The Basics
A hiker’s menu should consist of food that is compact, lightweight and nutritious. Keep in mind that you might have to carry enough food for up to five or more days. Canned food should be used very sparingly. It is heavy to carry and also presents the problem of smelly, empty cans that have to be carried back to the camp.
Remember, all litter has to be carried out! While fruit may be nutritious, it is also heavy and cannot be carried in a rucksack for too long as it gets squashed and causes a mess. Loaves of bread take up too much space; good substitutes are crackers such as Pro Vita.
A typical menu might consist of some of the following:
Breakfast: At base camp
Muesli or Pronutro (ready mixed with sugar and powdered milk so you can just add water) or Oats-so-Easy and rusks.
Coffee or tea.
Tea time: En route
Snacker / PVM Energy Bar / jelly babies
Isotonic drinks
Lunch: En route
Pro Vita and sardines / cheese wedges / biltong / dried wors
Dried fruit
Supper: At overnight camp
Smash / 2-minute noodles
Mincemeat (Toppers)
Dehydrated vegetables
Instant soup
Coffee, tea, Milo or hot chocolate
Bear in mind that artificial stimulants such as coffee, tea and cigarettes are not advised. These give you an energy surge and then drop you back quickly to even lower levels of energy. |
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