Best hiking food finds from the supermarkets

[wildwanderer]

Too right. I've occasionally used Brie or Camembert to make a nice melted cheese toastie: Cut a few slices into a flat bread (eg, mountain bread, or wrap), add some dried cranberries and pine nuts (or whatever else suits you), then fold the wrap closed and dry-toast it on your fry-pan or pot lid on the stove until the cheese melts. Delicious!

(Also works well with just cheddar and salami.)

In this one, it looks like I added rosemary and pistachios:

Toastie.jpg

Tried this and it was delicious especially on a cold afternoon in the mountains. I couldn't get toasted to work in my home testing (burnt the pan) so I tried steaming. Worked really well in the bush as the mission wraps hold together even under steam. Recommended!

[wildwanderer]

.
New product: Local legend beef stick @Coles.

Tried this bad boy on last weekend's trip. Chopped and heated it tastes great. Real beef.

A nice change from the pork derived twiggy sticks etc to add to a meal.

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[Zapruda]

They aren’t bad. Kinda taste like South African droewors.

[Joynz]

Just bought some shiitake mushroom crisps (crispy, flavored, whole dried mushrooms) from Aldi.

They are really light and pretty tasty. About $4 for 65g.

Part of the Japanese special buys (but made in Australia).

[ribuck]

Kinda taste like South African droewors.

...and South African droewors (dried sausage) is available from Coles Supermarket Bondi Junction. I guess a lot of South African expats live near Bondi Junction. I've been taking droewors on lots of trips this winter and it's a great food. If it were a little less tough it would be even better.

[Zapruda]

Kinda taste like South African droewors.

...and South African droewors (dried sausage) is available from Coles Supermarket Bondi Junction. I guess a lot of South African expats live near Bondi Junction. I've been taking droewors on lots of trips this winter and it's a great food. If it were a little less tough it would be even better.

I got a taste for Biltong and Droewors when I was a teenager working in supermarket that catered for a lot of South Africans. I love the stuff.

This place does excellent Biltong and Droewors. Worth putting in an order. It blows that supermarket stuff out of the water.

https://thejerkyco.com.au/collections/droewors

[Eremophila]

Just bought some shiitake mushroom crisps (crispy, flavored, whole dried mushrooms) from Aldi.
They are really light and pretty tasty. About $4 for 65g.
Part of the Japanese special buys (but made in Australia).

I quite like these. They do a few other dried veg as well: https://www.djaproducts.com/products. I’ve had the broccoli and edamame and liked both.

Aldi seem to stock the mushroom crisps all the time now, although it’s always in the middle section where the “special buys” are.

Our local IGA have pretty much the whole range but it seems you can buy from the website. Edit: the online store has a whole lot more interesting stuff.

[ribuck]

This place does excellent Biltong and Droewors ... It blows that supermarket stuff out of the water...

Agreed! I was replying in the context of "Best hiking food finds from the supermarkets".

One guy on a recent walk had some Kangaroo Droewors which he had picked up from his local delicatessen. It was much more tender than the supermarket beef droewors.

[ghosta]

I found the following Sri Lankan product at my local Indian Grocery store. It is basically dehydrated soy "meat" for $2. I tried the mixed vegetable flavour, but there is also chicken, lamb and other fake meat flavours. The instructions say soak for 10 minutes in hot water, but they hydrate fine in room temperature water.

I mention there, because the packet ways 90 grams, but I would say you would only need 20 or 30 grams for a meal when you add them to couscous. So instead of a packet of couscous (90 grams) and a sachet of beans (100 grams) you can use the soy meat instead, which saves you some grams.

I suspect the fake meat flavours are nicer than the vegetable flavours, but any of these could be great for vegetarians/vegans on the trail.

I finally tracked some of this down...chicken flavour. I note the preparation instruction say
"Soak soya meat piecesin hot water for 10 minutes. Squeezeout water. Mix sachet content with soya meat and keep 3-4 minutes. Temper garlic,curry leaves pandan,green chilli,tomatoe,ginger and onion.Add soya meat and cook for 3 minutes. Add one cup of water or coconut milk and cook for 5-7 minutes, add salt to taste"

This seems to imply that the soy meat needs to be cooked 3 mins then a further 5-7 minutes after soaking for 10 mins...but it looks like the soy was palatable after you just soaked for 10 mins. Can you confirm?

[Trundlers]

Suimin originals Seafood Laksa Bowl, comes in a Styrofoam bowl (bad), we decant, lightly crush noodles and carefully vac pack with flavour sachets. Rehydrates really well and tastes awesome on the track after sweating like a loon. Probably too high in salt, but seems ok on the track. Recommend fruit for afters.

We have added this to our supermarket finds as a yes for on the track.

[Trundlers]

And, as a side note, several years ago on the Overland Track, whilst consuming cupasoup at Kia OraHut, we saw some avid young walkers pulled out Maccas Cheeseburgers to eat. 4 days in on the walk and apparently purchased at Launceston Maccas. We were impressed at the keeping quality of said burgers but didn't fancy them.

[ofuros]

Mushroom powder sachets...Korean supermarts.

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[kolah]

I usually purchase the tuna pouches (Safcol or John West) but yesterday I visited 4 different supermarkets and they were all sold out. Is there a certain type of salami I should buy that will keep better? Heat treated? Non heat treated? TIA!

[matagi]

If you are near a Hill Street Grocer, I would recommend Salumi brand salami. Buy it in a piece (not sliced).

[crollsurf]

I usually purchase the tuna pouches (Safcol or John West) but yesterday I visited 4 different supermarkets and they were all sold out. Is there a certain type of salami I should buy that will keep better? Heat treated? Non heat treated? TIA!

Deli's have meats hanging up and not refrigerated. Any of them are good. I wrap mine in absorbent paper so they don't sweat and then in a zip lock bag to avoid attracting animals at night.

[CraigVIC]

The idea of these bags has been around for a while but they are now easily available at the supermarket. Personally, not sure if they are markedly different in taste to the tea bag style

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[Eremophila]

Yep tried these recently, agree, the usual coffee bags are fine for me.

The extra weight - particularly once used - is also a negative.

[ChrisJHC]

Yep tried these recently, agree, the usual coffee bags are fine for me.

The extra weight - particularly once used - is also a negative.

I THINK it’s okay to dump coffee in the bush (obviously out of sight, away from campsites, etc)*.
If so, just cut the bag and empty out the coffee appropriately.
The one or two grams left in the bag, string and tag won’t count for much, unless you’re a real gram-weenie!

* - happy to be educated otherwise

[Lamont]

The idea of these bags has been around for a while but they are now easily available at the supermarket. Personally, not sure if they are markedly different in taste to the tea bag style

Given them all up for something simpler.
Cheaper, lighter, faster, higher and tastier.
No waste other than what I make.

Last edited by Lamont on Wed 15 Dec, 2021 8:03 am, edited 1 time in total.

[north-north-west]

I THINK it’s okay to dump coffee in the bush (obviously out of sight, away from campsites, etc)*.

It's OK in compost, so probably OK in limited quantities out bush. Best to treat like faecal matter, ie bury about 6" down.

[matagi]

Why wouldn't you just pack your coffee grounds out?

[Orion]

I believe that it's illegal to bury it in the wilderness areas here in California. It's put in the same category as orange rinds, banana peels, and apple cores -- an unnatural source of nutrients, contrary to the "leave no trace" ethic. But that's here, not Tasmania. It's a lot wetter there and maybe that changes the balance, I don't know.

[matagi]

I believe that it's illegal to bury it in the wilderness areas here in California. It's put in the same category as orange rinds, banana peels, and apple cores -- an unnatural source of nutrients, contrary to the "leave no trace" ethic. But that's here, not Tasmania. It's a lot wetter there and maybe that changes the balance, I don't know.

I never bury my waste, I just pack that stuff out, unless I'm passing a long drop, in which case it gets dropped in there. Even in Tassie's wetter conditions, things like orange rind and banana peel do not break down quickly and can be dug up and eaten by wildlife.

[lilgumnut]

Woolworths do textured vegetable protein pre-mixed with dry flavours. With have "Mexican", "Asian", and "Italian", each of which could be served with an appropriate carb/vegetable base.

[Neo]

Barilla have a dry tortellini!!!
Collezione three cheese no preservatives.

Says to boil for ten minutes.

340g serves 4 (I'd say two)

$6 at Woolies.

Edit, I cooked about half the packet 170g in 600ml of water simmering for ten minutes then drained about 300ml of water stirred in some mafia sauce and it was a delicious large feed.

Last edited by Neo on Sat 25 Jun, 2022 2:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Neo]

I had a run of gnocchi when car camping. Shelf stable from Aldi. Will revisit one day, similar to eggs phases

[Zapruda]

Barilla have a dry tortellini!!!
Collezione three cheese no preservatives.

Says to boil for ten minutes.

340g serves 4 (I'd say two)

$6 at Woolies.

Edit, I cooked about half the packet 170g in 600ml of water simmering for ten minutes then drained about 300ml of water stirred in some mafia sauce and it was a delicious large feed.

Mafia sauce?

[CBee]

Mafia sauce, the one with vodka????
BTW, gnocchi is fine, but for long trips, too heavy. Unlike pasta that doubles up after boiling, gnocchi only absorb a small percentage of water and the shelf stable one have usually a strong acidic taste of preservative. The 500g packet is usually a 2 portion meal. Then you have to add the sauce.

[Neo]

Mafia sauce: any tomato products from Italy. Had been driving all day so chose a ready-made sauce. My dumb joke, hope I don't end up with concrete boots!

[Zapruda]

Mafia sauce: any tomato products from Italy. Had been driving all day so chose a ready-made sauce. My dumb joke, hope I don't end up with concrete boots!

Ahh. I know you meant no harm but those negative stereotypes can be hurtful.