Backcountry Lunchtime | Can the New Soba and Instant Rice Rice Balls Replace Cup Noodles?

Enjoying lunch on the snow in the cool, refreshing air under a clear, blue sky on a snowy mountain is an exceptional experience. It is one of the great pleasures, especially in the backcountry

In search of a new standard

I think everyone has their own favorites, such as the classics that don't freeze even in the cold, such as sandwiches and sweet breads, instant noodles, bananas, apples, and crackers

My backcountry friends and I all overwhelmingly choose Cup Noodles. If you bring an alpine thermos filled with boiling water, it will maintain a similar temperature for about five hours, so you can cook your cup noodles without any problems. Hot soup is very welcome on the cold snowy mountains, and it makes the ultimate lunch

This time, I looked for and tried a few alternatives to Cup Noodles

Instant soba noodles developed with an outdoor perspective

First up is "Trail Soba." It was created by Mochizuki, an importer and distributor of outdoor brands, which also develops its own brand. They released this portable instant soba under the brand name BCFOOD. When it comes to instant soba, "Donbei" is a common choice, but these come in large cups that are not suitable for carrying to snowy mountains. The key to this "Trail Soba" is that it does not come in a cup, but in a waterproof bag-shaped package that can stand on its own. Simply pour boiling water into the bag, close the zipper, wait four minutes, then add the powdered soup and mix to complete a simple bowl of soba noodles

The soba noodles are made with stone-ground organic buckwheat flour from Niigata Prefecture, resulting in an authentic finish that tastes like fresh noodles. The soup has a gentle flavor with a strong flavor of bonito, mackerel, and kelp stock. You won't be able to resist drinking it all. It weighs 98g. The package is easy to hold and eat. It's quite light, with just soba noodles and soup, so I would have preferred it if it came with tempura flakes or deep-fried tofu. It might also be a good idea to bring your favorite toppings

Alpha rice onigiri series

Another product that caught my eye was Onishi Foods' "Portable Onigiri" series. Its contents are just 42g. Add 67ml of water or hot water to create a 109g mini onigiri

Here's the finished product. If you make it with hot water, you can enjoy warm rice balls. You can adjust the water content to make them harder or softer

It uses domestically produced alpha rice and comes in four types of ingredients: kelp, salmon, mixed vegetables, and wakame seaweed. The taste is just like regular onigiri. Another key point is that you can adjust the firmness of the rice by changing the amount of water. I like it a little firm, so I made it with less water, and it turned out pretty good. It also goes really well with instant noodles, soba noodles, or soup, so be sure to give it a try. It takes 15 minutes to prepare if using hot water, or 60 minutes if using water. Another great thing about making it with hot water is that you can enjoy warm onigiri even on a cold, snowy mountain. It's delicious enough even when made with water, so you can add water before hiking and enjoy it at the summit

Onishi Foods offers a wide range of rice products, including this "Portable Onigiri" that can be prepared simply by adding hot or cold water, perfect for emergencies and outdoor activities. All of them are the perfect size to carry around, so it's a good idea to keep them in your BC gear

This time we tried two types of food: soba noodles and rice balls, but outdoor shops sell portable food from various manufacturers, including Onishi Foods and Montbell. Why not find your favorite dish and enjoy a delicious lunch on the snow?