A Backpacker's Spice Rack

[Aaron Zagrodnick]

Whether you’re a freeze-dried meal aficionado or if your prefer to custom make each of your meals for the trail, most backpacking meals will rely on dried and pre-packaged ingredients, with little in the way of fresh ingredients to bring life to meals. The result? Many times meals are good, but need…a little something. Spices are a backpacker’s best friend in this regard as they’re already in dried form and weigh next to nothing while packing a punch in the flavor department. Packing your whole spice rack from home wouldn’t work well with the efficiency needed for backpacking however, so instead of packing in multiple exotic spices that perhaps would only work well with a meal or two on a long trip, I prefer to pack in choices that go with any type of meal...

A look at how to carry spices when backpacking, what spices to carry, and how this simple solution can upgrade meals on the trail - read the full article at the link below in Issue 38:

A Backpacker's Spice Rack

Issue 38 Page 1

[dipink]

That's a lot of spice to carry on anything but a long multiday hike. How much do you use? I have made a small kit using plastic straws as holders that work for an overnight up to 4 days.

[Aaron Zagrodnick]

True, the larger Nalgene bottles are aimed more for longer and / or group trips and depending on the spice...and you don't always have to fill them up. It seems that no matter how many hot pepper flakes I take for example, I always have to ration!  For shorter and solo trips the smaller containers would be adequate or depending on the spice mixing and matching container size might be the best way to take only what you need. Like most of my first aid supplies for example, these types of things are typically items that I don't measure and weigh out exactly for each trip, and I just go with a refill or replace when needed approach. 

With the plastic straws, you're melting each end to create a seal, correct?

[dipink]

Nope, I cut a short piece of straw for each end, and a longer piece for storage. Fold over an end of the longer piece, and slide the short piece on like a collar. Scoop spice inside, then fold over the far end and slide on the second short piece. That way I can re-seal after use. Dairy Queen straws are slightly bigger, therefore better for larger volume.

[Aaron Zagrodnick]

Sounds like a good system!

[RogerMoore]

I use those 7 day pill boxes. I guess it is whatever is at hand when the idea of a spice rack hits you.

M best spice is a home-made Cajun seasoning. And my most unusual is when I take the remains of my home-made Worcestershire sauce and dehydrate it. Once I bring the dehydrated mes into a flake it goes amazing in a soup.

i like the straw idea too.

Great article, Aaron.

[Brett]

I love the pill box idea.

[RogerMoore]

Ugh. I just finished a four day trip up Convict Creek and Wednesday and Friday opened up while it was in the bear canister. Cajun seasoning all over everything. What a mess. I think a simpe sandwich bag around it would have prevented it coming open.