Couscous is a staple in many hikers diet, in this recipe I share how to keep it interesting with some shelf stable cream cheese. Couscous is incredible easy to cook, lightweight, and space efficient. It also cooks fast or soaks fast when your into cold soaking. I always prefer to eat hot, but feel free to try out the recipe for cold soaking. Try out a few different couscous brands that are available to you to find out which one you like best. Couscous made from Durum wheat I like best, since it offers a bit more flavor than many other kinds. This recipe uses pantry items, and does not…

Hutspot is a Dutch stamppot that’s quite easy to adapt into backpacking. Here is my way of doing it to make sure I don’t have to go without on backpacking trips. Dutch food is looked down on by many different cultures, and often also by Dutch people themselves (myself excluded). Simple, filling, and easy to prepare is a theme throughout many Dutch recipes. And that is the same for a lot of food you have out on hikes. The classic ingredients of Hutspot are Carrots, Onions, and Potatoes (before the Colombian exchange Parsnips). To adapt it into a Trail Meal that takes minutes to prepare, is lightweight, and keeps for…

Couscous is a great candidate for a starch within Trail Meals, in this recipe I try to make it a bit more interesting by taking inspiration from the “Kip Kerrie” dish I grew up eating. With some calorie boosters to make it more filling. Kip Kerrie/ Chicken Curry, is a rice dish from around the world, and where I come from, the Netherlands, its also quite popular, mostly as a “salad” with a ton of Mayo to put on a cracker. I try to recreate it and make it lighter and suitable for the backpacking meals we get to eat. Spicy, savory, and creamy is the goal. And I think…

Trail Meals should be easy to throw together, lightweight, and throw in a pot style cooking. With this BiFi Stroganoff I checked all these boxes! I recently ordered a big bag of milk powder to try out for a bunch of different recipes that I have planned, for example my recent Trail Meal for basic Oatmeal. And I really liked the creaminess and flavor it brought. For savory recipes I am more interested in playing around with it however. So that’s why i figured out a BiFi (instead of Beef) Stroganoff recipe that I hope you give a try for your next backpacking trip. Ingredient list Preparation at home All…

Oatmeal is a staple for many people in daily life and has an equal home out on a hike. Here is a foundational recipe that you can use and make your own! Oats are popular for a reason, they will sit in your stomach for a good while and fill you right up. It forms the foundation of many hikers’ breakfast, and if you have the time in the morning to whip out your stove. Or cold-soak them the night before. It can be a great way to start your day. If available you can add dried or fresh fruit, chocolate chips, honey, nuts, or anything you like really. For…

Similar to my last Couscous stew, a variation can be made using red lentils. Read on for my full recipe for Red lentil and Sausage stew! As a lifelong resident of Northern Europe, I’ve always enjoyed the warmth and comfort of soups and stews, especially on hikes. They offer a nice hot meal and stay warmer for longer thanks to the hot water that takes a bit longer to cool down then other meals. When hiking in fall, winter, or early spring these types of meals can also warm you up good before you crawl into your sleeping bag. Red lentils are a hiker’s dream, cooking faster than any other…

Couscous is a trail meal any hiker is familiar with. To spruce it up a bit, try out the following combination with BiFi sausage(s)! As with all my trail meal recipes this one requires minimal prep and is lightweight to take with you out on hiking trips. The total trail weight for this recipe is: 104 grams Putting the Trail Meal together It can be mixed up in advance at home in a Ziploc bag, or put together on the trail while on resupply in a town. All the ingredients should be easy to find and process. What you will need for this Trail Meal recipe is: You can prep…

One of my favorite ways to have breakfast, lunch, snack, or even dinner out on hiking trips is to have crackers with stuff on them. Yes, it is not the most original or exciting way of eating, but it can be a quick and high-calorie meal that requires no cooking. Let’s discuss all the different toppings and kinds of crackers you can easily keep in your backpack. Some crackers are better than others and can be a great lunch or a crumbly mess in your backpack. In different militaries all over the world, there are staples in every MRE or equivalent. Backpacking food and military food often share items. Crackers…

Vermicelli pasta is great for converting into trail meal recipes since it cooks fast and can provide a lot of filling power in a small package. A staple ingredient in any Dutch vegetable soup, vermicelli can also be adapted easily as a change of the ever-popular Instant Noodle Soup. Read on for the recipe! Vermicelli is a small pasta that can be found in almost any grocery store in Europe, and can be a great plus cheap way to make some trail meal recipes out off. In this first recipe that I’m making with the ingredient, I explore a soup, since that is what I am most familiar with when…

A good way to use up old stale bread in Germany is to throw it in a soup, since seeing that around here I thought that was also a good one to turn into a Trail Meal recipe for hiking and camping. Read on for the recipe! Brotsuppe or Bread soup is one of those dishes that takes care to use up every leftover and scrap, since I’m Dutch I did not grow up on German Brotsuppe, so I don’t have a long history with it. It does however appeal to my Dutch cheapness. You can find it with a lot of ingredients or the most basic, and the core…