SPAM On The Trail?

[Mother Natures Son]

A hiker friend was telling all about SPAM and how it is, "The New Hiking Food". (Less the can and the Salt.) According to him, SPAM can be used (it place of.) almost any meat. Is he pulling my leg? Who eats can meat on trail any more?

[Lone Wolf]

they come in single serve foil pouches now

[Mother Natures Son]

Like Kraft Cheese slices we all grew up with as kids? Wow! What wouldn't they think of next?

[gpburdelljr]

As far as I’m concerned there is nothing you can do to spam to make it palatable. On the other hand, on a thru hike with limited food options , and hiker hunger kicking in, it might be OK.

Man 1: “How can you afford to feed your16 hunting hound dogs.”
Man 2: “I feed them turnips”
Man 1: “I wouldn’t think a hound would eat turnips”
Man 2 : “They didn’t for the first two weeks”

[CalebJ]

I'd rank it a few rungs above Vienna Sausage. But that's an incredibly low bar.

[TJ aka Teej]

Vienna Sausage

And sardines, slim jims, deviled ham, sticks of pepperoni, Spam, - good times!

[peakbagger]

The folks in Hawaii would take offense, its is quite popular for some strange reason.

[CalebJ]

The folks in Hawaii would take offense, its is quite popular for some strange reason.

I can get onboard with the whole spam rice sushi business. But not just spam on a backpacking trip.

[Funkmeister]

Love it. I get the low salt version.

Instant mashed potatoes, dehydrated green beans, spam. One of my 4 main dinners.

[gpburdelljr]

The folks in Hawaii would take offense, its is quite popular for some strange reason.

In WWII the military in Hawaii had lots of canned Spam, when other meats were in low supply. Surpluses filtered down to the non military population, and that is when Spam became popular in Hawaii.

[peakbagger]

When I was a boy scout,, the adults handed off the food planning to the scouts. One of the leaders was a Marine that had fought in the battle of the Pacific in WW2. He was on the vanguard of several major battles and in some cases were on the front lines for months living of the rations of the era which included lots of spam. He did not talk about it much. We went on trip with two spam meals. He politely declined the spam and let us know that he had sworn off spam when he headed home at the end of the war. After that spam was off the list.

[JNI64]

I like the spam singles heated up over a fire to a crispy crunchy hot goodness.

[psyculman]

Turkey spam is great. We eat it at home all the time. I take spam Lite singles on every hike. Some fat and salt is just the thing.

[SoaknWet]

Spam with Arby's horsey sause.

[Seatbelt]

We used to joke about SPAM, "Skunk, Possum And Mice" is what it stood for. LOL But later in life, I have actually been thankful a few times that I had some to eat.

[franky]

I also use the 25% less sodium. I like to slice it and fry it and eat it like you would eat bacon, or cube it and sauté it with onions and add scrambled eggs for an omelet.

I have added cubed spam to my Hamberger patties, and also i've added it to chili for a for a new twist.

I bet you could also add spam to a pan of baked macaroni and cheese.

[Time Zone]

I'm as thrifty as they come and no food snob, but I failed to find it adequately palatable. Perhaps I'd have to have the hunting hound dog / turnip experience described upthread in order to change my mind.

In fact, I'm told that it was not unknown in my family when I was growing up, owing to difficulties funding better food. So yeah, that probably would do it.

[Siestita]

"When I was a boy scout,, the adults handed off the food planning to the scouts. One of the leaders was a Marine that had fought in the battle of the Pacific in WW2. He was on the vanguard of several major battles and in some cases were on the front lines for months living of the rations of the era which included lots of spam. He did not talk about it much. We went on trip with two spam meals. He politely declined the spam and let us know that he had sworn off spam when he headed home at the end of the war. After that spam was off the list."

MY father served in the infantry during WWII in North Africa and Italy. After eating SPAM there he refused to eat any of it later in life.

[LazyLightning]

SPAM: Don't knock it 'til you've fried it

haha. I never even tried it

[peakbagger]

"When I was a boy scout,, the adults handed off the food planning to the scouts. One of the leaders was a Marine that had fought in the battle of the Pacific in WW2. He was on the vanguard of several major battles and in some cases were on the front lines for months living of the rations of the era which included lots of spam. He did not talk about it much. We went on trip with two spam meals. He politely declined the spam and let us know that he had sworn off spam when he headed home at the end of the war. After that spam was off the list."

MY father served in the infantry during WWII in North Africa and Italy. After eating SPAM there he refused to eat any of it later in life.

That can happen with any food. My dad spent a couple fo years in Iceland during WW2. The Army Air Corp was supposed to source food locally if possible. The locals figured out a use for old sheep that wouldnt make it through another winter by slaughtering them and selling the meat to the army. For the duration of his tour, the primary protein was mutton, breakfast, lunch and dinner. He would on rare occasions eat lamb chops but it was definitely not his favorite meal.