Selecting the Right Foods for your Canoe Trip

Killarney Provincial Park, northeast of Manitoulin Island on the north shore of Georgian Bay, is one of the most beautiful settings in Canada, and its hiking trails and canoe routes some of the most picturesque in the world. Once Killarney gets under your skin, it's usually there for good, calling you back whenever you can.

Enjoy this selected excerpt from The Killarney Provincial Park Canoe Guide published by The Friends of Killarney Provincial Park and written by Leslie Joynt and Roel Teunissen of Ontario Parks. The guidebook promotes responsible wilderness ethics and safe, enjoyable canoe tripping. The Killarney Provincial Park Canoe Guide is available from the Friends of Killarney Park, Killarney, Ontario P0M 2A0.

Getting it Right:
Selecting the Right Foods for your Canoe Trip

Most campers agree - one thing that can make or break a canoe trip is the food. Whether your aspirations run to gourmet selections or more standard fare, you'll want to get this part of your trip right - enough variety to keep everyone happy, but simple enough to keep you "out of the kitchen" as much as possible.

Wild Edibles
First of all, we should remind you about picking vegetation. Sorry, but those "wild edibles" (yes, even blueberries!) that you planned to include in your camping diet should be left for wildlife. They need this natural food for their day-to-day survival, and as energy reserves for the long, harsh winter ahead.

Where to Find Camping Food
Prepackaged dehydrated or "freeze-dried" meals are light in weight, but they can be heavy on the wallet. These meals come in sealed packaging that is waterproof and odour proof. They are usually easy to prepare - often you just add the contents to boiling water and stir. If you don't have a lot of time for pre-trip meal planning, they're probably a good way to go.

Long time campers can remember the days when these meals were bland, tasteless glop, often referred to as "astronaut food". Thankfully, they've come a long way since then. Some brands provide more than adequate portions and offer a good variety of options, including vegetarian choices. Most camping stores carry a good selection of these prepackaged meals.

When looking for lightweight foods, don't forget your local grocery store shelves. Dry soup mixes, couscous, quick cooking lentils, pasta, instant cereals, milk powder, drink powders, crispbreads, dry sauce mixes and rice are all familiar staples that travel well. Sure, you'll have to do more menu planning, but the bonus is that you can keep the price of your food down.

What About Nutrition?
The key here is a balanced diet. You're going to be fairly active, so the carbohydrates in pasta, cereals and rice will give you a steady source of energy to keep you paddling all day long. You'll want protein, but don't overdo it. Worried about carrying meats? There are no fridges where you're going, and a Can and Bottle Ban means those cans of beef stew are not an option. Here are a few tips...

Meat - Do I need to bring it along?
Judge for yourself whether it is best to bring meat. Paddling in the heat of summer is different from late September or October. Many backcountry campers skip meat altogether since there are many alternatives for protein, which don't require refrigeration. The smell of cooking meat can be attractive to wild animals - another factor to consider when meal planning.

Some campers pack just enough frozen meat for their first dinner. If you want to do this, wrap the frozen meat in several layers of newspaper and keep it in a cooler with a few ice
packs while driving to the park. Once on the water, keep it out of the sun, close to the bottom of the canoe. A small soft-pack cooler is ideal, especially if you've added plastic water bottles filled with frozen water or juice. Besides keeping your meat cool, you'll be able to enjoy an ice cold drink once the bottles have thawed. Wow - your canoe-mates will be impressed! The meat will thaw while you are paddling and be ready to use that evening.

Some highly spiced meats such as pepperoni and salami can be kept for a few days without refrigeration. A drier variety, summer sausage, is particularly good - it will keep for a few weeks as long as it doesn't get wet. All types will last longer if purchased in sealed packages. Keep them out of the sun, and in the coolest part of the canoe. Great as snacks, these spiced meats can also form part of a main course; you'll need only small amounts to perk up a meal.

Cheese - An excellent choice for quick meals
Cheese can be stored in the same manner as salami, however it can get pretty soft and greasy if the weather's hot. It's an excellent choice for quick meals with crackers or crispbreads. On longer trips, don't forget dried cheeses such as parmesan, or powdered cheese sauce mixes, to give a bit of zest to pasta dishes.

Peanut Butter - Use your imagination
Peanut butter is another good choice. Put it on crispbreads or perhaps your own bannock recipe baked the night before. Again, use your imagination - how about using peanut butter with a bit of powdered milk and soy sauce to make your own exotic peanut sauce recipe? As for storage, some brands of peanut butter come in sturdy plastic screw top jars, but be suspicious of leakage. Check it, or transfer to a more reliable container.

Gorp - A handful goes a long way
Ever heard of GORP? Legend has it that it stands for Good Old Raisins and Peanuts, but it also mimics the sound made by hungry canoeists as they rummage through plastic bags, stuffing a varied, sometimes mysterious, mixture into gaping mouths. Such mixtures consist mainly of nuts and dried fruit, but may also contain dried coconut, chocolate chips or … well, use your own imagination! Ready-made mixtures can be bought at health food and grocery stores, with fashionable names like "trail mix", "yuppie mix" or "Sierra mix".

A handful of gorp goes a long way - it fills you up, takes zero preparation time, and is just plain yummy. Many gorp fans belong to the "nibble as you go" club - once on the water, they don't stop for major meals, but keep refueling every few hours with a few handfuls of gorp, or other nutritious snacks. Gorp can also serve as a hearty addition to your morning oatmeal.

Bread - Make your own
Most regular breads won't withstand the rigours of a pack, so choose something that won't get mushed into an unrecognizable lump. Our picks: pumpernickel, bagels and sturdy multigrains. Bring a whole, unsliced loaf of bread; it won't go stale as quickly.

Think of bread alternatives - crackers, crispbreads, pita and such. They last well, but can easily break into small bits in your pack. The solution - seal them in a plastic bag, then place them in a small, hard plastic container. Voilà—fresh, and intact!

The final word on bread ... make your own. Warm bannock is one of those simple pleasures that make a camping trip memorable. Traditional bannock consists of 1-cup flour, 1-tsp. baking powder, 1/4-tsp. salt, and around 2-3 tbsp. butter or oil. Mix this before your trip and store it in a plastic bag.

When you get to your campsite add enough water to make dough. For variety, you can add raisins, cheese, nutmeg, cinnamon …use your imagination. Roast it on a stick over hot coals, or make a thin loaf, dust with flour and fry it on your campstove in an oiled pan. Mmmmmm!

Fluids - Stay hydrated
Paddling all day can be hard, thirsty work, so make sure you have adequate water for your group. Each person can carry his or her own supply of water to drink when necessary. Keep it handy. If you feel thirsty, you are already in a mild state of dehydration. The more you exercise, or the hotter the weather, the more critical this becomes. Getting a headache? Perhaps you are becoming dehydrated. Have a few sips of cool water or juice. Keep yourself hydrated so your body can function better.

NEXT MONTH: Food - How Much is Enough?