Backpacking

Lots of trail mix. Peanuts. Granola.
Beef Jerky!!!!!!!!!
Salt pork.

Man you make me jealous, I’d love to go for 13 days.

Of course the freeze-dry foods you get at the camping store. Other freeze dry foods (they are light!). Dried fruits, trail mix, instant rice, instant soup, instant ramen.

The main thing here is that if you are going to be carrying 13 days worth of food, it will have to be very light. Even with freeze dried foods, that’s a lot of bulk and weight. Will you have a base camp or way to supply yourself partway through? That would make it easier.

Also, if Yellowstone has a bear problem, you will need a bear proof canister for the food which will add weight and cut down on the amount you can carry.

It any case, on a long trip like this, food is mainly fuel for your body. I wouldn’t worry about having it taste great. At the end of the day you will be tired, and mainly thinking about what is easy to prepare, and anything will taste good.

For breakfast, I recommend instant oatmeal and hot chocolate. That is pretty light. $12 a day is a pretty tight budget, so you’ll have to be creative.

Another issue you will need to consider is the amount of fuel you use on a long trip like this. You won’t want to bring foods that require long cooking. I assume you will have some kind of backpack stove. You wouldn’t want to be cooking over a campfire all the time (and if it rains, you won’t be able to).

You can find some other ideas here:

well first of all where are u going backpacking? If its in the same country you can pretty much bring anything. but if your going through customs then you cant. If you mean like hiking then i would bring trail mix. granola, and anything you would find in you cabinet. nothing with dairy in it and nothing that needs refigeration. Nuts are good and high in protein to keep you going. fruit has lots of nautal sugars that are great for energy. I suggest clif bars if you want a protein bar. you would also want some food that are high in protein.

You are going to need freeze dried foods. They are light weight and all you do is add water and heat up. You can get them at REI stores, I know for sure. Granola is also a good choice. Remember you will be carrying everything on you so you want the least amount of weight you can get!

Beef Jerky
Slim Jims
Pop Tarts
Granola Bars

Go to a camping store - they will have a lot of dried fruit options or freeze dried foods.

You should bring granola bars, nuts, raisins, and water. You could always go for buying the ready-made military meals (called MREs).

i would stick w/ a couple packs of gum protein bars and nuts. gum will help stave off hunger when you arent eating, protein bars will give you most of the energy you need and nuts will give you added protein. plus all oft his stuff is small and light so it wont add on weight.

If you don’t mind dropping a few bucks on a Food Vacuum Sealer I would highly recommend it! You’d be able to take things that could go bad in under 2 weeks if you can vacuum seal them ahead of time.

Are you planning on making cooking fires?

A few items if you do not plan to have fire:
- Granola
- Meal Replacement Bars (multiple flavors, mostly under $2 each)
- Cereal (Dry)
- Dried Fruits (Bulk barn type store is good for this)
- Jerky (Turkey Beef)
- Sports Energy Drink CRYSTALS (Grocery store sells them)
- Trail Mix Nuts
- Peanut Butter

Try to ensure you have a good mix of Protein Carbs, you’ll need a lot of both while backpacking.

For the nutrients you would get from fresh vegetables, there is something called CHLORELLA. It’s a plant extract which is so green it is nearly black. You can mix it in with Fruit Juice or a Sports Drink.

Hope you find this helpful.

DINNER STUFF:
- Canned goods (anything you like really)
- Package soups
- Dehydrated foods
- Rice
- Flat bread Melba Toast

There are cans of Clover Leaf tuna each with different flavoring, great on Melba toast.

CANNED GOODS: No need for pots, cook the food right in its can. Also, try to find a set of tongs specifically designed for cans.

FLAT BREAD: Check expiration dates, there are quite a few breads that can last a couple weeks.

LAST TIP: Try to buy stuff in cans or paper package. Cans are easily crushed or just dropped in a large box, paper can be burned. Try to avoid Styrofoam plastic.

Have fun!

ramen noodles are very easy and good.

I don’t know enough about the questioner’s trip, but here are suggestions for others contemplating extended excursions into the great outdoors, as to food/carriage only: there is some very good advice as to food items in the above answers, but the most important consideraton is weight. 13 days of well-planned food for 2 people is just about all one average man can carry unless it’s all freeze dried, which is quite expensive, gassy and not very tasty. Even with the high-tech options, think in terms of 60-80+ lbs just for food, which is a lot. That means for a 2-person team, the equivalent of all the other gear etc. will need to be carried by the other hiker to start. With standard modern backpacks, it’s a stretch at best, and bulk is also a major factor. I’ve personally carried over 100lbs, but it’s not fun, and it’s not safe due to risk of injury.

So where/how will you put/carry this food? A neoprene-type canoe pack may be the best for a 2 week trip, depending on terrain and wildlife, because it’s truly water-tight and can be easily hung with all food in bear country. But it’s basically an open bag internally, lacks stability and some ability to distribute weight, and things loaded in the bottom are not easily accessible. It’s also somewhat cumbersome when fully loaded, but a joy toward the end of a long trip. It floats ashore if dropped in a river, can be hung outside in the rain in bear country, and can hold good food for 2 weeks for two people. It can also be easily adapted for special trips requiring storage of sensitive gear, cameras, etc.

No matter your choice of packs, plan for food FIRST, not just as to weight, but precisely what you intend to eat for 13 breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks (even if you’re not a snacker; you’ll need energy) Your meals are interchangeable, but one way or another you need a precise meal plan. If not, don’t go. Seriously.

13 days truly away from civilization is a VERY long back-packing trip in any event, and I would NOT recommend it save for experienced hikers, especially if canoes are involved, which also means double duty in portaging boats and gear. Availability of water for boiling and wood for cooking is critical, otherwise you’ll need to carry H20 and gas. Forget the latter situation. If you’re asking here, trust me, you’re not up to it, like idiots who think they’ll spend their vacation (dying) on Everest or Denali. A true 2-week wilderness trip is very hard, but most rewarding WORK, if well planned.

Food: It’s very important to remember that hiking all day with packs is quite strenuous and you’ll almost-certainly need to consume close to twice your normal caloric intake, or be hungry miserable. You also need to bring satisfying foods. Dense candy bars, nutritional bars, and other foods are needed for desert items, or you’ll be no fun to be around, trust me. And they need to be closely conserved, or it’s pointless.

Assuming water for cooking and wood for cooking, think in terms of: Cream of Wheat (denser than Oatmeal) and dried eggs for Bfast, powdered soups/seasonings/milk/tea/sugar, dried beans/peas/orzo pasta/minute-rice/semi-crushed egg noodles (these dinners take time to cook but are ideal. start your fire immediately on setting camp), nuts/trail mix, block cheese (will keep if well-sealed), jerkey/slim jims, boxes of very dense sweet bars, very dense crackers/hardtack, and dehydrated meals (emergencies). Each person must also carry an inviolable emergency food pack, w/non-perishable nutrition (energy bars, eg.) for 2-3 days, water-tight. And no one can carry anything in containers that cannot be burned or packed-out. Cans are out of the question, and all plastic save seal bags that are not exposed directly to wet or sticky food. Peanut Butter was mentioned above, and it’s an excellent food, but what are you going to do with the jar? You can make PB sandwiches, ziplock them, and plan to eat them early on. Same with some other foods. Never plan to pack out metal or plastic containers. It won’t happen, and you’ll end up burying them in the wild. Bad. Ziplocks only.

When you’re ready to commit, buy example food and pack/walk-about with all gear well before you leave. Walk around the block for at least a few hours before you go. If it’s not pleasant, rethink, and scale back your trip.

There are many other considerations beyond food. Do your research! A good campstore can offer life-saving advice on the other essentials you’ll need, especially if you’ll be leaving contact with the outside world. Plan, be safe, and enjoy!