Exercise is king.
Nutrition is queen.
Put them together and you’ve got a kingdom. – Jack Lalanne

This week at the American Long Distance Hiking Association West’s (AHLDAWEST) first online Ruck, I participated on the food resupply panel. I shared some simple tips that work for me when resupplying on longer trails. Using Zoom for a traditionally in person event isn’t my favorite and to be honest, I felt very awkward talking to the computer. On the other hand, it was so good seeing faces and hearing voices of enthusiastic hikers online. The Rucks are a wonderful opportunity to meet inspiring people, talk gear, food, safety, Leave No Trace, long trails, and rub shoulders (virtually) with some pretty famous hikers. AHLDAWEST organizes these Rucks once a year. If you get a chance, I highly recommend attending this year’s online events. You can sign up here.

My Go To Meals

Last week I shared how I batch make backpacking dinners. This meal assembly system allows for a wide variety and endless dinner options. For folks who don’t want to create their own recipes or ingredient combinations, this blog post is for you. I put together 5 recipes for dinners that end up in my pack most often.

Ingredients: Gluten, Dairy, Soy, and Corn Free

The following recipes are gluten, dairy, soy, and corn free. For hikers not on a restricted diet, substitute freely with wheat noodles or couscous for the rice noodles, corn chips for potato chips, butter powder for Ghee packet and add parmesan cheese to any of the meals. You will need the following ingredients to make all of the recipes. Visit my Amazon Shop to view or purchase ingredients.

• Dehydrate at home – jasmine rice (or use Instant Minute Rice), Tinkyada Brown Rice Pasta (great flavor and texture)
• Dehydrated Black Beans
• Refried Beans
• Beef Jerky or Beef Sticks
• Mountain House Chicken or dehydrate Costco Canned Chicken
• Trader Joes Thai Lime and Chili Almonds
• Dehydrated Spinach
• Dehydrated Mushrooms
• Freeze Dried Peas
• Dehydrated Carrots
• Freeze Dried Broccoli
• Coconut Milk Powder
• Trader Joes Coconut Oil Packets
• Ghee Clarified Butter
• Potato Chips
• Nutritional Yeast
• Favorite kitchen spices
• Condiment packets

At Home

TO ASSEMBLE: Add all ingredients except the water to a quart size freezer Ziploc bag. Seal bag and store until ready to use. Generally for a hearty meal, I use the ratio: 2/3 cup carbohydrates, 2/3 cup protein, 1/3 cup vegetables, add spices, salt, pepper, and then insert 2 olive oil and condiment packets.

I usually store extra meals in the freezer for future use. Dinners store well in the freezer up to 12 months. For detailed instructions, be sure to check out how I batch make backpacking dinners.

On the Trail

TO COOK IN BAG: Bring water to a boil. Open bag, pour in boiling water. It is easier if you rest the bag between 2 rocks or a bowl to prop it up while pouring in the boiling water. Seal bag, set aside and let soak for 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the dinner. Generally the pasta dinners take 30 minutes and the rice dinners 15 minutes. After 3-4 minutes redistribute & mix ingredients by gently squeezing the bag. Open bag and eat directly from the bag.

TO COOK IN A POT: Bring water to a boil. Dump freezer bag ingredients into a pot, stir, cover, and let sit for 15 to 30 minutes. Eat directly out of the pot.

COLD SOAK: All of the meals can be cold soaked. Add cold water and soak at least 2 hours before eating.
Note: Most noodles without dehydrating do not cold soak well. The noodles in the recipes do have a great texture and flavor after soaking.

Backpacking Dinner Recipes

1. Veggie Beans and Rice

2/3 cup dehydrated white rice or Minute Rice
2/3 cup black beans or refried beans
1/3 cup dried spinach or veggies of choice
1 teaspoon taco seasoning or DIY
1 cup boiling water
2 olive oil packets or 2 tablespoons olive oil
Optional Additions and/or Substitutions: Tapatio sauce packet, Real Lime packet, crushed red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast

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2. Thai Coconut Almond Rice

2/3 cup dehydrated white rice or Minute Rice
2/3 cup TraderJoes Thai Lime and Chili Almonds
2 tablespoons coconut milk powder
1 cup boiling water
2 olive oil packets or 1 coconut oil packet
Optional Additions and/or Substitutions: veggies of choice

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3. Coconut Curry Chicken & Cashews

2/3 cup dehydrated rice or rice pasta (I like either one)
2/3 cup freeze dried chicken or dehydrated canned chicken
1/4 cup cashews
1/4 cup dehydrated carrots or peas
2 tablespoons coconut milk powder
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 olive oil packets or 1 coconut oil packet
1 cup boiling water
Optional Additions and/or Substitutions: onion and garlic powder

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4. Beef Noodle Stroganoff

2/3 cup dehydrated rice pasta
2/3 cup soft beef jerky or beef stick (cut into smaller pieces before adding boiling water)
1/3 cup dehydrated mushrooms
1/3 cup dehydrated broccoli
1 ghee packet
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon parsley
1 cup boiling water
Optional Additions and/or Substitutions: garlic and onion powder, balsamic vinegar packet, mustard packet, butter powder

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5. Tuna Casserole

2/3 cup dehydrated rice pasta
1 can dehydrated tuna or 1 pouch tuna
1/3 cup dehydrated mushrooms
1/3 cup dehydrated peas
1/4 cup crushed potato chips (sprinkle on top after dinner is cooked)
1 ghee packet
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon onion
1/8 teaspoon garlic
1 cup boiling water
Optional Additions and/or Substitutions: parmesan cheese packets, string cheese, nutritional yeast, 2 tablespoons olive oil, butter powder

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Get the Recipes PDF > > >

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Links to other Trail Food Posts

• 5 Trail Food Tips
• How to Make Backpacking Dinners in Batches

If you try out some of these freezer bag backpacking dinners, I hope you enjoy them, tag @christyrosander on Instagram and use the hashtag #ladyonarock so I can take a look!

Happy Adventuring!

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