| Food Preparation, Recipes & Meals |
Is there anything better! There is just something about sitting down in the backcountry to enjoy a nice meal. Be it a bowl of oatmeal, or the taste of fresh fish over an open fire, food just seems to taste better out in the wilderness. Maybe it's all that fresh air. Maybe it's the fact you've paddled and portaged 20 Kilometers since dawn. Maybe it's both. Whatever the reason, eating can be one of the most enjoyable aspects of a canoe trip. It can also be one of the more important. Paddling and portaging eats up calories quicker than most adventurers realize. You need to be well equipped for your environment and keep energy levels high. A properly planned menu and schedule for eating can be the difference between an exciting backcountry adventure, or a complete disaster. Remember, well fed, well nourished paddlers are happy paddlers. Sit down and plan your food requirements with your group before you go. Your needs will depend on factors such as party size, distance paddled, length of portages and weather conditions. Doing your homework before pushing off ensures there is enough food to go around (and hopefully a little to spare). Today there are a host of food options available to paddlers. Modern technology has allowed us preserve food longer, as well as lightening our loads. You can find commercially produced backcountry foods available from most shops and outfitters. If you're willing to do a little work, you can make your own preserved foods at home.
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Food Preparation |
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Packing |
Dehydration |
Freeze Drying |
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Always keep meat in the coolest place
available and in the shade. I usually keep these items in
an outer pouch of my pack. If you know your headed for a long
paddle, grab some snacks to nibble on before you push off from the
portage |
This involves a process in which water and moisture are removed from food. Bacteria need moisture and water to grow. By dehydrating your items, you can avoid spoilage of food that would otherwise not last more than a few days. The most popular foods to dehydrate
are fruits, vegetables, sauces and some meats. In addition to the
great preservation benefits, dehydration offers a large reduction in
weight. You'll find weight reductions of 60% to 80%. Large selections of dehydrated foods are available from most retailers. If you are going for extended trips, you may wish to make your own dehydrated foods. Commercially available items are fairly costly and a long trip could get quite expensive. |
Yet another method of preserving food for an extended trip is freeze drying. The food is flash frozen, then
packaged in a vaccum chamber. With no access for moisture, the
food is preserved and suitable for tripping. Unlike dehydration,
you will not see the same size and weight benefits. It does
however resemble the original state of the item, making it more pleasing
to the eye. A key advantage to freeze drying is it's ability to retain moisture quickly once packaging has been removed. On the downside, meals consisting of freeze dryed items can become quite costly. |
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Meals |
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Breakfast |
Lunch |
Dinner |
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Definately the most important meal of the day. Your body will rely on energy from breakfast to get you through the majority of the day. High carb foods such as cereal, oatmeal, toast, pancake's and potatoes are a good choice. Whatever your choice, make the time to sit down and fuel up in the morning. |
Sometimes overlooked, lunch is as important psychologically, as is it physically. Especially if it's been a tough mornings paddle. Pulling up on shore and enjoying lunch with your group can work wonders to boost morale; and energy too!. Good choices are sandwiches, cheese, crackers or cookies, sausages or jerky and soup. |
The most anticipated meal (and sometimes event) of the day. There is nothing better than a good dinner after a long battle with mother nature. Top choices include meat of your choice( chicken, steak, pork etc.. ), vegetables, rice, pasta and potatoes. Don't forget to leave room for desert. Bush brownies are excellent! |
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Recipes |
Most paddlers have their own special recipe for cooking or preparing meals for a trip. What makes eating in the wilderness so great is the new recipes and ingredients we're able to come up with. Here are a few of my favorites. If you have any recipes you wish to share please email us
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Bannock - A Wilderness Tradition Ingredients:
Add 1 Cup of water to mix and stir until moist. Not too much. Mix should not be sticky. mold to desired shape and bake in pan. |
Taco Beef & Black Beans Ingredients:
Add water and stir contents over medium heat for 5
to 10 minutes. Stir constantly |
Onion Flavored Rice Ingredients:
Mix contents into pot. Add water and stir
contents over high heat. Ready when desried consistency is reached |
