To other power-users of Excel, this post may not be informative. But for new backpackers and non-users of Excel, it could be helpful.

Food planning for multi-day hikes & thru-hikes

Intro...

I plan for a trip in two stages:

1. The theory. On my computer, I develop, refine, and perfect every aspect of the trip, notably my gear, supplies, route, and logistics. To do so, I rely heavily on applications like Excel, Word, National Geographic TOPO!, and Google Maps.

2. The tangible. I obtain everything that is a prerequisite to start. For example, I order my gear, bottle my stove fuel, print my maps, and reserve my air flights. This stage can be intimidating because I am now committing my financial resources, not just my time.

In the remainder of this post, I want to explain how I theoretically plan my food for multi-day hikes and thru-hikes.

Very nice. Thanks Andrew.

That was very helpful to compare against what I've been doing. Thank you.

You mean you don't randomly cover your kitchen counters in piles and piles of food along with boxes of bags ;-)

Sarah: "You mean you don't randomly cover your kitchen counters in piles and piles of food along with boxes of bags ;-)"

My food preparation (mostly dehydrating) is being done now, so I will have enough meals to last through the backpacking season. I don't want to be dehydrating when the outdoor temperature is 95*F (already tried that--if you must, run the dehydrator in the garage). I bag individual meals as I prepare them and store them in the freezer. I have planned most of my spring/summer/fall trips, so I know approximately how many meals I need. I'd rather have a dozen extra meals than be up all night just before a trip! (Yes, the latter has happened!) In the freezer, the extra meals will keep for the following year, or I can use them as emergency food.

I use my dining room table and the piles are not random! I divide the table into quarters: 1/4 breakfasts, 1/4 lunches/snacks and 1/2 dinners. I then stack each section by variety. (Obviously, I have more variety for dinners than for the others.) I then walk around the table with my OP sack picking up the appropriate number of meals for the trip. What I don't pick goes back back into the freezer. It helps that I live alone so I can eat somewhere besides the table!

A ping-pong table or a rented folding table would also do the job if you need the dining room table for eating.

I like Andrew's plan, although since I don't go on long expeditions, mine is a lot simpler!

Edited by hikinggranny on 01/31/2012 16:37:28 MST.

Wow, I understand making all the lists for an expedition. But for the usual backpacking I never thought about that. I just estimate the days I'll be out there, add one for emergency and go shopping.
I can't even do a lot of planning - my backpacking trips usually last 2 months so when I get into a town (where I've never been before) I just enter the supermarket (I don't now what they might have for me) and see what I can get...