Was thinking about that a bit more today -- dried meat does make sense, since it travels well and is high in energy and easy to carry, but it's not the only good travel food! Dates, for instance -- long-lasting and reasonably nourishing, but the only way they'll be in a typical fantasy story is as part of the trappings of the swarthy, scimitar-wielding, tent-dwelling evil dudes on their caravanning holidays.