Multiday hike menu

[Shug]

Planning an escape from the rat race in edinburgh for about a week up in sutherland, with a multiday wilderness venture. Got to thinking about food. My plan means I'll need to carry all food for the venture with me.
My folks have a place in scourie, so I'll have somewhere to drop stuff off at, and blag a lift to a start point (and back again!)
Wondering what other folks do for food? I dont think its possible to live off the outdoorshop ready meal packs (last one I tried gave me an afternoon of nausea and disturbing meatball burps. beyondthebeatentrack, presumably to hide the barf...)
Not sure I want consecutive noodle days. Dried food seems sensible from a weight perspective. Tins (apart from weight) would be more of a pain as they are more awkward to carry out than other packaging.
Was thinking of granola/cereal bars for breakfast (cant stand porridge. its the texture or lack thereof) Will take instant coffee, trail mix type stuff, sweets, whisky obviously!
Some jerky/pepperami for protein. Maybe some noodles.
From what I gather, about 3000-3500 calories a day is required.
Oh, the big caveat- lactose intolerant so no dairy!
Stove wise I've been pondering a jetboil, which for dried food would be all I'd need. Have a trangia set, and a small camping gaz thingy.
Any suggestions folks?

[basscadet]

How many days are you planning staying out? I struggle with more than 6 days food, although if you are just walking the glens, I think a heavier load is OK..
I've never liked the dehydrated meals either, and have never used them. I dont eat super noodles either, proper food all the way!
Not sure about the jetboil idea though, they are good for boiling water quick, for those dreadful dehydrated meals or a cup of tea, but you canny cook your dinner on them, just burn everything to a crisp.. I would jJust buy a cheap gas stove, one of the ones where the burner almost sits on the ground, and there is a tube that goes to the gas cartridge. The ones with the cylinder underneath are very unstable in a tent. I would recommend a titanium pot for the weight saving (Alpkit mytipot is the best size/price ratio I think) but any old pan will do really, a lid is important..
As for stuff you can cook..
For the first couple of nights, you could take something you have cooked at home, but left on the stove too long so it dries out a bit and is really thick.. (Chilli or spag bol, stews and the like)
Flavoured couscous with chorizo (you can buy little packets ready chopped)
Egg noodles with a couple of thai cup a soups (made with much less water) & sachet of tuna
Polish dried sausage, pasta & stir in sauce (one packet of sausage and a tub of stir in sauce do 3 meals)
You get the idea

[Shug]

So far I have a (growing) list of targets.
Quinag, Foinaven, Suilven, Canisp, ben more, conival, ben hope etc. Mostly been doodling crazy routes on gps planner
Could probably divide it it two, doing the south of kylesku lot, then a nice break in scourie for proper food and hot showers, then up to rhiconich and wilderness bound again.
So 4 days minimum, probably 6. Not fully decided on a route yet.

[Astronick]

Everyone's different and has a different set of priorities when it comes to camping and cooking. Based on their weight and ease I'm fine with the "dreadful dehydrated meals" and will usually have one of them in an evening on my backpacking trips. Both Fuizion and Expedition Foods offer very good quality meals which in my experience are pretty good approximations of real food for very little fuss. A recently started alternative is Mountain Trails based in Lancashire. I haven't tried them yet but they offer some good variety packs covering breakfast, dinner and dessert! A few different meals has kept me going for 5 days in the past without experiencing any boredom or ill effects! Cuppa soups or Ainsley Harriot flavoured couscous packs are good for a bit of extra hot food before the main course!

To heat water I have a simple, lightweight Optimus canister mounted gas stove and a titanium pot. If you do need to cook near the tent you can make these pretty stable with just a couple of tent pegs and some cord. In the warmer months I use meths - the Caldera Cone is a brilliant piece of design and well worth looking at.

Lunchtime is usually oatcakes, salami, and some sort of cheese. Breakfast is pre-mixed Ready Brek, sugar, milk powder and dried fruit - just add hot water and serve with a VIA coffee or two. Everything else is high calorie snacks (I subscribe to the little and often school of thought) such as peanut M&Ms, dried fruit, Jelly Babies, flapjack, marzipan, Snickers etc. Almond butter and peanut butter are very high in calories and go nicely on an oatcake whilst I wait for a cuppa at the end of a day.

Enjoy your adventure - a few days in the Far North sounds just about perfect