Easy, healthy, hiking grub

[ADKatie]

Does ALL hiking food have to be so fattening? I know it's good to carb up and not worry about calorie counting and all, but honestly, there HAS to be something just as filling and easy to pack as Snickers bars, but much healthier.

Upon getting ready to embark on a significant weight loss effort, or even in the interest of just not being such a junk food junkie, I'm looking for ideas on what I can pack that won't set me back.

Cheap and easy would be nice, but I'll take what you can offer.

[pete_hickey]

Does ALL hiking food have to be so fattening? .

First of all, the calories you consume while hiking, are probably all burned off. YMMV.

Second, if you train your body to burn its own feul, you don't need to eat whle hiking. Burning a pound of your fat wil produce something like 3600 calories.

Third. Here's a tasty low calorie junk food. Provides lfew calories, some vitamens, and lots of taste. You need a dehydrator.

Slice tomatoes about 3/8 inch thick (thinner if italian tomatoes) Sprinkle with salt, stick on a leaf of basil, and dry. You end up with tomato chips. Chewy and tasty.

[AlpineSummit]

PBJ's are great, and cheap too so I don'tmind tossing 'em away if I don't get to eating them.

Ritz crackers with peanut butter in those little 6-packs are pretty good also

[Grumpy]

Second AlpineSummit’s PB&J sammitch recommendation. Simple, cheap and satisfying.

Here’s a fat man’s perspective. I don’t enjoy hiking on a full stomach, but do like to put something in the ol’ belly that will keep hunger pangs at bay. The PB&J sandwich works. Items like Fig Newton cookies and fruit are very good (except the cookies are inclined to crumble if not protected well). Must confess that my favorite daytrip food is canned fruit in heavy syrup. A couple of 8 oz. tins will carry me for quite a distance. Maybe you can get by on less, or need more. Fresh fruit works too and probably is “healthier.”

G.

[Neil]

Plenty of free well balanced nutrition to be found in the HPR. Just kick over a rotting stump.

On strenuous hikes, that is to say, on any jaunt up any high peak I eschew fats in favour of simple carbs such as ju-jubes, spearmint leaves, piping hot tea laced with maple syrup (in january) and other assorted junk. I figure my own body will willingly supply all the fats necessary and any I ingest will just slow down absorption of sugar - the hiker's rocket fuel. Once on top, I revert to real food such as pine martins, little birdies, (peanuts = bait) and lean roast beef sandwhiches.

[lumberzac]

Dehydrated mangos are really good.

[1ADAM12]

I like the flavored tuna packets. They dont have to be refridgerated either :)

[ADKatie]

Good suggestions, all, so far! Thanks! Keep 'em coming!

Is the general concensus that one need not worry about what one eats on trail since the average person is burning far more calories than being consumed?

And Pete, I'm curious about your comment regarding training your body to burn it's own fuel and not needing to eat. I'd be all over that if I could learn how! Please, edumacate me!

[Rivet]

I pack same kind of foods I would bring to work .... banana, sandwich, cheese and crackers, raisins, granola bars, apple, peanuts, etc.
Nothing complicated.

I don't know how wise it would be to not eat anything while hiking.

[Mavs00]

I tell you, I few times, I was running late and I ended up stopping at Stewarts and picking up a pre-made sandwich (Turkey or Ham and Cheese) and stuff. (Plus a couple packets of mustard). I don't know how good it was for me, but I sure did enjoy it, but it sure beat that typical summit snack stuff I usually do.

Generally, I'm like Katie, and eat crap food, but fortunatly, I don;t each much hiking (nor during prolonged exercise either). Doesn't sit right. I know I burn off everything I eat during a hike. I don't worry about that.

Now, about that stuff I EAT AND DRINK after a hike, that's the stuff I gotta worry about. :shock:

[pete_hickey]

And Pete, I'm curious about your comment regarding training your body to burn it's own fuel and not needing to eat. I'd be all over that if I could learn how! Please, edumacate me!

But first, let me give you another tasty lo-cal/hi-flavour treat. Jalapeno-Watermellon.

Cut a half-inch thick slice of watermellon, and de-pit it. Put a few thin slices of jalepano pepper on top and dehydrate it. It is sickingly sweet and hot. The posting of the dried mango made me think that I want to try this with mango some day.

OK, now to your question. It comes from LSD, I think. I know, last year, when I cycled from Ottawa to Long Island in four days, averaging 130 miles a day, I ate less food daily than I normally do. Much les. I was able to burn my fat. I ended up a few pounds less, but I could afford it. It's nice not bonking mid-day.

In my experience, long 'events' which really pushed my body to its limits has/has a lot to do with it. Doing things like the Canadian Ski Marathon.. ski 50 miles with a full pack, camp for the night, wake up ski another 50 miles. Also, cycling 160 or so miles in a day.

Now, these are things that trained MY body. Things which pushed me to the limits. YMMV. I think it's the fact of pushing your body to its limits, then pushing it more.

THe liiterature seems to say that you have to be at a faiirly low level of activity to get into the fat burning mode (zone 2?), but in my experience I am that way while pushing at a fairly high level.

Oh yeah. I don't think I REALLY got into this mode, until I had been pushing myself hard for some 10 years.

Something else. I don't think this is a way of loosing weight. For example, on my r4 day bike ride last year, I was probably consuming 1000-1200 calories a day, and burning some 5000... Lets say I came out down 4-5 pounds. The next few days, I ate like a horse.. a hungry horse!.. Something like consuming a whole large pixxa for supper, then eating a big snack before going to bed. I was probably doing the reverse: burning 1200 calories, and consuming 5000.

[AlpineSummit]

It's temporary, and of course there's much gain from it.
But,
On a big, full day hike, ala Haystack Basin, etc. I will gain about 4 or 5 lbs every time. 2 days later, I'm back down.

[Mavs00]

It's temporary, and of course there's much gain from it.
But,
On a big, full day hike, ala Haystack Basin, etc. I will gain about 4 or 5 lbs every time. 2 days later, I'm back down.

Oh yeah, Stay away from the scale for 3 days anyway. The rebound is a "super-compensation" your body goes through after you dehydrate yourself on for a day or more with extended exertion (hiking). I see it all the time.

[Silverback]

One thing to be concerned about, whether you consume your own fat, is the level of minerals and salts in your system.

A deficiency of salt or potassium can cause, at the least, severe muscle cramps, or at worst, bring on a heart attack. The heart, being a muscle, needs potassium to function.

Even if you eat nothing, bring along a good sport drink to replace what is lost.

As for me, I'm finding that my hiking experience is enhanced when I take along some good eats. I used to be a "bare bones" guy myself, but after I developed severe cramps on a round trip hike to Cliff and Gray from the Loj, I bring along better food. Plus, lunch on the summit is so much nicer.

I'd be less worried about calories on a hike considering you can burn up a good 5,000 - 6,000 calories per day in the mountains. Plus you'll be less likely to feel the need to binge afterwards if you give your body small frequent, refuelings. Pete is right, you can fool your system. If you don't give it something to work on, it will go into "survival mode" and try to store fat at the next source of food, so any gain from the calories burned while hiking will likely be offset by the body's need to "lock down". Thus when you post-hike binge, you take a double hit.

Gonna try the dried tomato thing. Sounds pretty good.

[peak_bgr]

Graham crackers and PB. Can of easy open tuna with crackers (plastic bag recommended).

[Hikerdad]

I've tried turkey sandwches on pita bread (works prety good), regular sub sandwiches (Tried some from Subway in LP once and they were great)...one thing I've been taking lately is chicken nugget type things (from Wal Mart...several different flavors)...they seem to work well...easy to eat and are good....Pringles always seem to be a big hit...I also like cheese, crackers and pepperoni...I also always take a bunch of granola or Kudos bars and peanut M&M's....dried fruit is also a nice treat....

I forgot about half our food once and of course it was the dayhike to Allen...we ate everything we had and were still ravenous....I did have the PBJ's which saved us on the way out....

[Everest NBD]

I like fruit cups and apple sauce myself.

Healthy and tasty. :D

[ken]

Katie- I'm hearing good things about these bars...

http://www.theprobar.com/

http://www.larabar.com/

I just picked up some of these yesterday at the supermarket.

http://www.odwalla.com/product1.asp?p=nutritionalbars&sw=1


I'll let you know how they taste.

[adk-46r]

Everything Adkatie didn't want to know about hiking food but is about to know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Food types

All foods are made up of varying proportions of the three basic food types - carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and water, vitamins and minerals. Each of the three major types can be converted into simple sugars and burned by the body to produce energy but the time required for conversion increases as the complexity of the molecule increases, so carbohydrates are quicker to convert than proteins and proteins quicker than fats.
Dietary Percentage for Winter Camping Food Type Nickname Description
50% Simple Sugars kindling 5 calories/gram (1,800 cal./lb.) - released quickly.
Complex Carbohydrates sticks 5 calories/gram (1,800 cal/lb.) - released quickly. They are easy to digest. Candy, cereal, bread, rice, macaroni, dried fruit, vegetables.
20% Protiens logs 5 calories/gram (1,800 cal/lb.) - generally released slowly. Proteins are primarily used for maintenance and building of body tissue. Meat, fish, cheese, milk, eggs, nuts, grains.
30% Fats logs 9 calories/gram (4,100 cal/lb.) - released very slowly but are useful because they release heat over a long period. However, it takes more energy and more water to break down fats into glucose. Margarine, nuts, cheese, eggs, and fats from pepperoni, salami.

Vitamins and Minerals - are generally found in most foods we eat and for a trip less than 7-10 days no special resources are needed. For longer trips and expeditions vitamin and mineral supplements are necessary. See a physician to get specific recommendations for expeditions.
Caloric Requirements

General caloric requirements increase in the winter due to the energy expended in keeping the body warm. Caloric requirements for different activity levels are summarized below.
Activity Caloric Requirement (kg-cal/day)
Basal metabolism 1,500 calories
Sedentary occupation 2,500 - 3,000 calories
Three season backpacking 3,500 - 4,000 calories
Winter backpacking 4,500 - 5,000+ calories

Keep in mind that there are definite individual variances on these figures based on age, body metabolism, health, etc.
Meals

Avoid taking fresh food in the winter (fresh fruit, vegetables, eggs). These all contain water and weigh a lot (and you have enough to carry). The exception to this is cheese, butter, or meats (needed for their high fat content). Take mostly dry foods (cereal, pasta, rice, wheat, oatmeal,) baked goods (brownies, cookies), or freeze dried foods (expensive but very lightweight and quick to cook which can save on stove fuel).

1. Breakfast - should not be a complicated meal but should be a complete one since it supplies the foundation for a full day's work. Time is also a factor since you probably want to get up and moving. Just standing around in camp in the early morning (cold) hours only leads to cold feet and bodies. Since the easiest thing to cook is water it is best to go for items which can be made in each individual's cup. Suggestions include: instant oatmeal with hot milk & margarine, hot Tang, Granola with hot milk, hot Jello, hot chocolate with extra milk & margarine.

It is best to supplement some of these items with extra powdered milk to add additional protein and margarine for fats. This is the meal to be careful not to dump too much sugar into the bloodstream at once, but rather to eat a good mix of all three major food types. The sugars will get you started and the proteins and fats will keep you going through the morning.

2. Lunch - There are two approaches to lunch on a winter trip. One is to stop for a traditional lunch and take a long break. This means cessation of activity which can lead to people getting cold. Additional layers would need to be put on and taken off. All of this adds up to a lot of time. But this also allows time for exploring an area and taking it easy. You can break out the stove and cook up a hot meal if you like. The other approach is carrying a personal lunch which can be eaten throughout the day, at scenic points, water stops, clothing breaks, etc. The second approach minimizes the amount of time people would be standing around, but also doesn't provide a major rest stop. In both cases you should include all the food groups by having some of the following items: meats, cheeses, nuts, dried fruit, raisins, cookies, candy, granola bars.

In the case of an "eat through the day lunch" a general formula is to take the following per person per day:

* 1/2 - 3/4 lb. GORP - raisins, peanuts, M&M's, sourballs coconut, chocolate morsels etc.
* 1/4 - 1/2 lb. Lunch Meat and/or Cheese - cut into bite size chunks so you don't break your teeth
* Other items include cookies, brownies, peanut butter, bagels, etc.

3. Dinner - It is often good to start dinner with an instant soup or a hot drink that can be made in each persons' cup. This gives some internal warmth while waiting for the main course. In the winter, the main dish is usually some form of one pot glop/stew. This is to save time and stove fuel. A glop starts with a soup or gravy base, and includes a starch (rice, noodles), some vegetables (frozen vegetables keep well on winter trips), whatever protein you are carrying (lunch meat, cheese, canned chicken, tuna). This should be spiced to make it tasty. Remember, at the end of the day you will be more tired than hungry and having an interesting meal is essential to get you to eat.

The other approach to dinner is freeze-dried foods. These have the advantage of simply adding the dish to boiling water so less fuel is needed and they weigh very little. There are a number of companies offering these items. They are generally more expensive than what you would pay for basic staples like rice & noodles. Be aware of portion size. Some companies give an unrealistically high estimate on how many their meal pack will feed.

The meal is concluded with hot drinks (tang, tea, hot chocolate, jello etc.) and possibly dessert. At the end of the meal water should be melted/heated up for personal water bottles at night. (See water section below).

Dehydrated foods (which are different than freeze dried are not recommended because they require large quantities of water to rehydrate them.

4. Food for sleeping - you need to take some of your lunch for the next day to bed with you. This allows fresh items like the meat and cheese to thaw. If you wake in the middle of the night and are cold (or just before you go off to sleep) it is best to eat proteins. The protein will be broken down more slowly so the heat will be released over a longer period of time. If you eat a sugar, you will get a quick "heat high" and then your body temperature will drop back down, sometimes falling below its previous level.

5. Utensils - all the personal utensils you will need is a large plastic cup (insulated if possible) and a plastic spoon. (Do not bring metal utensils in winter). It is also recommended that you tie an idiot string between the cup and the spoon. Cleaning these utensils is generally only scraping out the remainder with snow. Anything left will be part of your next meal.

6. Food Packing - You will need to repack you food to minimize the amount of trash you bring in with you. It is best to combine food items by meal or type into separate stuff sacks (breakfast bag, lunch bag, dinner bag, hot drink & dessert bag). Label them or color code them so you can easily distinguish them.

[ken]

I tried the Odwalla food bars and they weren't too bad...

The Probars on the other hand...delicious!! Can't recommend them enough! I picked up mine at EMS...give them a try.

[Boreal Chickadee]

Katie, your request for something healthier than candy bars hit home with me. I just recently have pretty much given up refined sugar to also help with weight control. So when I had to plan a 14+ mile hike on the weekend I had to put some serious thought into what I would eat. For second breakfast (Hobbit like) I had a egg & montery jack cheese bagel. Snacks were mostly nuts and a few fresh cherries. Later I had a favorite of mine-bacon sandwich. Precook bacon and carry in a plastic bag. I take a good half pound just for my son and myself for only two sandwiches. Mayonnaise packets saved from take out places and bread carried in a very lightweight plastic container so it doesn't crush. I will eat anything but it was getting a child to eat over the years hiking that led to sandwiches in semi-rigid containers. And I learned that bread is nicer when not squished.

But thorughout hiking I very frequently sip diluted gatorade. If it's really hot then I'll go with a bottle of full strength, but otherwise diluted to about 2/3 strength is good for a long hike for me. This gives me the salts and sugars to sustain long hours.

Having previously been pretty happy to live off candy bars while doing long hikes I was surprised to find out how good I felt at the end of the day. Better than when I survived on chocolate. I know the key was getting off the refined sugar which stabilizes your insulin levels. The sugar in the Gatorade is fine when you're burning so much energy off-and it's the sugar salt combo that allows your body to absorb water more efficiently.

Please post any more ideas you come up with as I'm sure this is a common concern, just not voiced freqently.