Eat food you like. Adapt food you’re comfortable with.

Test new ideas (food choice or preparation method) at home first, proceed gradually, this way you don't have any surprises on your trip.

Time spent on organization, preparation, and packaging is more efficiently done at home than while on a trip.
a) Discard all unnecessary packaging and re-label   i.e.. If food item comes in a plastic bag, which is in a cardboard box, get rid of the cardboard box a put a label on the plastic bag. This will reduce the weight and bulk or your pack, and also less litter to carry in and OUT.
b) Package all meal ingredients together with instructions in one bag, this will save you time and effort looking for the ingredients and preparation instructions, especially when it getting late and dark !
c) The more organized and prepared you are before you leave on a trip the easier it will be putting your meal together and more time to enjoy the wilderness.

Trip duration and time of year.
a) Is this a Day / Weekend / Expedition?. This will determine how much food and what type of food to bring. If this is a day or weekend then you can bring more perishable items such as fresh fruit and vegetables that will last for the duration of the trip. If this is an expedition trip usually a week or more then you might consider dehydration of your fruit and vegetables.
b) Is this summer or winter?. Again this will determine type of food and how long it will last. The nice thing about tripping in the late fall, winter and early spring is that you have a natural refrigerator with you.

Know what people like or dislike before you leave on a trip.
a) Does anybody have FOOD ALLERGIES ? Peanuts, Soya, etc. if not dealt with properly could lead to disaster on your trip.
b) C-O-V Carnivores, Omnivores, Herbivores. Plan your meals accordingly and respect other peoples eating habits. If you have vegetarians on your trip and your meal has meat in it then cook separately and add the meat to the meal after people have taken their portions.
c) Legitimate Dislikes, Some people do not like spicy food, sea food etc. Again plan accordingly.

Transportation and Storage.
a) Make sure your food is waterproofed properly, the last thing you want have happen is your food pack falls in the water or gets caught is a good rain storm. Your friends won't appreciate the soggy bread or water logged humus. The easiest way to water proof is to the line the inside of your pack with one or two new garbage bags, sealed individually with a goose neck (twist the top of the bag tightly and then fold over, and slip an elastic band over.)
b) Once you arrive at your camp site make sure your food is properly animal proofed, whether it is from chipmunks, raccoons or bears! Either tie your food up in a tree on a good branch away from the trunk of the tree so the animal can't clime up and reach your pack, or in proper food barrels. In both cases the food should be stored away from the camp encase some big animal comes looking for food and not you. Food should be properly stored any time you are not using it, whether it is at night, or when you are out of camp for that paddel or hike.