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Bush Food


tboykin

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I have prospected with people who subsist on sardines and bread out in the bush, and those who prefer a pan seared steak, asparagus, and baked potatoes. I like to keep things simple and would love to hear your favorite easy camp foods for five plus days in the wilderness.

Military MRE’s were my choice before the prices went up after COVID-19. A days worth of food in one pouch, and has the benefit of saving your TP since they turn into Quikrete after eating them. But they make a ton of trash and are expensive.

Please share your own Spartan food choices for someone more interested in detecting than playing chef at camp. I cook at home and when I’m out in the wilds food is just fuel for the adventure. Looking for options that are easy, affordable, don’t require refrigeration or much water since water goes fast in the desert.

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Nature Valley bars (there are several choices) are always in my food stash.  I buy them by the boat load at Sam's Club.  Instant oatmeal (in packets) is good if you can handle the sugar.  I bring along powdered milk to add to that and for the coffee (but don't drink it alone, although some people do).  Summer sausage is pretty bulletproof.  If that spoils you probably better get out of Death Valley because you'll be next.  (But I do like canned fish, including sardines and smoked salmon.)

I have a double burner (propane) Coleman stove in my vehicle.  Obviously I don't carry that in a backpack.

I like those freeze dried meals you can get at Walmart, etc.  They do cost more than roll-your-own but are quite tasty and a good break between the spartan meals.  I can get two meals out of an $8-$10 package.

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In my day pack, I usually carry a small single burner backpack stove just for heating some things up (hot food on a cold day always better). In my day pack, these are the (variety) foods I carry ; Pork n Beans, salami/crackers, Spam, tortillas, bagles, Bumble Bee pre made tuna or chicken salad(comes in a kit with crackers), Ravioli or chili (in a can),   instant coffee/coco, candy bars, fruit coctail, PB n J, trail mix, jerkey, Cup of Noodles soup and most important......Pop Tarts!

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On my way out I pick up a large pizza, this handle lunch and dinner for the first day/night.

I then carry lunchables for lunch each day in the cooler.  2 each day is sufficient and inexpensive from Costco.

For dinner it is almost always the freeze dried packs of food and a pack of crackers.

I could last for awhile on this diet but 4 days and I start to want a restaurant.

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I live off BBQ beef jerky, Walmart dried mangoes and bananas (better than the name brand IMO), Bumblebee chicken salad n crackers, and Golden Graham bars. My mother would not approve. :smile:

I don't do more than 2 day/night trips usually though. I throw in a few packs of Knorr Mexican Rice, maybe some Dinty Moore stew or chili, and I hate sardines but I loooove me a few tins of smoked oysters. And I have to have some kind of soda, if not with me than at least in the truck when I get back.

My first stop back to town is whatever mom and pop I find for a heavy dose of fat like a cheeseburger and then a big fresh salad, and it's the best meal I ever had, every time.

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I always have the freeze dried food on hand and eat a lot in Alaska.  They are light, don’t necessarily don’t have to be heated ( little crunchy), or don’t use a whole lot of water.  I mostly eat mountain house but there are other brands.  I use jet boil to heat the water.  I always keep a water purifier in my side by side, there is always water around in AK. 

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35 minutes ago, Norvic said:

Because I`m out there for weeks at a time, I return from prospecting and prepare a meal over the open fire at about 4pm, equal to anything you can prepare at home. If you`ve enjoyed a thick steak singed on the outside but rare grilled over an open fire lathered with mushroom/butter sauce, mashed spuds with garlic and onion diced into and mouth watering reconstituted dried vegies washed down with a port, an Expresso coffee, beer or cognac whatever you desire, under a blanket sky of a Zillion stars, again if you`d enjoyed such then you know where I`m coming from.

 Nice pocket of that heavy stuff to view via fire light just adds to each day, it don`t get any better. See you out there.

Im there with you Vic!

After a hard days work you need a good feed or you loose condition very quickly. And who wants to eat tins for dinner when you've eaten them for lunch...

Mmm one of my fav's is Roo schnitzel crumbed with multi grain, parmasen, sage and onion.... yummo! Or sezchuan pork belly rashes sloooow grilled over cyprus pine coals until crunchy mmmm!

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Beef jerky, trail mix and sometimes sardines packed with tomato while out detecting. Back at camp, steak, potato's a vegetable and beer. Premade  " boy scout dinner" tossed into the fire for another dinner. As many fresh, perishable foods the first few days before going to canned and frozen dinners in the later days. Really look forward to a good satisfying meal when I/we get back to camp.  

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