Very nice post, my only disagreement is the jars. So, a few extra tips. My girl & I hiked the Appalachian Trail back in 2012 & learned quite a bit. If you're looking for a more long term hike, reducing weight is the key. All food should go in a ziplock bag to reduce size & weight. Dehydrated fruits & veggies are a great lightweight snack, or addition to oatmeal & ramen noodles. A spork, swiss army knife, & a good stainless mug are the only eating utensils you need, as long as you're ok with cowboy style coffee lol...powdered hummus, dried beans, & a jar of peanut butter are your best sources of protein...as always, pack it in, pack it out. Leave no trace!
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Almost forgot, if you have the ability, get a wild edibles handbook for the area you hike. There's nothing more satisfying than picking solomons seal, or spring beauties, or sunchokes, or wild onions, & making a meal out of it.
Absolutely, I have several! My Masters degree was in botany, and I practice a little herbalism as well, so we're well equipped to know yummy from not yummy and poisonous. Except in the mushroom area. I steer clear of that (other than morels), since my expertise is not in that area, and mistakes can be deadly!
Hi there, @lone-sliver, and thanks for commenting! Very cool that you got to hike the AT. Yes, absolutely all of your tips are great for backpacking or day hiking. My post was specifically for the car-camping and RV-er types, though, but in the future, I'll be posting my backpacking food prep tips. I dehydrate fruits and veggies, as well as whole meals that are easy-peasy to rehydrate. With our camper cookstove and refrigerator, though, I don't dip into our precious dehydrated goods. And yes, we definitely don't drag along all that cookware and utensils for the backwoods trips!
Also, @lone-sliver, I don't mind the extra weight of the Mason jars and fresh food in my daypack. I figure it gets me into better shape for carrying a backpack :-)
Yeah, I guess it's just habit for us now, even for dayhiking we still go as minimalistic as possible to keep ourselves light & mobile.