Food is quite likely the most challenging consideration. While it’s the only added piece of weight that gives you more energy (and gets lighter over time), too much can be a dragging anchor. It can vary so much from person to person, that this is challenging even to write. So I’ll describe what I shop for and what my systems are. It’s almost more about a food strategy than a food list.
WATER
For day trips, I carry a 2L water bag. I don’t typically use a hydration hose because 1) I have witnessed almost 100% failure rate at least once on every overnight trip and 2) want to ration my water intake throughout the day. Not joking. On overnight trips I’ll pack a 3 or 4L water bag, but I won’t carry more than 2L throughout the day - the extra capacity is for cooking at night.
Overnight 500mL Nalgene Bottle. I use a 1/2L bottle for my hot drinks.
Winter 500mL to 1L thermos. I like the Yeti models with their wide mouths.
BREAKFAST
Starbucks Via
Instant Oatmeal (two packs per day)
Mint tea (for my day-thermos)
Optional Breakfast Bar or additional snack
Strategy I try to keep breakfast simple and quick. Instant coffee in my 500mL bottle, instant oatmeal in a bowl, and mint tea for the day in my thermos.
LUNCH
Pre-made sandwiche and apple for the first day, when possible.
3-6 bars per day.
Optional Salami, cheese, nuts.
Strategy Lunch is an all-day affair. When the weather is good, I like to take a food/water break at the top of every climb, where the view is. When the weather is bad, I take that break at the bottom of every run. When I say bar, I mean any single-serving pre-packaged food. Gels, blocks, candy bars, energy bars, landjaeger, cheese sticks, etc. These foods make it easier to eat while working if I need to. I’ll sip on tea and my hydration bag for drinks.
DINNER
Tea
Hot chocolate or similar
Hot instant soup
Freeze dried dinner
Black soft licorice (for desert)
Strategy Dinner is where I try to re-hydrate, so I bring up to four different hot drink items for every dinner. To preserve fuel (and thereby keep weight down), I don’t cook dinner - I rehydrate it somehow. There can be some exceptions, but normally - especially in the winter - I want to keep it as simple as possible. Freeze dried lets me do that. Pro Tip: re-bag each meal into a ziplock to reduce space in your pack. When preparing, add the minimum amount of water at first in your bowl. Then add a splash of fresh hot water at the end to bring it to the consistency that you want and bring the temperature back up.
OPTIONAL
Buy an UrSack. UrSacks aren’t approved everywhere for bear-proof food storage, but they are also rodent-proof, and a lot of climbers’ camps are also rodent-infested. I use an UrSack as my go-to food bag.