Catering on a hike - menu with sublimates

In many of our hikes, tourists' meals are based on sublimates (instant meals). This article talks in detail about each of the stages of organizing such food - from choosing dishes to preparing food while traveling and distributing responsibilities among tourists.

In the case of foreign tours, the general scheme is as follows:

Each tourist makes an individual order
instructor purchases sublimates in bulk and creates individual sets
the instructor sends out kits to tour participants (for example, by Nova Poshta)
tourists independently bring their own food and personal utensils to the group gathering place
the instructor brings with him everything necessary for preparing boiling water (burners, pots, kettles) and purchases gas cylinders or other fuel
immediately before the start, the instructor distributes gas and some additional products (tea, cookies, bread) among tourists
during the trip, sufficient quantities of water are boiled for each planned meal
each tourist independently transports his sublimates, keeps records of them, brews them with boiling water, disposes of garbage...
Now in more detail:

Ordering sublimates

In the general chat of the group, the instructor talks about the features of catering in this particular tour and sends
link to the online questionnaire
for ordering sublimates. For example, the instructor writes: "On this trip, there will be three hot meals a day. According to the plan, we will have 6 breakfasts, 7 lunches and 6 dinners. Accordingly, each of you can order 6 + 7 + 6 = 19 packages of your choice. Please fill out the order by such and such a date."

Each dish available for order has its own separate line in the form. To place an order, simply write the number of servings next to the desired dishes. Check that the total number of portions ordered matches the number specified by the instructor.

At the moment, the main supplier of sublimates for our tours is
“Їzhachok”
. On the manufacturer's website you can read more detailed information about the composition of each dish and cooking features (how much water to add and how long to wait).

In some cases, at the ordering stage, you can choose in which packaging you want to receive your sublimates - in thermal bags or in regular plastic bags. Read more about this choice and about special dishes for sublimates in
separate article
.

Remember, you must complete your order no later than the date set by the instructor. After all, it still takes time for the manufacturer to form an order, package and send the products to you.

Shipment of products

In addition to your individual order, the package may include a number of public products. This can be chocolate, cookies, sausage and cheese in vacuum packaging. In any case, these will be products that do not require refrigeration.

When you receive the package, be sure to double-check that it matches your order and notify your instructor of receipt.

Tourists from other countries! If you do not live in Ukraine, then most likely we will not be able to send you products. There are two main solutions to this problem:
- if the instructor has enough space in your luggage, he will bring food for you himself
- another option - we give you a discount exactly in the amount of the cost of the products, and you buy the sublimates yourself at your place of residence.
- Distribution of public goods
  
  Immediately before the start, the instructor redistributes public products and gas cylinders. That is, if you received a ton of chocolate from us by mail, this does not mean that it will be with you until the end of the trip.
  
  In addition, such important things as a public tent, walkie-talkies and bowler hats can be distributed among the participants.
  
  You should not pursue the instructor with obsessive offers right now to save you from the unbearable heaviness in your backpack by first eating your share of public products. These maneuvers look especially strange when performed by large men.
  
  The instructor understands the general interest in lightening the load and tries to evenly distribute both the carrying and consumption of public goods. Usually everyone receives approximately the same set of “common fund” - so that everything is fair and so that all the eggs do not lie in one basket.
  
  In terms of nutrition, every day is similar to the previous one. If on the first day we got 1 chocolate bar and 2 packs of cookies for dinner, then on the second day it will most likely be the same. Moreover, it is desirable that all three items appear from different backpacks (this is led by the instructor).
  
  Read more about our menu below.
- Typical hiking menu
  
  Each instructor has his own approach to feeding the group. In addition, the formation of a “table” can be influenced by numerous factors: route features, availability of stores, their assortment, weather, size and composition of the group. Therefore, below is a certain average version of the food layout (based on sublimates) per 1 person.
  
  Breakfast: 1 package of sublimates, 1 bag of tea (or loose leaves), 1 teaspoon of instant coffee, 1 teaspoon of sugar, ½ teaspoon of dry cream (or condensed milk), 7 gr. chocolate, 2 cookies.
  
  Lunch: 1 package of sublimates, 1 piece of bread or 2 crispbreads, 15 gr. processed or regular cheese, 20 gr. raw smoked sausage, 1 tea bag, 7 gr. chocolate, 2 dates, 2 candies (lollipops).
  
  Dinner: 1 package of sublimates, 1 piece of bread or 2 crispbreads, 1 clove of garlic or a little onion, 1 tea bag, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 7 gr. chocolate, 2 cookies.
  
  In addition, the instructor takes with him some salt, black pepper, as well as mayonnaise or vegetable oil for seasoning sublimates.
  
  If you are going on a hike with us and want to supplement this layout with something (you are worried that there will be little food), then my advice is not to worry. In my opinion, the main dishes are quite enough, so there is no need to carry a bag of buckwheat with you just in case. But what you can really take is some kind of mobile and compact snack for every day. Something that you can eat on the go without taking off your backpack. It could be a regular Snickers, a protein bar, or a handful of nuts. Keep in mind the weight of your backpack, so you shouldn’t take more than 100 grams of snacks for a day’s travel.
- Cooking
  
  Each overnight camp usually has a source of water (stream, tap, well). If for some reason it is not there, then the instructor will come up with another place to spend the night or organize the extraction of water in a different way. Accordingly, breakfasts and dinners will be guaranteed to be provided with water.
  
  Sometimes you have to carry water for lunch. But for this you need only 700 grams per person: 350 for soup and 350 for tea.
  
  At the beginning of the trip, the instructor will show everyone how to use the burner. After this, participants can borrow the burner from the instructor at any time and boil water themselves. Well, or calmly wait until the instructor does it.
  
  First, the instructor places a large 4-liter pot on the burner. It boils in about 18 minutes and these 4 liters are enough to steam about 10 bags of sublimates. Immediately after this, without turning off the burner, place a small one and a half liter pot on the fire. This water will be used to steam the remaining sublimates with a smooth transition to brewing tea. Depending on the amount of water, boiling in a small pot will take from 4 to 8 minutes.
  
  Do not boil “extra” water. If the burner is free, and you need 500 grams of boiling water, put that amount of water on the fire.
  
  In the queue for boiling water (and this often occurs at the beginning of each meal), priority is always given to those who are personally present at the burner. Therefore, you should not ask from afar “is there boiling water?” Come closer, look into the pot yourself, check the temperature and decide whether this is enough for you or whether you need to boil a little more water.
  
  Please note that the kitchen closes 20 minutes before your scheduled departure time. The instructor hides the burner and boilers. If you need more water (for example, for a thermos), then it is better to boil it not at the last moment, but in advance - in the evening or before breakfast.
  
  After eating, do not try to “place” your garbage somewhere (sublimate bag, etc.). The most correct option is to take the waste into your backpack and take it to the nearest trash can.
  
  Distribution of responsibilities
  
  In commercial camping trips, the practice of appointing camp guards is not widespread. However, the instructor has the right to organize such a process at his own discretion. In the case of sublimates, there is no need to wash a large common pot (the main torture for novice tourists). However, those on duty can go to the source for water, monitor the work of the burner, cut sausage and help divide other public products.
  
  On some routes there is the opportunity to light bonfires! Every year this becomes more and more rare, so appreciate it and don’t miss this chance. Such a fire will be a purely entertaining event not related to the kitchen, so the care of its organization and maintenance falls entirely on the shoulders of volunteers. In other words, if you want fire, don’t expect the instructor to go get firewood:)
  
  Articles about sublimates
Kirill Yasko. December 18, 2019

Catering on a hike - menu with sublimates

Ordering sublimates

Shipment of products

Distribution of public goods

Typical hiking menu

Cooking

Distribution of responsibilities

Articles about sublimates

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