You might invest in the best camping stove in NZ but that’s no guarantee you’re in for a delicious time of it during your next outdoor adventure. While we encourage you to buy high quality gear, including our cookers and stoves, we also understand that alone won’t maximise your enjoyment of the outdoors. This is certainly the case when it comes to food. Our friends at Back Country Cuisine know this better than most and they recently published an article on food mistakes that beginners make. You might be a rookie or an experienced outdoor adventurer - regardless, you’ll get something out of their advice.
According to Back Country Cuisine, one of the biggest mistakes you can make is not enough variety in your outdoor menu. If it’s a case of “same old, same old” then you are likely to be bored with what’s on offer, eat less of it, and miss out on vital nutrition and energy as a result. Thankfully, in this day and age, you’re spoilt for choice as our extensive food range will make clear, so there’s no excuse for a lack of variety.
The next big mistake beginners make is taking too many heavy food items with them, usually canned stuff. While this food is perfectly OK to pour into a pot and cook on your camp stove, it adds a great deal of bulk to your pack. This means you’ll carry too much weight over hill country or challenging terrain, which will use up more energy than you need to - or you’ll leave other equipment at home to make room for these heavier food items. Some of that gear could add to your comfort or safety - but it certainly won’t if you have to leave it behind. Thankfully, these days, ultra-light packs of freeze-dried and dehydrated meals will solve that weight problem.
Another rookie error is the overconsumption of sugary foods. A lot of outdoor snacks are high in sugar and low in the carbs and good fats you need to give you fuel during long days on your feet. Sugar might give you a very brief high but the crash you get is extreme and will leave you feeling low on energy.
This is connected to food’s overall nutritional value. Yet another mistake is to pack foods full of empty calories; two-minute noodles being the classic example! While there’s nothing wrong with eating the stuff you like - and noodles are very popular with outdoor enthusiasts - hiking food packed with nutrients should also be on the plate. What you put in your body will keep you strong and alert on each day’s adventures so a mix of what’s good for you, and what you love, is the best combination.
Pretty much all of the food we sell ticks every box - easy to carry, easy to cook, nutritious and delicious. We make it easy for you to eat well in the outdoors and avoid the food mistakes that beginners make!
