What to Eat on the Trail

Food is probably the most important thing you'll need to sustain yourself on the trail.  You'll be eating anywhere from 3000 to 6000 calories a day, and you don't want to get bored with your diet.  I'll list the basics that are easy to prepare, and then we'll talk about more creative food ideas.

The Basics:
-oatmeal packets
-Clif bars/ other energy bars
-Ramen noodles
-instant mashed potatoes
-peanut butter
-Nutella
-granola/ oat bars
-pasta sides
-dried fruit and vegetables
-beans and rice
-string cheese
-bagels/ English muffins
-trail mix
-jerky
-Crystal Light
-tea/ hot cocoa
-box mac & cheese
-Pop-Tarts

Trail Meals:
-Easy Pad Thai
Cook oriental flavored Ramen noodles.  Add a spoonful of peanut butter and a spoonful of Nutella.
-Burritos
Cook some beans and rice or used dehydrated refried beans.  Add string cheese.  Use sauce packets (stock up on them when you go to Taco Bell).
-Spaghetti
Cook pasta.  Pour in powered pasta sauce and add a little extra water.
-Pizza bagel
Add sauce to a bagel half.  Put cheese on top.  Set on a rock by the fire to toast.
-Noodles and potatos
Cook Ramen noodles.  Pour in instant mashed potatoes to soak up extra water.
-Cinnamon Rolls
Buy a tube of cinnamon rolls.  Find a stick in the woods.  Wrap a roll around the end of the stick and cook over the fire.  Add frosting.
-Holiday Dinner
(Best done with a group.  Most hikers will spend Easter on the trail, so this is an idea.)
Cook a box of instant mashed potatoes and instant stuffing.  Pass around some jerky.  Roast croissants over the fire.  Do cinnamon rolls for dessert.

You should stock up on sauces because that will add a lot of flavor to your meals.  There are also lots of powered sauces available like pasta sauce, alfredo sauce, and Mexican seasoning.  Be sure that your food has a high calorie to weight content.  Let junk food become your best friend, but sure to get a healthy dose of fruit and veggies while you're in towns.

Really, you can and should eat whatever you want on the trail.  Nothing will put you in a funk faster than not getting enough to eat.  You should keep a variety in your diet, so you don't get bored.