Breakfast:
oatmeal will only be viable for 3 breakfasts tops... because we only plan to break out the stove once per day (supper), except on the occasional late morning. Dry granola makes a good substitute for early mornings, and we can buy it bulk, since we will be eating granola, too.
Dinner:
lentils take 15-30 minutes of continuous simmering to cook, which is 1/3 of a fuel bottle. Besides,my stove can't simmer; it's either all on or all off.
Dried beans won't work because they have to rehydrate for 8 hours; freezedried beans are OK, but hard to find unless you get a soup or rice mix. anything canned is bad. Its heavy, and the trash from it can't be compacted, cleaned, or easily carried (its still heavy).
Couscous is nothing but carbs, so its a base for a larger meal at best. TVP would add protein (and a little fat) to the couscous, though little flavor.
Pastas are fine, but same concerns as couscous. Angel hair and ramen cooks the fastest (thus using up the least fuel and water).
Most of the taco seasonings we looked at (for our food) have meat/animal products in it.
Lunch:
There's no such thing as a backpacking lunch, just a string of snacks while you are hiking. That said, combine the "lunch" and "snack" part of your menu, and mix the cheerios into your trail mix, and you're good. We like to bring crackers, peanut butter, honey, and raisins for longer, more relaxed lunches.
tooth brushing:
You can brush your teeth, you just have to swallow it. (actually thats the same for mouthwash too) because its a smellable and bears will come to where you spat it.
water:
I looked into my filter, and still don't know if it uses bone char as carbon. It might use coal or plant char instead; no telling. And customer service doesn't know either. So you could always use my filter, since there are the same uncertainties with the city water you're drinking right now,and any other filter would have the same issues.
If you're not comfortable with my filter, you could buy chlorine tablets. I've had success with Katadyn brand Micropur.
On Sharing:
I like the sound of Veggie Chili or a bean soup mix. With some smart shopping and a few innovations (and research from you) we should be able to find about 5 (more or less depending on what you find and would like) meals to share with you. Sharing is of course, optimal because it reduced the use of fuel; which is very heavy and finite. as for breakfast and lunch,.. most is actually incentively vegan anyway... (unless theres something i don't know about granola) so we have no issue there.
(NOTE: our menu was low in vegetables because those aren't difficult to put in... the issue of veganism on hiking trips is the necessity of protein and fat traditionally solved with animals)
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