After hiking several hours through the woods, there is nothing like a well-cooked meal. Out of doors the appetite has a way of growing rapidly, and food tastes especially good if the hiker has learned to prepare it well.

Napoleon is said to have stated that an army travels on its stomach. Certainly when one is hiking, the matter of food is of great importance. Food is the fuel that keeps the engine going, and the human engine needs many different kinds of food if it is to produce energy effectively. Not only must the hiker be careful to select the proper variety of food, but he must also choose food that can be prepared quickly and without too much trouble. In addition to this, he must watch the matter of weight, since every ounce counts when he is carrying his pack for miles.

Most foods, especially canned products, have a high water content. Since water, especially for cooking purposes, is usually easy to obtain along the way, it is a useless waste of energy to carry a great deal of canned food. This is especially true of fruit because there is such a wide variety of dried fruits available at small cost.

To the experienced camper there are several old stand-bys that can be depended upon in the out-of-doors. Everyone who wishes to become an accomplished camper should learn to cook these foods well:

Beans Bacon Dried fruit Potatoes Rice

Flour hot cakes biscuits

Oatmeal

These old stand-bys can be cooked in a variety of ways. Most of the dishes from these foods are easily prepared and together furnish a well-balanced hiking diet. There is not enough space here to tell in detail how to cook many camp dishes. There are a number of good books, such as the Boy Scout and the Girl Scout handbook that describe outdoor cooking. See the list of free and inexpensive books at the end of the chapter, too, for suggestions. However, there are a few "kinks" that may not be found in any one book and here they are:

Salt

Almost every food needs some salt. Ham and bacon are exceptions. Get into the habit of starting with a pinch or more of salt according to what you are cooking.

Beans

Dried beans are very slow in cooking, and for this reason they are not used as often as they should be. Soaking beans overnight helps them to cook more rapidly. In high altitudes a pinch of baking soda will help also. One good stunt is to cook the beans at home until they are soft, but not mushy, then dry them thoroughly in the oven. They can then be crushed into a rough powder with a rolling pin and carried in a waterproof bag. Beans prepared in this way will keep for weeks if they are properly dried. The bean powder can then be heated in water, with chopped, broiled bacon added to make a delicious soup.

Bacon

Bacon is one of the most useful hiking foods known. It keeps well and flavors many dishes besides furnishing grease for many purposes. Fried bacon will add to the taste of soup and stew. And as a partner to eggs, well, you know the answer.

Dried Fruits

Dried fruits cook more quickly if they are soaked for several hours. Put them to soak in the evening and they will cook quickly for breakfast. If they are stewed in the evening they can cool off during the night and be refreshing in the morning. Always wash dried fruit before you cook it. A few lemon or orange peels will add to the taste of stewed fruits. Raisins also add to the flavor.

Rice

The most important thing to remember about rice is that it swells when cooked. Leave space for rice to expand. It should be cooked in a double boiler. You can make your own double boiler with two cans, one slightly larger than the other. A rock in the bottom of the larger can will hold the smaller one off the bottom, so that the water will be underneath and prevent scorching. Don't forget to salt rice. Eggs, milk, raisins, and a little sugar added to rice make a delicious pudding when cooked in a double boiler for a few minutes after the rice is done.

Flour

It is usually a good plan to mix some of your flour with baking powder, salt, and possibly shortening before you start your hike. The complete mixture can then be packed in one small bag. Delicious hot cakes can be made from such prepared flour by adding some milk and eggs to the dry mix.

Biscuits can be baked, also, after adding water or milk to make the dough.

A General Hint

You will enjoy your food more if you plan to eat it as a meal rather than snatch food from one pot after another as it is cooking. Plan your meal so that you can finish most of the cooking and sit down to eat in peace. Don't forget to put water for the dishes on the fire, to be heating while you are eating.

The best way to learn outdoor cooking is to go camping with someone who has had real experience on the trail. In many high schools today, boys and girls alike are learning to cook in regular classes to help them in their hiking.