BREAKFAST

LUNCH

    Peanut butter and jelly on pita or sliced bread is a classic.  Store creamy condiments like nut butters or liquid margarine in reusable plastic squeeze tubes available at outdoor shops or in plastic tubs from grocery stores, then double-bag them to contain the inevitable drips.   Bread must be dense (like pita, pumpernickel or rye) so it doesn't squash or take up excess space, and tough so it doesn't crumble.  English muffins generally hold up well, though they're a little bulky.
Cheese is a staple, but seal it well so the oil that separates in a warm pack doesn't dribble all over.  Avoid sharp cheeses, which can turn almost liquid in hot weather.   Plastic-pouched lunch meats work too, if you can stand the preservatives.   Pepperoni and salami are old standbys.  Again, pack them tightly and keep a sharp eye for spoilage.

SNACKS

    Dried fruits make a welcome dessert for any meal, and invariably become snacks.  Many supermarkets have barrels stocked full of these long-lasting fruits, nuts and snacks that you buy in bulk—cheaper than paying for prepackaged gorp.  Some grocery stores sell "fruit leathers," which are even more compact than whole dried fruits and as tasty.  On the trail, you'll rely on these snacks to keep your energy up.
    Lots of people pack hard candies or chocolate bars for quick energy boosts, though the nutrition value is hotly debated.  If nothing else, they are at least morale boosters, if you can ignore what they're doing to your teeth.  The same holds for sugared, powdered fruit drinks you add to water, unless you buy one of the electrolyte replacement drinks that may have some value.

DINNER

    For their simplicity and nutrition, casseroles epitomize backpacking dinner entrees.  Here, the grocery-store backpacker is in luck, because many supermarkets feature an entire aisle of dried, boxed casseroles.  Many come close to matching the weight and bulk of freeze-dried, but you'll often have to add your own meat or cheese to get the nutrition and flavor you need.
    You can easily make up your own casserole with noodles, rice, beans, peas, rains, pilafs or cheeses.  Just use the dried versions of ingredients listed in your kitchen cookbook.  Powdered sauce mixes are available to make spaghetti, tacos, chili, stroganoff, sour cream, pesto, cheese and even cooking wine.  Mix the dry ingredients at home to save time on the trail.
   If your casserole turns out too watery, call it a soup or stew and enjoy it as such.  The bulkier, often starchier prepackaged soups work great as a hot liquid to tide you over while the dinner simmers, but most are low in nutrition, despite the healthy-looking labels.  Also, beware of monosodium glutamate, a flavor enhancer commonly found in supermarket dried foods:  don't find out that you react to the stuff (with vague, hangover-like symptoms) midway through a week-long trip.
    Some healthy lightweight foods, like dried beans, are notorious for long-simmering preparation times inappropriate when you have to carry the fuel and don't want to fall asleep before dinner is ready.  But soaking them in a bag hung on your pack while you hike cuts the normally required cooking time in half.  To help avoid jet-propulsion flatulence the next morning, try eating whole-grain rice or bread with your beans.
    Tomato sauce forms a base for many meals:  spaghetti, rice mixes, stew, egg concoctions.  Use a powdered form or tomato paste that you can thin with water while cooking.  For a long trip, transfer the paste to a plastic tube.
    For vegetable fillers, the spice rack provides alternates to some fresh items:  dried flakes of onion, garlic, parsley, celery, green peppers, mushrooms. These can also liven up soups, stews and breakfast eggs.  Fresh onions, carrots, cauliflower and cabbage pack and preserve well on the trail, if you can handle the weight.   For an easy side salad, soak chopped portions of these in a little water and eat them raw.  Sitting in your own kitchen, powdered potatoes may not sound especially appetizing; hunching on a mossy log 20 miles in the bush, you'll likely find those potatoes—with some margarine, salt, pepper, onion flakes, garlic powder, or parsley—delicious.
    For the carnivorous, smoked meats such as bacon, sausage and ham will keep for several days on the trail.  Still, use them up early in your itinerary.   Beef jerky can easily substitute for beef or hamburger in casseroles, and it reconstitutes easily in a little boiling water.

PREPARATION TIPS

    Remove food from its commercial wrappers and repack (along with the instructions) in tough, freezer-durable, zip-top plastic bags.  Pack whole meals together to prevent having to rummage later.   Double-bag large quantities of powders in case one bag springs a leak.
    Keep checking the state of your fresh foods throughout your trip.   BP

* Amount, ingredients and cost up to individual hikers.