You cannot do without water on a hike or a regular picnic
16/10/0
Since water is one of the main components of the human diet, it is necessary to take care of it first. Much will depend on the hiking route and the availability of water along it.
The minimum water consumption per person during a hike is three liters per day. If you plan a three-day hike, carrying 10 kg of water will not be very comfortable, and by the end of the day the backpack becomes unbearable. The only solution in this case is to use rainwater or water from natural reservoirs. Despite the deteriorating environmental situation, it is still possible to take water from some natural bodies of water.
Minimum water treatment in this case consists of boiling it and then treating it with activated carbon. You can also bring a filter pitcher and a new cartridge for it. The higher above sea level the natural reservoir is, the theoretically cleaner the water should be (unless, of course, there are industrial facilities upstream or higher in the landscape).
No matter how clean the water seems, it must be boiled before consumption. A reliable sign of a normal ecological state of a reservoir is the presence of healthy fish. However, filtering the water and then boiling it is also an essential condition, because viruses and pathogenic bacteria carried by animals may be present in the water, even in healthy natural reservoirs. Natural water must be boiled for at least 5 minutes.
When water is more or less sorted out, it's time for food provisions. Of course, it's best to buy in advance a good quality thermal bag from TM "Camping" at http://camping.com.ua/catalog/termoprodukciya.html. It will allow you to keep some products fresh for a long time. And, taking a cue from the sailors of Columbus's time, let's rely on pasta for the main replenishment of energy reserves. It is compact, easy to cook, and even on its own is a complete source of carbohydrates and vegetable proteins. Of course, it is unlikely to replace the entire diet with pasta, but it can be eaten for several days in a row. It is better to bring durum wheat pasta. It does not overcook or stick together, which is especially important when cooking over a fire.
On a hike, it is very convenient to prepare dishes that can replace both the first and second courses. Such field fare includes thick soups and kuleshes. To prepare them, one pot is enough, in which vegetables and meat are first fried, and then water and fillers such as pasta, grains or potatoes are added.
To make simple food tasty, you need to bring spices. Appetizing aromas for camp dishes are imparted by the Caucasian mixture "khmeli-suneli", dried oregano, bay leaf, sweet paprika, saffron (turmeric), dried basil, black pepper.
Ready-made spice mixtures containing monosodium glutamate (flavor enhancer) should not be used, either on a hike or at home. It would not be superfluous to bring tomato paste to balance the flavor and add sourness to the main dish.