Real Food vs Processed : What do you bring on the trail ?

[peakn]

I usually take a PBJ, a piece of fruit, a baggie of Kettle Brand low sodium potato chips (they're high in Potassium and seem to prevent the hamstring cramps I used to get after about 8 miles), a baggie of pretzels, a small pack of M&M's, some dried apricots, Shaklee's Performance sports drink powder mixed in 1 of my water bottles and an extra ziplock of it if I will need to refill the water. Leave in my car- an extra water bottle and a ziplock of Shaklee's Physique muscle recovery drink which I mix and drink when I get back to the car. Also bring either Snickers or some kind of power bar but don't always use them.

This may sound like a lot of food, but I seem to have both a high metabolism which makes me hungry every 1.5-2 hours, and the calories work pretty well at keeping me going when I'm tired. Works for me.

 

[timmus]

My preference for home is real and for the Trail is processed food

I think you have something here.

Our regular lifes is filled with constraints and restrictions, we always try to eat healthy, watch our weight etc.

Hiking, ITOH, should remain simple and fun.

Also, why bother with what you eat when you are already doing your body and mind a favor ?

 

[carole]

Also, why bother with what you eat when you are already doing your body and mind a favor ?

I bother because my mind and body prefer it that way.

 

[cbcbd]

Also, why bother with what you eat when you are already doing your body and mind a favor ?

Exactly. That's why I only eat my triple whoppers during hiking weekends... and a lot of chocolate.

 

[Paradox]

Would dougpaul care to check in with his formula for homemade "gatorade"?

 

[DougPaul]

Would dougpaul care to check in with his formula for homemade "gatorade"?

If you insist...

The following threads contain the recipe and discussion on my homebrew electrolyte drink:

Long distance nutrition
http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=4914

Salt Tablets?
http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=7093

Heat Illness and Hiking
http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=7351

Have you had enough to drink?
http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=11541

Searching on "Morton Lite Salt" (a component of the drink) will generally find these threads.

Doug

 

[Gillian]

I'll grant you they're a lot more natural than marshmallow fluff and peanut butter sandwiches, but ... banana and peanut butter? They go together?

Oh yeah....apparently even the King figured its a royal snack. Try it!

 

[Jasper]

A step down from processed food.

I seem to always bring fully process food; Mars bars, Mac and Cheese (pre cooked) packaged meats etc.

However, my wife joined me on a recent backpacking trip to the Canadian Rockies. She looked after the evening dinners. What a treat, Salmon, Asparagus, Salad with cranberries and pine nuts. The other dinners were equally great. Now, can I convince her to come on up coming trips?

The downside was the real possibility of attracting bears. We were very careful.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

I bother because my mind and body prefer it that way.

Amen to that!

 

[Fisher Cat]

Definitely real food, no matter how long a hike, for as long as it will last. As long as you have some stable, rigid packaging it will work. Fresh cheese(cheddar, swiss,bruyere,gouda work good) and cured meats(and/or deli meats)along with crackers are hard to beat. Plus any and all fresh fruit, packed near the top and away from body heat. Strawberries, bananas, grapes, oranges, and clementines have worked best for us.

 

[MichaelJ]

Oh yeah....apparently even the King figured its a royal snack. Try it!

As long as it isn't what turned skinny Elvis into fat Elvis!

Fisher Cat - I'll second that recommendation for gruyere cheese. It keeps both its flavor and texture really well on a hike, far better than "sweaty" cheddar.

 

[timmus]

Bannana & organic peanut butter sandwiches ...

Add honey on top, and you get the best out of it ! But I like it on toasted bread, so that makes it impossible for the trail.

I would kill for that now, gosh I hate being handicapped

 

[Fisher Cat]

As long as it isn't what turned skinny Elvis into fat Elvis!

Fisher Cat - I'll second that recommendation for gruyere cheese. It keeps both its flavor and texture really well on a hike, far better than "sweaty" cheddar.

Yes, it would help if I could avoid a typo as well, gruyere, not bruyere as I erroneously typed earlier.
It is a good cheese for hiking, good and pleasant taste and it does hold well. We once tried a smoked version and it was awful. It smelled not smoked but more like wet newspaper. Maybe it was a bad batch of the smoked but we've stayed away from any such versions again. Stick with the original. It also works so good with dried meats, to us it counters the salt content. Good matches with wine too, if you can find those baby bottle size ones. Our past hike consisted of a nice cabernet on North Hancock and a Pol Roger baby bottle on South Hancock with some brie and those deliciously bad for you big-wheel size Cabaret crackers, though they do not have trans fat.

 

[MichaelJ]

Wine? Sure! In fact, why not wine, brie, hummus, crackers and grapes???

 

[Kevin Rooney]

Wine? Sure! In fact, why not wine, brie, hummus, crackers and grapes???

Ah yes, complete with oduer du' damp sockes ...

 

[MichaelJ]

Ah yes, complete with oduer du' damp sockes ...

A piquant bouquet, indeed!

 

[Fisher Cat]

Wine? Sure! In fact, why not wine, brie, hummus, crackers and grapes???

It's good to see someone has brought hummus. I somewhat enjoy it and thought to myself that this would be great for a day-hike. Does it hold up OK?

 

[MichaelJ]

Absolutely. In fact, I've brought it backpacking and as long as I kept it out of the sun it was still good at lunch on the third day.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

Absolutely. In fact, I've brought it backpacking and as long as I kept it out of the sun it was still good at lunch on the third day.

Just keep it away from the socks...

 

[Bob Kittredge]

Bake my own bars

This is a modified version of Oatmeal-Banana Bars that appeared the
UCal Berkley Wellness Lowfat Cookbook. They're pretty easy to fix and
make good breakfast food as well.

It emphasizes complex carbohydrates for readily accessible calories
and minimizes fats which take rather longer to digest; thus it's good
for dayhikes. Backpackers could probably stand a higher-fat version.

HIKER BARS

Grease 9x13 inch baking dish with soft margerine. Line pan with waxed
paper and lightly grease that.

In a large bowl combine:

2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or almonds)
1/2 cup dried currants (or raisins or cranberries or chopped apricots)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

In a blender puree:

2 ripe bananas
1 cup skim milk
2 eggs

Add the wet to the dry, mix well and spread in pan with a rubber spatula.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool and cut into convenient pieces.

Note: No preservatives. You should probably refrigerate what you
don't plan to eat within a day or two.

I carry these in ziplocs in the cargo pockets of my shorts where I can get to them anytime I want to nibble. Haven't had them freeze on me even on a couple pretty cold winter hikes.