For everyone concerned about my Food supply

[starbright]

3 pks. Instant Potatoes serves 4 can be 1/2ed or 1/4 for 2 to 4 day servings
3 pks. Alfrado Noodles serves 4 can be 1/2ed or 1/4 for
2 to 4 servings
2 can Spam makes 8 servings in cold weather
4 pks. Tuna makes 4 lunches
3 cans Viennie Wennies makes 3 lunches
16 pks Oatmeal makes 8 breakfast
3 double pks Poptarts makes 3 breakfast
20 pks. Hot Chocolate mixes makes 20 hot breakfast drinks
24 pks. single Kool-aid makes 2 drinks a day for 6 days
6 Candy Bars makes 6 snacks
5 Granola Bars makes 5 snacks
5 pks. Trail Mix makes 5 snacks
1 pks. Large pk of gum just to chew along the way


I know that food will increase after awile but this is the start out list.




I know that some where concerned about whether or not I was taking enough food this is what I have at the monent. What do you think?

[Malto]

How about a little variety? Also, you have few snacks. I would greatly increase the snacks and eat continuously throughout the day vs set meals.

[swjohnsey]

Come up with a calorie count, protein count and weight.

[yellowsirocco]

You need to lay it out by day. We all know a granola bar is a snack. How many snacks in a day though.

I like to lay things out by the hobbit eating schedule: breakfast, 2nd breakfast, elevensies, luncheon, afternoon tea, dinner, and supper. For example elevensies may just be a handfull of raisins, but it is a fun way to make sure I keep eating and my energy stays up.

[Blissful]

No veggies, no fruits, tons of empty carbs, little in the way of vitamins and minerals.

And don't take cans. (Spam does come in packets)

[starbright]

I figured that when we get ready to head out for the trail I would add block cheese and either some kind of bread or crackers. Also going to get a smoked sausage to take as well.

[starbright]

I guess I should add that my daughter is taking a small jar of honey and my son is taking a jar of pickle relish he said he can eat tuna all day long as long as he has pickles. I told him that he will probably be surprised what he will eat by the end of the trip.

Forgot to put the Oliver oil and bacon bits on the list above.

[Mountain Mike]

3 pks. Instant Potatoes serves 4 can be 1/2ed or 1/4 for 2 to 4 day servings
3 pks. Alfrado Noodles serves 4 can be 1/2ed or 1/4 for
2 to 4 servings
2 can Spam makes 8 servings in cold weather
4 pks. Tuna makes 4 lunches
3 cans Viennie Wennies makes 3 lunches
16 pks Oatmeal makes 8 breakfast
3 double pks Poptarts makes 3 breakfast
20 pks. Hot Chocolate mixes makes 20 hot breakfast drinks
24 pks. single Kool-aid makes 2 drinks a day for 6 days
6 Candy Bars makes 6 snacks
5 Granola Bars makes 5 snacks
5 pks. Trail Mix makes 5 snacks
1 pks. Large pk of gum just to chew along the way


I know that food will increase after awile but this is the start out list.




I know that some where concerned about whether or not I was taking enough food this is what I have at the monent. What do you think?

Try that diet at home next two weeks & then reply to yourself. Most hikers make use of Knoor sides & add some of the meats you mentioned. After about 3 day a can f Vienna sausage is far from a meal. maybe a snack. You will double to triple caloric needs. Look at food forums here.

[Northern Lights]

3 pks. Instant Potatoes serves 4 can be 1/2ed or 1/4 for 2 to 4 day servings
3 pks. Alfrado Noodles serves 4 can be 1/2ed or 1/4 for
2 to 4 servings
2 can Spam makes 8 servings in cold weather
4 pks. Tuna makes 4 lunches
3 cans Viennie Wennies makes 3 lunches
16 pks Oatmeal makes 8 breakfast
3 double pks Poptarts makes 3 breakfast
20 pks. Hot Chocolate mixes makes 20 hot breakfast drinks
24 pks. single Kool-aid makes 2 drinks a day for 6 days
6 Candy Bars makes 6 snacks
5 Granola Bars makes 5 snacks
5 pks. Trail Mix makes 5 snacks
1 pks. Large pk of gum just to chew along the way


I know that food will increase after awile but this is the start out list.




I know that some where concerned about whether or not I was taking enough food this is what I have at the monent. What do you think?

Is this list just for you? Or for you and your children? You will eat one knorr or instant potatoes by yourself for one meal. I usually have a knorr side dish with some sausage or spam. Definately take Blissful's advice and get spam singles instead of the cans.
The other thing I like to take is hard boiled eggs, an easy snack.

[Slo-go'en]

Vienna sausages are vile. Every so often I'll buy a can thinking "maybe it won't be so bad this time" and of course, it always is...

So the kids are coming along too? That puts a whole new wrinkle on the discussion. Now theres three to feed?

I'd go heavy on the PB+J. Get a plastic bread box and carry a loaf. Walmart trail mix by the 2 pound bag. Rasins (and/or other dried fruit) and almond slivers to add to the oatmeal.

[starbright]

Sorry if I confused anyone.

My son is 22 and my daughter is 17 they are kids to me.

Yes there will be 3 of us but everyone is carrying their own food and everything else that is needed.

Try that diet at home next two weeks & then reply to yourself.

I don't have to try this at home this the kinds of food we eat all the time. So we already like it and know how much it takes to fill us up. This is the start off list of food I know that as time goes by that more will be needed but the first couple of weeks this is what I figure we will eat.

I grew up eating these foods and so have my kids so this is just everyday stuff to us. The only things that I will miss will be the Beans, Fried Potatoes, and Cornbread.

[Northern Lights]

Sorry if I confused anyone.

My son is 22 and my daughter is 17 they are kids to me.

Yes there will be 3 of us but everyone is carrying their own food and everything else that is needed.



I don't have to try this at home this the kinds of food we eat all the time. So we already like it and know how much it takes to fill us up. This is the start off list of food I know that as time goes by that more will be needed but the first couple of weeks this is what I figure we will eat.

I grew up eating these foods and so have my kids so this is just everyday stuff to us. The only things that I will miss will be the Beans, Fried Potatoes, and Cornbread.

Well that makes a bit more sense. You can still have beans, but it most likely will be after a town resupply. Open up the can and put it in a baggie. You may not be very hungry at first but after a little while hiking all day long you will find you will need more food. But you will figure that out as you go.

[prain4u]

3 pks. Instant Potatoes serves 4 can be 1/2ed or 1/4 for 2 to 4 day servings
3 pks. Alfrado Noodles serves 4 can be 1/2ed or 1/4 for
2 to 4 servings
2 can Spam makes 8 servings in cold weather
4 pks. Tuna makes 4 lunches
3 cans Viennie Wennies makes 3 lunches
16 pks Oatmeal makes 8 breakfast
3 double pks Poptarts makes 3 breakfast
20 pks. Hot Chocolate mixes makes 20 hot breakfast drinks
24 pks. single Kool-aid makes 2 drinks a day for 6 days
6 Candy Bars makes 6 snacks
5 Granola Bars makes 5 snacks
5 pks. Trail Mix makes 5 snacks
1 pks. Large pk of gum just to chew along the way

THIS is your current diet and it is what you plan to take with you on your thru hike AND you are a DIABETIC who carries a glucose meter? Unbelievable.

I spend a lot of time around diabetics. Diabetes runs in my family (my brother, my sister, several first cousins). Thus, your diet surprises me.

Poptarts? Candy bars? Hot chocolate? KoolAid?

Then--on top of all of those sugary items---you are also planning on eating a lot of items that--depending upon what brand you buy, the exact ingredients (and the amount consumed) will be LOADED with carbohydrates--which the body turns into even MORE sugars (items such as mashed potatoes, Alfredo noodles, granola bars, and trail mix---some trail mix is just LOADED with sugars and carbohydrates).

Please note that you will be burning many more calories on the trail than at home. Thus, you will probably need to consume more calories on the trail than at home. The lack of calories could impact your diabetes too.

Well, I have now crossed over into being mean-spirited and being a first class nag. So, I will quit typing and quit pestering you.

Good luck. Best wishes. Hope you make it all the way to Katahdin.

[Stir Fry]

I hope you post your progress, it will intresting to follow. Good luck. Start slow and have fun.

[Hikemor]

Recommend a higher percentage of proteins and fats v. what you have posted. High protein + fat foods that are popular on the trail include cheese, peanut butter/nuts, gorp, also hard boiled eggs and powdered milk. Add a tub of margarine or sqeeze Parkay for another fat source. Protein, fat and fiber are more easily obtained during town stops (e.g. cheese burgers, salad bars, etc.)

I find vienna sausage unpalatable but since they are probably 70 percent fat may be partly redeemed. Spam, once the can is opened (I have not used the packets), is a smelly, greasy mess up to and beyond disposal of the can in the garbage.

Your inventory will feed 3 adults for about 3-4 days (beginning) and 2 days (after about 3-4 weeks).

[Mos2111]

Come up with a calorie count, protein count and weight.

That is VERY ASTUTE advice. You just delayed my next question thread.

[snickersbar]

I kinda agree with most of the comments. If you do your food a little differently, you'll feel better and stronger and make it farther. Case meats are chock full of preservatives and way more salt than your body needs, even walking 20 mpd, and tuna should only be eaten once a week at most, esp. by children, because of heavy metal build up; mercury and I could go on and on but instead I have some helpful suggestions. :-) I'm a female too and here is my typical daily meal plan which might also save you money in the end...
Breakfast: 1 cup oatmeal or 1/2 cup Cream of Wheat or 2 cups of grain style cold cereal and the highest protein content of dried milk product you can buy (Nido or even Carnation whole milk), a hot beverage with plenty of caffeine, vitamins, and a muscle and meal replacement dried protein shake. This is a huge amount of food for me now, but I give it 2 weeks before I have to increase my portions.
Lunch: Snack all day on homemade trail mix (almonds & walnuts=good fats that keep you full, raisin and dried dates and fruiuts=good sugars and instant energy, carob covered nuts, dried fruit, and even M&M's just because a bit of chocolate=increase happy feeling chemicals in your brain, pick up some protein bars, have a protein shake, around 2:30, when you're all lagging, make a quick caffeine drink and have a trail bar, some peanut butter or coconut cookies or peanut or almond butter with crackers or cheese and crackers to hold you over until camp. The hobbit eating schedule is a good one.
Dinner: A starchy dinner is filling, but a heavy dose of protein is what is going to prevent you from waking up at 4:07 am starving for the food hanging up on the bear pole or tree. You can buy ready meal packets of dried Knorrs soup, for example, and split it 4 ways into sandwich bags and add in your dried fast cook grain or couscous or noodles or instant rice, think about ordering some dried veggies and add them in until the baggie weighs at least 6 ounces or more. Boil the water on the trail THEN add the mix and cheese and meat or whatever and let it sit off the heat for 15-20 minutes and then give it a last booster reheat while stirring to prevent burning it. This method saves a ton of fuel and works great! Hope this helps.
Dinner

[WingedMonkey]

3 cans Viennie Wennies makes 3 lunches

I've been getting these at Walmart. Look around the other canned meats or in the Latin section. Not something I'd go out of my way for, a nice treat around cocktail hour with some crackers (since my retort smoked oysters have disappeared).

They come in small and large packages.

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carmelapouch.jpg

[pelenaka]

My daily diet is a modified Atkins/whole grains, easy on the grains (read whole wheat bread) when I'm not walking 5+ miles per day. No corn or corn products no white flour. Since fruit is pretty much off the table for me when I don't do high mileage days I take a quality multi vit, & a separate calcium supplement daily.

The hardest part about being diabetic is planning a varied healthy & affordable menu. I've been reading this website backpackingchief.com he has a page on menu planning which gave me ideas. Might be useful to you.
An example is dehydrated beans as in beans & rice (brown) or beans on a whole wheat tortilla. Another example is dehydrated sweet potato (high in fiber good choice for us diabetics).
His recipes use common ingredients like canned beans, canned mixed veggies.

I have read that mashed potatoes are a staple on the trail but for me a huge no no. I sub in instant brown rice which can be cooked with a garlic, beef or chicken bullion cube, or chili powder. Warm up a can of canned (foil packet) chicken dinner is done.

There is also diabetic friendly pasta brand name is Dreamfields which isn't like whole wheat or pasta made with flax. It's a bit pricey & requires 8 minutes of boil time so if your not cooking with wood that can be an issue.

I'm enjoying this thread as I so do love to eat well.

[bfayer]

No one has ever starved to death on the walk to Neal's Gap.

Pack the food you like to eat and what works for you and your kids. Once you are on the trail you will resupply with what's available. There is no reason to over think this. There will be times when resupply consists of nothing but Peanut M&Ms and a big bag of Combos.

I have seen hikers that completely enjoyed themselves eating nothing pb&j for weeks on end. I have seen others that would die without meat at every meal.

Just pack up your food, add a little more than you think you need, and go hike. Enjoy.