Touring - Touring without a Stove - Suggestions for foods?

Hello,

Still doing more research for my tour in a couple months. I would like to tour without a stove. It is weight I feel I can do without since I can bring my own nutrition to last me a couple days till I get into a town at least.

I've run into a little snag though. What foods can I bring that are nutritious and don't need to be cooked? I thought rice would be my staple, but recently found that eating a lot of it uncooked can cause serious health issues if consumed for lengthy periods of time.

Really, I do not care about taste. For this trip I am much more concerned with nutrition rather than taste. I don't want to eat something that's not going to fuel me correctly. I'd rather rough it then waste bike space bringing something unnecessary. Besides, I'll probably be stopping every once in a while at a towns diner to rest and replenish.

Grains are the most important part of a diet so I would imagine that something like cheerios would be the best option to bring. Rice is obviously more space efficient, but since I can't simply add water and eat that I guess im SOL. Is bringing cheerios in one of my panniers the best option for food that doesn't need to be cooked and is excellent in nutrition? I'll probably still bring a box of power bars to snack on till I hit a town for lunch or dinner.

Are there foods I'm not thinking of that would be better suited for this situation? Show me the most tasteless nutritious foods you've got. I'm game. Matt

I should also ask.

Is eating uncooked rice bad for you? I based this off of a response at http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070105063414AAe1DDQ

I haven't found much of a definite 'professional' opinion on the matter. Could it be a good staple diet, but also mix it with fruits/veggies and other forms of food I could get from town to town?

I'm looking for a staple food to bring to get me going and surviving. Key word on surviving, because if it is important in helping me survive it can't be half bad in keeping me on the bike right? Matt

First, I couldn't imagine eating uncooked rice!! My teeth would fall apart!

Second, what's wrong with sandwiches? Buy a loaf of bread, or a package of bagals or buns. You can squash them to make them fit in your panniers better and they'll still be fine. (That's how I ate bread for 3 months!) Then get stuff like little tins of tuna or chicken to make sandwiches. For the first day, you can get deli meat for the sandwiches, but I would use it up the first day so it doesn't go off. Processed cheese will last several days. And you can top your sandwiches up with some lettuce or cucumbers or tomatoes.

For breakfast, you can get granola (musli) cereal with fruit and almonds and all sorts of good things, and you can pick up some milk, or powdered milk along the way.

Some people I know buy tins of brown beans and eat them raw ... personally I'm not so fond of that idea, but they'd be quite nutritious.

You can get trail mix with nuts and raisins and things for some variety ... and crackers ... and cookies ... and granola bars ... and cereal bars.

Go to your local grocery store and browse!

peanut butter sandwiches don't require cooking. bread takes up a lot of room though. I take lots of nuts (especially cashews) hiking becaue they have a high fat content. I also take balance bars, rasins, chese crackers, snickers, tuna in foil pouches, summer sausage, pringles chips etc. Basically, food without a lot of water (except fot the tuna in foil). I love the last bit of cherios in the box (you know the real fine dust). for backpacking I take a hammer aholt of some to get rid of the bulk and is it similar to the powder (not quite as good for some reason) and carry powdered milk.

Coy Boy

My first question would be how long is the tour and why would you do this? None of my business, but the seafood (tuna shrimp etc) in a pouch will last for a long time, not take too much weight or space and provide a change from bland. Peanut butter and honey sandwiches last a long time. you can add sliced banana and makes em good. Larabar is a great nutition bar, but i haven't found them recently. Try three bean salad in tightly sealed bags (no leaks). you can suck it down on the road a small bag at a time. Machka seems to have her self together. I heartily agree with the browse function as well as the trail mix. Cheerios seems like little nutrition for lots of space. I've been known to be wrong though.

My first question would be how long is the tour and why would you do this? None of my business, but the seafood (tuna shrimp etc) in a pouch will last for a long time, not take too much weight or space and provide a change from bland. Peanut butter and honey sandwiches last a long time. you can add sliced banana and makes em good. Larabar is a great nutition bar, but i haven't found them recently. Try three bean salad in tightly sealed bags (no leaks). you can suck it down on the road a small bag at a time. Machka seems to have her self together. I heartily agree with the browse function as well as the trail mix. Cheerios seems like little nutrition for lots of space. I've been known to be wrong though.


It's a cross country tour so about 2 months. I was thinking it'd be better to stay away from canned foods simply because of the weight and that I would have to eat it's contents since it will spoil in a short time. That's why I also didn't consider bread. Although, peanut butter and bread is very delicious and would be a good food to fuel me easily. I wouldn't mind eating that every day and often so I could probably eat through the bread before it spoiled on me. I'll have to try it with honey too.

peanut butter sandwiches don't require cooking. bread takes up a lot of room though. I take lots of nuts (especially cashews) hiking becaue they have a high fat content. I also take balance bars, rasins, chese crackers, snickers, tuna in foil pouches, summer sausage, pringles chips etc. Basically, food without a lot of water (except fot the tuna in foil). I love the last bit of cherios in the box (you know the real fine dust). for backpacking I take a hammer aholt of some to get rid of the bulk and is it similar to the powder (not quite as good for some reason) and carry powdered milk.

Coy Boy


Peanut butter and bread seems to be a popular answer. Thanks for the cashews suggestion though. I completely forgot about nuts, but its more obvious now with the peanut butter suggestions. Cashews would be a great cheap snack food to keep me going. They wouldn't spoil. They're easily found at grocery stores, and are highly nutritious. Sounds like a good pick so far. I'm really trying to go for the bare basics to carry and any luxury foods I'll eat at restaurants.

Is there any benefit that carrying snicks, pringles, summer sausage would give more than peanut butter sandwiches and cashews besides more variety?

It's a cross country tour so about 2 months. I was thinking it'd be better to stay away from canned foods simply because of the weight and that I would have to eat it's contents since it will spoil in a short time. That's why I also didn't consider bread. Although, peanut butter and bread is very delicious and would be a good food to fuel me easily. I wouldn't mind eating that every day and often so I could probably eat through the bread before it spoiled on me. I'll have to try it with honey too.

Bread will keep for about a week, and there are a lot of bread options out there. You can get small loaves of bread, buns of every shape and size and flavor, bagals, pita, crackers ....
You can squash the fluffier breads and buns down if you need to carry them. They'll taste the same, they'll just be a different texture.

You can also pick up cakes and muffins and things. It was approaching Christmas on my 3-month tour, so I ate a lot of fruit cake. Fruit cake keeps for a good week or more!

Canned food will keep forever as long as the can isn't opened. Much longer than your 2 month tour! Tuna comes in two different sized cans - a larger one which would make 2-3 sandwiches, and a small one that'll make 1 sandwich. The small tins are often flavored ... lemon and pepper, dill, etc. etc. The small ones don't weigh much. You could carry 5 of them and hardly notice the weight. I've never seen the tuna pouches but they might be quite light too.

I hate cooking in general (nevermind on a tour) ... but I like some variety in my meals. So what I'll do sometimes is just start at one end of the grocery store and walk up and down the aisles. I look at everything and debate about how much effort it would take to make ... the less effort the better! Sometimes the grocery stores come out with new products which can be interesting (like the small tins of flavored tuna). I would recommend taking a good look at what is available! :)

First, I couldn't imagine eating uncooked rice!! My teeth would fall apart!

Second, what's wrong with sandwiches? Buy a loaf of bread, or a package of bagals or buns. You can squash them to make them fit in your panniers better and they'll still be fine. (That's how I ate bread for 3 months!) Then get stuff like little tins of tuna or chicken to make sandwiches. For the first day, you can get deli meat for the sandwiches, but I would use it up the first day so it doesn't go off. Processed cheese will last several days. And you can top your sandwiches up with some lettuce or cucumbers or tomatoes.

For breakfast, you can get granola (musli) cereal with fruit and almonds and all sorts of good things, and you can pick up some milk, or powdered milk along the way.

Some people I know buy tins of brown beans and eat them raw ... personally I'm not so fond of that idea, but they'd be quite nutritious.

You can get trail mix with nuts and raisins and things for some variety ... and crackers ... and cookies ... and granola bars ... and cereal bars.

Go to your local grocery store and browse!

I was afraid of sandwiches because I'm not sure how quickly I'd be eating. There was also the space factor. Like I said, I want the bare minimum to keep going. Maybe I'll spoil myself every couple of days with some canned food. :)

Trail mix/cashews and peanut butter honey sandwiches sounds like the best combo thus far for nutrition, cost, availability, weight, and space saving.

With such high fat content foods like cashews and such, are power bars necessary?

Thanks for the great suggestions Machka.

I'll admit that I think I'll be able to stomach eating peanut butter sandwiches more than I could eating tuna or other canned seafood. Something to consider ;)

I don't know how often you've eaten power bars over the past few months, but let me tell you ... it is a rare person who can stand the things for more than a few weeks.

I rarely eat any sort of energy bar anymore ... I go with granola bars, cereal bars, breakfast bars, dried fruit bars, cookies, pastries ... stuff like that.

juuan, you will eat a panniers worth of food every couple of days. you will NOT be able to resist. your caloric needs will be huge. don't worry about the food spoiling, unless you want to carry milk or steak tartar. and then there's dry milk for that problem.

do you cook much at home, and how old are you? I'm curious because i see a lot of confusion on your part regarding foodstuffs, etc...

I don't know how often you've eaten power bars over the past few months, but let me tell you ... it is a rare person who can stand the things for more than a few weeks.

I rarely eat any sort of energy bar anymore ... I go with granola bars, cereal bars, breakfast bars, dried fruit bars, cookies, pastries ... stuff like that.

+1

juuan, you will eat a panniers worth of food every couple of days. you will NOT be able to resist. your caloric needs will be huge. don't worry about the food spoiling, unless you want to carry milk or steak tartar. and then there's dry milk for that problem.

do you cook much at home, and how old are you? I'm curious because i see a lot of confusion on your part regarding foodstuffs, etc...


22 - Recent college grad. I stuck to the dining halls on campus rather than trying to cook. Hehe. I make some killer pancakes though, even without butter or things like berries or chocolate chips.

Anyways, I know I'll need to eat A LOT of food while touring. I know I won't be able to resist. I was just thinking that if you eat in town almost as much as eating what you bring might lead to some food spoiling. My tour will begin in may in Arizona as well. The heat is going to be cooking my food even if I don't want it to.

22 - Recent college grad. I stuck to the dining halls on campus rather than trying to cook. Hehe. I make some killer pancakes though, even without butter or things like berries or chocolate chips.



Ah, that explains a lot!!

See ... here's how it works. You cycle into a town and go to the local grocery store. I usually did this before setting up camp, but if you want to set up camp and then go to the local grocery store that's your choice. At the grocery store:

1) I would buy enough food for supper that night ... and that food could definitely be perishable. That's when you go for deli meat, yogurt, cheese, muffins, etc.
2) I would also buy enough for breakfast in the morning ... usually granola cereal because it's got a lot of calories and some substance to it, and milk. Your milk will last overnight - just get a small carton.
3) And I would buy enough for the next day ... things like the tins of tuna, or in your case peanut butter, bread, buns, pita, English muffins, or whatever, granola bars, cereal bars, cookies, etc. etc.

That was a daily routine.

If I knew it would be a couple days between grocery stores, I'd stock up on enough things that wouldn't perish within 24 hours to get me through.

1 Package Whole wheat tortillas
1 Handful instant refried bean mix (add water)
Any available vegetables finely chopped

Wrap up in cling wrap or foil and eat while pedaling.

In Summer, when touring by myself, I don't mind NOT having a stove. Fruits and vegetables are in season and I do wonders with those... and some nuts. But I didn't like it too much when it's cold and in areas with horrible vegetables (ex.: Newfoundland).

Regarding bread, there's the (originally Swedish) crispbread (http://www.wasa.com/wasa/smpage.fwx?page=1&main=home). It's lightweight and non-perishable, has fibers, carbs and minerals. It's my choice of bread for longer paddle tours for example, where one may have to go for days without re-supply.

--J

I would like to tour without a stove. It is weight I feel I can do without
Lots of good answers already. Breads and foil packed tuna (take serving sized foil packs of mayo from a fast food restaurant) are nice as is peanut butter and jelly or honey.

Going stoveless is fine, but if weight or cost are the sole reasons you may want to reconsider. Cost or weight are just not that big of a factor if you use a Pepsi can stove or even some commercial stoves (Trangia for one). The Pepsi can stove is essentially free and weighs about 1/3 ounce. The fuel is cheap but obviously weighs more than the stove. Even if you don't want to really cook, the ability to boil water allows you to add stuff like ramen noodles, instant rice, instant potatoes, soft-boiled eggs, and instant oatmeal to your diet. The hot water is also nice when cleaning up.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beverage-can_stove

The fear of cans is justified but now there are resealable pouches. Those are fantastic if you are worried about weight and spoilage.

If you are dead set on having a bread, haul tortillas with you. They will last forever:D (well not really but I have had them go over 2 weeks on a long haul backpacking trip. The foil pouches are a godsend too. But as most people have pointed out you will be hitting towns on a fairly regular basis and can replenish as necessary. I usually carry a very small MSR stove to boil water with for a hot drink on a cold day. Nothing brings cheer like a hot cup of tea or cider after riding in a 50*f cold rain all day.

Aaron:)

I don't know how often you've eaten power bars over the past few months, but let me tell you ... it is a rare person who can stand the things for more than a few weeks.

I rarely eat any sort of energy bar anymore ... I go with granola bars, cereal bars, breakfast bars, dried fruit bars, cookies, pastries ... stuff like that.
I'm a big fan of Payday candy bars as a sub for energy/power bars.

1 Package Whole wheat tortillas
1 Handful instant refried bean mix (add water)
Any available vegetables finely chopped

Wrap up in cling wrap or foil and eat while pedaling.
Instant refried bean mix! I didn't know such a thing existed. I will definitely check that out.

Peanut butter, tortillas, granola, peanut butter, honey (double wrapped!), summer sausage, peanut butter, foil-packaged tuna (not canned), cheese, crackers, peanut butter, occasional candy bar, trail mix, mixed nuts, peanut butter, bagels, beans, fruits & veggies, peanut butter, bananas, granola, and always some peanut butter.

I can't imagine going on a tour without a stove. You can make your own from just a small cat food can and run it with alcohol. It weighs almost nothing and the fuel weight is nowhere near that of water. Just check out this link of homemade gear and make your own stove and other neat stuff as well.
http://www.backpacking.net/makegear.html
http://www.backpacking.net/makegear/falk-catstove/fcs_step3b.jpg

I can't imagine going on a tour without a stove. You can make your own from just a small cat food can and run it with alcohol. It weighs almost nothing and the fuel weight is nowhere near that of water. Just check out this link of homemade gear and make your own stove and other neat stuff as well.

My alcohol stove combined with a small titanium pot & lid, aluminum foil wind break, chicken wire stand, lighter, birthday candles, emergency matches, Lexan spoon, and small piece of towel weighs 18 av. oz. and takes up roughly 4"x6" worth of space. I consider it an invaluable package for any trip, even if I only use it for making tea to wash down my peanut butter sandwich. Fuel rides separately in a 4 fl. oz. bottle and weight varies throughout the trip, but seldom more than 4 av. oz. (1/4 lbs).

I rarely eat any sort of energy bar anymore ... I go with granola bars, cereal bars, breakfast bars, dried fruit bars, cookies, pastries ... stuff like that.

I'm with you, Machka. I've come to almost hate "energy bars" due to their terrible taste (no matter how hard the maker tries to improve it) and the way it sits (and sits) in my stomach. If I need a quick boost, I often have a banana with a bottle of V-8. I also like Nature Valley's "Sweet 'n' Salty" bars, which taste good and give me the kick I need.

David in FL

I've come to almost hate "energy bars" due to their terrible taste (no matter how hard the maker tries to improve it) and the way it sits (and sits) in my stomach.

I agree completely. The only meal-replacement bar that I've enjoyed recently is a ProBar. It's vegan & raw -- so I'm not sure about their shelf life -- but it's tasty with lots of good nutritious ingredients. However they're expensive per bar, so I've got one stashed in my bag for a tight spot between resupply spots and otherwise stick to my regular bulk-purchased menu items.

Amazing replies guys. Thanks for the great tips.

Tortillas sound like a great way to replace traditional bread. They don't seem to lack in nutrition when compared to traditional bread either.

Thanks again for all the great suggestions. Anyone ever cooked a pizza while touring? I'm jk, but I'm sure I'll get some crazy response.

Anyone ever cooked a pizza while touring? I'm jk, but I'm sure I'll get some crazy response.

Of course! Not a regular pizza, but I've often enjoyed mini-pizzas on small pieces of pita or English muffins. I can't remember the ingredients at the moment, but something like tomato paste, cheese, veggie pieces, and whatever other toppings I have on hand. They work best in a backcountry oven (http://www.backcountrygear.com/catalog/accessdetail.cfm/BP1800) or an old cast-iron baking skillet that I used to have. But I bet I could get the bread toasted and the cheese properly melted good enough on my new-fangled titanium skillet.

I do some lightweight backpacking & one of the easiest things is tortillas & hummus mix. Just add cold water.
Cold food only would break my spirit pretty quickly, so I bring an Esbit stove (http://www.amazon.com/Esbit-Pocket-Stove/dp/B000FELX0W/sr=8-3/qid=1170272126/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3/102-3282583-5200950?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods) & a small aluminum kettle. There is a great book called Lipsmackin Backpackin (http://www.amazon.com/Lipsmackin-Backpackin-Lightweight-Trail-tested-Backcountry/dp/1560448814) (I use the veggie edition) with tons of recipes that involve a dehydrator for prep, but only a ziplock bag & hot water in the field. Plus, just throw away the bag & cleanup is done.

An MSR Pocket Rocket or a Snow Peak GigaPower and one pot just doesn't weigh that much, compared to the extra bulk and weight of foods that don't need cooking. Pasta and a jar of spaghetti sauce isn't especially hard to cook. A nice cup of coffee or tea in the morning is not something I would want to pass up, especially in the mountains where nights can be chilly.

If you're going to go the energy bar route, consider Clif Bars. Much tastier and better for you than Power Bars. REI and other online sources have them at reasonably low prices, and Wal-Mart sells the oddball flavors for dirt cheap.

What about lentils? They're bland and nutricious. I'm not sure if you have to cook them. does anybody know if you can just leave them in water all day, then eat them? Or do you have to cook them?

perhaps I should go experiment.

I have toured without a stove but on those kinds of tours my intention is to eat every meal in a restaurant.
I carry food but only snack type foods.
If I were not planning to eat in a restaurant I would take a stove.
Backpacking stoves weigh nothing and some run on unleaded gas.
There are so much more meal possibilities with a stove.

Peanut butter and bread seems to be a popular answer. Thanks for the cashews suggestion though. I completely forgot about nuts, but its more obvious now with the peanut butter suggestions. Cashews would be a great cheap snack food to keep me going. They wouldn't spoil. They're easily found at grocery stores, and are highly nutritious. Sounds like a good pick so far. I'm really trying to go for the bare basics to carry and any luxury foods I'll eat at restaurants.

Is there any benefit that carrying snicks, pringles, summer sausage would give more than peanut butter sandwiches and cashews besides more variety?
Pita bread! It's flat and takes less space!

I've done a few short backpacking trips without a stove. GORP, pita bread, mini carrots, hummous, and a few apples will keep me happy and not hungry for two or three days. After that, I would be looking for something hot, substantial, and wholesome.

I can't imagine going on a tour without a stove. You can make your own from just a small cat food can and run it with alcohol. It weighs almost nothing and the fuel weight is nowhere near that of water. Just check out this link of homemade gear and make your own stove and other neat stuff as well.
http://www.backpacking.net/makegear.html
http://www.backpacking.net/makegear/falk-catstove/fcs_step3b.jpg

I have to wonder also about no stove just to save weight. MSR made packing stoves years ago that weight almost nothing. The vast majority of the weight would be the gas bottle. If you will be 2 or 3 days at a time between towns you more than make up the weight as long as there is water available.

If it is not wanting to cook that is a different story, but I at least like a cup of something hot at night or first thing in the morning.

Energy bars suck, I prefer the cheaper Little Debbie's $1 box of carbs.

The good news about touring across the US is you'll always be going through a town or several nearly everyday with a few exceptions. Because of that, you'll be able to buy different things to eat without having to eat the same thing everyday. A lot of times, I would buy a few cans of Beans/canned Spaghetti/etc and eat them cold out of the can for dinner. A 69 cent loaf of bread and a 88 cent bologna from Walmart is about 3,000 calories. You can always load up on fruits also.

If you need hot food, 1 dollar double-cheesburgers at McDonalds are your friend or the $1.60 a pound potato wedges at Walmart.

Variety up your foods. Eating the same stuff everyday gets real boring real quick.

No, you don't need a stove.

What about lentils? They're bland and nutricious. I'm not sure if you have to cook them. does anybody know if you can just leave them in water all day, then eat them? Or do you have to cook them?


Sprout them! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprouting) Sprouted beans are far healthier than cooked beans as they contain the unadulterated amino acids and phytochemicals of a germinating plant. Granted they have a bit of a funky taste that takes some getting used to.

Barbara Savage writes about how she and her husband sprouted beans in their handlebar bag while cycling around the world in their book "Miles From Nowhere".

Amanda has sprouted beans a few times on this trip (mung are particularly easy, soybeans not so) and she loves to make a salad out of them at lunch.


Instant refried bean mix! I didn't know such a thing existed. I will definitely check that out.

You can get it in the bulk section of most large supermarkets or health food stores. There is a recipe on many backpacking sites for Instant Refried Beans. Beware: It says to simply run the uncooked beans through a coffee grinder. Eating uncooked/unsprouted beans with cause serious intestinal distress.

Jerky is my favorite tour food. It keeps very well....Keeps me energized.....It's tasty and I make my own. I eat a lot of nuts and fresh fruits and veggies as I find them too.

I also eat a lot of oatmeal since I carry one of those teeny alcohol powered stoves.

I am amazed at the number of transcontinental riders I have met who do not cook meals. Coming from the northwest where we grew up on riding all day in the rain nothing hits the spot like something warm, and what better than a cup of warm tea in the tent first thing in the am before facing the rain for another day. The last few trips in the south we have cooked less and less, drinking water or juice instead o f tea and eating a lot more fruit and salads, coupled with cheese and crackers, or bread. You will have no problems finding protein, and carbs that you do not need to cook, but a small alcohol stove may be just right to warm a can of chunky soup on a wet day.

I am amazed at the number of transcontinental riders I have met who do not cook meals. Coming from the northwest where we grew up on riding all day in the rain nothing hits the spot like something warm, and what better than a cup of warm tea in the tent first thing in the am before facing the rain for another day. The last few trips in the south we have cooked less and less, drinking water or juice instead o f tea and eating a lot more fruit and salads, coupled with cheese and crackers, or bread. You will have no problems finding protein, and carbs that you do not need to cook, but a small alcohol stove may be just right to warm a can of chunky soup on a wet day.

Some of us older forum users have difficulty reading teensy weentsy fonts.

If you want your posts to be (easily) read, please consider using a larger font.

I'm a big fan of Payday candy bars as a sub for energy/power bars.
Same energy profile as the bars, but not the vitamins. A whole lot tastier

Does anyone actually enjoy the taste/texture of powerbars?.

Some of us older forum users have difficulty reading teensy weentsy fonts.

If you want your posts to be (easily) read, please consider using a larger font.In FireFox, control+ is your presbyopic friend.

Much tastier and better for you than Power Bars. REI and other online sources have them at reasonably low prices, and Wal-Mart sells the oddball flavors for dirt cheap.Best prices I've seen are from Costco. Apparently not all Costco's sell them though.

What about lentils? They're bland and nutricious. I'm not sure if you have to cook them. does anybody know if you can just leave them in water all day, then eat them? Or do you have to cook them?


Put any dried bean - pinto, lima, navy, etc - into a water bottle with 2 - 3 times as much water - let soak all day while you ride.

Most of us would then heat them up, but hey - if you tolerate raw rice....

juuan, you will eat a panniers worth of food every couple of days. you will NOT be able to resist. your caloric needs will be huge. don't worry about the food spoiling, unless you want to carry milk or steak tartar. and then there's dry milk for that problem.

do you cook much at home, and how old are you? I'm curious because i see a lot of confusion on your part regarding foodstuffs, etc...

Agree ....

I think a good place to start looking for answers in this area is the light weight backpacking forums. These guys really know how to lighten and reduce the volume of their gear. After all, they do have to carry it all on their back. :) Here's a link to a "links" page with lots of good ones to get you started

http://hikinghq.net/links.html

Look for GORP recipes on some of the sites, or google gorp recipes.

Another question that comes up for me is; why wouldn't you want to bring a stove. It's pretty darn nice to be able to make some coffee or hot chocolate after a cold rainy day. My stove cost me the price of a hose clamp and a few minutes digging around in the basement. it fits inside my 24 oz (capacity) cooking cup. The cooking cup + cover, stove (with probably 4 oz of fuel in it), lighter and mesh carrying bag altogether weigh 14.6 ounces.

Here's a link. http://www.backpacking.net/makegear/stove2/index.html

If you want to get serious about a light stove, or lots of other gear, check out this link

http://www.backpacking.net/makegear.html

Hope this helps :)

Thanks again for all the great suggestions. Anyone ever cooked a pizza while touring? I'm jk, but I'm sure I'll get some crazy response.

Yup ... most hostels have microwaves.

BTW - to all those who can't imagine touring without a stove ..... unless my cycling partner has a stove and has agreed to be the one to use it ....... I can't imagine touring WITH a stove.

If I had a stove, and was depending on it to cook my meals, at some point I'd have to light the stove and create some sort of flame!!! :eek:

I find a cup of ramen noodles simmering on my alcohol stove, with a cheese and lunchmeat sandwich on a hard roll heating up on the lid, under a metal cup, to be one of my favorite little snacks while riding.

Grilled ham and cheese with noodle soup...mmmmmm.

stoves are very, very nice to have while touring, permanent juan. i strongly recommend you go for one of the smallest Trangia cookstove sets. they work great and are pretty much no brainers to operate. fuel available in most every gas station, drugstore, and hardware store.