Tim Carroll
Pacific Crest Trail Food Planning
Deciding on how to go about the resupply process is very difficult. Food is the most important part of this journey as I will be burning around 4,000 - 5,000 calories a day. You really can’t eat enough to keep up with this and I’ll probably lose around 10-15 lbs over the course of the trip.
I’ve decided to prepare most of my food in advance and with the help of my parents, have it mailed out to each location listed in my itinerary. A food dehydrator will be crucial in this process. Jerky, fruit, vegetables, and a variety of other things will need to be dehydrated before hand, packaged in airtight bags, and organized for each leg of the journey.
The following is my food prep list. I haven’t figured out how much of all these things I’ll need yet, but at least I know that I’ll be getting this stuff and more. This list is not complete and is meant to be a comprehensive idea of what I’ll need. I’ve estimated a budget of about $2,000 - $2,500 for all this. Not bad for 5 months but we’ll see if it holds up. I’m hungry already thinking about this stuff!
Many of the recipes come from
Breakfast
Various granola combinations
Frosted shredded wheat
Cheerios
Carnation Instant Breakfast
Powdered milk
Bagels/Cream cheese
Dried cranberries, blueberries
Nuts
Cinnamon
Brown sugar
Pop tarts
Lunch
Crackers (cheezits, goldfish, triscuits, animal crackers etc.)
Nuts and seeds. (no walnuts, can‘t stand them)
Dried fruits (mangos, raisins, cranberries, apricots, pineapple, etc)
Chocolate
Energy/Granola bars
Tortillas
Pita bread
Sun dried tomatoes
Honey
Peanut Butter
Jelly
Jerky
Bag tuna/chicken
Summer sausage
Mayo packets (collect from fast food places)
Mustard packets
Cheese (When I can get it in towns)
Drink mixes
Energy drinks.
Dinner
The plan for dinner is to have a menu of about 15 different dinner recipes. I’ll then rotate them around so that I’ll have each one about 2 times a month for a total of about 7-8 times for each meal. Many recipes are borrowed and will need to be adjusted in quantity. (substitute anything in a can for the same product in a foil bag).
1) Chicken Chow Mien
Serves 1
1 cup soba or whole wheat spaghetti, broken in 1/3s
1 3-ounce can chicken
3 tablespoons dried shiitake mushrooms, broken up
2 tablespoons dried mixed vegetables
1/2 teaspoon chicken or vegetable bouillon
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1-2 packets soy sauce, to taste
At home: combine everything except the soy sauce and chicken
in a zip locking plastic bag.
In camp: bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil. Add the noodles and vegetables.
Simmer until noodles are cooked. Add chicken and heat through before serving.
Season with soy sauce to taste.
2) Bacon Mushroom and Sun Dried Tomato Pasta
2 servings
8 ounces whole wheat spaghetti
3 tablespoons shelf stable bacon crumbles
1/8 cup dried mushrooms, broken up
1 teaspoon dry basil
1/8 cup sun dried tomatoes, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon butter powder
½ tablespoon dried parsley
¼ cup powdered milk
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
At home: combine all of the ingredients except the Parmesan cheese in a
zip locking plastic bag. Carry the cheese separately.
In camp: bring 2 ¼ cups of water to a boil. Add the pasta.
Stir and cook until the pasta is done and the vegetables are rehydrated.
You shouldn’t need to drain the pasta. Serve topped with the Parmesan cheese
3) Spinach Linguine with Salmon Lemon and Dill
2-3 servings.
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion flakes
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 tablespoon dried dill
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (optional)
12 ounces spinach linguine (or your choice of pasta)
1 6 ounce foil-packed salmon
2 tablespoons shelf stable grated Parmesan cheese
At home: combine the garlic powder, onion flakes, lemon zest,
dill, black pepper and sun-dried tomatoes in a zip-locking plastic bag.
Carry the linguine in a second bag.
Combine the lemon juice and olive oil in a plastic screw top container.
In camp: bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente.
Drain if necessary, leaving the pasta fairly wet.
Add the spices and sun-dried tomatoes and stir to combine.
Add the salmon and toss well. Serve topped with the Parmesan cheese
4) Pizza Rice
Serves 1
The pepperoni slices come 2 pouches per 3.5 ounce package.
You could use pepperoni sticks, cut up, instead.
Switch the vegetables around to whatever you like!
1/3 cup instant rice
1 pouch pepperoni slices
2 mozzarella cheese sticks
1 tablespoon tomato powder
1 teaspoon dried tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried mushrooms
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
pinch red pepper flakes
At home: combine all of the dry ingredients in a zip locking plastic bag.
Place the (wrapped) cheese sticks and pepperoni in a second bag.
In camp: place the bag in a cozy. Add enough hot water to cover.
Let stand 5-10 minutes. Cut up the cheese and stir into the rice along with the pepperoni
5) Lemon Dill Tuna and Rice
Serves 1
1/3 cup instant rice
1/2 teaspoon vegetable bouillon
1 tablespoon mixed dried vegetables
2 packets True Lemon
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 3-ounce package tuna
At home: combine all the dry ingredients in a zip locking plastic bag.
Carry the tuna separately.
In camp: place bag in a cozy. Place the foil pouch between the cozy and the bag to warm.
Add just enough water to cover. Let stand 5-10 minutes. Stir in the tuna and serve
6) Simply Sweet and Spicy Tuna Couscous
Serves 1-2
1/3 cup couscous
2 tablespoons dried mixed vegetables
1 5-ounce package sweet & spicy flavored tuna
At home: combine the couscous and vegetables
in a zip locking plastic bag.
In camp: add just enough water to cover. Stir well.
Place the bag in a cozy. Let sit for 5 minutes.
Just before serving, stir in the tuna
7) Cous Cous with Chicken and Chickpeas
Serves 1-2
1 3 ounce can chicken
1/4 cup (cooked or canned) dehydrated chickpeas
1/4 cup cous cous
2 tablespoons dried tomatoes
1 tablespoons dried carrots
1 teaspoon tomato powder
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon onion flakes
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
At home: combine everything except the chicken in a zip locking plastic bag.
Carry the can of chicken separately.
In camp: add enough water to cover. Stir.
Set aside until couscous is cooked an chicken and veggies are rehydrated.
Add the chicken (do not drain) just before serving.
Note: if you want to save weight, substitute the canned chicken for 2-3 tablespoons of dried, canned chicken and add it with the rest of the dry ingredients.
8) Spanish Style Quinoa
Serves 1-2
1/3 cup (cooked and dehydrated) quinoa
1 tablespoon tomato powder
1 tablespoon dried tomatoes
1 tablespoon dried bell peppers
1/2 teaspoon onion flakes
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3.5 ounces chorizo (shelf stable)
At home: combine everything in a zip locking plastic bag.
In camp: add enough hot water to cover. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, cut up the chorizo.
Add the chorizo to the quinoa. Stir again and enjoy.
9) Quinoa with Chicken and Spices
Serves 1
½ cup quinoa
1 tablespoon dried chives
1 packet True Lemon©
¼ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1 3 ounce foil packet of chicken
At home: combine everything except the chicken in a zip-locking plastic bag.
Carry the chicken separately.
In camp: Bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Add the quinoa and spices.
Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until quinoa is tender.
Add the chicken, toss and serve.
10) Citrus Lentils with Salmon
Serves 1-2
1 3 ounce foil pouch salmon
1/3 cup (cooked and dehydrated) lentils
1/4 cup dried vegetables
1/2 teaspoon vegetable bouillon
2 packets True Orange
2 packets True Lemon
Salt, pepper and olive oil to taste
At home: combine all of the dry ingredients in a zip locking plastic bag.
Carry the olive oil in a screw top container.
In camp: add just enough hot or cold water to cover the lentils.
Allow to rehydrate, then stir in the salmon, salt, pepper and olive oil
11) Cherry Chicken Stuffing and Mashed Potatoes
Serves 1-2
1 6 ounce box stuffing mix with seasonings
1 3 ounce can chicken
2 tablespoons dried cherries, chopped
1 6 oz pack of instant mashed potatoes
At home: repackage the stuffing mix and potatoes into a zip locking plastic bag.
Carry the cherries in a second bag.
In camp: bring 2 ½ cups water to a boil. Add stuffing and mashed potato mix. Stir until cooked.
Add the cherries and chicken just before serving.
12) Kendall Chicken And Dumplings
1 7 ounce foil pouch chicken
2 1/4 cups Bisquick mix
1 teaspoon dried parsley
3 teaspoons chicken bouillon
1 tablespoon dried veggie flakes
1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
At home: put the Bisquick, and parsley in a zip locking plastic bag. In a second bag
put the remaining ingredients. Carry the chicken pouch separately.
In camp: bring 3 cups of water to a boil, add the broth/veggie mix. Reduce heat and
keep simmering. Add the chicken. Meanwhile, make the dumplings by adding 2/3 cup
of water to the bag of Bisquick. Zip shut and squish to combine well. Snip off a corner
off the bag and squeeze out dumplings. Let them simmer, covered, for a couple of minutes
or until they puff up and float to the top
13) Sesame Noodles
1 cup whole wheat spaghetti or soba noodles
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/3 cup peanut butter
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
At home: place the pasta in a zipper bag. In a screw-top bottle, combine the sesame
oil, soy sauce, honey and peanut butter.
In camp: bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Cook pasta until al denté. Drain, leaving
just a little water in the pan. Add the peanut butter mixture and toss well to combine.
Serve sprinkled with sesame seeds.
Variation: add a package of snap peas and/or some diced, firm tofu.
14) Curried Rice
Serves 1. Serves 2 if you add a foil pack of chicken or tofu.
1 cup instant rice
½ tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
¼ tablespoon sugar
½ tablespoon chicken or vegetable bouillon
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric
salt to taste
3 tablespoons cashews, chopped (optional)
At home: combine everything in a zip locking plastic bag.
If you are bringing a foil pack of chicken, carry that separately.
In camp: bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Add rice mix and simmer
for about 1-2 minutes or until the rice is tender.
Serve topped with chopped cashews
15) Queets Valley Shepherd’s Pie
Serves 2-4 (or more, depending on appetites)
This recipe can easily be divided in half. Just use half of everything and adjust water amounts accordingly.
1 7 ounce package chicken
1 4 ounce package buttery home-style mashed potatoes (Idahoan brand)
1 packet mushroom sauce (Simply Organic brand)
1/2 cup dried mushrooms (I used chanterelles, creminis and oyster - shiitakes will change the flavor of the dish)
1/4 cup dried mixed vegetables (soup mix plus added peas, corn and carrots)
1/2 teaspoon vegetable bouillon
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste
At home: combine the vegetables, sage, thyme, and bouillon in a zip locking plastic bag. Label "add 1 cup water". In a second zip locking plastic bag, place the potatoes. Label "add 2 cups water". Carry the mushroom sauce and tofu separately.
In camp: bring 3 cups water to a boil. Meanwhile, Dice the tofu. 2 cups of water go to the potatoes.
1 cup water to the vegetables. Place both bags in a freezer bag cozy (or two!)
Meanwhile, while the vegetables are rehydrating, sauté the tofu in a little olive oil (just getting it heated through). Turn off the heat. Add the vegetables. Do not drain. You want it a little wet.
Add the packet of mushroom sauce and stir well. It will thicken a little. Top with the mashed potatoes before serving.
16) Cheddar Mashed Potatoes
Serves 1-2
steal the cheese powder out of a box of macaroni and cheese and use the noodles for something else.
1 6 oz pack of chicken
1 2-ounce package butter or plain mashed potatoes (Idahoan)
1 tablespoon powdered milk
2 tablespoon cheese powder
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
1 teaspoon dried sage (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
At home: combine everything in a zip locking plastic bag.
In camp: combine with 2 cups hot water. Stir well and enjoy
Dessert
Instant puddings
Jell-O
Instant cheesecake
Basically any type of powder that can be made into dessert with water.