[pct-l] 5 day menue on the fly

[jason moores]

"Hi
 
Would you care to share a sample, say 5-6 day, shopping list?
 
Much appreciated
 
Marg"

Breakfast: Coffee,Nescafe - Nido powdered "Whole Milk" - Carnation Bk/protein shake every day. - Fresh fruit for first 2-3 day, depending on availability- cereal/granola, dry or wet -dry fruit soaked in water over-night + Nido+ honey or brown sugar, Leftover Town Food, cream cheese and bagel, fresh pastries from town, sliced ham, turkey, pizza from town, apple pie w/ or w/o cheese in a ziplock, small amounts of yogurt and fresh berries, Dense fresh whole grain bread if I can find it. Cooked bacon.
Anything fast, that can be made and eaten on the fly. Or pre made items. In a decent market I'll troll the hot counters and deli's for fried or grilled chicken, veggie or meat burritos, sausages and such. Fruit salad is all fruit, without the waste, but breaks down faster. We choose 5 items for the week that make good calorie to weight sense for the miles we hope to make. Eating specialty items in the first 3 days out and dried fruits or fruity pebbles or granola on day 4 & 5.
A shake every day(2 carn. or equiv. prot.) with extra Nido for calories, and piece of fruit will get me out of camp. An hour out, one or combination of the above. A few granola bars and personally combined fruit and nut mixes every 45 min. or so for the first few hours out of camp.

Lunch: We usually consume most of our mid day calories snacking often. Tortillas, breads, cheeses, green onion, spinach(flattens well in a zip with the air pushed out), if you can find any flavorful micro greens or sprouts, a few pieces of arugula/rocket on a sandwich goes a long way. Some vegetables pack more of a punch than others. Some swear by broccoli. I can't stand the stuff. A few pieces of fresh basil in a sand., fresh tappanad, garlic in any form. Small onions or shallots.
What we're looking for is another quick meal without a lot of prep. We're packing in calories all day with nuts and such. To me it's more important to eat something that is enjoyable and slipping anything fresh and crisp into the tortilla lifts my spirits. Similar to the idea of a hot meal for a cold night. 
If I stop at a restaurant in town I scan the menu for items that I might not be able to find at the small market up the road. Avocado, greens, fruit, cheeses can usually be bought at or near cost if you ask the right person. The guy cooking in the kitchen is usually that person. Ask the waitress, if she seems uncertain, ask to speak to the cook when he or she gets a moment. 

Dinner:
1. soft cheeses, fruit, any greens with olive oil and nuts,thick jerkey or procuitto or summer sausage
2. Turkey, sandwich (tort, freh, flat)
3. chicken, raisin, mayo curry wrap (fresh or packaged)
4. Packaged tuna with mayo, shallot, dill, lemon packet (when available from coffee houses and rest.)mustard packet
5. anything left in my bag 

Obviously some of the menu is a broad selection and not specific. That is the key. While you can't carry 10# of fresh food into every week, try to carry enough fresh items to liven up the otherwise drab rotation. Common sense still applies, consider weight/calorie and of course flavor. My appetite expands and contracts as the days tick by. Flexibility and a drive to pack all the freshest food reasonable or available is also a key component. You have to pack the calories, but you need more than just energy in my opinion. If every meal is boring, it may affect your day/trip.

This is a very rough idea of how we do it. A lot of factors shift due to availability in small towns. Flexibility helps. Ask town people where you might be able to score fresh fruit or vegetable. Someone might have a stall within walking distance. Most small towns do.

Hope this helps a bit,
jason 


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