Grub Menu for 2025

One Week (7 day) Grub Menu for 2025

For 2025 I am packing enough grub for 3½ months.  All grocery supplies are off-the-shelf items.

I drink hot water alone with supper, and cold or hot water for other meals.  I have become intolerant of caffeine in drinks such as tea and coffee.  Water is sterilized by boiling for one minute or by a filtration system. The latter removes bacteria and parasites (but not viruses, so is technically not sterilized).

The past two seasons I successfully used Daryl's Bars protein bars (Cinnamon Honey bar).  I remain happy with their taste and performance, better than any previous bars in the 20g protein range.  Unlike most competitor products the bars contain no artificial colours, flavours or sweeteners and have a healthy low sodium content.  A plus is that they are a Canadian product which also ships to USA.  Thanks again to John Murray of Daryl's Bars for his support in placing a large order.  https://darylsbars.com/

Changes in the menu for 2025:

Canoe season 2024 the premixed bannock with double butter but no shortening was exposed to consistently hot conditions; the currants fermented and the butter melted.  For 2025 I am reverting to previous menus with butter plus shortening and added quick rolled oats, white wheat bran and salt.  The labile ingredients will be stored individually and added in the field to each bannock (currants, ground flax seed, seed mixture).

Cashews are now eaten at breakfast instead of mixed seeds.

Mixed seeds will now be added to the bannock mixture just before baking.  (See contents below.)

Whole wheat couscous volume reduced to ½c from ¾c.

The following have been removed from the menu:

nutritional yeast (a redundant additive, its nutrition contained in other listed foods)

orzo (replaced with whole wheat couscous which is faster and easier to cook)

Average daily nutritional intake based on this 2025 menu:

4275 calories, 347g total carbohydrates, 61g fibre, 227g total fat, 210g protein, sodium 4.9g

Breakfast - 7 days:

1 protein bar Daryl's Bars Cinnamon Honey 58g (22g protein)

¼ bannock cold or hot if freshly baked (See contents below.)

Breakfast - 5 days:

cashews roasted salted ¼c

peanut butter smooth 1tbsp

Breakfast - 2 days:

grated Parmesan cheese ¼c

real bacon crumbled ¼c (stores well unrefrigerated if not aliquoted until first used)

Lunch - 7 days:

1 protein bar Daryl's Bars Cinnamon Honey 58g (22g protein)

¼ bannock cold

vitamins

almonds roasted salted ¼c

Mini Babybel™ cheese 20g (stores well in its wax cover if cloth-wrapped to protect from damage)

Excel® (Eclipse® in USA) sugar-free gum

Supper - daily:

grated Parmesan cheese ¼c (6 days excluding the macaroni & cheese meal)

1 protein bar Daryl's Bars Cinnamon Honey 58g (22g protein)

fresh salad 3c (most commonly: fireweed; or leaves/catkins of alder, birch or willow)

fresh fruit if available ½c (lingonberries, bunchberries, blueberries, red currants, raspberries, highbush cranberries, cloudberries, rose hips, Saskatoon berries, pin cherries, crowberries, bilberries)

Supper - 1 day:

macaroni and real cheese 2c (Kraft™ Deluxe Original Cheddar or Four Cheese 400g)

Supper - 2 days:

oriental noodles 2x85g using the enclosed spice packets

or stuffing mix 120g

Brunswick® sardines 106g can in soy oil plain label

Supper - 1 day:

couscous whole wheat ½c (plus chicken soup mix 1tbsp)

fish fried (coated with cornmeal 2tbsp, Montreal steak spice 1tbsp), fried in Crisco™ shortening (½lb saved and reused over a period of two weeks)

Supper - 1 day:

fried fish sauteed in ghee with whole wheat couscous (See recipe below.)

Supper - 2 days:

fish chowder [diced fish boiled in double usual amount water before adding potato flakes 1c, chicken soup mix 1tbsp] plus ghee 2tbsp, Parmesan cheese ¼c

OR

small game instead of fish (roasted over coals, or meat sliced and sauteed in shortening 1tbsp)

Bannock (Butter-Seeds Bannock):

Premixed before the trip (whole wheat flour 1c, cornmeal ¼c, chickpea flour ¼c, skim milk powder ¼c, quick rolled oats ¼c, white wheat bran 2tbsp, baking powder 1tbsp, sugar 1tsp, salt ⅜tsp, salted butter 4tbsp, Crisco shortening 4tbsp)(total volume ~3c after mixing).  Just before baking, mix in currants ½c and seed mixture (hemp hearts 1tbsp, chia 1tbsp, buckwheat toasted 1tbsp, pumpkin seeds shelled roasted salted 1tbsp plus ground flax seed 2tbsp).  Add cold potable water to make soft dough, mixing with a spoon then kneading.  Sprinkle a thin layer of 1tsp cornmeal in mixing pan before flattening the dough; lift bannock and sprinkle another layer of 1tsp cornmeal in pan before flipping bannock so both sides are coated.  Bake ~350°F for ~30 minutes, or slanted in pan in front of fire.  I premix batches of eight bannocks at a time and package in doubled small Ziploc® bags.  Separately bag sets of currants and seeds each packed in small Ziploc® bags.

Sauteed fried pike or walleye recipe:

Sautee freshly fried fish in 2tbsp ghee, turning to coat both sides.  Break up the fish into small pieces.  Add a mixture of ¼c Parmesan cheese, 2tbsp sugar, 1 tsp lemon pepper, turning the fish to coat.  Next add to ¾c boiling water ½c whole wheat couscous with added 1tbsp chicken soup mix; after couscous absorbs the water mix with the fish to soak up the ghee.

Central Saskatchewan 2025 Camp 1 (Jun 15 - 16)

View from camp 1 to the south and east.  The small island mid photo and the shore to its left were burned earlier this month.  Even though the island is surrounded by water an ember must have blown to it from the mainland.

The large island to the north where I have previously camped burned but thankfully camp 1's small island was spared.  Note in the middle photo the tiny isle near the large one survived intact.

Thanks to Jeff of The Old Boathouse YYC for more repairs to my canoe.  He added three layers of epoxy coating to the keel and replaced the bent rear aluminum thwart with a sturdy ash wood one.  The downside is repairs added 4 lb to canoe's weight.  https://www.oldboathouseyyc.com/

Notes on use of LifeStraw® to purify drinking water.  

LifeStraw® removes bacteria and parasites but does not remove viruses.

To make it easy to drink through the LifeStraw® I use a container to hold raw water.  I previously used a Rubbermaid® plastic container which became scratched, hard to keep clean and too tall.  The new stainless steel cup is easier to keep clean and just the right height so there is less risk of unfiltered water contaminating the mouthpiece ("Contigo West Loop 2.0" travel mug, 16oz/473mL, inside dimensions 2.5" x 6").  Thanks to Jeanette for donating her travel mug!  Last season my LifeStraw® plugged prematurely.  I thought it could be kept clear by simply shaking it vigorously but realize now that the directions state to blow through the unit to backflush; directions ... who reads directions?  I find it best to backflush frequently as well as when finished drinking.  It takes one very long hard blow until the water stops running.  (Follow-up: This year the LifeStraw® continued to work well for the entire season after implementing the proper backflush procedure.)  To drink from the LifeStraw® you usually have to suck hard to get started.  It helps to fill the cup with raw water then let the LifeStraw® sit in the water for a minute or so before using.  Once the LifeStraw® is in use do not let it freeze which will damage the filter system.  If storing the LifeStraw® at home at the end of the season there is a cleaning procedure to follow.  Because I use a LifeStraw® for a long period of time I replace with a new one every year.

Two different American white pelicans.

Male and female common mergansers along my island.

The island is home to many spring plants (below).

Alumroot (edible).

Prickly rose (edible).

Stemless lady's slipper pink orchid.

Wild lily-of-the-valley.

Bunchberry (edible white bracts in spring and orange berries in autumn).

Red-osier dogwood (edible white berries in autumn).

Black spruce (showing edible spring tips).

Wild raspberry (edible).

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Summary:

Preamble discusses trip delay.  Much wildfire burned forest.  Pelicans and mergansers greet me at camp.  Canoe repaired in off-season (epoxy coating to keel and replacement thwart).  Notes on use of LifeStraw® for purifying drinking water.  Distance paddled 14 km.  Glad to rest after the long drive before moving on.

Preamble:

My scheduled departure date was June 1 but out-of-control wildfire forced delay.  Not only that but I could not take my usual route east of Besnard Lake through Prince Albert because of highway closures due to fire and smoke.  Many communities had already evacuated to escape fire.  I had to travel from the west through Meadow Lake and Beauval.  Initially there was a Saskatchewan-wide fire ban but by the time I start canoeing the ban only applied to areas south of the Churchill River.  Most of my camping will be north of that.  In fact there were many such fires and evacuations across all four western provinces, later across northern and eastern Canada as well.  Some of the fires are preventable, especially those that start along roads, human caused, discarded cigarettes being one source. The past few years a new unenviable record of wildfire is set annually.

June 15:

Weary from driving over 1000 km in two days I launch the loaded canoe at 12:15 after activating the SPOT™ Satellite GPS Messenger to notify my contacts I have arrived safely.  Paddling 14 km before deciding on a small island campsite it feels good to stop at 17:00.  I could have stopped at 15:30 on the west mainland but this is a better campsite and bears are less likely.  While paddling I am happy to see from a distance that both areas remain green; however the east shore forest is brown from fire, designated the label 'Pisew' which was apparently human caused, that has advanced all the way to La Ronge forcing its evacuation.  The fire has destroyed cabins including that of my friend Michael.  The island where I have previously camped just north of here was burned according to the fire map viewed at home.  I drove through rain all yesterday to reach Meadow Lake where I stopped overnight; unfortunately the rain never reached Besnard Lake.  Because of bothersome mosquitoes I have a late supper in the Bug Tent.  The meal is a cold one as will be those until I reach the Churchill River in a few days.  I cannot see any visible smoke.  This island rises steeply but there is a levelish spot near shore to set up the tent; there is just enough flat area on one side of the tent for my bed and a restful sleep.

June 16:

Sleeping in until 07:00 it is a cool 17°C, very cloudy, clearing in late afternoon, temperature rising to 23°C.  A fire would feel good this morning but not possible because of the fire ban.  Several mergansers have landed in my little bay and swim away; they obviously land here regularly and I try to avoid scaring them.  Walking to the north side of my isle I confirm that the nearby large island has burned in the recent fire.  On my way back I pick fireweed salad greens.  I am cheered to see many spring plants and flowers.  Before supper I have a cold bath but am plenty warm in the west sunshine.

Central Saskatchewan 2025 Camp 2 (Jun 17 - 19)

Sunrise June 17 at 04:46, Camp 1.

Photos above are of the recently burned large island just north of Camp 1.

Breakfast stop on the large island.  Just inland are the remains of a cabin burned earlier this month.  All that remain are the warped metal roof and some cement blocks.

Two pelicans let me approach uncommonly close, awkward looking at rest, graceful in flight.

I have made surprisingly good time so decide to continue across two portages after lunch.  As I approach the landing the area was obviously burned since I was here four years ago.  In my experience if the burn occurred the previous year the portage is often still in decent shape; if prior to that I may need to clear the trail or take an alternate route which would first require setting up camp, in this case probably several kilometres back.

After docking and walking the 300 metre trail I am pleased and thankful that someone with a chainsaw cleared a path through many down trees, some quite large.  I only have to toss off some branches and small trees.  Soon after I start portaging rain starts with thunder and lightning; one crack of thunder makes me duck ... and involuntarily yell, probably something other than my usual aie, aie, aie!  I am soon soaked but manage to keep the packs mostly under the cover of the overturned canoe.  The rain continues during the entire portage.

Reloading and paddling down a small lake I reach the next 80 metre portage.  The beaver dam is overflowing.  Unfortunately for the beavers they no longer have a food source because of the fire so the dam will not be kept up now.  Water from the lake is running down the trail in addition to the nearby creek; I am already wet so slogging through the rivulet cannot make me much wetter.

Barrels ready to portage; to make it easier to hoist the load I place heavier barrels on top of lightest.  The harness sits on one of the heavy barrels ready to be fastened on a barrel for carrying.

I pull the canoe down the trail, easy to do downhill on the grass and the running water.

The second portage leads to the lake where I plan to camp.  Although the forest beside the lake was burned, I give thanks for the visible islands being spared, on one of which I hope to set up camp.

The two heavy barrels tied to trees as a precaution against bears.  In the past I have lost a barrel to a bear so tying should at least slow down a bear enough for the bells to hopefully alert me.

Camp set up amongst sheltering spruce trees.

A stand of fireweed provides fresh salad for supper.

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Summary:

A long travel day, 22 km including two portages, 300 metres soaking wet in the rain with bothersome blackflies and 80 down a 'creek' trail.  Witness one razed cabin and much burned forest, including unexpectedly at the portages.  Thankfully someone cleared the longer portage and my planned camp 2 location escaped the fire.  Repaired canoe is hard to hoist and carry, not a good omen.  Cool nighttime temperatures are welcome.  Minor wildfire smoke appears.

June 17:

Up before my 03:30 alarm I depart in good time by 06:00.  Two pelicans and several mergansers see me off.  Paddling past the large island I see it has all been burned, my usual campsite gone as suspected.  I stop at the northeast corner for breakfast.  All that is left of a nearby cabin is the fire-warped metal roof and a few blocks.  While sitting on a boulder eating my meal a mouse runs across in front of me; it probably survived in the shelter of a crevice or underground.  Turning over a stone shows dozens of ants; they have many holes in the ground where they too stayed safe.  A few blades of grass and fireweed here and there were spared.  Across the channel another even bigger island was burned; farther away on its other side is the location of Michael's island cabin that was razed.  Apparently several other cabins and outfitter camps were also lost in the blaze.  Farther on, the long slender island at a narrows has burned a second time in a few years, the remaining young bush all gone.  A favourable tailwind continues until midway followed by a sidewind.  By the time I stop for lunch at 13:30 I face a headwind and give thanks for the progress made, nearing the north end of the long Besnard Lake.  Having made such good time I decide to continue on to the next lake to camp which will involve two portages.  After a few kilometres of hard paddling I get close enough to the portage area to see that the bush has all burned sometime since my last visit four years ago.  Having gone this far I continue to the landing to investigate.  The fire was long enough ago that shrubs and grass have regrown.  The burn extends as far as I can see down the west shore of Besnard Lake.

Walking the portage to see if it needs clearing I am pleased and thankful that someone with a chainsaw has cut out many big down trees.  I carry my usual first load which includes tools but do not have to stop to do any clearing of the 300 metre trail.  On the return trip I throw off a few branches and small trees.  From my journal: "Everything sure looks different now.  Hard to recognize.  Starts to thunder and rain.  One big crack of thunder startles me into ducking and yelling something, probably something 'bad'.  First thought is I might regret portaging but not going back now with canoe unloaded and one load carried.  I think my younger self took over and out-decided older self!  But to give credit also said will stop for at least a three day camp to look forward to.  Rain gear is in my pack at the opposite end of the portage.  Oh well ... c'est la vie.  Portaging makes me sweat so probably wouldn't wear rainsuit anyway.  At first just a few drops, then light rain ... then a downpour and get soaked.  The joy of portaging in the rain.  Black flies bothersome.  (Later I see many red bite marks on backs of hands.  Haven't looked in mirror at my face.  Blackflies were not bad enough to wear head net especially while portaging in the rain.  Blackflies are sneaky and I can have many bites even under clothes without realizing.)  Rains the entire first portage, about two hours.  Store non-waterproof packs under canoe.  Carry canoe on second trip ... while I'm 'fresh ... er'.  Takes three attempts to hoist canoe.  Canoe weighs four extra pounds with new ash rear thwart and three layers of epoxy coating on keel, a total of 75 lb with yoke pad and canvas portage tote.  Don't know if it should make that much difference but feels heavier ... or I'm weaker.  Canoe also feels unbalanced so that could also contribute."

From my journal: "Short paddle to next portage.  As I approach I see all bush burned and exclaim out loud 'Sure hope the target island in the next lake was not burned.'  With no food anymore for beavers they will not be here to maintain their dam near the outlet so there is a healthy trickle of overflow down the steep 80 metre trail that lies beside the creek.  Feet already wet ... no problem ... I slog through the water largely hidden beneath the tall grass until several trips flatten a path.  Pulling the canoe is easy downhill.  When I get to the lower landing I can see green islands in the next lake but cannot see my isle yet.  Reload canoe and shove off, hoping for the best.  Rounding a peninsula I see my target in the distance looks good but reserve judgement till landing and checking the campsite.  All good!  Yay!  Give thanks several times out loud.  Initiate SPOT™ at 19:15, a long day and camp not set up yet.  Have made good time, 22 km including two portages, 300 metres in the rain and 80 down a 'creek' trail.  Thank goodness didn't have to canoe farther to find another campsite.  Have to clear a few down trees to tent site.  Blackflies still bothersome, worse cause I'm rain-soaked and sweaty.  Have been drinking water often using LifeStraw®.  Tent up, gear stored in tent or under canoe, two heavy barrels tied to trees.  Toss sleep gear into tent plus unassembled chair.  Remove wet clothing and gear, open windows.  Lay out bedding, having to fill one bad dip underneath with small folded tarp.  After ablutions don PJs; dry clothes feel so good.  Eat supper, drinking most of the 500 mL canteen.  Use headlamp sparingly as required.  In bed by 22:30, I sleep well, in fleece shell until early morning when I climb into sleeping bag.  Only minor leg cramps during the night so must have been drinking enough water." 

June 18:

Arising at 06:30 I have slept in and feel great.  Temperature was 12°C last night, now 15°C and cloudy as I eat breakfast.  My jeans are drying but still damp at bottoms and beltline.  Boots are wet but drying with fresh socks on.  After rinsing wet socks, handkerchief and bandana I hang them on clothesline to dry along with some other gear in the sunshine and brisk east wind which keeps up all day.  Damp packs and barrel harness are laid out in the sun and are dry by midafternoon.  Underfoot there are winter droppings of woodland caribou and moose.  Loons are calling nearby and a small shorebird flits along shore.  A pileated woodpecker is loudly drilling a nearby tree.  While I sit out of direct sun on a layer of green spruce branches under the Tarp, the small spiders that live there crawl all over me, annoyingly including up pantlegs; when I drop my jeans to brush them off ants too are keeping them company.  I feel bad for the spiders but they will find new homes in other spruce trees.  By midafternoon I have finished updating my journal and put dry gear away.  Paddling the long distance yesterday, one stroke per second for several hours at a time leaves my neck stiff and sore; I pledge to do neck exercises every day at lunch and bedtime to see if they help.  In the past I would take the anti-inflammatory naproxen but it only provided short term relief and made me feel wonky.  (Follow-up:  Doing the exercises daily this season seems to do the trick, much better than drugs.  The exercises need to be done faithfully even when not sore.)  Before supper I hang my clothes on the line and have a much-needed bath out of the wind on the west side of the island where the hot sun feels good.  Clothes have finally all dried but boots are still damp.  Now I take witness of my blackfly bites inflicted on yesterday's portage, about 10 red spots on the back of each hand and five on my forehead.  Tired already at 18:40 I head to bed.  From my journal: "Busy day, busy week!"

June 19:

Before I arise at 07:30 after a good sleep there is a nice gentle rain making the ground wet; we need a lot more.  A cool 12°C night again, in the sleeping bag by morning.  By late afternoon temperature rises to 23°C and I have another bath.  The shade under the Tarp is much appreciated as I update journal and complete a number of puzzles.  From my journal: "Thinking of moving on tomorrow though not looking forward to the long portage of almost one kilometre.  Hopefully it's in decent shape.  Right now though falling asleep as I sit so another day here may be warranted."  Flies are bothersome especially under the Tarp, housefly-sized and smaller.  The wind now switches to the west bringing light smoke.  There were no major fires west of here when I left home so hope there is nothing significant locally; smoke could be from Alberta or British Columbia.  After supper I decide to prepack with plans to move on tomorrow.