Selecting the Right Foods for your Canoe Trip:
How Much Is Enough?

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.

You’re in charge of the food, and you’re trying to find that fine line between bringing enough food, and keeping the packs light. How can you figure out food requirements for your group? Here are some tips:

- Know the appetites of your group. Paddling and fresh air often lead to healthier-than-normal appetites, so keep this in mind when figuring quantities.

- Group preferences. A quick poll of what foods group members love, or absolutely detest, will save plenty of grief later on. Does anyone have food allergies that you should be aware of? Check now, or you may face disastrous consequences out on the trip!

- How many days will you be out? Subtract meals to be eaten en route the first and last day of your trip (you know – the drive-through bacon-double-cheeseburger and large order of French fries). You can then figure out the number of meals you’ll carry with you in the canoe.

- What if you’re delayed due to weather or injury? Running out of food will only add to your problems. Carry at least one extra day of food. Keep it simple and lightweight –perhaps just a few extra freeze-dried meals, some instant soups, oatmeal and gorp – just in case!

- Develop a menu. Begin with the first meal you’ll be eating on your trip. Think of your route and your pace. You may want to plan quick breakfasts, lunches and easy dinners for days where you have far to travel. Layover days may allow you time to cook more extravagantly. These decisions will help you start your shopping list.

- Plan enough variety. Not only will your fellow-paddlers be happy, variety helps ensure a balanced, nutritious diet.

- Don’t forget snacks. Keep gorp, raw vegetables, granola bars separate at the top of your pack, handy to grab. That way, you can take in a bit of food energy when your stomach’s grumbling without getting into a full-blown meal. Consider that different people have different metabolisms, especially when physically active. If one of your fellow paddlers is starving, with lunch or dinner many kilometres away, those snacks can be a real lifesaver. Organize a snack bag for each canoe, so you don’t have to stop to transfer food. And don’t forget fruit – a dripping orange, or a juicy apple while drifting in the middle of a lake on a hot day – ah!

- Keep some extras handy for when you are ashore too. Have you ever arrived at your site tired, cold or hungry, but need to set up the tent before it starts to rain? Sometimes a quick snack or a hot drink is enough to let you finish other duties before attending to the main meal.

- Portion-pack your food. If, for example, your meal is pasta with vegetables and cream sauce, measure out each ingredient into its own plastic bag. To reduce weight and excess packaging take food out of boxes at home ... cut out box-top cooking instructions and pop those into the ingredient bag as well. Double-bag individual items to protect them from moisture due to rain or a possible capsize. And it’s a good idea to label each individual bag’s contents with a waterproof marker. Just what is that mysterious bag of powder in the bottom of the pack, anyway? When you’ve got all your individual ingredient bags organized for one meal, pack them together into one larger plastic meal bag.

- Mark each meal bag with the meal or the day (“Day 1 Lunch”, “Thursday Supper”, “Breakfast #2”, whatever). A bit of organizing at home will eliminate guesswork as you rummage through your food pack in the rain or dark.

- Kitchen details. You may want to organize items you’ll use often into a general kitchen bag. Instant milk powder can be used for coffee and tea, for cereal or in powdered sauce mixes. You may want some oil for cooking. Transfer the amount you’ll need into a small plastic leak-proof bottle. Pop it into a plastic bag as a safety measure in case of leakage. An alternative is to bring margarine in a plastic squeeze tube. Don’t forget to bring salt – but let each person salt their own food to taste. Some extra salt on hand can replace amounts lost through perspiration, especially if you’re physically active during hot weather.

- Spice up your life. Almost negligible in weight, a few spices will add a lot of gusto to your meals. Bring along your favourites, sealed tightly in plastic bags or small waterproof containers. Lemon pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and dill weed are some favourites.

NEXT MONTH: Food – What About Nutrition?