Provisions
Nobody else's food list helps the shopper for outdoor supplies, but the catalogues furnished by department store grocery departments and other big city groceries will aid in making up your own list, and suggest foodstuffs you might not otherwise think of, to balance and vary the diet. As to quantities, you can figure on 15-20% more nourishment than would be needed at home, and deduct from that the amount of living off the country you will be able to do, the possible fish, game, farm produce, wild fruits, etc., that will be available.
If weight and bulk are important problems-and they usually are-start the list with concentrated foods that furnish much nourishment out of small packages. This includes the starchy things, vegetable proteins, and smoked and dried meat, in other words, rice, breakfast cereals, dried beans and peas, bacon, ham and dried beef. Concentrated snacks and munches must not be forgotten here -nuts, milk chocolate bars, and such.
For health, these must be balanced by flaked fresh vegetables (there are 8 varieties from which to choose), and dried fruits.
In this concentrated group are the makings for quick beverages, cocoa, malted milk tablets, tea (that comes in tablets, too), and G. Washington Coffee. With these should go the other quick pick-me-ups, beef cubes, Knorrs Soups (powdered), and G. Washington Instant Broth. Incidentally the last is a good emergency seasoner since it is rich in herb flavors.
Cans come next, containing supplies of meats, fish, vegetables and fruits chosen on the basis of what you like at home, but always keeping an eye on vitamins and necessary bulk in the diet. Figure out your special bread needs, if any, with a balance between flour and corn meal. Calculate your sugar consumption which will go up during days of strenuous exercise. Add some ready-to-make desserts such as envelopes of gelatin that take up no room, not forgetting junket tablets if you will have fresh milk to put them into. The junket manufacturers have a Danish Pudding in this same category. A little cornstarch, too, goes a long way and old fashioned sweets made from it taste better in camp than at home.
Now, with your staples covered, go through your spice and seasoning shelf with a pile of little cellophane envelopes beside you, and put into separate envelopes tiny bits of everything you will need to vary the flavors. Remember that whole spices carry better than ground ones, a vanilla bean and a strip of dried lemon peel better than bottled extracts. Don't forget the poultry seasoning and your favorite dried herb mixture. Dry your own parsley and celery leaves on a stretched string in the kitchen and carry enough to last. Wrap envelopes together in a piece of cellophane, and snap a rubber band around the whole bundle of magic no bigger than a package of cigarettes. With everything else stocked, you can plan the take off with the fresh meat, green vegetables, and bakers bread that will bridge the gap between the accustomed diet and any little hardships to come.