Our South Coast food list - Advise please

[farkewie]

Hi,

After much research i have come up with a draft food list for our march south coast track walk. please see http://www.tyspics.com/FoodList.pdf

Some notes before you read it

1. 2 people mid 20's not really that fit - we survive
2. longest walk we have done is 3 nights.
3. North Queenslanders - (I was born and bread in Tassie)

Just thought these things might make a difference.

Any advise, corrected weights, suggested changes are more than welcome!

[Drifting]

Is that a slightly over-ambitious walk for a first-time extended trip? Maybe you should consider the Overland Track? Do you have any experience walking in Tasmania, particularly in the Southwest? It is completely unlike anything on the Mainland.

Unless you are of a very small build, I don't think a Backcoutry Double Meal shared between two is going to give you adequate nutrition/food. I'm a big eater, but one of those things is a meal in its self for me, even when I haven't been hiking all day and need energy to combat cold/wet conditions. I'd try a couple out before going that way. I'd think a double meal plus a single meal would be the best. But if you have spares, you might be ok, as long as you are ready to eat them if necessary.

[farkewie]

Hi,

Thanks for your concern, I am pretty confident in our ability to complete the walk and enjoy it. I think I have the right expectations for the walk (mud, wind rain with a possibility of sunshine). We have defiantly taken the right precautions gear wise and we have been training. In no way do expect it to be anything remotly like up here I grew up bush walking in tassie, Not really overnighter but we walked everywhere. I have considered the overland track but but to be honest I will wait until I am well practised in snow walking so I can avoid the rush and do it in winter.

We will have about 4 days up our sleeves so we can take our time and have rest days if needed.

Back to the food. We have used the meals a few times. and I do know after a huge 10 hour day that 1 was not enough. That's why there were a few days in there where we were going to share and then others where we would have one each.

Would you recommend have a double each everyday instead of maybe adding a small slice of fruit cake and some custard or something? I guess weight wise we would be better off having double each and not carrying fruit cake.

Thanks for your reply.

[Drifting]

I don't know- food is so subjective, and I have only had limited expeience with those meals. I reckon your best route is to test a few out.

[samh]

I don't know if 175g of freeze dried food is enough for two I don't think so. We dehydrate our own meals and usually have about 220g+ each. That's on some days pllenty on other days just enough dependant on how long and hard the walk was. We are both not very tall or big, so I think our need for food is rather below average.
I'm not sure if the freeze dried meals end up being more in volume after cooking than our dehydrated meals. But I think you would need at least a big dessert or some instant mashed potato etc. as a supplement to your backcopuntry meals

[nothingwmn]

In my experience, I tend to eat less on a strenuous bushwalk (7-9 days is the norm for us). I am not a small female & most of my mid 20's male walking companions are the same -- sharing a 2 person Backcountry meal between 2 is usually perfect with a decent portion of choccie for dessert. We do however, carry lots of scroggin, dried fruit & lunch things such as soups, pasta sides, mash & couscous, so perhaps this is why?
3 of us will be doing the SC mid Feb carrying Backcountry meals for all dinners, which by the way we have recently learned can be ordered in bulk (50+) from Macpac stores for a significant discount.

[Macca81]

i ALWAYS eat less when i walk... i still havnt learnt from this either, i pack enough food for what i would eat should i be at home for the same amount of time, and without fail i bring back food, sometimes more than 1 or 2 meals worth...

at least i know i wont go hungry i guess...

[frank_in_oz]

Not a huge fan of shop bought freeze dried food as out couple of expoeriences have been a bit ordinary.

tasasam posted his wife's menu here a while back for a 9 dayer: viewtopic.php?f=16&t=219

he also added a bit more info and we blogged about it here: http://ourhikingblog.com.au/2007/12/foo ... iking.html

We also do a lot of dehydration that works well : http://ourhikingblog.com.au/2008/06/deh ... cheap.html

Your menu looks pretty well planned. Good luck with the Track - it is / can be beautiful if the weather is kind!

Edit: P.S - relooked at the menu, the only risk is dying of boredom with the food (especially lunch) Some hard biscuits like ryvitas etc add a bit of variety. A mate also takes a very hard bread and eats slices of that - you know, the heavy german stuff...

[farkewie]

Thanks,

I have read tons of your blog.I love it, you have some really good advise on there. Also thanks to tasasams's post my whole menu is really based off it. I always find lunch the hardest. I will look into some other foods.

I too would love to dehydrate some foods. we just don't have a dehydrator to do it yet

I have looked at the http://www.strivefood.com.au/ would you recommend that as something different? My main thing is I don't want to have to have gas running for 10 minutes to cook it.

[frank_in_oz]

I have looked at the http://www.strivefood.com.au/ would you recommend that as something different? My main thing is I don't want to have to have gas running for 10 minutes to cook it.

Thanks very much for the kind words re Our Hiking Blog - one day we will finish our bushwalking food eBook , ONE day!

As regards the 10 minutes. You really need to test one out. We rehydrate our food with minimal gas usage.
- Boil the water
- Put dried food in a largish pot
- Cover with boiled water
- put on pot lid
- insulate with a Tshirt or something
- leave and wander around for 30 min or so exploring the area
- stir occasionally
- add additional water as necessary

It sould rehydrate just from the heat of the boiled water.
When you are ready to eat just warm it through GENTLY i.e with gas on lowest

Some people make coseys out of old foam mats (with a lid) to keep it warm while rehydrating.

You CAN dehydrate food in an oven: check out this link - I can't quickly find the oven instructions but they may be there (they were lol) : http://www.trailcooking.com/dehydrating101

Good luck

[Drifting]

don't forget that tinned chicken that's out now- the tins don't weigh that much empty, and it'd provide a bit of a break from the tuna/salami lunch monotony

[farkewie]

Hi,

Thanks for all the input guys.

I have decided with freeze dried meals we will have a double each every night. I am also going to had pasta with pesto for a night and alfredo packet mix with salmon for another night or too as we love to eat those up here.

don't forget that tinned chicken that's out now- the tins don't weigh that much empty, and it'd provide a bit of a break from the tuna/salami lunch monotony

I don't think I could ever get sick of salami or tuna But I would love to try this chicken I will have to see if it is at my local woollies.

I am also adding some porridge in for breaky most days as a warm breaky will be good and it will mix things up a bit.

I will be taking an MSR WindPro as my stove as my trips have been a bit short and we have been quite liberal with our cooking im not sure how much gas to take. I was thinking 3 cans but that might be over kill. What do you guys think?

[Funky_Bunch]

grab some of the food you expect to eat over the trip and try living of it for a few days at home to see how you go, make sure the days you do it you add some exercise in.
im a firm believer of experiment at home not on the track. if you havent had it before dont have it on a walk. same as athletes experiment with foods and drinks in training so they know what works.

[jcr_au]

I don't know if anyone else on the forum has tried these.

http://settlersfoods.com.au/html/mince_products.html

I got a 12 pack assorted mix a little while ago and a couple I've had were ok. One of my son's and his girlfriend also took a couple off on a trip a little while ago and thought they were ok. Certainly the price is reasonable.

The one I'm looking for a report on is the vegetarian beef mince meal

[Son of a Beach]

The one I'm looking for a report on is the vegetarian beef mince meal

Gotta wonder what's in "vegetarian beef", eh?

[corvus]

The one I'm looking for a report on is the vegetarian beef mince meal

Gotta wonder what's in "vegetarian beef", eh?

Soy Beans in the guise of TVP "terrible vegetarian product" textured vegetable protein
corvus

[climberman]

vegetarian beef hey... well, it takes all types to make a world !

On a tip of kJ per gram, those asian snack bags of fried noodles come in at around 2000kJ per 100 grams - great scroggin addition, and they can be broken down pretty much also. About the only other thing with that energy per gram ratio I've come across is pure oil (3000+ !) or peanut butter (~2650 per 100g).

Great list too tasadam - thanks for sharing with frank_in_oz, and all of us - Sub 600gms per day and looks tasty !

[climberman]

A query for the dehy folks - do you record the wet weight before drying and then the dry weight when done, and use it to guide your water addition (a work colleague does this)? or just guesstimate a suitable amount (I do this - don't mind it a bit soupy for most meals on the trail).

[dee_legg]

I usually just guessimate... and just add water slowly so you don't go too far in one big addition!

[Lizzy]

tvp

= tiny vomit particles

[corvus]

TVP creeps up in lots of guieses in processed foods :textured vegetable extract is one,not that there is anything wrong with soy beans they just aint meat
corvus