a few meals that you can consume at a waterless camp and still be reasonable edible?

I’ll leave you with four ideas.

If you are full-on serious about the no-water no-cook thing, I’d look at retort pouch food like Tasty Bites or MREs. They are enormously heavy but I find Tasty Bites are fine cold or cooked.

I’d also look really hard at some variation of peanut butter (or nut butter, or peanut butter and honey or jelly) sandwiches. Great calories-to-weight and nut butters and jelly make a complete protein.

If you can add water and let something sit, I’d recommend trying tabouli. You should be able to find some at your grocery store. Fantastic Foods, Casbah, and Near East are common brands. Mary Janes Farm also sells taboili mix on-line. Most taboili mixes require cold water and two hours of sitting time. If you take a 16oz nalgene jar with a screw-top lid, the sitting time can happen while you are hiking. Tabouli is good with feta cheese (or most any cheese), crackers, tortillas, tomatoes, cranberries, and nuts.

There are lots of recipes for “no-cook” pasta salads. You could use ramen noodles or mung bean noodles and soak them in that nalgene jar.

[Brian Frankle]

David-

Further clarification:

Much of the route is very, very dry. 50+ w/o water is commonplace. As such I am already carrying large loads of water, but I see that load needing to be preserved for strict hydration (with an additive)and overall safety.

Maybe I am incorrect in assuming that focusing my water on strict, specified hydration as being more effcient than consuming the same amount of water as a cooked meal…?

I think you clarified it best that I am looking for:

“…a few meals that you can consume at waterless camps and still be reasonable edible.”

Waterless camps will be frequent, and the ‘rule’ rather than the ‘exception’.

Thank you for the suggestions. My normal menu does focus on eating whole, re-hydrated meals at midday (tabouli, bulgar, lentils, potatoes, rice, etc)by using a 2 C tupperware bowl with lid. That is a sound strategy in well watered environs.

However, I was hoping to find some other alternatives to ‘bars’ to get me through. Assorted nut butters is a great idea. Storage? A 1 L Zip Platy?

Further, my typical caloric breakdown for each feeding is:

Breakfast: 800-1,000
Lunch: 500-700
Dinner: 1,500
Assorted Snacks: 1,000

Thank you again for your thoughts.

I’ll leave you with four ideas.

If you are full-on serious about the no-water no-cook thing, I’d look at retort pouch food like Tasty Bites or MREs. They are enormously heavy but I find Tasty Bites are fine cold or cooked.

I’d also look really hard at some variation of peanut butter (or nut butter, or peanut butter and honey or jelly) sandwiches. Great calories-to-weight and nut butters and jelly make a complete protein.

If you can add water and let something sit, I’d recommend trying tabouli. You should be able to find some at your grocery store. Fantastic Foods, Casbah, and Near East are common brands. Mary Janes Farm also sells taboili mix on-line. Most taboili mixes require cold water and two hours of sitting time. If you take a 16oz nalgene jar with a screw-top lid, the sitting time can happen while you are hiking. Tabouli is good with feta cheese (or most any cheese), crackers, tortillas, tomatoes, cranberries, and nuts.

There are lots of recipes for “no-cook” pasta salads. You could use ramen noodles or mung bean noodles and soak them in that nalgene jar.

[Sarah Kirkconnell]

The ramen salads mentioned are very easy. You can rehydrate a pkg of ramen (toss flavor pkt) in about 1 to 1 1/2 cups cold water. Takes 15-30 minutes, but it works fine. If you use a 1 cup water you probably won’t have to drain. You can then add tubs of dressing (or small packet) and whatever else you want. Very, very simple.

Couscous can be made with cold water. It comes back fine. Doesn’t use much water either. You can do a lot with couscous and make cold pasta salads this way.
Neither do home dried salads.

Packs of tuna and chicken make great wrap fillings. Just add mayo pkts and other seasonings (I love curry). No water needed. Mix up in pouch.

Yeah, you can survive on energy bars-but be sure to eat other items ;-) You’ll get sick of them in no time.

My website does have some ideas for low water meals, ones that don’t need heat also.

http://www.freezerbagcooking.com (and you can prepare them in nalgenes, bags or other containers)

[Mark]

I’ll second the recommendation the pasta salads and especially the soaked cous-cous. TVP also soaks well, but it will need some flavoring.

I’ve had surprisingly good luck with bagels, meats and cheeses. I’ve had bagels go 5 days or so. No special treatment, just sitting bulkily in the bag they came in. I prefer the kinds with raisins or cranberries or whatever mixed in, just for a little extra kick.

I like the deli meat slices that come in serving-size packages, and also the typical summer sausage or pepperoni slices. I’ve had those out about 3-4 days with no ill effect. Bagels also go well with chunks of hard cheeses, I’ve also had cream cheese last a good 3 days.
-Mark

[Carol Corbridge]

I always take a loaf of Fougase made by a local bakery. It’s full of olive oil and spices and very hard and chewy. It has held up fine stuffed into a pack for a week with no special packaging or treatment. Just a ziplock.

High calorie for a bread and satisfying to tear into with some Turkey Jerky from Costco.

[William Wright]

Brian,

I assume that meals that require no hydration will either be heavy because they are already hydrated, or will increase your need to hydrate by generating thirst. Have you thought of packing a solar still? The weight would be minimal, and it would be a handy piece of insurance. If you hike at night you could use the still during the day and generate sufficient water for meal hydration.

[Chris Conway]

I don’t know if you will consider these meals but I enjoyed them as part of a recent 3 day non-gourmet no cook menu. They taste great to me, have no prep, are fairly healthy, low sodium (2-4% sodium per oz) and are about 140-150 calories per ounce.

-Terra Exotic Vegetable Chips
-Lundberg Rice Chips (sesame & seaweed)
-Garden of Eatin Sesame Blues (blue corn chips with sesame seeds)

[Author]

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