How very wise of you to "test" out each meal before taking it to the trail! I have seen many unhappy dinnertime folks because they hated their Mountain House entree.
I cannot live without my spices, so a simple rice and bean dish can take on a whole new character just by changing out the spices (usually Greek, Indian, or Cajun) This allows for many repeat ingredients with the outcome changed by spice selection.
Thank you for taking the time to discuss menu, as under-eating can add up to an anemic hike and deteriorated health on the trail.
I think that everyone loses weight on the JMT, as the constant movement is such a departure from daily lifestyle in North America (I used to walk 10mi a day living outside of the States, now I have to go on "walks" to keep up the metabolism)
