Prep Now, Eat Well Later: Advice and Recipes from WTA staff
Winter's dark, rainy days make it easier to spend time indoors checking your cooking gear and meal planning for summer backpacking. Keeping your gear in good shape and making some of your own backcountry meals now will save you money and reduce the waste you have to carry in the summer. Plus, you can customize your meals (especially convenient if you have dietary restrictions) and eat what you love from home in the backcountry.
Here are 5 things you can do now to get your camp kitchen and backpacking meals in tip-top shape, with tips from WTA staffers who do this, too!
Soup's on! Photo by Jeff Poppy.
Check your cooking supplies
Give all your cooking gear a once over. Look at your pots and pans, making sure they’re clean and in good condition. Check that all the handles are secure. Locate your spork. Now's also a good time to refresh (or create) a small spice collection. WTA volunteers do this! A little extra spice in the backcountry can make a huge difference between a fine meal and a fantastic one. You can reuse condiment containers from to-go lunches for spices or get a small container set. Also consider getting a small screwtop water bottle or other container for cooking oil to make your meals a little fancier.
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Check your stove
Do any parts need to be replaced? If your stove needs a repair, now’s a good time to check with the manufacturer to figure out how to get that taken care of, don’t wait until before your next trip. If it just needs to be cleaned, wipe it down with a wet rag and soap if necessary; don't run it under water!
How's your fuel situation? Fuel canisters' levels can be checked by floating them in a bowl of water. The higher they float, the less fuel is in them. Figure out how much you have now before you're rushing out the door on an alpine start later this year. If you need to get rid of some empties, learn where you can to recycle fuel canisters rather than throwing them away.
Check for expired food
As far as we're concerned, freeze-dried food never expires unless it's been opened. But do check for food that's well past the best by date (see sidebar). Dehydrated food you made last year and wasn't air-sealed should be put in the compost pile.
If you have food hanging around that's still good but you’re never going to eat — like that bar it turns out you hate — donate it or share it with a friend, but hang on to some of it!
WTA staff always pack an extra meal and snack they hate so they have emergency food they won't eat unless they absolutely need to.
Make a food plan
Start thinking about the food you need to fuel your summer adventures now, and create a basic meal plan that you can customize as you get closer to the trip. That will give you plenty of time to gather the ingredients you need for a stellar trip. Consider: What backpacking meals did you love last year? Did you get inspired by a hiking partner's snacks? Is there a meal or ingredient you bring on every single trip?
Get creative, read up on tips from WTA crew leaders and consult our backcountry kitchen resource for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack ideas. And remember, bring more food than you think you'll need; at least one full meal's worth.
Assemble your meals
Meal prepping now will make it easier to pre-pack for trips later.
Double the recipe and dehydrate some of the soups and stews you're likely making right now. Or dehydrate individual ingredients and create your own meals. Fruits and vegetables enhance basics like ramen or instant rice. Cheap canned beans dehydrate well, so do those bags of mixed frozen vegetables.
New to dehydrating? We've got a beginners guide, and some specific suggestions from our backcountry kitchen, like our Lentil Soft Tacos or our Carrot Cake in a Bowl recipe.