Food When Winter Hiking

[DayTrip]

I've been messing around with what I carry for food this year quite a bit and I'm curious what people are carrying for food for winter day travel. I don't like to stop and take my pack off too often in winter so I've been reading about various options for what won't freeze, provides high calories for the weight, and doesn't taste so bad that I don't wind up eating it anyway. I usually wind up eating and drinking far less than I should for the day. (On my last hike I did 10 miles, 4000 ft vertical and only drank 16 oz of water and had 4 Dunkin Donuts old fashioned style donuts - my "go-to" trail "food" when I didn't have time to adequately prepare the night before). I don't usually feel fatigued during or after the hike (but I know this invites dehydration and hypothermia) but I do tend to be more sore than I would otherwise be the following day (obviously because I'm not getting enough fuel and nutrients). I usually leave a cooler in my car for post-hike recovery meals but again in winter this can be problematic because of the temperatures.

Anyone have a "go to" food item they carry? I have a small zip bag that I've started clipping to my hip belt with goggles and other items I want instant access too and would like to toss some food items in there so I'm not tempted to skip eating. Looking for food with maximum energy bang with minimum weight. Nuts and chocolate are popular options but they get very hard when it is real cold and my teeth aren't the greatest. I've researched some solids from endurance companies like Hammer Nutrition that say they are good in any temperature and don't spoil but I've never tried products like that. I always tend to eat real food (the old fashioned donuts not qualifying for this label of course).

Curious what others winter rations are made up of and if anyone has any "tricks" for avoiding freezing/spoiling of food and liquids (i.e. like storing water bottles upside down so the threads don't freeze), etc. Appreciate your feedback.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Peanut butter and Nutella sandwiches The higher fat of the filling keeps it from freezing too hard to eat. Cheese and pepperoni / salami are also good. Everyone says to drink more in winter but I find that I drink far less (and pee more often and more clearly too, before I get called out on this...) in winter than in summer. I am a profuse sweater in summer while only an enthusiastic one in winter

Gorp in a water bottle (500 mL) that can hang on your pack for easy access works well too. It is also mitten-friendly.

Tim

 

[DayTrip]

I sweat quite a bit as well and find I drink far less water in winter and pee more often than summer. Summer is usually reverse. I drink borderline obscene amounts of water and rarely have to go.

An.. uh ...what the heck is "Gorp"? Is that an acronym for something? I plea "newbie" on that one. Please elaborate.

 

[Brambor]

Good Old Raisins and Peanuts

 

[Tom Rankin]

GORP is what is described above, but it can also be any trail mix combo, M&M's, nuts of all kind, granola, etc.

Peanut Butter M&M's are a staple when we winter hike. We do not carry sandwiches, mostly a personal choice. Sometimes Corn Chips go along, Nutrigrain bars, Crackers, and others are usually packed. Something like a Snickers bar can freeze and be hard to chew. I know a dental hygienist who chipped a tooth on a frozen winter 'treat'!

For hydration, we bring Gatorade (having heated it to boiling beforehand for a long day), water and Tea.

Summary: minimal fats, lots of carbs, and drink even if you don't feel like it.

 

[tomcat32]

I often keep freeze prone bars in my pants pocket if I know I'm going to eat one, the body heat keeps them a little softer.

 

[Scubahhh]

A 1/2liter wide-mouth thermos full of beef stew, chili, or similar. Fits in a Zpacks pouch slung in front and stays warm all day.

 

[JoeCedar]

I prefer things which do not need a lot of chewing or a lot of water to wash them down and things which do not freeze and get hard, yet give me maximum calories. That includes granola bars, Hershey bars, peanuts in a bottle, cheese, sausage, cold cuts, and maybe some sliced wraps for carbs--but no soft bread or peanut butter. The object is to get it down fast and without a lot of water. I only carry 2 liters of water in winter, no matter how long the hike. But I am not a heavy sweater and do not lose a lot of water in winter. There is also the time factor, the longer you stand around eating, the colder you will become and the longer you will need to get warm again from activity.

Accept that you probably do not really want to eat or drink, but realize that in 8-10 hours you will wish you did and won't be able to "fix" it.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

I can eat a PB+Nutella sandwich while walking, and do not require water to wash it down. Sometimes I will store the one I am eating in my pocket to keep it less frozen. Of course, washing it down forces me to drink, so not always a bad thing. I usually bring a thermos of soup as well... which is reserved for a rest / view stop.

Tim

 

[thegibba]

I'm a big fan of peanuts and cashews any time of the year. Nothing like a nice Buffalo chicken sandwich with horseradish mustard and Monterey Jack cheese on a bulkie roll with some gatorade to wash it down. mmmm. Cup o noodle soup via Jetboil soothes the soul. I could be more efficient about it, however. Really I love winter, so much easier to bring better food. Free refrigeration! I'm thinking about trying yogurt. ... this thread is making me hungry

 

[Ed'n Lauky]

The biggest problem I have in the winter is making sure that Lauky doesn't get cold. Generally speaking he is fine as long as he can keep moving so I've experimented with different things that would permit me to eat pretty much without stopping. For several years I pretty much settled on Boost which I could pull out of a pocket and slug down in a matter of seconds. It gave me what I needed and kept us moving. Recently Boost has come out with bars that are similar in what they give you albeit with less calories and fat. I've experimented with them this fall with good success, adding in a couple of Snickers bars. The experiment has worked well and the bars are much lighter than the liquid Boost. The Boost bars don't seem to be affected by the cold although the Snickers bars are. When cold they need to be kept in an inner pocket.

 

[DougPaul]

. Summary: minimal fats, lots of carbs, and drink even if you don't feel like it.

Actually, one should emphasize fats when exercising out in the cold... And even more so if camping.

Carbs digest quickly (~1hr), proteins medium (3-4hrs), and fats slowly (6-7hrs). Fats have more calories per weight (9 cal/gram) than the other two (4 cal/gram). Carbs are good for short-term energy, fats are best for long-term energy. (Protein requirements are only increased slightly by exercising.) Foods like nuts (~150 cal/oz) are good vehicles for delivering a good mix of all three.

Foods like chocolate become hard in the cold and should be warmed in your mouth before biting down. Some, such as cheese, should be cut into small pieces. (Cheese also contains a good bit of fat...) Carry your food (and water) in readily available places (eg in your pockets) so you can eat (and drink) often. Leave your diet at home when winter hiking.

FWIW, my gorp consists of nuts and chocolate in the form of bakers' bits carried in a wide mouth bottle for easy swigging.

One's water requirements are quite high in winter--even if you don't sweat, you are breathing in a lot of very dry air. (Exhaled air has virtually 100% humidity at body temp so the net effect is that you exhale a lot of water.) Thirst is also suppressed by the cold so you have to drink before you become thirsty. I use a protocol of drinking (and eating) every hour (by my watch) to make sure I get enough water and food.


This topic has been discussed a number of times: use the advanced search to search on the words "winter" and "food" in titles only to bring up a number of relevant threads.

Doug

 

[John H Swanson]

PB&J does not freeze but the chewing can be tedious especially if you are looking at 4 sandwich hikes. You need a specific type of bread to hold shape and remain pliable and not brittle or too dry or too soggy. The bread really is crucial. I think my favorite was Roman meal. Also not too heavy on the PB. Thin application is preferred

That was the norm for a while. Now I look for foods that are easy to eat. I like to start with 1qt of chocolate milk for breakfast. For a short time I mixed it with heavy cream to boost calories. Did you know heavy cream has 3160 calories per qt? Then I got my cholesterol results. I still do the chocolate milk breakfast without the cream and like to carry a few smoothies I find they give good available energy and easy to consume. No issue with freezing if I drink them before 12 or 1. Pm snacks of energy bars that were precut or chocolate

In summer I used to carry Oreos as my go to food. You know when the sun is low and there are still hours to hike after doing a long hike already. when you barely have the energy to chew. I remember 6 Oreos = 360 calories = 2 miles. When can you not eat 6 Oreos? Then I switched to licorice for health reasons. Still high calories and munchable. A little tougher in winter

 

[Raven]

Trail mix consisting of whatever raw nuts I have (cashews, almonds, macadamia usually) along with craisins and something chocolate (usually dark)
Dark chocolate bar
Salami, pre sliced
Cheese, pre sliced
Rice crackers
Protein Bars as back up (sometimes homemade, often Clif bars)
Coconut water or water with Nuun (any dissolved solute lowers the freezing point of the water as well, keeping it liquid at slightly lower temps)
Vacuum Bottle of green tea
Whatever my partner has.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

I carry two small Nalgenes, one filled with small chucks of pineapple (high carbs) and one with trail mix (nuts, raisins & mini-chocolate chips - carbs and fats) plus a sandwich. Usually it's tuna fish, sometimes sliced chicken, and once in a whole PB&J. I like the Market Basket Oat Nut bread, so I use that. None of those items freezes solid, and have had pretty good luck with them, even in subzero whether and this is stuff I carry year-round.

For fluid I carry 2 (occasionally 3) liter Nalgene's filled with hot water and either gatorade or spiced tea. The fastest thing I've found to heat the water is a portable electric kettle made by Proctor Silex. Costs about $12 on Amazon. Very fast, and portable - can even use it traveling to heat water in your room.

I began winter hiking in 1995, and over that time I've tried many combos, which I suspect is standard for just about everyone. About the only constants are carrying stuff that will be soft enough to eat in/won't break your teeth, and contain mostly carbs. And of course fluids. I've never been a fan of those mystery gels and goo's, but some like them, especially relatively new winter hikers. When in doubt, put stuff in your freezer, and if you can eat it for lunch, it will work on the trail.

 

[DayTrip]

Thanks for the ideas. I think I'm going to do a distance hike this weekend on relatively easy terrain to test out a bunch of stuff. Hopefully some of these ideas will stick.

 

[roadtripper]

All-natural PORK, BEEF, SALMON, TURKEY or BACON jerky!

Oberto BBQ Pork Jerky is only like $4 at Wal-Mart
Oberto Bacon Jerky is only like $4 at Wal-Mart
Trader Joe's has decent beef, buffalo, salmon & turkey jerky, but a bit pricey at $5-$6/each

Stay away from Jack Links. NOT all-naturel and most varieties have MSG and nitrates. Also doesn't taste nearly as good as the others I've listed.

 

[DougPaul]

Coconut water or water with Nuun (any dissolved solute lowers the freezing point of the water as well, keeping it liquid at slightly lower temps)

Electrolyte additives (which are primarily sodium chloride (table salt)) only lower the freezing temp a very small amount. (For example, sea water with 35g/L of dissolved salts only reduces the freeing point by 2 deg C (4 deg F). Electrolyte drinks typically have <.5g/L of salt which would lower the freezing point only ~.03 deg C (.06 deg F).)

(Actually lowering the freezing point too much is undesirable--drinking liquids (eg whiskey) that are significantly below the freezing point can freeze your larynx and kill you.)

Electrolytes are intended to replace the electrolytes lost in sweat--electrolytes are not lost in exhaled moisture or insensible perspiration (non-sweating water lost from skin). (Some are lost in urine but this is generally replaced by the normal intake from food.) I personally do not need electrolytes unless I sweat, in which case I generally need some. (I carry powder which I can mix into my water as needed. Sweating, of course, should be avoided as much as possible in winter.)

To add to my earlier comments on hydration:
Dehydration is a factor in most cases of hypothermia and frostbite. It also causes muscle weakening. It is definitely to be avoided...
* Ideally you should urinate a number of times during the day: 4-6 times is fairly typical. A total volume of ~1 liter is good.
* Check your urine color: it should be colorless to light yellow. Dark indicates dehydration.
* Salt loss by sweating will cause you to urinate excessively. Urine caused by salt loss can be clear or light colored, but you can still become dehydrated. (You need a certain concentration of salt in your blood--too little salt and you need to get rid of the excess water. Too much and need to drink more to dilute the salt followed by urination to dump the excess water and salt.) The "game" is to keep the proper amount of salt in your system--too little and you can develop hyponatremia (insufficient salt) and too much and you can develop hypernatremia (excessive salt). Either can be fatal.

Doug

 

[hikerbrian]

Bacon.
Pizza.
Bacon pizza.
Chicken nuggets.
[note: all 4 of those freeze to an edible but less pleasant texture, so I keep them in my inside chest pockets.]
Marble pound cake.
Cheese sticks.
Hot gatorade.
Japanese rice crackers.
Nutella sandwiches.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

All-natural PORK, BEEF, SALMON, TURKEY or BACON jerky!

Oberto BBQ Pork Jerky is only like $4 at Wal-Mart
Oberto Bacon Jerky is only like $4 at Wal-Mart
Trader Joe's has decent beef, buffalo, salmon & turkey jerky, but a bit pricey at $5-$6/each

Stay away from Jack Links. NOT all-nature and has MSG. Also doesn't tase nearly as good as the others I've listed.

Happen to know if the bacon is cured without nitrates & nitrites?