10. Food and Fluids

Your body needs fuel (both food and fluids) to be active and stay warm. You will need more fuel during winter camping.

The average American consumes 2,700 calories a day. Carry a winter backpack, towing a sled and trying to stay warm may require in excess of 4,000 calories a day. This translates into roughly 2.5 lbs of food per person. Roughly 50% of your food should be carbohydrates, 20% should be protein and 30% should be fats.

Avoid taking fresh food in the winter (fresh fruit, vegetables, eggs). These all contain water and weigh a lot (and you have enough to carry). The exception to this is cheese, butter, or meats (needed for their high fat content). Take mostly dry foods (cereal, pasta, rice, wheat, oatmeal,) baked goods (brownies, cookies), or freeze dried foods (expensive but very lightweight and quick to cook which can save on stove fuel).

You probably want to get up and fueled up to avoid getting cold. If you saved your hot water from the previous evening in a thermos then you are set for making a hot caffeinated beverage and hot cereal.  If you planned ahead and are really careful this can be accomplished as breakfast in bed.

The easiest thing to cook quickly in the morning is water. Breakfast suggestions include: instant oatmeal or Granola with hot milk. If possible supplement your breakfast with extra powdered milk to add protein, margarine for fats and a slight amount of sugar. The sugars will get you started and the proteins and fats will keep you going through the morning.

You can break out a stove and cook up a hot meal or carry a personal lunch. Another approach is to snack through the day. You can munch on cheese, summer sausage, power bars, cookies and brownies.

It is often good to start dinner with a hot drink – soup, tea, hot chocolate or hot Jell-O, for warmth while waiting for the main meal.

If you are cooking over a fire there are few meals simpler than a cylindrical meat (e.g. hot dog, sausage, and bratwurst) shoved on a stick and cooked over flames. With or without condiments, warming your hands while held in a slice of bread and no clean up.

An alternative is a one pot meal or avoid the mess by freezer bag cooking a meal such as Mashed Potatoes in a Bag. Ingredients include canned chicken breast, stove top stuffing, instant mash potatoes and gravy mix. Place the stuffing and potatoes in separate Ziploc bags and note amount of water needed with a marker on the outside. Boil water necessary and add to mash potatoes. Massage bag to mix thoroughly. Place chicken in boiling water that will be used for stuffing. Add this water to stuffing bag and massage to mix. The cooking water can be used for drinks and the pot remains clean.

At the end of the meal water should be melted/heated up for personal water bottles at night.

A winter camping dinner staple is brats over a fire –no fuss and no mess, but when you feel liking doing more than heating cylindrical meat or re-hydrating soup try one of these recipes for back-country bread or a ziploc meal.

10.1.3.1.1 BACK-COUNTRY BREADS

There is something about holding and eating warm baked goods while winter camping that really makes them seem like a treat.  Bread becomes a special treat you will enjoy.

5-Minute Meal Speedy Bannock (Mountain Bread)

• 1 cup white flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• ½ cup powdered milk
• 4 teaspoons double-acting baking powder
• ½ cup (1 stick) butter
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup water
• cooking oil

At home Mix dry ingredients and pack in a zipper-lock bag. Carry butter in a small container (Lexan works best for both butter and oil). It’ll soften nicely on the trail.

In camp Place butter and water in a pot and warm until butter melts. Mix in dry ingredients. Press into well oiled 10-inch skillet (no need to cover). Bake on medium heat (if your stove has only high heat, hold the pan an inch above the flame for best results) until edges look slightly brown (about 3 minutes). Flip and bake 2 to 3 more minutes. Makes 2 servings. Variations: Add raisins, sugar and cinnamon, or walnuts. Even easier: Use Bisquick to make a lighter, fluffier, but slightly less hearty bread.

5-Minute Meal Chapatis

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup water
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil

At home Mix dry ingredients and pack in a zipper-lock bag.

In camp Add water and oil to dry mixture and knead until dough is smooth. Pinch off 12 small balls of equal size. Use your palms to pat balls into thin, round disks. Drop the flattened dough into lightly oiled hot skillet. Cook each side about 2 minutes or until golden brown. Spread with jelly for breakfast, hummus for lunch, or eat with cheese as an appetizer before dinner. Makes 2 servings.

5-Minute Meal Cornbread

• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder
• 2 tablespoons powdered egg
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1 cup water
• extra oil for cooking

At home Mix dry ingredients and pack in a zipper-lock bag.

In camp Stir together remaining ingredients and dry mixture in a bowl. Divide into 2 or 3 portions and flatten like a pancake if you have a large skillet. (If not, thicker dough pressed against the sides of a pan will still cook up just fine.) Bake over medium heat (if your stove has only high heat, hold the pan an inch above the flame) in well-oiled skillet until the edges look slightly brown (about 3 minutes). Flip and bake 2 to 3 minutes more. Makes 2 servings. Variations: Add ½ cup sunflower seeds into batter for crunchy cakes, or ½ cup grated cheddar or jack for a cheesy bread.

5-Minute Meal Hush Puppies

• 1 cup cornmeal
• ½ cup white flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2½ teaspoons double-acting baking powder
• 2 tablespoons powdered egg
• 1 tablespoon onion flakes
• 3 tablespoons powdered milk
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup water
• cooking oil

At home Mix dry ingredients and pack in a zipper-lock bag.

In camp Add water and mix thoroughly. Add just enough oil to the skillet to almost cover the bottom. (Hush puppies are traditionally deep-fried, but you can get away with less oil by turning them frequently.) Heat oil and pan on high heat, then drop dough by the spoonful into hot oil and fry until brown. Makes 2 servings.

Tortillas…An Unwrapped Wrap

• Butter
• Tortilla
• Seasoning of choice

This tasty treat comes to us courtesy of the folks at Wintergreen Dog Sledding in Ely, MN. Heavily butter the bottom of a pan. Place the tortilla flat in the pan and cook lightly. While cooking season the top of the tortilla. Cook until lightly brown and serve.

Tortillas provide a tasty snack of warm bread

10.1.3.1.2 Ziploc Recipes

Freezer bag cooking is ideal for winter camping. It’s lightweight because you prepare all your dried ingredients at home and pre-package them in ziplock bags. You only need a single pot to boil water in, enough fuel to boil the water, and a fabric cozy for your bagged meal (a spare garment will work in pinch).

Once the water boils, pour it into the ziplock bag and slip the bag in your cozy. Set it aside for 5-10 minutes for the meal to fully cook. You’ll save fuel because there’s no simmering.  Cleanup is easy as there’s no pot to scrub, just a bag to pack out.

Pudding in a Bag

• Instant Pudding
• Powdered Milk
• Mint Cookies (chopped)
• Water
• Ziploc Freezer Bag

Place pudding mix in ziploc with chopped mint cookies. Add enough powered milk as per amount of milk needed. At camp add necessary water to bag. Seal bag and shake to mix. Place bag in snow or cold stream or lake. Allow pudding to set then serve

Omelet in a Bag

• 2 eggs
• Chopped Ham, Onions, Cheese, Milk, etc.
• Ziploc Freezer Bag

Before leaving add eggs, milk, ham, onions etc. to bag. Allow to freeze overnight if hiking in warmer conditions. When ready to eat place bag in boiling water until eggs appear to be cooked. Breakfast is served!

Mashed Potatoes in a Bag

• Canned Chicken Breast
• Stove Top Stuffing
• Instant Mash Potatoes
• Good Gravy

Place the stuffing and potatoes in separate ziploc bags and note amount of water needed with a marker on the outside. Boil water necessary and add to mash potatoes. Massage bag to mix thoroughly. Place chicken in boiling water that will be used for stuffing. Add this water to stuffing bag and massage to mix. Prepare gravy in a separate pan or simply open can and place in coals in fire to warm. Dinner is served.

 

Cooking in a plastic bag is easy.

Dehydrating food removes water from food, making it lighter and longer-lasting without removing its taste. You can dehydrate the leftovers from many home cooked meal to provide a tasty meal outdoors.

The advantages of dehydrating your own food are many:

• savings on cost from pre-packaged trail meals
• the ability to suit your own taste
• you can make fruits and vegetables part of your winter camping menu without fear of freezing, damage or spoilage
• you can size meals to fit your appetite
• you can keep a stash of freeze dried food in your freezer available for the spur of the moment winter camping trip.

Select the best fruit and vegetables as dehydrated foods are only as good as the fresh fruit or vegetables. When selecting fruits and vegetables for dehydration, choose ones that are ripe, unbruised and at peak-eating quality. Prepare foods to be dehydrated as you want them to be served. Apples, for example, may be sliced, cut into rings, or pureed for fruit leather.

Keep pieces uniform in size and thickness for even drying. Thin cut slices will dry more quickly than thicker pieces.

Make sure your food is clean before dehydrating.

To prevent browning: try steaming or coating light-colored fruits and vegetables with acids such as lemon juice or ascorbic acid (FruitFresh) before drying. Steaming or blanching also is recommended for vegetables to inactivate enzymes that cause vegetables to mature, or toughen during drying.

Foods can be dried in a conventional oven, a commercial dehydrator, or in the sun. Drying times vary with the method and foods chosen. Maintain 130F to 140F with circulating air: Remove enough moisture as quickly as possible to prevent spoilage. A drying temperature of 130 degrees F to 140 degrees F allows moisture to be removed quickly without adversely affecting food’s texture, color, flavor and nutritive value. If the initial temperature is lower, or air circulation is insufficient, foods may undergo undesirable microbiological changes before drying adequately. If the temperature is higher or if the humidity is too low, nutrients can be lost or moisture may be removed too quickly from the product’s outer surface. This causes the outer surface to harden and prevents moisture in the inner tissues from escaping.

When testing for sufficient dryness, cool the food before testing. Know when your food is dry: Some foods are more pliable when cool than warm. Foods should be pliable and leathery, or hard and brittle when sufficiently dried. Some vegetables actually shatter if hit with a hammer. At this stage, they should contain about 10 percent moisture.

Store your dehydrated food in a cool, dark, dry place. Food quality is affected by heat. The storage temperature helps determine the length of storage; the higher the temperature, the shorter the storage time. Use your food within six to 12 months for best quality. Check your dried foods frequently during storage to see if they are still dry. Foods that are packaged seemingly “bone dry” can spoil if moisture is reabsorbed during storage.

My favorite easy to eat snack is trail mix or good old raisins and peanuts (GORP). Skip the prepackaged stuff and make your own. My favorite recipe for gorp includes peanuts, Reese’s Pieces, raisins/dried fruit and Honey Nut Cheerios. Vary the mixture to suit your taste. – try smarties, banana chips, corn nuts, pumpkin seeds, chocolate covered coffee beans, gold fish crackers, and/or dried peas.

No ‘high grading’ or choosing select items from the mixture and if you are sharing the food with others don’t reach in the bag for each share – no one wants to share your germs. Either pour GORP from the bag into the waiting hand or make a temporary container from a plastic bag or a hat and pour a portion onto it.

 

Winter campers take a lunch break in the snow.

This picture shows all the ingredients for a good lunch break during a winter expedition.

• Hydration. You lose more moisture than you may realize exerting on a winter trek so drink up. Notice the Nalgene water bottle parkas to keep the water from freezing en route.
• Easy to eat snack.
• Hard candy. For quick energy, suck on a hard candy. Grab a couple extra for a boost later in the afternoon.
• An insulated pad to park your butt. Some people keep a small piece of closed cell insulation readily available just for this purpose.
• Sunshine. It always makes the day nicer.

Snowshoeing is strenuous exercise and you will likely sweat despite the low temperatures-especially if you are carrying a heavy winter backpack. Heavy exertion in cold, dry air uses up to 2-4 quarts/liters of water per day. Pack plenty of water and stay hydrated by drinking often. If you wait till you are thirsty you are already dehydrated, and dehydration can accelerate fatigue, hypothermia and frostbite.

 

Don’t get dehydrated (or your tongue frozen to an icefall).

Dry winter air can dehydrate you without you noticing until it is too late. A good rule of thumb for checking hydration is the color of your urine. Urine will be light colored or clear if you are properly hydrated. Or you can pinch the skin on the back of your hand, lower arm, or abdomen between two fingers. If you are properly hydrated your skin should snap back into place.

To re-hydrate takes time.  I have heard from survival classes that on average the body can absorb one cup of water every 15 minutes with the excess expelled. There are a number of factors that can affect this absorption rate; how fast the water is transferred from your stomach to your small intestine, the water temperature, genetics, etc, but this provides a good basis of estimate.  So drinking moderate amounts on consistent schedule is preferred.

Water filters will freeze up and be destroyed by the winter temperatures.  Purification tablets work much more slowly in cold temperatures. If you are using iodine tablets you may need to put in one extra and leave it for at least 45 minutes.

I carry my water in a wide mouth Nalgene bottle inside an insulated bottle holder inside my pack. The insulated water bottle holders are widely available and cost between $15-20. Or store your water bottle inside your extra mittens or socks.  They will keep the water from freezing as long as the temperature is not too far below zero.

Water mixed with something such as Gatorade or lemonade will freeze at a lower temperature than plain water. By placing your water bottles upside down you at least assure that if the water does begin to freeze the ice will be at the bottom of the bottle and thus not hinder you from drinking the remaining water. Hydration packs don’t seem to work well in the winter as the tubes easily freeze.

If you’re camping in winter then melting snow and / or ice may be your only feasible source of drinking water. Unfortunately just bashing a load of snow and ice in a pan and sticking it on a stove is a slow process.  To speed things up start with an inch or so of water in the bottom of the pan then add snow to it. Keep the lid on the pot for maximum efficiency. Keep the process rolling by always leaving a reserve of water in the pan as you add fresh snow and ice, you’ll save time and fuel.

Boiling water to purify it requires 3-5 minutes of boil time (add 1 minute for every 1,000 feet above sea level). This is the best method in winter situations.

You may want to pour the resultant melt water through a coffee filter to separate the bits of dirt and leaves from your drinking water.

Be aware the extra time needed for cooking and/or melting snow for water may require you to carry more stove fuel than for summer trips.

If you are concerned the water may have a taste because you dipped it from a pond or it contains residual pine needles consider flavoring it with a drink mix.  Lemonade, tea, coffee, hot chocolate, Tang, Jell-O all can be added to hot water to make a great hot drink.