Lunch anyone? What to eat on a winter day hike

[Oldmanwinter]

A much better approach is to nibble continuously. (ie lunch time is any and all time between breakfast and dinner.) Anything that can be eaten in small amounts works--gorp, nuts, chocolate bits, fig newtons, candy bits, snack bars, candy bars, cheese cubes... This should include a good mixture of carbohydrates (fast energy), protein, and fat (long-lasting energy). (More fat in colder weather.) Ideally, you carry your lunch food in your pocket so all you have to do is pause, grab something, shove it in your mouth, and continue. Otherwise, carry it and your water in some easily accessible location where you can get at them quickly for a quick bite and drink.

Doug

This is what I HAVE to do. I find that I don't feel like eating at all when I'm hiking in the winter but if I don't, I bonk. Lots of snacks and lots of water. I also carry a bunch of energy gels (which I buy by the box), I can always force one of those down.

 

[Snowflea]

We have hot herbal tea in the thermos, which tastes like Heaven on the summit.

Also Heaven on the summit: Campbell's tomato soup. To quote Rachel Ray... "Yum-MO!"

 

[Neil]

We are all different but my hypothesis (I never guess, I hypothesize ) is that most of the energy that a hikers' muscles uses comes from fat. And, one measly pound of fat (readily found on most hikers's bodies) is certainly enough for about 20 miles of typical NE hiking/peakbagging.

True, fat burns in a carbohydrate flame and you will burn more carbs the harder you work or the poorer shape you are in. Nevertheless, I am pretty sure in my particular case that the importance of eating is overrated. I've done many long trips where I just haven't felt like eating so I haven't. Hiking hard all day with Oncoman who doesn't eat but goes hard and fast non-stop for 12 hours and up lends support to this "eating is over-rated" hypothesis. Naturally, YMMV.

But, dark chocolate. Too good in winter to pass up.

Also Heaven on the summit: Campbell's tomato soup. To quote Rachel Ray... "Yum-MO!"

And the tins make great trail markers when nailed to a tree.

 

[Viewseeker]

We are all different but my hypothesis (I never guess, I hypothesize ) is that most of the energy that a hikers' muscles uses comes from fat. And, one measly pound of fat (readily found on most hikers's bodies) is certainly enough for about 20 miles of typical NE hiking/peakbagging.

True, fat burns in a carbohydrate flame and you will burn more carbs the harder you work or the poorer shape you are in. Nevertheless, I am pretty sure in my particular case that the importance of eating is overrated. I've done many long trips where I just haven't felt like eating so I haven't. Hiking hard all day with Oncoman who doesn't eat but goes hard and fast non-stop for 12 hours and up lends support to this "eating is over-rated" hypothesis. Naturally, YMMV.

But, dark chocolate. Too good in winter to pass up.

And the tins make great trail markers when nailed to a tree.

If you get standed Neil you could make a penny stove to survive..

 

[dr_wu002]

I hate eating while hiking, period. If I can avoid it, I do. Jeez, give me water with a little gatorade mix in it. I like eating after but not during. I mean, a presidential traverse is one thing but a little day hike you don't need to eat nuthin'. Sometimes I don't even bother to eat right away afterwards and you know what? I'm still here.

-Dr. Wu

 

[giggy]

haven't done it in a while, but used to bring the imitation crab meat.

that stuff is da bomb

 

[sardog1]

Kipper snacks
Ski Queen gjetost cheese -- presliced thinly at home, to save time and fingers on the trail
Flatbread of your choice -- Wasa, Finn Crisp, etc.

Keep the kipper can in an interior pocket so it doesn't freeze -- still OK if it does, but frozen smoked fish is not the best way to eat it. Bring a fork for the kippers. Have a plan for managing the fish oil that will (1) spring out when you peel back the can lid and (2) spill out when you put the empty can in your pack. (Listen to the voice of experience on these points.)

No, you don't put the kippers on the gjetost. You make separate kipper/flatbread and gjetost/flatbread combinations during lunch.

Quick, nutritious, and weird enough that your trail companions won't try to scrounge some precious calories from you. Until they have tried it once themselves.

 

[Stash]

I hate eating while hiking, period. If I can avoid it, I do. Jeez, give me water with a little gatorade mix in it. I like eating after but not during. I mean, a presidential traverse is one thing but a little day hike you don't need to eat nuthin'. Sometimes I don't even bother to eat right away afterwards and you know what? I'm still here.

-Dr. Wu

As someone with a metabolism that will cause me to bonk while sitting in a chair reading a book I need to bring food for ANY hike.. I say that with envy of your not having to deal with it..

 

[dr_wu002]

haven't done it in a while, but used to bring the imitation crab meat.

that stuff is da bomb

Ugh. That's what that taste was...

-Dr. Wu

 

[mookie]

I dont hike in the winter, its cold out there!

but if i did, i would eat something like this:
cheese cubes
granola bars
maybee some dried fruits
chocolate
soup in my neat new thermos !

 

[leaf]

haven't done it in a while, but used to bring the imitation crab meat.

that stuff is da bomb

crab rangoons!

 

[Sasquatch]

I have been on several very cold hikes(8-14 hours) and have not any freezing issues.I usually have bagels and various sandwiches(tuna,chiken salad) as well as trail mix and bars.I put them in a stuff sack with my extra gloves and hats deep in the pack.

 

[Hikes4fun]

I dont hike in the winter, its cold out there!

But...There are no roots rocks mud or bugs to contend with...and most of the tenny shoe crowd stays home And the views on a cold clear winter day are the best!!

 

[wardsgirl]

I never have much of an appetite when hiking, so small snack-size items like trail mix, cookies, and brownies are definitely the order of the day. Along the stromboli line, we usually make up some wraps (the green spinach ones are especially yummy and sometimes other hikers get grossed-out thinking you are eating moldy food) with turkey, cheese, and mayo. We wrap them up pretty tight and then cut them into small cylindrical pieces. These little morsels are manageable even when semi-frozen, and can be accessed and eaten without stopping for a FWG sit-down-lunch, which we try to avoid in winter as much as possible.

Of course, when traveling with kids, and otherwise incompetent relatives , one must plan on a layered-up, sunny, windless spot, at 12 noon exactly for trailside victuals.

For liquids on a dayhike, we always boil up a stockpot of water before we leave home. From this, for each hiker, we make 1 quart hot Gatorade for the insulated water bottle holder within hand's reach on the outside of each pack, and 1 quart hot water for the insulated water bottle holder kept inside the pack to be used later in the day, as well as one quart of warm Gatorade to drink on the way to the trailhead (we live in NH, so it's not usually too far). As a special treat, Jay usually carries a thermos of very, very, intense hot chocolate mixed with coffee for the summit. The coffee really makes the youngsters speed up when they are apt to be the most tired!

 

[KayakDan]

PB&J on toasted English muffins. They're more "squishproof" in your pack.

 

[MarkJ]

Alphabet Soup with all the vowels taken out, in a thermos.The vowels weigh more than the other letters so my pack is lighter.also frozen spam chunks cut small to add in at the summit.Since using this technique ,no one has hiked with me....

 

[LRiz]

I really like Larabars - simple, natural ingredients, no added sugar, unprocessed, and really yummy. Cashew Cookie is my absolute favorite (could, and do, eat them all day ). Given the high fat content, I've never had a problem with them freezing up on me. I also like Clif Bars, but usually have to stick them down my shirt for a while before eating in order to thaw them out a bit...

I'm also a huuuuge fan of GU/Clif/Powerbar gels. Pop a few of those babies and I am CRANKING... especially the espresso flavored ones. The little shot bloks are good, too. I always get the ones containing caffeine, but that's only because I am an addict.

In terms of liquids, I carry two nalgenes filled with G2 and/or Propel (always grape flavored), one on the outside of my pack in an insulated holder and one inside. I also carry a thermos of coffee when I feel so inclined (typically for a longer hike).

Lastly, I put all of my snacks in one of those insulated water bottle holders and strap it to the outside of my pack for easy access. Water one one side, snacks on the other... good deal. No big lunches for me - I'm one of those people who needs to eat constant, small snacks throughout the day on a winter hike. Funnily enough, it's the complete opposite in the summer (I barely eat anything at all).

 

[adirobdack46r]

Thanks to everyone for your great suggestions. So many choices and options to think about and try. I'm horrible at eating when hiking, generally I just don't feel like it, or don't want to take the time. Eventually this is my demise because I get low on energy and sick feeling so it compounds and really don't want to eat anything. This weekend I climbed Giant and RPR. I packed mini Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups and Nestle Crunch bar broke in to little pieces for chocolate. This I carried on the outside so it wouldn't melt. Then I carried a little sack inside my bibs against my chest/tummy, this kept the contents warm (though freezing would not have been an issue on this above freezing day) but it kept the sack readily accessible. In it I had Crogan Bologna (a local meat if not familiar), pepperoni, cheese, all cut in to pieces. I munched on it all day long. I think it did wonders for keeping my overall energy up and just a better general feeing all day long. Starving myself out there just wasn't working for me. Readily accessible food to munch on all day long is the way to go. Also managed to fit in eating a power bar and a granola bar during the day as well.

 

[Viewseeker]

Yes those little snacks worked out well robert.. thanks again for the company

 

[Rik]

Pizza!!!!!