Planning and Preparing Meals for Multi Day Canoe and Kayak Trips

Planning and Preparing Meals for Multi Day Canoe and Kayak Trips

Planning and Preparing Meals for Multiday Canoe Camping Trips Pre-Trip Planning and Preparation Trip Planning Meeting Menu Planning and Scheduling Food Preparation, dehydration, packaging

Planning and Preparing Meals Advance organization at trip planning meeting is key to a successful outing. Food fuels the trip. Hungry paddlers are unhappy campers. Need to pack in and portage all the food and equipment for duration of the trip. Planning promotes Leave No Trace Camping! principles.

Trip Planning Meeting RACCC is a club not an outfitter. All participants should contribute to the success of the trip. Meals need to be discussed and agreed on in advance to minimize conflict, waste, prep time, weight, spoilage. Nobody likes cleaning up; share the chore by organizing food prep/clean up teams.

Menu Planning Considerations Volume - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snacks Realistic quantities per person. Limitations - Variety Food Sensitivities/Allergies, Likes/Dislikes. Ease of transport and camp preparation. Resistance to food spoilage on trip. Minimize Waste/Impact on Environment!

Agree on a Schedule and Menu Thursday June 29 Friday June 30 Saturday July 1 Breakfast Team A Biscuits & Bacon Team B Quinoa & Fruit Team C Cheese Quesidilla Lunch BYOL BYOS BYOL BYOS BYOL BYOS Dinner Team A Thai Green Curry Team B Ratatouille & Polenta Team C Pasta & Pesto Sundried Tomatoes Appetizer Dessert Team C Rice crackers & Cream cheese Brownies Team A Hummus & Pumpernickel Lemon Cookies Team B Salsa & Chips Chocolate Mousse Group B washes up for Group A, Group C washes up for Group B, Group A washes up for Group C

Meal Costs Suggested expense guidelines for meals Breakfast - $ 3.00/person Lunch - $ 6.00/person Dinner - $ 6.00/person If planning on spending more, discuss with other participants, trip leader

Quantities of Uncooked Food To determine how much to pack discuss their appetite with fellow campers at trip planning meeting. (see p 23 Handbook) Estimated per person raw quantities: Dried Cereal (e.g., oatmeal) 1/3 cup Rice: 1/3-1/2 cup Red lentils: 1/3 cup Pasta: 80-100 grams Pancake mix: 2/3 cup

Basic Menu Planning-Breakfast Most important meal, Variety is needed on multi-day trips. Breakfast should include protein, carbohydrates, be enough to keep paddlers going for 3 hours. Should be quick to prepare, except on rest days. Hot cereals can be made in 1 pot Wraps, Quesadillas can be tailored to individual tastes.

Quinoa hot cereal with nuts and dried fruit At home: Mix 2 C raw quinoa, nuts (almonds, walnuts), dried fruit (apples, raisins, cranberries), pinch of salt, cinnamon, nutmeg in Nalgene/zip lock bag and label Thursday breakfast In camp: Add 4 C waters, bring to a boil, simmer, serve to 8 persons.

Buttermilk Biscuits/Bacon At Home: Mix dry ingredients, add grated butter, Nalgene \ vacuum bag; in a separate bag, ½ cup of milk powder; 1 tsp baking soda; will need to bring 1½ Tbsp vinegar In Camp: Add 1 cup water to moisten dry ingredients and cook over a layer of extra flour in a dry pan (not baked!) Cook slowly, keep covered to let rise in pan

Basic Menu Planning-Lunches Often need to be eaten on the water or at a portage Can be prepared at breakfast and portioned out to all paddlers. Wraps, sandwiches, high protein salads High energy/protein ingredients are needed to fuel afternoon of paddling.

Quick Lunch - Ingredients Hummus (dehydrates/reconstitutes well) Cheese (daily portion vacuum sealed) Precooked bacon Pumpernickel bread, pita bread, tortillas Vacuum packed dried meat, fish or dry sausage Guacamole, (prepackaged or prepared) Hot soup in thermos, prepared at breakfast

Basic Menu Planning-Dinners May be the largest meal and take the most time to prepare Can include an appetizer (ideal for tired paddlers while setting up camp and while evening meal is prepared) Dessert; reward for a hard day's paddle Time crunch; need to prepare, clean up, hang/store food for the night before sunset

Thai Green Curry with Shrimp/Rice Dehydrate peeled frozen shrimp / tofu Dehydrate veggies, green peppers, etc. Pre-measure rice, add salt to container. Mix; green curry spices, dried onion, garlic, coriander seed, cumin, red chilies, lemongrass, peppercorns, salt, carry shrimp paste or fish sauce in small Nalgene jar. 250 ml tetra pack of coconut milk (or dried)

Quick Dinner Suggestions Sauces; Pesto, meat sauces, tomato sauce (can dehydrate to a sauce leather) Curries Thai curry, tofu, stir fry veggies Stews, Ratatouille, Peanut-chick pea Polenta, Rice, Pasta (gluten free choices available)

Appetizer/Dessert suggestions Cream cheese, hot pepper jelly, rice crackers Spicy/ lemon tuna, pumpernickel bread Pita, hummus, carrots, olives, tapenade Brownies in vacuum pack Berries, chocolate mousse Lemon Biscotti, lemon cookies

Snack suggestions BYOS bring own snacks High energy food Good Old Raisins and Peanuts, GORP, NO more than ½ cup 125 ml per day per person Energy bars, homemade bars Chocolate, Dried Fruit, Peanut Butter Pepperette sausages, meat jerky

Condiments to Enhance Meals Pack in small seal-able Nalgene containers with each meal or bring small amounts of staples in a zip lock container: Salt, Pepper, Dried chilies Maple syrup, Brown sugar Soy sauce, Fish sauce, Tabasco, Salsa Butter, Olive oil Milk powder, Cream, dried coconut milk

Wine and Alcohol BYOB, bring your own; pack in your own Tetra pack, wine gourd, flask, NOT glass A little goes a long way as it is heavy to portage! A glass of wine is appreciated for Happy Hour with hors d'oeuvre! Unfortunately alcohol can't be dehydrated but it WILL dehydrate you

Pre-Trip Preparation Decide on menu and food prep teams to reduce weight/waste and package materials Prepare and dehydrate meals Measure quantities carefully Package for the trip, Nalgene/vacuum seal Organize and label food by meal, by day Store food safely before the trip

Food Dehydration Homemade is less expensive, less salty, fewer preservatives, wider choice than commercially freeze-dried food and EASY Proper quantities, no leftovers, no waste Reduces weight, bulk, waste, odour Prolongs storage life without refrigeration Easier to transport & store at campsite *Much* quicker to prepare at the campsite

Equipment to Dehydrate Food Convection or slightly open conventional oven regulated to low temp 100 F/40 C Dehydrator ($100) low operating cost A few tried and true recipes and tips Time (up to 8 hours, overnight) Vacuum sealer helps to prolong preservation

Conventional or Convection Oven

Dehydration tips Chop food in small uniform pieces for equal drying /cooking time Need good air circulation, check food often, rearrange trays to dry evenly Foods can pick up flavors/odours during dehydration, sort accordingly Use food within 3-4 weeks OR Store dehydrated food in the fridge or freezer

Dried Sauces and Fruit Leather Puree sauces or fruit (raw or cooked) Spread puree evenly (1/4-3/8 thick) on parchment paper to prevent falling through the drying rack Dry at 130 F / 55 C and dry 4-8 hours until leathery and pliable Tear sauce leather into small strips for rehydration at camp

Dried Meats and Jerky Use lean meat & fish, fats can become rancid in storage Season, cook and drain away all fat. Blot with paper towels or use hot water and strainer to wash away fat. Dehydrate until crispy and hard Good jerky can be made from ground meat (requires a jerky press) or thin strips Marinate 4 to 8 hours, dehydrate at 160 F/ 71 C 4 to 15 hours

Re-hydration tips To start, add only part of the water Pre-soaking food saves on fuel as it reduces cooking time. Use boiling water to pre-soak, if possible In camp; bring food to a boil in pot, turn off stove, let soak, finish the cooking process On the trail; rehydrate dried food in an extra water bottle, carry until you make camp

Why vacuum seal Slows the growth of bacteria, keeps out mold and mildew Air and moisture are enemies of fresh food! Prevents freezer burn Keeps moisture away from items that must be stored dry Not a substitute for freezing but slows the spoiling process

Vacuum Sealers Many retailers carry home vacuum sealers, both table top and hand held models Prolong shelf life of cooked and dehydrated food by reducing exposure to water and oxygen Inexpensive, simple to use Drawback, plastic waste to carry back

Plastic Alternatives -I consider vacuum sealing an important food safety tool. -BUT plastic waste is a mega problem and alternatives are possible: Reusable plastic vacuum sealer bags Biodegradable plastic for vacuum sealers Sealable silicone bags Nalgene jars of every shape and size

Home Vacuum Sealer

Resources RACCC Resources Louise Ann March A Fork in the Trail and Another Fork in the Trail Mary Bell s Complete Dehydrator Cookbook www.aforkinthetrail.com/ RACCC Handbook and Recipes

Leave No Trace Camping Plan ahead and prepare Camp on Durable Surfaces (e.g., official sites) Carry out Garbage Minimize Campfire Impact Respect Wildlife Be Considerate of Other Visitors Leave What You Find