How to pack food in a rucksack for multi day trips?

[Randall]

Any tips for the newbie?

On my last trip I just put everything inside a plastic bag. Rice, butter, tinned fish, chocolate, etc.. all in together. It wasn't ideal.

In particular I'm wondering whether there is a bag designed for carrying rice in a rucksack. I would use the bag they come in from the supermarket, but the 'resealable tabs' don't work as well as one might hope

How do you store your food for a multi day trek?

Randall

 

[Native Nathan]

I use Ziplok bags then put them all in an Exped Drybag
I also Vacuum seal some of my foods to give me home made Boil in the bags

 

[sandbender]

"...How do you store your food for a multi day trek?..."

I suppose it depends on how long your multi-day trek will be, I have carried several kilograms of rice, flour etc. in DIY rubble bags, they are strong (can take being crushed into your pack and won't easily puncture), weatherproof, deep enough to prevent spillage and you can carry your garbage back in them.

 

[Retired Member southey]

I dont take any wet food so it all goes in ziplok bags, I buy them in tesco, then the bags are stored in two dry bags one for basic things like rice, flour, milk powder, pasta and muesli and the other for flavoured things like spices, dried meats and the like.

 

[NS40]

For dried rice and pasta I tend to recycle the plastic jars that hot chocolate/ovaltine can be bought it. light white plastic ones with screw on lids are best.

Admittedly slightly heavier than packing everything into ziplock bags plus they don't compress down as they're being emptied but if space and weight aren't an absolute premium they're ideal. I also have one with emergency rations (a few powdered coffees, chocoloate, cupasoups, mintcake) which won't ever get opened until absolutely everything else is gone...

 

[Randall]

For dried rice and pasta I tend to recycle the plastic jars that hot chocolate/ovaltine can be bought it. light white plastic ones with screw on lids are best.

Admittedly slightly heavier than packing everything into ziplock bags plus they don't compress down as they're being emptied but if space and weight aren't an absolute premium they're ideal. I also have one with emergency rations (a few powdered coffees, chocoloate, cupasoups, mintcake) which won't ever get opened until absolutely everything else is gone...

This made me think of collapsible water bottles. I'll have to get one and try it out with rice. Will get some zip locks, but I do wonder whether they could take a lot of weight on them without getting damaged over a longer trip. They do seem quite fragile. I'll keep an eye out for some heavier duty ones though.

Cheers for the replies

Randall

 

[salad]

I use Ziplok bags then put them all in an Exped Drybag
I also Vacuum seal some of my foods to give me home made Boil in the bags

wot he said same for me

 

[adestu]

I think I remember having some zip lock bags called pour and store.reusable and boil in the bag use.

Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using Tapatalk

 

[Humpback]

........ Will get some zip locks, but I do wonder whether they could take a lot of weight on them without getting damaged over a longer trip. They do seem quite fragile. I'll keep an eye out for some heavier duty ones though.

Cheers for the replies

Randall

Try and get the American Ziploc brand which are heavy duty from a friend in the States or get off ebay. The Ikea ones make my second choice. Both are better (more durable) than the usual supermarket own brands.
Alan

 

[Graham_S]

if you have a Lakeland shop near you, they are a great source for all sorts of bags and pouches.

http://www.lakeland.co.uk/3/in-the-kitchen-food-storage-food-bags-%26-fasteners/c03c02c04.r16.1

 

[Terr]

Ziplok type bags (not the ones with a plastic zip, just the ones that seal with pressure.) I split my meals up, store them individually and then put it all inside a dry sack. If you're taking stuff like butter, pop it into a tupperwear box.

 

[beachlover]

For single dehydrated meals and stuff like rice and flour, I use these double sealed bags from Boots that are meant for expressed breast milk. They are measured up to 250ml but take a good bit more. Not had one give out on me yet and with a bit of care they can be re-used too.

 

[Martti]

How do you store your food for a multi day trek?

Finnish way of packing requires that groats, flours and such are put in bags made out of linen or cotton, coffee in leather bags, sugar and salt in small boxes of any kind and butter in wooden boxes (one made out of birch bark is preferable). Salted or dried meat can be storaged in almost any place.

 

[jacko1066]

I dont take any wet food so it all goes in ziplok bags, I buy them in tesco, then the bags are stored in two dry bags one for basic things like rice, flour, milk powder, pasta and muesli and the other for flavoured things like spices, dried meats and the like.

That sounds like the sort of thing I want to do, what size dry bags do you use mate?

 

[Retired Member southey]

Just the medium ones from tesco, I think thy have a greenish box, good for water proofing spare clothes too.

 

[forestwalker]

One trick I use for flour, rice, etc is a plastic bag insided a linen/cotton bag. The plastic bag is tied with a loose figure 8 knot, and the fabric protects the plastic from puncture.

Butter in a suitable waterproof container (HDPE Nalgene, screw top peanut butter jar, etc), in a canoe I have an terry cloth bag that allows me to keep it wet and thereby cool it by evaporation. Doable on a hike to, I suppose.