Food should be:

 

Light: You have to carry it!

 

Tasty: You have to enjoy eating it!

 

Nutritious: It must provide energy and a balanced diet.

 

Quick and easy to prepare: You may have limited time or utensils; it may be dark or raining; you may have to prepare food in a tent or vestibule.

 

Take food that will keep for the duration of the walk; this will depend on the temperature. Fresh vegetables are fine for a weekend trip (if you don’t mind the extra weight).

Freeze-dried meals are suitable, but expensive. Nowadays it is possible to put together lightweight, tasty meals for even week-long walks from ingredients readily available in supermarkets.

 

Breakfast: Soaked dried fruit, muesli, cereal, breakfast bars, or porridge (using powdered milk), plus a hot drink.

 

Lunch: Wholemeal bread rolls, pumpernickel, ryebread or cracker biscuits, with cheese, dips, salami or other fillings. Fruit, vegetables, cake, a drink.

 

Dinner: A hearty dinner is a must. Packet soup is a good starter, especially in colder weather. For the main meal try pasta, rice, noodles or couscous. There are many lightweight ‘instant’ dinners available in supermarkets, although these are best with the addition of extras such as fresh vegetables, tinned-fish, pre-cooked meat, and a few of your favourite herbs and spices for taste.  Dehydrated peas and mashed potato are available in supermarkets.  Dehydrated mince, vegetables and rice are available fro outdoor activity stores and can be mixed and matched in ziplock bags.

Try a packet dessert, fruit or chocolate for dessert. Include hot drinks.

 

Snacks: Chocolate, dried fruit and nuts, muesli bars, protein bars, lollies (barley sugar, snakes, jellies), fruit cake, vegemite and crackers