I am looking for some information on refrigerating raw food. I am going on a 5-day backpacking trip and want to bring as much raw food as possible. Some things I can prepare on the trail, but I was hoping to make other things in advance and just take them with.

I put most food in the refrigerator, just out of habit, but am thinking that since there are no dairy or meat products in the food, some things might be ok for a day or two? Any info about food in general or more specific foods would be appreciated.

Five days is a while, but you can bring foods that will last that long if you choose the right ones. Most raw foods have high water content, so it's harder to carry many days' food at once. I infer from your question that you don't need to carry everything with you.

Dehydrated raw foods will stand up best to the heat and abuse of being carried around in a backpack, and they weigh a lot less - from traditional trail mix, to meal bars, to gourmet dehydrated foods. They aren't ideal foods, but they can be a great way to get enough calories and nutrients along the way. Just drink a lot of water if you indulge heavily!

Prepared raw foods that are not dehydrated, as a rule, will not last as long as fresh whole fruits and veggies. Oil, salt and vinegar are preservatives, so recipes made with good quantities of those will last longer. If you are making food to bring, definitely use ingredients that are less ripe or barely ripe. Chopping and mixing them without cooking will only accelerate their spoilage.

Apples might be softer and a little bruised after knocking around in a backpack for days, but they will stay edible. Unripe mangoes are pretty sturdy. They can probably stand up to more abuse than most fruits and can be eaten as they ripen. Sweet roots, like kohlrabi and carrots, are traditional storage veggies and should have little difficulty lasting several days.

Also... you don't want to get the bulk of your calories from fat, but some nuts are probably a good idea. They're extremely light for their calorie content.

Hopefully others will have some good ideas too!