[pct-l] "should be refridgerated" foods that thru-hikers carry

[Brian Lewis]

I'm hoping to through-hike next year, and being the engineer/analytical
type, want to find and fix as many problems as I can well ahead of time ...

Yogi's book has a few suggestions of meals that folks eat from items
available in towns along the way.   One suggested meal involves Idahoan
brand instant mashed potatos along with other ingredients including butter
buds and the little bacon bits you find stocked alongside salad dressing.

I tried this meal out at home (and it was indeed good), but then noticed
that the packaging for both the butter buds and bacon bits said
"refridgerate after opening".

Worse, I used a pretty small portion of each for the meal, implying that I
would be carrying them for quite some time un-refridgerated.

Apart from the obvious idea of storing them deep in the pack, I'd appreciate
any observations about this --- does it boil down to just ignoring the
recommendation and using this stuff over a long period without
refridgeration?  Do thru-hikers maybe get together in a store and split such
items between them? (repackaging in ziplocks or whatever)  Or ... ?

My vast outdoor culinary experience in recent years has involved such heavy
lifting as heating water for Mt. House meals and for oatmeal (and eating
C-Rations or LRRPs in the Army before that ...).  A cook I ain't, so thanks
in advance for any feedback.


	Brian Lewis