My Plate - Use this link to learn what your calorie needs are basked on age, weight, and activity levels. Then you can get recommended amounts for each of the food groups.
Tips:
Triple wrap in foil and put in plastic bag.
Add moisture. (A 8 oz can of Spicy V8 or Mr & Mrs T Bloody Mary Mix, Cream of Chicken/Mushroom Soup)
Don't forget to add spices.
If you want cooking to go faster, or are worried about undercooked/burnt food, cook ahead of time and reheat on the campfire.
Tin Foil Dinner Tips - Very good tips - They mention several other ways to add moisture.
There are so many options for a tin foil dinner. It can be as simple as pizza (short time on coals so that it doesn't burn) to meat and potatoes. My son really likes Chicken Alfredo. He used precooked chicken strips, cooked spaghetti, and alfredo sauce so that he just had to reheat. Do something you will enjoy.
Perhaps cooking hot-dogs or making s'mores is perhaps the most famous utensil-less cooking method. But there are a lot more.
Boil an egg in a paper cup
Cook biscuits on a stick/Cinnamon Roll-ups
Brownie in a orange peel
Fish cooked in parchment and newspaper
Banana boats
French bread dipped in sweetened condensed milk, roll in coconut/almond flakes.
See Mock Toasted Angel Food Cake in Campfire Deserts Bellow or Recipe using Angel Food Cake
When thinking about trail food there are several things to keep in mind: calories, weight, preparation requirements, and taste. Backpacking is a physical activity and an adult can burn upwards of 6000 calories in a day. All the exercise can sometimes make you feel like not eating, so taste is important.
No Cook Ideas
Sandwiches made using tortillas(wraps), bagels, or pita bread are good options. These breads can take the abuse of being crushed in a backpack much better. A 12-inch tortilla contains around 350 calories and is often easier to eat.
What about condiments: Where to find/buy My thoughts on Fast Food ethical dilemma. Get some takeout to go. Use condiments from the fridge. Save the packets for the hike.
Consider meats in a pouch for a lightweight option, For example, Tuna, Chicken Salad, and Spam.
A tuna pouch is 70 calories and a can of tuna is 150 calories. It is much lighter though. No can and less water.
If you like them Vienna Sausages at 340 calories are actually fairly calorie dense. The pull-top cans are thin-walled/lighter.
Cheese - Individual cheese sticks will keep just fine for a few days, especially in cooler temps.
Pepperoni Sticks/Jerky/Summer Sausage
Fresh Fruit - Heavy but can taste oh so good after a day of hiking. The sugars (with less guilt) can be a big boost. Of course, dehydrating is an option, I particularly like dehydrated pineapple (but not commercially freeze dried, I like it still pliable.)
Granola Bars, crackers, or snack pack
GORP - An old-fashioned name for trail mix. (Good Old Raisins and Peanuts). With 120 calories from 30g of Costco Trailmix, it can be a good (healthier?) option. You can make your own trail mix. Seeds, nuts, dried fruit, pretzels, and more. Chocolate can melt but M&Ms are a bit more resistant to making a mess.
Candy/Candy Bars - Of course, these should not be your primary calorie source, but they are calorie dense and considered by many hikers as an essential food group. They can provide quick energy and a morale boost, a 57.2g Full Size Snickers Bar is 250 calories, (is it the king of calorie density?)
Fruit pies - Fragile, but I do love the energy boost I get from a fruit pie on a hike. With calories in excess of 450, at 128g they compete with a candy bar for energy density.
Just Add Water
Ramen Noodles/Cup of Noodle - The larger bowls can be close to 600 calories, but they take up a lot of room in your pack. Cup noodles containers are very fragile. Still, this is an inexpensive option that many people enjoy. Replaces lots of lost salts.
Instant Oatmeal - Remove from packets (you will want more than one) and put into a zip-lock. Put the hot water in the bag to soak and eat out of the bag. So little cleanup!
Make your own dehydrated meals - Spaghetti has been the one thing I have done. Precook the spaghetti and then dehydrate it. Dehydrate sauce (makes a fruit leather) which you can blend. The advantage of precooking the spaghetti is that you just have to add hot water. Inexpensive but more prep work.
Dehydrated Meals/Deserts - There are many options, Mountain House and Backpackers Pantry are the better-known options. People's preferences vary quite a bit on taste. Some people have a hard time with breakfasts, you could consider a dessert for breakfast. The biggest disadvantage of dehydrated meals is they are the most expensive option.
Cook - If you're going to cook, I just ask that you bring your own pot. You can use my stove.
Macaroni and Cheese - You could take some dehydrated milk but I often just melt some real cheese into it to make it better. To make it lighter put it into a zip-lock and throw the box away before you go.
Dehydrated hash browns - these can be really tasty. I have even brought a small amount of ketchup to enjoy with them.
Dehydrated potatoes, instant rice, and Couscous are popular bases for meals. They do make shelf-stable foil packets of tuna, spam, and even chicken.