7 Weird but Delicious Trail Recipes I’ve Made My First Month on the AT

1. Pizza Grits

Ingredients: Instant Grits, Sanoma Pizza Crisps

This recipe I actuality learned years ago from a website I can’t remember. But that original recipe called for pizza flavored goldfish. Then one day at Food Lion I discovered the Sanoma Pizza Crisps. GAME CHANGER. They taste exactly like pizza, and with a net weight of 2oz and 26g of protein, they are a great addition to add some crunch to a bag of grits, or can easily be enjoyed on their own. If you don’t like oatmeal or you are just sick of eating it everyday for breakfast, pizza grits are a great way to change it up a bit.

 

2. Breakfast Essentials Pudding 

Ingredients: Breakfast Essentials

As I mentioned in one of my earlier posts, this has been a delicious breakfast and snack option for me. It’s easy to make, has no mess, and a delicious addition to my food bag.

 

3. Can’t Beanlieve It

Ingredients: Instant rice, baked beans, chicken packet, Arby’s sauce, saurkraut

This one I put together during my resupply at Standing Bear. It’s a great place to stay, and the resupply has good yet limited options. It’s definitely no Ingles or Dollar General. But it had what I needed to make this dish. The sauerkraut actually came in a  small plastic pouch. But the beans were in a small can, the enemy of every backpacker. But the baked beans looked far to appealing to turn down, so I bought them anyway. Totally worth it! The meal was solid and delicious and the beans truly made the meal. If only Bushes could start packaging them in packets…

4. Bottom of the Food Bag

Ingredients: Kraft Mac&cheese, Box stuffing, bbq chicken packet, Burger King zesty sauce

This one… Easily one of my best dinners on trail! I didn’t have much food left towards the end of the Smokies, but luckily I got a kraft Mac and cheese and a Burger King zesty sauce packet in some trail magic at Newfound Gap. That was the base for me adding on what was left of my food. I know it sounds like a crazy mix, but I still dream about that meal today. 

 

5. Seasoned Tsao Stirfry

Ingredients: Cup of Noodles General Tsao flavored, Frenches onions, wasabi peas.

There are only so many days where you can eat plain old chicken flavored ramen. But the grocery store has a ton of different flavors and brands if your willing to explore. The General Tsao flavor is fantastic. I take it out of the cup and put it in a bag for the trail, and I grabbed some of the onions and wasabi peas as a snack but they also really added even more flavor to the mix. Definitely one of my favorites so far

6. Thanksgiving Dinner

Ingredients: chicken packet, craisins, gravy mix, box stuffing, instant mashed potatoes.

This is a one pot, delicious mix of loaded calories and flavors. Seriously, it’s a ton of food and just amazing to eat. It looks like a gnarly pile of slop, but so does thanksgiving dinner when you blend everything together! I might add the frenches onions next time. It’s also a cheap meal and you can usually get two dinners out of buying one package of everything, (except maybe the chicken packet, grab a second one!).

 

7. Pesto Mac 

Ingredients: Kraft Mac and cheese, Knorr pesto powder, chicken packet, Parmesan cheese packets.

The latest meal from the Rooster pantry. I scavenger all of these ingredients from a hiker box and trail magic. The Parmesan packets I got from a local pizza restaurant at my last town stay. Make it like a normal mac, add all the extra ingredients, and now you have an elevated Mac & cheese with an entirely new flavor profile. You’re welcome!

 

How do these dishes sound to you? Think you would eat them? Have any recommendations? Let me know in the comments!

 

-ROOSTER