At Home
Once you have prepared your backcountry meals and, if appropriate, dehydrated them, store them in sealed containers (Ziplocs) in the freezer until you are ready to venture out.
In Your Pack
- Once again, we must stress that the advent of the ziploc stands in the lore of the backpacker with status akin to the invention of the foot. Yes, this is repetition, but it is necessary repetition: store all food in double ziploc bags unless it makes no sense to do so. Medium size ziplocs work well for most foods. Always purchase the freezer variety, they are much sturdier than those meant for sandwiches.
- The following items should be stored in tightly sealed plastic containers: oil, margarine, cream cheese, syrups, and jams. For potentially very messy foods, like syrup and cooking oil, place the sealed plastic container in a sealed ziploc for added protection. If all this seems to border on paranoia, try to picture your pack after syrup has leaked through it for a day. When it comes to food storage, a little bit of paranoia is not a bad thing.
- Keep lunches easily accessible in your pack to avoid having to dump your entire pack when you stop for lunch.
- Whenever you are not on the trail, try to keep your pack in the shade at all times. This will keep your pack, and your food, cooler.
- Use a small stuff sack (mesh ones work well), a plastic grocery bag(s), or a re-usable nylon shopping bag, to hold all your many ziplocs and food together. In this way you can pull out all your food easily without having to destroy the contents of your pack to find that 15 ml of curry powder.
Refrigeration
If you are concerned about certain foods spoiling, you can ensure that they are in tightly sealed containers, place them in a mesh bag, and then immerse that bag in a cold stream. Be sure to use a cord to attach the bag to a solid object (rock, tree) on the stream bank. Note: do not do this in bear country!
Trail Food
Keep trail munchies in a pocket or in some accessible compartment of your pack.
