What’s the best way to cook for a large group with many different dietary restrictions while saving as much weight as possible?
Dear Pedaling Gourmet,
Do we eat to bike or bike to eat? It probably doesn’t matter, because either way we need fuel! And while bars and gels might get the job done on day rides, for a multi-day tour most people want “real food,” and quite a bit of it.
It sounds like you’ve already gathered some information about your touring companions and have noted their dietary restrictions. You’ve possibly also gotten some feedback regarding things that are preferences, versus allergies or intolerances that would ruin or put a real damper on the trip if not adhered to. I mention this because some people are quite willing to be a little flexible on tour, as long as it’s not something that will adversely affect their well-being.
Handling Dietary Restrictions
I received some really good advice on one of my first tours. One of my fellow participants followed a vegan diet. Realizing that it could be intimidating for those in the group who aren’t familiar with cooking this way, he very kindly suggested that we focus on the things that he does eat, rather than the things he doesn’t. We were left with a plethora of foods, including pasta, rice, oats, beans, nuts, fresh fruits and veggies, all things that a touring cyclist usually wants lots of.
This same advice holds true for other dietary restrictions. If someone is gluten-intolerant, there are still tons of things that they can eat. Focus on whole foods and use care in reading labels for any hidden additives that contain gluten. Reading labels is key for other allergies, like soy or fish/seafood as well.
So, when planning a meal for a group, it’s probably easiest to start with a base that everyone can eat. Let’s say that’s rice and beans. If some in the group like to eat meat and dairy, you can easily cook up some chicken or beef that is an optional add-on. Same goes for cheese or sour cream. To bulk up the meal for everyone, have lots of veggies available: peppers, onions, greens, tomatoes, avocado. And don’t forget the spice! Little bottles of hot sauce are perfect for bicycle touring. It also pays to plan ahead and bring small amounts of your favorite herbs and spices in small baggies or containers.
Cooking Equipment
You mentioned saving weight, so let’s talk about how much we’re going to need to carry to cook for a large group. This is where the magic happens. If you’ve ever been on an Adventure Cycling self-contained tour, this next bit will sound familiar. To cook hearty, nourishing meals for 15 people, the cookware mainly consists of:
- Two 10-quart pots with lids
- One 4-quart pot with lid
- One frying pan (no handle or lid)
- 2 flexible cutting boards
- An assortment of utensils (ladle, serving spoons, can opener, knives, tongs, pot lifter, etc.)
- GSI 50-ounce coffee press
- Wash bins with soap, bleach, and sponge
It doesn’t sound like much, but with this gear, along with two backpacking style stoves, you can cook a lot of food. And each person ends up carrying just one or two pieces of “group gear,” so you’re not adding a lot to your overall packed gear. Once you go shopping, a whole cartload of food quickly disappears into panniers, with each person carrying a few things.
While it’s important to be flexible (some stores have less variety than others), it’s helpful to have a few recipes ready and to prepare a shopping list. It would be a big bummer to forget the peanut butter if that’s going to be one of your staples for lunch! Make sure to take inventory from the day before. While you’re generally going to be shopping for just what you need each day, there are some foods that you can carry forward without concern for food safety. But if there’s any doubt, throw it out!
Quantities or Servings per Person
Let’s talk about quantity, since the last thing we would want are folks who are still hungry after the meal. This is another area where it’s helpful to consult the packaging. For foods that list the number of servings, plan on two servings actually being enough for one hungry cyclist. If a box of pasta lists six servings, count on it actually feeding three people. You may need to finesse this a little, depending on what’s all going into the meal, but it’s a good guideline to start with. If by chance you’re travelling as a group of 15, you can also use the visual of “filling the pot,” meaning making enough food to fill one of the 10-quart pots. While I’m very conscientious about food waste in my life at home, on the road it’s actually a good thing if you have a bit of food left over. It means that everyone got enough.
The Benefits of Scale
Folks who are used to cooking for themselves on a bike tour are often very surprised and impressed at how much better meals can be when you’re cooking for a large group. When shopping and cooking for just one or two people it’s difficult to buy a wide assortment of ingredients on such a small scale. It takes a bit of thought and planning, but you’re sure to get a much better result cooking one big meal (with optional add-ins for dietary needs) than trying to cook individual meals.
In addition to the primary goal of providing everyone enough energy to get down the road, cooking as a group is a great way to bond with your touring companions. You can learn a lot about someone while you’re cutting up all those veggies for your stir-fry! Rather than seeing cooking as a chore, it’s really a time to come together, to share stories from the road, and to feed our souls with the joys of bicycle travel. Bon appétit!
Brielle’s Go-To Recipe for a Group of Hungry Cyclists
Frito Chili
serves 15 hungry cyclists
Ingredients
- 4 pounds ground beef
- 6 packages of chili seasoning mix (see tips if not available)
- 6 cans kidney, black, or pinto beans
- 6 cans of diced tomatoes
- 16-24 ounces frozen corn (optional)
- Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
- Sour cream (optional)
- Green onions, chopped (optional)
- Hot sauce (optional)
- 3-4 bags of Frito corn chips (9 ounces each)
Directions
- Brown the ground beef in a large pan. Drain and set aside.
- In a 10-quart pot, combine beans (with liquid), tomatoes (with liquid), corn, and seasoning packets. Simmer for a bit to combine flavors.
- Chili can be served over Fritos or garnished with Fritos on top. Either way adds texture and crunch!
- Serve with the cooked meat, shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions and hot sauce as optional add-ons.
- Goes well with a salad and bread.
Tips
- Want more carbs? You could cook some macaroni pasta in another pot and mix them together for some chili mac! Chili is also great over rice (look for boil-in-bag for easy clean up)
- If no chili seasoning packages are available (or you need a gluten free option), here are spices that are equivalent to one seasoning packet: 1 Tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper
- You can substitute ground turkey, chicken, or pork for a change, or veggie “ground round” crumbles
The post Ask an Adventure Cycling Tour Leader: Best Way to Cook for a Large Group appeared first on Adventure Cycling Association.
