From: Jonathan Rosenthal <papajon@icon.co.za>
Newsgroups: misc.survivalism
Subject: Re: Backpacking/Eating question. Am I completely nuts here ???
Date: Tue, 24 Dec 96 12:57:15 PDT

In Article<nhull-1612960958240001@user-37kb8dc.dialup.mindspring.com>, 
<nhull@mindspring.com> writes:

"For backpacking, may I suggest whole grains/lugumes and a thermos bottle? 
 
One would be hard pressed to eat 1/2 lb of dried grains/legumes in a day, 
or pack this much nutrition into a smaller space. 

You could pack as much as a 10 day supply of food in a gallon sized space.

The suggestion is good for extended expiditions. But I have found it a bit of
a bother in several circumstances

1) you end up carrying water in your soaking jar. On short trips the 
difference in weight between fresh/hydrated food and dried food which you 
hydrate during a walking day is negligable.

2) on long expiditions the food gets very tedious and it is worth trying to 
suppliment with fresh food on route. An alternative is dried food and nuts 
for light day snacks. If party members do not enjoy the food they will slowly 
starve themselves through under eating - trust me I have had to coax people 
to eat and drink enough water on some long trips.

Another good idea is ground maize meal or muizlie breakfast cereal - both are 
quick to prepare and pack high starch content.

Just my two beans worth Jon