I'm assembling food/meals for our upcoming trip, and feel like I'd like to add a little treat to our usual food list. I'm not looking for a new meal, just a easy add-on. For instance, one year someone tossed a bag of dates into the food bucket. It seemed like an odd addition to me, but people seemed to appreciate something sweet and different. Any suggestions?

We already pack trail mix, granola bars and jerky.

Instant pudding - don't forget the powdered milk. Also stewed dried fruit.

Dried mangoes, Mmmmm, MMMMM! Or maybe some Macadamia nuts or some "Special" chocolate flavor like jalapeno (good, not hot).

A bag of marshmallows weighs next to nothing and can be a fun shared campy experience.

I really like the little bags of Welch's fruit snacks. Peanut M&Ms are a potent little bag of good energy also.

I like the Idahoan Instant Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes. You can find them for about $1 to $1.50 a bag. Easily feeds 4 as a side for fish or whatever. Just add water. Salt and pepper if you like, but not necessary. I add a little butter, but certainly doesn't need it. very light weight.

Stove Top stuffing, is nice with fish. We get the chicken one. I think it might require a little butter, but I haven't tried cooking it without.

Jiffy pop doesnt weigh much, but it does have a little aluminum you'll need to pack out.

We sometimes grab potato chips that are in a plastic container. They are quick to go in the afternoons, when you're setting up camp. Kinda like pringles. But not the pringles ones, because those have an aluminum bottom. I can't remember what brand they are.

Instant ice cream... : )~ (that's an inside joke from another thread).

Yeah, sometimes we grab the dried mixed fruit from the bulk bins at Cub Foods. There are times when I would kill for an ice cold pepsi.

I'm sure you realize there is a camping recipe forum, with lots of various threads that might help.

Those little single serve Pringles containers were a hit one year.

Freeze-dried raspberries are lightweight, tasty, and great fiber. Just drop into your cereal and even eat them unrehydrated and crunchy.

We like juice for breakfast. Since we basecamp, a 24 count plastic wrap of mixed flavors allows a treat every breakfast. Toward end of trip, the pantry is open, first come, first served.

Coffee Crisp bars.

This!

I brought ingredients for hot toddies one year and mixed them up on day three of cold rain... the crew loved it!

If you have an Indian or Pakistani grocer in your area, pick up some crunchy snacks. Very tasty and out of the ordinary in the woods.

Brownie mix. Just mix some up and cook it in a fry pan like a pancake. Add a freshly make glass of milk and its heaven on the fourth or fifth day of a trip.

I went with Kingfisher on a rather rigorous trip one summer and it was a great time and rates as one of my favorite trips.

I packed light........one rod and about 7 or 8 crank baits rounded out my fishing selection. I wanted to keep up and overall did well and we covered lots of ground including Memory lane, Death March and several other 1 mile jaunts. I brought no "goodies".

About 1/2 way through the trip Darrel pulls out a full size Hershey Bar and hands it to me. I know it sounds weird but that chocolate bar sort of took my breath away and I stared at it with eyes ablaze thinking how wonderful it looked. Tasted even better!

So, the idea is wait about a week.........do lots of hard portages..........and then at the right time pull out a totally unexpected treat to share!

Add peanut M&Ms and toffee peanuts to your trail mix.

I don't know what area you are from, but our local grocery Kroger has pretzel nuggets with peanut butter on the inside. They are not like those chalky tasting peanut butter pretzels that COMBOS make, these are more like a thin pretzel nugget with peanut butter. Very addicting.

Walmart sells something similar......

Dark chocolate.

unshavenman: " Coffee Crisp bars. "

Coffee Crisps! I have a friend who's from Ontario and brings me back some every time she visits home. Mmmmm, MMMMMMMMMM!

We bring in two fresh meals packed with a frozen gallon of Arnold Palmer iced tea which is slushy the third day. Really lights the lamp. I traded in my man card one year and packed s'mores. Now a constant that pleases everyone. We alternate with puddings so that deserts are eagerly anticipated.

Red licorice. I always bring some.

QueticoMike: "Add peanut M&Ms and toffee peanuts to your trail mix.


I don't know what area you are from, but our local grocery Kroger has pretzel nuggets with peanut butter on the inside. They are not like those chalky tasting peanut butter pretzels that COMBOS make, these are more like a thin pretzel nugget with peanut butter. Very addicting.


Walmart sells something similar...... "

+1. Those things are amazing! Carbs and protein in a delicious little bundle!

mastertangler: "I went with Kingfisher on a rather rigorous trip one summer and it was a great time and rates as one of my favorite trips.


I packed light........one rod and about 7 or 8 crank baits rounded out my fishing selection. I wanted to keep up and overall did well and we covered lots of ground including Memory lane, Death March and several other 1 mile jaunts. I brought no "goodies".


About 1/2 way through the trip Darrel pulls out a full size Hershey Bar and hands it to me. I know it sounds weird but that chocolate bar sort of took my breath away and I stared at it with eyes ablaze thinking how wonderful it looked. Tasted even better!


So, the idea is wait about a week.........do lots of hard portages..........and then at the right time pull out a totally unexpected treat to share! "

I once bought and carried a whole pie on the Appalachian Trail. All day long, I anticipated eating the entire pie. At the trail shelter, I carefully removed it and there was utter silence as the other hikers beheld my treasure. Why do I have to be generous? WHY???? Every vulture got a slice.

Sometimes for fun I'll make "premium" trail mix. Golden raisins, macadamias, chunks of good chocolate, etc.

see the recipe for weepers in the recipe forum as well.

Lemonheads.

Zip-loc of Tang or Country Time.

One of my camping cook books suggests "cucumber surprise." Put a cucumber in the food bucket, and eat it several days in... Maybe not.

I'm a big fan of the orange essence prunes. They are so good. Dried cherries are another big hit with my family. Expensive, but worth it. We make a mix of chocolate whey protein powder, instant espresso powder, and powdered milk and it's like a fancy coffee shake mixed with cold lake water. You can get powdered freeze dried strawberries and bananas and make "smoothies" to bring with too.

I think my favorite treat is bringing dried or freeze dried apples with some sugar, cinnamon, and corn starch mixed in, rehydrating and then cooking them for an apple soup kind of deal, and then sprinkling it with nutty granola for a apple cobbler.

But our biggest treat is we bring fresh whole apples. Even shared four ways an apple makes lunch so much better.

unshavenman: " Coffee Crisp bars. "

I would love to try these! My favorite is Little Debbie Nutty Bars. Light and oh so tasty after a fish fry. We had some guys that like Cosmic Brownies but a box weighs about 10 lbs (+ or -) and I don't care for them.

I like miso soup. Get the instant pouches and you just put it in hot water like you would hot coco. It really hits the spot for me when I'm craving something at night and not sure what. I think the sodium, magnesium and other vitamins and minerals in it give your body the fulfillment you are looking for without munching on a bunch of snacks.

This is the perfect late night snack for me. Pretty low calorie, nutritious, filling (mostly water), and it satisfies cravings. There are pouches with more than 1 serving in them too. My personal favorite is the black pouches sold individually. Red is the denser with seaweed, white is the lighter with mushrooms. I always add dried mushrooms anyways and sometimes some bonito flakes.

We have brought in popcorn w/butter, blueberry muffin mix and chocolate fudge brownie mix. Each of these we made in our MSR cups. The fun part was making the "oven" by the using rocks in the fire grate. Also hershey chunks and (believe it or not) freeze dried ice cream bars. My newest go to is Peanut Butter Balls made with Old Fashioned oatmeal, peanut butter, honey and mini baking chips. Mix and roll into balls. Many other ways to make this by using coconut, or swapping out old fashioned oats with steel cut for a different taste/texture and I have even coated by dipping in melted white chocolate. They freeze great.


missmolly...thanks for the laugh with the pie story.

QueticoMike..I agree about the pretzel nuggets. YUM. Fleet Farm carries them.

~

Art-Mom: "One of my camping cook books suggests "cucumber surprise." Put a cucumber in the food bucket, and eat it several days in... Maybe not.


I'm a big fan of the orange essence prunes. They are so good. Dried cherries are another big hit with my family. Expensive, but worth it. We make a mix of chocolate whey protein powder, instant espresso powder, and powdered milk and it's like a fancy coffee shake mixed with cold lake water. You can get powdered freeze dried strawberries and bananas and make "smoothies" to bring with too.


I think my favorite treat is bringing dried or freeze dried apples with some sugar, cinnamon, and corn starch mixed in, rehydrating and then cooking them for an apple soup kind of deal, and then sprinkling it with nutty granola for a apple cobbler.


But our biggest treat is we bring fresh whole apples. Even shared four ways an apple makes lunch so much better."

Apples... One year on day 4 or 5 of our trip and we met this group on a portage. And this one dude was eating this big beautiful apple.!!!
GEEE !!! Otherwise I could take them or leave them... but that day...that stupid apple sure looked good.

dr bob

Salted Nut Rolls. Salty sweet deliciousness when hiking or in the back country.

A1t2o: "I like miso soup. Get the instant pouches and you just put it in hot water like you would hot coco. It really hits the spot for me when I'm craving something at night and not sure what. I think the sodium, magnesium and other vitamins and minerals in it give your body the fulfillment you are looking for without munching on a bunch of snacks.


This is the perfect late night snack for me. Pretty low calorie, nutritious, filling (mostly water), and it satisfies cravings. There are pouches with more than 1 serving in them too. My personal favorite is the black pouches sold individually. Red is the denser with seaweed, white is the lighter with mushrooms. I always add dried mushrooms anyways and sometimes some bonito flakes."

Instant Miso soup? Never heard of it. Sounds interesting. What is "bonito" flakes? The only Bonito I know is a strong flavored fish.

lundojam: "Sometimes for fun I'll make "premium" trail mix. Golden raisins, macadamias, chunks of good chocolate, etc.


see the recipe for weepers in the recipe forum as well."

OMG! YES! I've tried your recipe for weepers and they are SO good! Thank you for sharing that one! I can't believe something so simple should taste so good! Yum!

We always bring along Payday candy bars. Maybe a little extra weight, but certainly worth the enjoyment!!

lundojam: "Sometimes for fun I'll make "premium" trail mix. Golden raisins, macadamias, chunks of good chocolate, etc.


see the recipe for weepers in the recipe forum as well."

I'll second the Weepers! Those things are the BOMB!

mastertangler: "Instant Miso soup? Never heard of it. Sounds interesting. What is "bonito" flakes? The only Bonito I know is a strong flavored fish. "

Bonito is dried fish flakes. Usually you boil it to make the dashi. Dashi is just broth, usually made from seaweed and/or bonito boiled and strained. All miso is, is dashi and miso paste, with your choice of toppings.

To add flavor I will sometimes take a pinch of bonito flakes and add them to the instant miso, too much and it will clump making a sudden bite of hard fishy flavor. Personally I like this snack because it's salty and more satisfying than chips or pretzels. At home try adding real miso paste to a diluted instant soup and your choice of toppings such as mushroom, green onion, bean sprouts, and several other options that I'm not familiar with. The miso paste has lots of good bacteria, kind of like yogurt, but more dense and isn't dairy. 3/4 to 1 cup is all you need for a snack.

I'll 2nd the instant miso soup.

A good chocolate bar is always a nice treat. We had one I believe was from target that was wasabi flavored dark chocolate. That was memorable.

Hex

I bring those little cartons of dehydrated hash Browns from Costco. We’ll cube up the leftover summer sausage from lunch and fry it all together over the fire after dark. Eat it straight out of the pan and weighs practically nothing!

Ice.

Mount olive pickle cups
It's kind of silly, but those little gherkins are crunchy, salty, delicious & dare I say...a vegetable.

Mount olive pickle cups

There are a lot of little cups of fruit that are shelf stable too.

I like to bring fresh oranges, I pick ones with the thickest skin, maybe navel. Very refreshing & they can be bomb proof in a food barrel/pack.

In the recipe section of this site I made a list of extras under snacks.

Little Debbie cosmic brownies-they are a camping only treat for me, packaged individually they stay pretty good even when squished.

I always have a bag or two of those Baby Bel cheeses. They are individually coated in wax. Simple, clean, tasty cheese. They fill all the small voids in the barrel and I usually end up digging them out mid trip because I eat them first.