Adding calories or volume to dried foods?

[eddy_line]

I've been perusing the grocery store shelves for dried foods like soups, rice or pasta meals, etc. Vs. the more expensive "camping" dried foods, these sometimes require milk (easily remedied with dried milk), butter or oil (butter buds), or meat (foil packs of tuna or chicken, or fresh fish) but I have run into a couple of other considerations. Seems that consumers are asking for reduced calories, which is a bit contrary to the needs of campers/backpackers/paddlers. I'm wondering if anyone adds calories to these items, possibly in the form of dried milk, cheese, additional pasta, rice, quinoa, cous cous or ??? This might also be a way to stretch some of the items, since my paddling partners think that the main meal of the day should be about a quart in volume per person. Your feedback and additional ideas would be appreciated.

[johnhens]

Years ago, I did a long distance hike where it was near impossible to maintain an even caloric use/intake.
One of the things I did was to add butter to everything I ate. I also ate Snickers bars as snacks. I read a comparison between the various energy bars and Snickers and there was not that much difference between them.
Peanuts/GORP are a great source of calories when you add M&M's, peanuts, craisins ect.

[hooky]

I'm not sure if you have a dehydrator or not, but I've added dehydrated black beans and corn to pasta and rice dishes for a calorie bump. My oatmeal in the morning always gets some powdered milk. Cous cous is a good filler for calories.

[mimisweet]

i do cous cous. its great!

[Richard1961]

Nothing beats a batch of homemade GORP. It is portable and when you make the mix yourself you don't spend half of your time picking out what you don't like. Also Bulk Dried soup mixxes can be customised bu adding extras if you like. Richard

[windsor]

I carry a small squeeze bottle of olive oil and add a squeeze or two to the food before adding the hot water. At about 1,000 calories for an ounce of weight (approx. 9 tbsp per ounce) it's very calorie dense. Otherwise as others have said Snickers or gorp add a lot of calories as does Trader Joe's milk chocolate bars and butter powder.

[Midwest Ed]

I carry a small squeeze bottle of olive oil and add a squeeze or two to the food...

What a great idea. I'd suggest throwing away any oil left over especially when carrying during summer time temperatures. Olive oil stores much better than other oils but begins to break down in plastic or above room temperature. One or two weeks of backpacking storage should be of no concern, but the oil will start oxidizing long before you will know by the taste.