Winter Day Hike Eating Strategies

[Dehydrator]

Staving off hunger while hiking in the winter has posed some challenges for me. The consistency and flavor of food changes when it gets cold. And it's hard to stop moving for too long or else I get cold so what I eat must be eaten quickly and preferably require minimal chewing. A sandwich for example is tough to eat on the go. The last few hikes I've been wolfing down Snickers bars which isn't really that satisfying. What strategies work for you?

 

[KRobi]

Cut anything you want to eat (including Snickers) into small pieces. Cheese and pepperoni/sausage work well. Sandwich's get cut into 1/4's so I can just grab a piece as I move. I use a "small belly bag" which is like the old Marmot Wet Bag. This bag (modified fanny pack) allows me to keep food in an easy to reach place so I can grab food as I hike. I also put food in a stuff sack and keep it in my pack near my second heated water bottle (hot Tang). This keeps it warm until we stop for a quick lunch or I move it to the belly bag for later in the hike.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

I carry two small wide-mouthed Nalgenes (1/2 pint?). One is filled with trailmix, and the other with pinapple chucks. I carry these in a Dana Wet Rib which is like a belly-bag - hangs off a chest strap, and means that I don't have to take the pack off in order to snack.

 

[Early Bird]

I carry two small wide-mouthed Nalgenes (1/2 pint?). One is filled with trailmix, and the other with pinapple chucks. I carry these in a Dana Wet Rib which is like a belly-bag - hangs off a chest strap, and means that I don't have to take the pack off in order to snack.

Kevin, dried pineapple or canned?
I too carry a 16oz Nalgene with trail mix in my Wet Rib. I also like Stoneyfield drinkable yougurts and a minestone or lentil soup in a small thermos which I chug at first break. Double stuff Oreos have saved my life on at least one winter hike when I needed fast energy. This is in the pouch part of the Wet Rib which I've insulated with foam from an old lunch bag and duct tape.

 

[DougPaul]

This is a question that has come up a number of times and there is quite a bit of info in past threads.

* Click on "advanced search"
* enter "food and winter" in keywords (without the quotes)
* "Search Titles Only"
* "Search now"
This will bring up 5 threads, all of which are relevant.

The first is and probably most useful is: http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?46971-Hiking-Food-Suggestions-for-Winter-Above-Treeline

Doug

 

[Early Bird]

This is a question that has come up a number of times and there is quite a bit of info in past threads.

* Click on "advanced search"
* enter "food and winter" in keywords (without the quotes)
* "Search Titles Only"
* "Search now"
This will bring up 5 threads, all of which are relevant.

The first is and probably most useful is: http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?46971-Hiking-Food-Suggestions-for-Winter-Above-Treeline

Doug

"I carry 3 or 4 dried pinapple circles. Since they're low-moisture, they stay edible in cold weather. Hannaford's carries them. Look in stores which have a bulk-food section."
Question answered. Great! I make my own dried pineapples for summer backpacking. Guess I could carry them in winter as well. Thanks.

 

[jrgagne99]

I couldn't find 16-ounce wide-mouth Nalgenes anymore for Gorp. So I screwed a bolt-eye to the cover of a small plastic peanut-butter jar (12-ounce size). I use a carabiner to clip it to the front of my backpack straps for easy access. No need to remove pack or gloves to eat.

 

[dave.m]

Some great information here:
http://thru-hiker.com/articles/pack_light_eat_right.php

Cold weather info here:
http://thru-hiker.com/articles/PackLightEatRight/extremes.htm

Brenda (the author and a dear friend of mine) is a former thru-hiker and nutrition researcher. She used to be at Framingham State and did research for the DoD at Natick Labs.

 

[Brambor]

I don't expect my choices to be popular but here is what works for me for every winter hike:

Morning make two packs of oatmeal, eat before I head out of the door.
Make two thermoses of hot tea
Take one nalgene bottle of water with a twist of lemon
Pack sliced bread, a can of Trader Joe's sardines in olive oil
optimistically take a peeled orange, hoping it won't freeze
pack some dried fruit like coconut slices or banana slices
pack some almonds in chocolate

While driving to the trailhead I have enough time to drink the entire Nalgene bottle of water. Sometimes I make it to the trailhead before my bladder explodes. ;-)

Start hiking. Because I hydrated already and ate already, I usually do not have to stop for drink or food until I reach the summit. After summitting I find the best option to be out of the cold, take out my foodbag, sit on the backpack for insulation, put on some down garments to keep my warmth. Open the sardines. Sardines in olive oil are not going to freeze, provide good source of oil for warmth, good source of protein. I use my favorite sliced bread to dip it into the oil while I eat the sardines. I end up, pretty much wiping the can dry with the bread. After I finish I put the can back into its paper container that it came in and back into my food bag to avoid residue contamination. I drink my hot tea all along the food consumption. It takes very little time to eat this meal if the temperatures rob me of my heat but if the temps are good I stay and eat some snacks from the dried fruit and chocolate almonds choices.

On the way down I might make a few stops to drink hot tea and eat some of the snacks.

When I get down and drive home I usually stop somewhere to get a bite to eat. (tourist dollars ;-))

 

[RoySwkr]

When my sister & I did the winter 4k in the 70s the trails tended to be unbroken so each of us was breaking half the time We often didn't stop together for rests, rather whoever wasn't breaking would rest as they liked then catch up. We wore anoraks and kept food in the front pouch where it stayed warmer than in a pack, and could nibble as we wanted often while walking.

Now I sweat too much for anoraks but still stage food from my pack to my pockets so I can eat a little as I want to.

 

[Jackel]

My introductory post on VFTT is going to be a "captain obvious" kind of thing...

I've always told people, "Bring food you'll eat." It sounds crazy, but I've seen it happen over and over again where someone brings food they think they SHOULD be bringing and not necessarily food they would WANT to eat, say they were at home. I'd rather see a partner on a winter hike scarfing down Skittles than carrying a bag of trail mix that he/she will not touch.

Personal choices... dried fruit is great, I still like a piece of beef jerky for the saltiness, and I am certainly no stranger to sugary sweets. But most of all I just try to keep it simple, especially in the winter. And I fully condone the idea of a snack bag/pouch so that you can munch a little on the go.

 

[dave.m]

These:

 

[Kevin Rooney]

"I carry 3 or 4 dried pinapple circles. Since they're low-moisture, they stay edible in cold weather. Hannaford's carries them. Look in stores which have a bulk-food section."
Question answered. Great! I make my own dried pineapples for summer backpacking. Guess I could carry them in winter as well. Thanks.

I need to update that answer, Millie. Yesterday I stopped at a Hannafords to replenish my pinapple circles only to find that they've discontinued their bulk food section. I did find a tub of pinapple chunks in the section with prepackaged dried fruits. A bit more pricey, but will do until I can find another source. Many health foods stores carry them, but alas - such stores are in short supply in NH.

 

[RoySwkr]

Yesterday I stopped at a Hannafords to replenish my pinapple circles only to find that they've discontinued their bulk food section. I did find a tub of pinapple chunks in the section with prepackaged dried fruits. A bit more pricey, but will do until I can find another source. Many health foods stores carry them, but alas - such stores are in short supply in NH.

I learned to like dried pineapple slices when I was hiking out of Boulder CO where they were easy to come by, now I prefer either more sugar or more salt

The Hanover/Lebanon food coop supplies a lot of well-to-do healthy types, maybe even a better selection than Boulder but not on the way to the Whites for most people

The Concord NH food coop on the S end of downtown has prepackaged pineapple rings, they are open 8-8 Mon-Sat but less on Sun

Market Basket has prepackaged pineapple chunks but not rings at the Exit 14 store, other stores may have different stock - hours 7-9 Mon Sat and less on Sun

 

[Early Bird]

Many health foods stores carry them, but alas - such stores are in short supply in NH.

Aren't they though! It's too bad. A-Market in Manchester may carry them. They had a good bulk selection last I went, but I don't get up there often at all. Close to you than it is to me, so I thought I'd mention it.