Tortellini and Pesto Sause - This is what gourmet backpacking is all about.  These tortellinis don’t weigh much and reconstitute in hot water.  I bring along some fresh pesto sauce to really spice it up.  The pesto is a good choice because it is high in calories and a little goes along way.  Make sure to repackage the tortellini into ziplock bags and I package the pesto into a small nalgene container.

Getting your protein - Forget about repacking this one!  These boys were made to travel.  If you like tuna and or chicken, than Bumble Bee has made that unpleasant 7th day meal into something to cheer about.  The tuna especially is tasty enough to eat right out of the package.  I usually make macaroni and cheese, toss in a packet of the tuna and then add a handful of potato flakes to really make it stick to your ribs.  It comes out as a cheese sauce type of tuna noodle casserole.  Because of the packaging and ease, tuna noodle casserole is a good choice late in a hike.

Made with hikers in mind - This drink mix in individual packets thing is great!  No more messing with Crystal Light containers meant for a pitcher!  These are pour and go and are excellent at chasing that iodine taste.  Many different companies now make this type of product.  Look for them in the powdered drink isle.

Thanksgiving Dinner - This meal includes just add water stuffing with mashed potato flakes and foil pouch chicken to substitute for turkey.  You have to portion and repackage the stuffing and potatoes but this makes a GREAT trail meal.

Tuna Noodle Casserole - This stick to your ribs dinner is a great one for extended hikes.  The foil pouch tuna packs the protein and the mack and cheese or shells and cheese provides the taste.  I like to add some potato flakes in to thicken the mix and make sure that i will stay warm in my sleeping bag all night.

Just Add Water Soups - These make for good snacks or pre/post meal additions but don’t have enough calories to qualify for a full meal.  Watch me cook one up here: Hiking Food

Just Add Water Sides - Often can stand alone as a meal.  By adding a handful of rehydrated hamburger they can become even better.

Biscuits or Muffins - These Just add water breads may take some extra cooking effort but they are well worth the reward.  You can check out how I cook them Here .

You can also cook the Biscuits over the fire by packing the sticky mix gently around a clean stick and holding it over the fire until it cooks through.  This “biscuit on a stick” method is an old boy-scout trick.