Trail Food Ideas

This post is mainly for personal reference, and I will continue to add to it as I come up with more ideas. I tend to be unimaginative in the food department, and glancing at this list while hiking the PCT will help me remember some of the food ideas I have had. 

Some things to focus on

- Caloric content (enter stores with a certain number of calories in mind to purchase). Aim for average of 400 calories per 100 grams. 

- Protein content: the more, the better. Cheese, meat, eggs, dairy products, protein powders, etc.

- Fruits and vegetables: maximize consumption on days in town and the day afterwards.

- Whole grains and complex carbohydrates: sugars are all too easy to come by and don't provide long-lasting energy

- Salt, spices, and vinegar-based sauces: do I have any cravings to satisfy? 

Foods for the trail (ideas)

- peanut butter; combine with cookies, crackers, and bread

- olive oil; pour in soups, mashed potatoes, and on bread; need to get plastic 16 oz bottle to carry oil

- cheese; string cheese and mozarella cheese

- sardines and tuna (occasional, for protein and fish oils)

- junk food as necessary: Oreos, Snickers, Butterfingers, Pop Tarts (if desperate)

- mashed potato flakes (check mixing requirements; powdered milk is expensive)

- whole grain pasta??? (what about sauce, though?)

- packaged soups??? (Ramen, Lipton, etc.)

- sandwiches: peanut butter and jam, or meat, cheese, and vegetable 

Foods to eat in town or shortly after leaving (ideas)

- juice from concentrate (mix myself shortly after purchase)

- cottage cheese

- ice cream

- box of cereal (or two) with milk 

- apples, bananas, tomatos, lettuce, spinach, grapes, baby carrots, etc. with sandwiches or with dip

- canned fruits and vegetables if fresh is unavailable

- hot dogs??? (can heat up on fire w/ titanium stakes, but how do I carry ketchup and mustard?)

- meat: any cooked meat, such as lunch meat or ham (will need flavorful sauce)

- sandwiches with meat, lettuce, spinach, tomatos, etc. (need to find sauces in small amounts, possibly stealing from McDonald's...)