backpacking recipes

[cad-guy 10]

we have a scout working on the cooking MB. I am relatively new to scouting and we are planning a bacpacking/hike overnight. Does anyone have a good resource for recipes for hiking/backpacking outings. Requirements for the MB say prepare 3 meals for yourself and 2 others. I am guessing that it could get heavy. What do you guys recommend for food to carry?

 

Thanks for any help you can give.

 

MKH

[CA_Scouter 11]

There are many resources:

 

Amazon.com ( or similar )

books: Lip Smackin' Backpackin'

Foods for the trail

 

Backpacker magazine and their web site is an excellent resource.

 

You can google 'backpacking recipes' and get 10billion hits ;-)

 

You can walk thru the grocery store and pick out a variety of foods that are light and easy to cook for the trail. Just pick items that don't require a lot of cooking time ( otherwise you have to carry more fuel ).

 

Try to find 'one pot' meal recipes. One pot to carry, less to cleanup. IT takes some planning, but that's the point, isn't it?

 

I haven't bought freeze dried food for the last 15 years. I'm always able to find something that's relatively easy to cook and tastes great. I also bring a stash of spices, garlic, hot sauce, etc. in case the food is a little bland.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[belayer_StLouis 10]

I've been a Backpacking MB couns. since the merit badge started. I don't mean to be a smart aleck but the merit badge book has a whole page dedicated to suggestions called "Grocery Store Foods". The book is actually a pretty good primer (it ain't perfect by far). Have the scout start researching the subject on line and he'll be bombarded with info.

[GernBlansten 10]

Ditto on the recipe books, however, if he's really thinking of trying something new, have him put together his own recipe. Let him pick which items to mix, experiment at home.

Go the grocery store and in the canned meat aisle there's new vacuum packed chicken breasts that require no refrigeration. There's tuna and salmon too.

PROTIEN

Then head over to the packaged dry gravy rack or soup. Lots of choices.

FLAVOR

Then head over the minute rice or pasta aisle.

STARCHES

Go to the fresh veggie aisle and pick up an assortment.

VEGGIES

Hit the plastic bag section and pickup a few oven bags.

PACKAGING

Now head home. Dehydrate the veggies in the dehydrator if you have one. Or use fresh.

 

Take all your ingredients and measure out meals into the bags, keep the meat in its foil until ready to eat.

 

Weigh each meal dry and record it.

 

Then start a pot with about an inch of water to a boil.

Pour cold water in the bag to just cover the ingredients, and put the bag in the boiling camp pot. Let it rehydrate. When hot and re hydrated, remove the bag and eat. Adjust the amount of water for the next batch if too runny or too dry. Takes a few tries. Eat right out of the oven bag. No cleanup! Really, these meals are quite good, cheap and homemade.

 

Now when he's ready to show his stuff at the campout, he'll have his own special homemade proven meal that everyone will be envious of.

[AnniePoo 13]

Good book - "A Fork in the Trail"

[ghermanno 11]

I'm not quite sure I'd want to work on cooking MB on a "one nighter".

That is a lot of gear to carry for one night (depending on where you are and allowances for fires) carrying stove, pans, cleaning water, ...

 

Yes, I have backpacked with cooking gear (stove, lanterns, pans, fuel,...) but normally stayed with quick foods (MRE types) for "overnighters" to make pack lighter and carry more event type items (ropes, carabiners, helmets, gloves,...). Don't think heating an MRE would qualify for cooking (eating them sometimes doesn't count as food :-) ).

[GKlose 24]

My oldest was at camp this last week, and one of the dads who spent the week with the troop is a reservist. A few years back he had been deployed in Iraq, in a hospital. I asked him, "so which would you choose, camp food or food while on deployment?" He didn't hesistate and said, "no contest -- camp food -- by far." He then went on to explain that he didn't really consider MREs to be food.

[FScouter 24]

Are there any ideas in the Boy Scout Handbook or the Cooking merit badge book or the Field Guide?

[Ohio_Scouter 10]

Here's a link to the Philmont Country Cookbook. Enjoy!

 

http://usscouts.org/macscouter/Cooking/docs/PHLMNTCB.pdf