High Sierra Topix

What is you favorite source of carbs will in the backcountry?

1. Rice

2. Pasta

3. Potato

4. Couscous

5. Quinoa

6. Other (what?)

Chocolate

2 and 3. haven't really tried 4, but i find rice disgusting.

No favorite. I get tired of the same thing, so take a huge variety. On a longer trip I have to fit everything in the bear can - so I only take whole-wheat flat pasta - no shape with holes. Cous-cous packs really well. Lately I have been trying the quick-cook barley. I prefer brown rice. I like instant potatoes, but they do not fill me up as well as other carbs. On shorter trips I may take some tortillas and crackers. Actually trail bars have a lot of carbs. So does dried fruit - my favorite is dried mangos and apricots. I am big on nuts and dried fruit.

Food portions out at 30% fat (I use a lot of olive oil), 20% protein, 50% carbs. That is % calories, not % weight. I will go as low as 15% protein if I am sure I can catch fish.

Rice/pasta/ramen.
Tortillas/flatbread/bagels/crackers/pretzels.
Sucrose/glucose/fructose.

A sizable portion of my backcountry food tends to include those last simpler carbs. A poor long term diet it would be, admittedly.

Why didn't you put alcohol on the list?

No favorite. Variety is the spice of life.

Ditto on chocolate.

I use various Mountain House and Backpacker's pantry on my trips and I've found that rice dishes always turn out better than those with pasta (the pasta never rehydrates like it should). My wife is Asian, so we eat a lot of rice at home. On top of the rice, my two most favorite freeze dried meals are Backpacker's Pantry Channa Masala and Katmandu Curry, which have garbanzos and lentils and rice, respectively. So add legumes to the list. These meals also have fairly high calorie counts per serving (340 and 440), which makes up for my light, chocolate-based lunches. They are not for those that are spice adverse, so sample before you take.

We also eat a lot of "the catch of the day," and will fry up just about anything that will bite. Protein is not usually an issue.

I eat a lot of rice, pasta, and potatoes. I dehydrate the rice and pasta at home and bring Idahoan brand potatoes. Rice noodles are good too, especially the ones that only need to soak in hot water. Potatoes seem to be the least volume so we eat a lot of those on trips where bear canister space is tight.

Crackers and sliced bread come on short trips or for the first day. On long trips we have tortillas, pita and flat bread. I just have to remind my husband to not get the low carb tortillas when he does the shopping!


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When it comes to backpacking I only eat freeze dried meals and energy bars. I feel they offer the best nourishment for the weight. Now car camping, that's a different story! We love going all out on our meals.

i avoid non-food items (10 year shelf life? that's a chemistry project). Dehydrating things I make at home is easy and cheap, and the msg and other guck is absent.

Can no longer stand Clif bricks. Too much brick, not enough flavor. I like their Kit's organic bars, but they are expensive. Nuts and a little rice syrup to hold them together with some dried berries for sweetness are good. Shredded coconut, rice cracker/nut mixes, tortillas and nut butters or dehydrated beans and rice with taco sauce for lunches work better for me. Tabouli, dal or curry; dehydrated chili (homemade or canned); couscous with whatever sounds good.

wholly burnt out on oatmeal, fake eggs, and peanut butter anything. Almond butter, McDougals cup o soups, smoothies, or whole grain instant cereal for me.


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