I’m not a huge fan of backpacking without a stove, mainly because I hike a lot in the Canadian Rockies and the motto is: “If you don’t like the weather, wait 5 minutes.” Our mountain weather (even in the midst of summer) is unpredictable. Storms gather without warning and snow can fall any one of the 12 months of the year. Warm beverages and hot meals are life-savers.

That being said, there are certain hiking areas where the rain, when it falls, doesn’t chill you to the bone. For those places, you might want to try a trip without a stove. Here are a few meal ideas to help you test the waters.

Breaking the Fast
There is the old standby of granola with powdered milk, but spice it up a bit with dried blueberries or strawberries (rehydrate before adding to your muesli), cranberries, ginger, papaya or pineapple.

Bagels travel well, but they can get a little boring after a while. Try switching it up by chowing down on a cheddar cheese bagel topped with peanut butter, or a multigrain bagel with herbed cream cheese, or a Callebaut chocolate bagel liberally slathered with Nutella.

Munching on a Little Lunch
Wrap it all up (spinach wraps, tomato wraps, whole wheat wraps) with tuna (in foil package) and a couple of single serving sized mayonnaise packets. Pack a few slices of salami and white cheddar cheese, add a little pesto sauce and spread it out on a nice piece of Panini bread. Or pull out a piece of Landjaeger sausage and take a bite before chomping down on a piece of Stilton cheese sitting on top of a whole wheat cracker. It’s a heady taste sensation. For all, add a few crispy carrot sticks.

Super Supper Ideas
Suppers get a little trickier without a stove (and I’m not sold on the cleanup without hot water), but it is possible to come up with some appealing stove-free menus. Pre-trip, just before setting off on trail, open a can of Domalthes (stuffed vine leaves) and seal in freezer-strength ziplock bag (ensure strong seal). When ready to eat that same night, prepare dried hummous mixture with plenty of purified water. Make a bagged Caesar salad mix (setting aside a small handful of Romaine for next night’s dinner). Set out plate with salad, top with Domalthes and place a large dollop of hummous and slice of pita on the side. Enjoy your trailside mezes in a minute!

On the next night, enjoy a packers pita, stuffed with the leftover lettuce, diced Roma tomatoes (they pack well), a little leftover Stilton or white cheddar cheese, and a few strips of that pre-cooked and shelf-safe bacon.