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llittle_llama
01-12-2017, 10:16
Have these things in my cart so far and want to make sure they are good picks before I start changing the amounts in the cart to fill the box.

378643786537866

Venchka
01-12-2017, 10:37
The first thing I saw are the Cliff bars. Cheaper in box of 12 off the shelf at Walmart. Verified in the last week.
Pop Tarts? Really? Are you sure?
Wayne


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Venchka
01-12-2017, 10:41
Natures Path pop tart clones. Gaggingly sweet. Expensive.
Pop tarts? Really?
Backpacking should be a healthy activity. Why negate the benefits with pop tarts, etc. ?
Wayne


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tarditi
01-12-2017, 10:42
Any food allergies?

1) Some of the food is pretty weight heavy for the caloric density - peanut butter (or sun butter) are worth their weight, IMHO.
2) You must really like pop-tarts!
3) Interesting to have non-gmo oatmeal and so much other processed food - just an observation, not a judgement
4) You may get better prices on Clif bars when bought in quantities larger than a 6-count box.

Any beverages? Coffee? Tea?
Other snacks like nuts or jerkey?
How about stuff like tortillas or pita bread?
Any meal options? I usually make up some sort of ramen for lunch, for instance - easy to cook, good morale booster. I don't hike strictly to log miles, and enjoy taking a moment to take in the local flora/fauna is part of the experience for me. I also have a hot meal for dinner - usually something freeze dried.
I like Clif bars... a lot, but find them to be pretty thirst inducing on the trail, and they are heavy for their caloric density, especially compared to their competetors like Lara bars and Kind. I usually plan for 2 per day and often come back with some uneaten ones. That said, I always run out of snickers snack size and love to munch on lemonheads as trail candy. Spree are good too, but too many make my mouth sore because of all the citric acid.

Just my $.02

Maineiac64
01-12-2017, 10:46
EYOPT - eat your own pop tart

Venchka
01-12-2017, 10:49
Single serving Mountain House freeze dried meals at Walmart are under $5. Decent selection and I can eat all of the flavors. I actually like several.
Buying groceries in a grocery store ain't dead yet.
The Nutella is a good choice. Don't know if the price is good or bad.
Walmart has a great selection of dried fruits, nuts and seeds in the produce section. Almond and cashew butters too.
I could shop for a week or a month backpacking trip at Walmart and my local grocery store.
Wayne
Wayne


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Hikingjim
01-12-2017, 10:52
some of that's ok.. but hopefully you're adding a lot of other good stuff so you can enjoy your food. a few examples:
- pb wraps
- pepperoni sticks
- hard/old cheese keeps awhile
- oatmeal
- good dried fruits/nut mixes
- freeze dried options

Venchka
01-12-2017, 11:06
Ok. I got that off my chest.
Your hike.
Your food.
Do as you please.
Have fun.
Wayne


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JC13
01-12-2017, 12:00
No honeybuns, not sure if serious.

Ktaadn
01-12-2017, 12:02
You will grow to hate those Clif bars. Trust me, I used to love them too and I've met other hikers that felt the same way.

orthofingers
01-12-2017, 12:16
Not to be nit picky but there's a lot of empty carbs there. Personally, I'd go for more healthy protein and fat.

Maineiac64
01-12-2017, 12:33
Would be helpful to know what you are packing and buying for, how long?

There are several very good youtube videos with example backpacking food lists, packing examples, and the like. You may want to consider an overall approach for each day. Breakfast: Coffee + Pop tart or Coffee + oatmeal (I hate dehydrated eggs, yuck); mid-morning snacks (trail mix, protein bars, jerkey, etc.); Lunch: flour tortillas + peanut butter + jelly, crackers, etc. afternoon snack, Dinner (dehydrated cook (i eat 2 servings), tea). Map it out for each day. There is a tendency to bring way too much and too heavy. I usually bring a summer sausage to cut-up and put into a mac-n-cheese meal for 1 splurge.


Have these things in my cart so far and want to make sure they are good picks before I start changing the amounts in the cart to fill the box.

378643786537866

Feral Bill
01-12-2017, 12:59
My first reaction was to check if this was posted in the humor section. Since it's not, I'd say do some serious research before you buy anything. Event if you are going non- cook, greatly increase your variety.

Slo-go'en
01-12-2017, 13:19
All that stuff is readily available in stores along the way and as others said at the same or less money. More then a few want-a-be thru hikers have bought a 6 month supply of power bars only to end up having a 5.5 month supply of power bars rotting in a closet. I'll carry a power bar or Cliff bar, but will only eat it in an emergency.

Pop Tarts are a very popular hiker breakfast, but I personally prefer the iced honey buns or apple pie. 500 calories of pure sugar. Nutella is basically flavored sugar - look at the ingredient label. Your better off with peanut butter if your going to carry something heavy like that.

Venchka
01-12-2017, 13:28
Taste test. I have purchased several items that online menus repeat constantly. Knoor Sides and Tuna in Foil are two that fill food lists at WhiteBlaze. I personally can't eat the stuff. Pop Tarts, Little Debbie's and Snickers are on my rejected list as well.
Conversely, there are folks who can't or won't eat oatmeal. I can eat oatmeal everyday and sometimes twice a day.
Go Figure.
I carry Cliff, Kind and Lara bars and rotate them. Actually, they are in a pocket of my pack and I reach in and pull out a surprise.
I tend to nibble all day. Bars, M&Ms, jerky (Krave-various flavors), bag of nuts, dried fruit, etc. Freeze dried meal in the evening.
Repeat and vary.
I figured this stuff out at home. On the trail is too late.
Wayne


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garlic08
01-12-2017, 13:37
That is one huge load of sugar.

Cheyou
01-12-2017, 14:12
http://blackwoodspress.com/blog/16547/ultralight-backpacking-meal-plan/#comments

thom

Sarcasm the elf
01-12-2017, 14:44
Have these things in my cart so far and want to make sure they are good picks before I start changing the amounts in the cart to fill the box.

378643786537866

Some general comments:

-If you asking because you intend to buy in bulk prior to a long hike, I would suggest you check out information on resupplying in town as an alternative. It's almost impossible to tell what you will be in the mood to eat weeks or months a head of time and buying as you go will give you a lot more options. The link below is to a fairly up to date list of common resupply stops that will give you an idea of how frequently you will uave the opportunity to buy food.
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/content.php/1344

-Do you actually like the things that you have in those screenshots and could you eat them day in and day out? Before buying anything in bulk, buy a couple of boxes and see if you really want to eat them every day.

- If you buy in bulk then you're stuck with that food, regardless of whether you get sick of eating something, or if you end up getting off trail. To paraphrase Baltimore Jack "The last thing you want is to get back home and have 2000 poptarts laughing at you."

-When thinking about what you want to eat, remember that you will be doing constant physical activity on the trail and this changes what is palatable. Personally I could barely force myself to choke down another poptart of cliff bar on trail if I tried, they just aren't palatable to me in that situation.

-If you are going to buy in bulk, hold off until you have a good idea of what all practical options are. I buy most of my premade meals from Hawkvittles.com or from stuff I get directly from the grocery store. There really are a lot of possibilites.

Engine
01-12-2017, 16:56
Single serving Mountain House freeze dried meals at Walmart are under $5. Decent selection and I can eat all of the flavors. I actually like several.... In my experience, the single serving size is kind of a cruel joke for a hungry hiker. It takes a two serving pack to make a decent supper and those are MUCH cheaper on Amazon. Some are less than $6 for a 2 serving pack.

Slo-go'en
01-12-2017, 17:19
For the thru hiker freeze dried meals like Mountain House are way too expensive in the long run. Plus their really bulky to pack for more then a few meals. These things are geared more towards the weekend and week long section hiker. Most of the MH meals I've eaten were given to me by section hikes who for some reason didn't want to take the extras home. But there are places where that's all they have and you have little choice but to buy a couple.

I've eaten way too many Knorr sides with tuna, but its a cheap and readily available combo.

Venchka
01-12-2017, 17:50
In my experience, the single serving size is kind of a cruel joke for a hungry hiker. It takes a two serving pack to make a decent supper and those are MUCH cheaper on Amazon. Some are less than $6 for a 2 serving pack.

Thanks. I munch on other things too. Oatmeal even.
Wayne


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ScareBear
01-12-2017, 18:18
Essentially sugar. That diet is essentially sugar, with some bad fat from the pop tarts and nutella...

Besides the mind-numbing lack of variety is the lack of any good fats or fibre. Even for breakfast, this menu is...well....

HYOH, EYOPT...

Hosh
01-12-2017, 18:21
Couple of things, Cliff Bars are much better and digest easier with a liter of water.

I thought someone on WB did analysis on shipping food to resupply points and found that the shipping costs were higher than the premium cost to shop at local groceries etc. I didn't try to search for it, but ?

trailmercury
01-12-2017, 18:29
Couple of things, Cliff Bars are much better and digest easier with a liter of water.

I thought someone on WB did analysis on shipping food to resupply points and found that the shipping costs were higher than the premium cost to shop at local groceries etc. I didn't try to search for it, but ?
I'm not mail dropping to save cost...
A lot of mail-droppers ship home-cooked meals that were dehydrated at home ahead of time...homemade jerky....homemade dried fruit or fruit leather. Mixed nuts that were self made with no stinkin' brazil nuts to choke down...
I seriously doubt many mail drop folks are sending boxes full of Lipton/Knorr/ramen meals and pop-tarts!
If I wanted to eat that stuff I would but along the way!

Hosh
01-12-2017, 19:00
I dehydrate my own stuff, too. Not a AT thru hiker, but I assumed you could buy MH or comparable on the trail. OP looked like he was working to reduce cost per meal and shipping to mail drops, might have mis-read it.

I tried the Knorr/Lipton stuff when I got back into backpacking. Immediately bought a dehydrator.

Dogwood
01-12-2017, 19:08
Lot of highly processed high sugar content products. Everything but the Bakery on Main and Annies can be widely found and bought along the AT at med/large grocery stores. Energy levels so far will fluctuate with you not feeling as full as you could and hence bingeing on more high sugar content foods further resulting in a longer energy roller coaster ride.

trailmercury
01-12-2017, 19:15
I dehydrate my own stuff, too. Not a AT thru hiker, but I assumed you could buy MH or comparable on the trail. OP looked like he was working to reduce cost per meal and shipping to mail drops, might have mis-read it.

I tried the Knorr/Lipton stuff when I got back into backpacking. Immediately bought a dehydrator.

If you are strictly speaking of freeze dried (MH, 'Pantry etc), the cost is probably cheaper to maildrop the whole trip because:
Mountainhouse meals can be bought in #10 cans and then divided and vacuum sealed. Each meal then comes out to $2.50 to $3.00 per meal.

I've been doing the #10 cans with my maildrop breakfasts, as I tend towards salty/savory versus sweet for breakfast ( MH Breakfast Skillet is damn good! they also have Eggs with bacon and Eggs with ham and peppers) I usually add dehydrated corned beef hash to these to up the caloric content per serving
YMMV

Again, in the grand scheme, "I" am not trying to save money by maildrops, I want to eat very well and not have to go shopping and repackage food at town stops. I also take medication and that will be in my maildrops.

soilman
01-12-2017, 19:45
I would never be so bold as to criticize ones choice of food. If that is what you like to eat, go for it. My experience has been that most people attempting a thru hike focus on the calorie/weight ratio and not so much the nutritional content. I see very few long distance hikers carrying freeze dried foods. Most resort to pasta or rice sides and instant potatoes. Let's be honest, it is pretty hard to eat sensibly if one is relying on gas stations and dollar stores to resupply. I used a limited number of mail drops during my thru hike and included pop tarts, mac and cheese, and Jif to Go peanut butter. The only time I ate mac and cheese during my 5 month hike was on the first night. I rarely choked down a pop tart or the peanut butter so they often made it into hiker boxes. My advice is to be conservative in the amount of food you prebuy. Taste change. I discovered Clif Builder bars during my AT thru hike and ate two a day every day for probably three months. Three years later when I did a LT thru stoveless, I couldn't stand the builder bars. I still have a hard time eating them today.

jjozgrunt
01-12-2017, 21:02
Looks like you are starting on a sugar high and intend to maintain it.

I know that you will need a lot of calories but I've always found that variety is the key. Eating the same old thing every day is not the way to go. Buying commercial dehydrated/freeze dried products may be more expensive, but they help to break up the monotony of food available at stores. I'll be getting occasional packages of Packit Gourmet and similar.

Engine
01-13-2017, 06:19
As many have stated, when given the choice try to pick the healthier alternative. As long as you are meeting your caloric needs, your body will thank you for the increased micro-nutrients. There are a few spots on the trail where maildrops are helpful, but many people hike the entire trail every year without a single maildrop.

We are sending drops to 5 locations which were chosen based on local resupply issues or the desire to split up a long stretch without having to carry 7+ days of food at one time.

Puddlefish
01-13-2017, 10:45
You will grow to hate those Clif bars. Trust me, I used to love them too and I've met other hikers that felt the same way.

+1

I only ate about six before I started dreading those little pucks of pressed oats. Fortunately, I only bought a dozen.

trailmercury
01-13-2017, 10:52
but many people hike the entire trail every year without a single maildrop.

I get the sense that most folks these days rely on resupplying along the way and not sending maildrops at all...but I have not yet thru hiked!
Former thrus, what did you do/see?

Slo-go'en
01-13-2017, 12:16
but many people hike the entire trail every year without a single maildrop.

I get the sense that most folks these days rely on resupplying along the way and not sending maildrops at all...but I have not yet thru hiked!
Former thrus, what did you do/see?

99% buy along the way. Many do an occasional mail drop for special things, but very few rely solely on mail drops as their main source (odds and ends, typically snacks, are still bought along the way).

The issue is really logistics. Do you have someone at home who can do the packing and mailing as needed? You need to be able to call home and tell your support person what you want in the package and where you want it sent.

Then you have to make sure your in the right place at the right time to pick up the package. Many small POs have limited hours. If you get to town after the PO closes, you have to wait until the next day, or if it's Saturday, until Monday. Mailing to hostels, motels and some business is also an option in some cases, but there is always a risk they can misplace your package and some charge an extra fee for handling unless you stay the night there.

So, in the end, it's just easier to buy along the way for most people.

Dogwood
01-13-2017, 12:29
I eat a lot of bars on trail and a few hoity toity brands off trail. Cliff Bars are probably the most commonly found regularly so maybe no need to ship these.Kind Bars are also widely observed. Lara and Luna Bars are also noted regularly in grocery stores, Target, Walmart, etc. Even gas stations and convenience stores typically vend one or more of these brands.

Venchka
01-13-2017, 15:36
Mailing:
You can "bounce" a box up the trail to yourself with various odds and ends like batteries, sunscreen, meds., etc. If you also happen to be bouncing that box from a town with a well stocked supermarket full of goodies you might include a stock of treats not usually found in convenience stores. A DIY mail drop.
Wayne


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RockDoc
01-13-2017, 16:04
Yes, please take the suggestions for non-sugar foods. According to your list your diet will be about 50% sugar.

I'm just reading "the case against sugar" by Gary Taubes... shocking. Sugar is toxic. You don't need it, it has no nutrients.

Suggest jerky, cheese, nuts, eggs, olive oil, salmon packets, tuna.... all have high nutrient density and no sugar (if you choose carefully).

If you already have a weight problem, or dental issues, sugar will only make them worse, probably ending badly in your 50's or 60's...

Mountain House meals are not much better. Very high in carbs and often sugar. Expensive junk food. Just look at the nutrition info. Simple carbs and little else. Yes it provides energy but your body will get sick if you don't give it nutrients.

It's easy folks, eat real food that doesn't have an ingredients list.

Engine
01-13-2017, 16:35
...It's easy folks, eat real food that doesn't have an ingredients list.

It's not all that easy on a thru hike...

Sandy of PA
01-13-2017, 18:24
It is not real easy but it can be done. I had a trail angel look at me like I was nuts when I said "no thank you" to soda, muffins, and chocolate chip cookies. I did stop and visit to show gratefulness for their effort. I never turn down cold water, fresh fruit, or hard boiled eggs!

Jumper74
01-13-2017, 18:59
I
I too love pop tarts, unfrosted strawberry and Cinnamon, and brown sugar-cinnamon! They are decent while walking and I take one 2-pack per day when hiking.

Also Dollar Store has Velveeta Cheese Packs (like in the deluxe macaroni) for buck, with or without Jalapeno. These can go into meals, on breads or just suck it from the foil bag.

Dogwood
01-13-2017, 19:45
It's actually VERY EASY to opt for real foods on all the TC Trails overall with the AT probably the most analyzed as far as comprehensive resupply dietary options.

Real food being defined as limitedly processed and packaged. I think RockDoc was referring to things like whole foods in their close to natural state without the naturally occurring nutrition in the whole food denuded. Rock Doc was likely stating the widespread observances of junk food bingeing both off and on trail.

"Junk food" generally refers to foods that contribute lots of calories but little nutritional value."

Junk food - food/food like products that have low nutritional value, typically produced in the form of packaged snacks needing little or no preparation.

"Junk food is food that is calorie-dense and nutrient poor. In recent decades, junk food, fast food and convenience food consumption in the United States have increased dramatically, with 25 percent of people now consuming predominantly junk food diets. This trend has occurred concurrently with rising epidemics of numerous chronic diseases and accounts for a long list of reasons why eating junk food is bad."

These junk food habits carry over to trail lifestyles.

Venchka
01-13-2017, 19:46
Hmmm....
Velveeta Cheese on Pop Tarts with a Little Debbie's chaser. Yummmmm ....
And folks crucify smokers.
Go figure.
Wayne


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Rabbi
01-13-2017, 21:59
Wonder if the OP learned anything?

Wow.

He should have asked which pack to choose or perhaps shoes.

SkeeterPee
01-13-2017, 22:38
Your love of pop tarts reminds me of a recent hike. We had eaten breakfast with one thru hiker and left camp before him. within a couple miles we passed another hiker heading opposite direction and he was sporting 2 black eyes. We did not stop to ask what happened just your basic good morning greeting. later the guy we ate breakfast passed and asked if we saw the guy with 2 black eyes. He says the guy told him he got them trying to take a pop tart from a thru hiker. Funny guy. So be careful with your pop tarts if you carry them.

llittle_llama
01-14-2017, 05:23
WOW!!!! So I leave the site for like 24 hours and it turns into 3 pages?!? Not complaining at all, I just should have explained a little better :) I am ordering my dehydrator in the morning (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M6AZ863/ref=twister_B019PMZ5G2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1) after the wife looks at it to see what she thinks and as soon as it shows up I will start on making my meals/pups meals. I have most of my actual food figured out, I just don't know what little fillers I should put in there is all. I don't plan on getting anything from Amazon itself, I was just shopping on there while taking a break from looking for rain gear (that I still haven't found) on REIs website. If anyone want's to school me on the gear like they did on the food I'm all ears ;)

Engine
01-14-2017, 06:24
It's actually VERY EASY to opt for real foods on all the TC Trails overall with the AT probably the most analyzed as far as comprehensive resupply dietary options.

Real food being defined as limitedly processed and packaged. I think RockDoc was referring to things like whole foods in their close to natural state without the naturally occurring nutrition in the whole food denuded. Rock Doc was likely stating the widespread observances of junk food bingeing both off and on trail.

"Junk food" generally refers to foods that contribute lots of calories but little nutritional value."

Junk food - food/food like products that have low nutritional value, typically produced in the form of packaged snacks needing little or no preparation.

"Junk food is food that is calorie-dense and nutrient poor. In recent decades, junk food, fast food and convenience food consumption in the United States have increased dramatically, with 25 percent of people now consuming predominantly junk food diets. This trend has occurred concurrently with rising epidemics of numerous chronic diseases and accounts for a long list of reasons why eating junk food is bad."

These junk food habits carry over to trail lifestyles.

At home I generally eat something approaching a paleo diet with the addition of tortillas and some bread on occasion. But on trail, the challenges of meeting caloric needs are very difficult when trying to maintain the same standards I do at home. So I stand by my statement, it's not all that easy...at least from this perspective. Fresh fruit and vegetables, while accessible every few days, have a lousy weight/calories ratio and are better eaten in town or the 1st day out of town. Meat products pretty well have to be dehydrated, but jerky and salami is loaded with sodium. Most granola is loaded with simple carbs, at least the stuff that is readily available in the locations which provide easy supply along the trail. Given the challenges and since I am not going to dehydrate and mail 6 months of meals for two, our diet changes on trail...unfortunately not for the better.

Here's a 2 day example, this would be for a 9-12 hour hiking day.

DAY 1:

Breakfast - 2 packs oatmeal and a Starbucks Via (Mmmmmmm!)
Snack - Cliff bar or something similar and an apple
Snack #2 - GORP
Lunch - Tortilla with cheese and pre-cooked bacon
Snack #3 - Probar or Luna Bar (love those many flavors)
Snack #4 - more GORP
Dinner - 1 Knorr pasta or rice side with salmon, tuna, chicken, or spam (yeah, I know...)
Before bed (especially if it's cold) - 1-2 ounces hard cheese

DAY 2:

Breakfast - Bagel with peanut butter and the Via
Snack - Protein Bar
Snack #2 - GORP
Lunch - Triscuits with Nutella, 1-2 handfuls of Bear Naked granola
Snack #3 - yogurt covered raisins and dried pineapple
snack #4 - Probar or Luna Bar
Dinner - Couscous with rehydrated pineapple and hard cheese
Before bed - Hot chocolate and a couple pretzels dipped in peanut butter

I know there are big holes in a diet of this nature, but eating clean on trail and meeting long term caloric needs has proven to be a very elusive goal for us.

Moosling
01-14-2017, 08:16
I know there are big holes in a diet of this nature, but eating clean on trail and meeting long term caloric needs has proven to be a very elusive goal for us.

I only see 1 cup of coffee a day? I would die. :)


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Rabbi
01-14-2017, 08:49
They do mean well though.

Deacon
01-14-2017, 09:57
I only see 1 cup of coffee a day? I would die. :)


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Funny thing is, I drink close to two pots of coffee a day at home, but on the trail I don't miss coffee at all. Tastes can certainly change out on the trail.

Sandy of PA
01-14-2017, 10:38
All that sodium in jerky, salami, and precooked bacon does not pose a problem while hiking. You sweat so much you need the salt to keep minerals balanced. I struggle to get enough sodium and potassium and carry a bottle of 50/50 sea salt and lite salt. This instead of sugar laced Gatoraide or Nuun.

windlion
01-14-2017, 10:52
Good to see someone else avoiding the overpriced trail food market! Lots of prepack dinners in the grocery stores these days, quick wholegrain rice, bean soups,spicy subcontinental meals. I try them out with a cupful of boiling water, most work well that way. Plenty of DIY trail bar recipes online, probly some that use nutella as the binder.

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Venchka
01-14-2017, 12:28
Just about every supermarket is a treasure trove of calorie rich easy cooking or no cooking food.
I still haven't broken my freeze dried meal habit, but I'm working on it.
I did make a breakthrough yesterday. Ramen. Not the usual junk 10 for a dollar ramen. Rice Ramen at Earth Fare. The sodium is under control as Ramen goes. I used half the water and added some instant rice to make it less soupy. Throw in some precooked sausage or single serving summer sausage and it's a meal. I'm on the lookout now for a similar, more affordable brand. I'll be visiting the local Asian market on Tuesday.
Instant refried beans. Don't leave home without them. Andrew Skurka has a good recipe online.
It's possible to live in the woods without Snickers and Gatorade and Moon Pies Oh my.
Wayne


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rafe
01-14-2017, 13:13
I only see 1 cup of coffee a day? I would die. :)



Funny thing is, I drink close to two pots of coffee a day at home, but on the trail I don't miss coffee at all. Tastes can certainly change out on the trail.

I'm with Deacon. In civilization, almost always one or two cups to start each day. But on the trail I don't miss coffee at all.

I do look forward to a cup of tea (or two) in the evening. I'd miss that ritual.

Slo-go'en
01-14-2017, 13:20
All that sodium in jerky, salami, and precooked bacon does not pose a problem while hiking. You sweat so much you need the salt to keep minerals balanced. I struggle to get enough sodium and potassium and carry a bottle of 50/50 sea salt and lite salt. This instead of sugar laced Gatoraide or Nuun.

That's why I've become very fond of corn chips, they've become my primary lunch. They have enough fat you can start a fire with them, have a good amount of salt and potassium. You can put them into your dehydrated meals to make them crunchy and add some flavor.

Feral Bill
01-14-2017, 13:24
[QUOTE=R Sugar is toxic. You don't need it, it has no nutrients.
[/QUOTE]
Not to say that a high sugar diet is healthy, or even appetizing, but if sugar were toxic there would be few, if any, Americans alive. And calories, including sugars are nutrition. As I posted above, the OP needs to do some serious research to put together a palatable, reasonably balanced diet.

rafe
01-14-2017, 14:03
Don't buy in bulk what you can easily buy in local food markets or even mini-marts.

Re: energy bars... I recommend Larabars. As such things go, they're fairly edible and tasty, with lots of choices of flavors.

Freeze-dried meals: I like having one or two in my food bag, but certainly not for every night. Save them for nights when the weather's foul or you're really tired and just need some hot food in your belly ASAP.

My taste in snacks seems to vary according to the outdoor temperature. Sweet stuff or chocolate when it's cold. Salty stuff (Pringles, corn chips, etc.) when it's hot.

Occasionally I bring along a few of those small fruit-cup thingies meant for kids' school lunches. For sure, they're not light, but they make a nice dessert after a hot days' hiking.

Venchka
01-14-2017, 23:24
Larabars:
I'm really partial to any of the Cherry flavors and the citrus fruits, lemon or lime, are awesome. Key Lime Pie!
I just downed another Ramen. I've learned one thing: You really need to pay attention to the weight of the noodles in the package. I purchased 3 different packages and the weights were 60g, 80g and 100g. Duh! Wayne!
Wayne


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egilbe
01-14-2017, 23:50
No spam packets? One of my favorite pseudo foods when hiking. Kinda like corn chips. Lots of salt and fat. Might be some protein in there, too, I think.

Venchka
01-15-2017, 00:17
No spam packets? One of my favorite pseudo foods when hiking. Kinda like corn chips. Lots of salt and fat. Might be some protein in there, too, I think.

Gag! Choke!
I know. Many folks love the stuff.
Wayne


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jjozgrunt
01-15-2017, 07:35
Spam uurrrrggggg, technicolour yawn on its way.

What is GORP?

Engine
01-15-2017, 08:04
Spam uurrrrggggg, technicolour yawn on its way.

What is GORP? Good Old Raisins and Peanuts ;)

It's not literal, just an acronym for trail mix. I put all kinds of interesting stuff in there.

jimmyjam
01-15-2017, 13:02
Natures Path pop tart clones. Gaggingly sweet. Expensive.
Pop tarts? Really?
Backpacking should be a healthy activity. Why negate the benefits with pop tarts, etc. ?
Wayne


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This past October I did a 300 mile AT section and ate a lot of poptarts, probably 50+ snickers bars, fruit roll ups and lots of junk and guess what? My cholesterol went down by like 40 points. So I think its OK to eat some junk while you hike. I never eat that stuff when I'm not hiking.

StubbleJumper
01-15-2017, 16:09
OP, just ignore the Food Police who prosthelytize their religious views of what is healthy and what is not. My recommendation is that you anchor your trail food decisions in what you actually like to eat rather than fussing about whether a particular trail food has enough vitamin C or riboflavin (you can worry about eating fresh fruit and vegetables when you are in town).

There are, however, a few practical considerations that you might want to think about:


1) You need to get enough calories. If you don't mind losing weight, you can always plan to run a calorie deficit, but I can tell you from personal experience that it's possible to lose weight at an alarmingly fast rate (ie, losing a half-pound per day is okay for 14 days, but after 30 days it's quite something). Calorie dense foods should be your target.

2) You might find that your body will crave salt more than it craves sugar (but there's nothing wrong with sugar either). Personally, I sweat like a pig and lose a ridiculous amount of salt during a day. Salted peanuts, mixed nuts, potato chips, Fritos, no-cook bacon, jerky, and Ramen are great to satisfy that craving. When it gets really bad, I like to make instant chicken noodle soup as the salt content is fabulous.

3) It's nice to consume at least a little bit of protein. I find that protein seems to last longer in my stomach and it contributes to muscle maintenance and development. I like protein sources that are accompanied by salt and fat, including dried sausage, cheese, jerky and no-cook bacon. I find this to be a nice combo of calories and protein. When you are in town, it's always nice to eat a heavy dose of protein at a restaurant meal.


Eat what you like and have fun out there.

Venchka
01-15-2017, 16:45
This past October I did a 300 mile AT section and ate a lot of poptarts, probably 50+ snickers bars, fruit roll ups and lots of junk and guess what? My cholesterol went down by like 40 points. So I think its OK to eat some junk while you hike. I never eat that stuff when I'm not hiking.

Fair enough. But the rascals are beyond sweet and about twice the price of the originals.
Down 40 points hey? Good. I've managed to get mine down to the point where the two types are almost equal and I don't have a total of 40 points that I could loose.
Wayne


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Siestita
01-15-2017, 23:15
NIDO--The Backpacking Wonder Food

I'm surprised no one has mentioned "Nestle's NIDO Fortificada...Lecha Entera en Polvo con Vitaminas y Minerales" ('Nestle's Nest, Fortified..Dry Whole Milk with Added Vitamins and Minerals). It's available in the Latin American sections of our local supermarkets and Walmarts here in Kentucky. Don't confuse NIDO with other powdered milk products, the ones that are fat-free. There are many tasty fat free foods, but for me reconstituted fat-free powdered milk is not one of them.

Removing the fat from dried milk makes it possible for vendors to keep it staple on store shelves for many months or years at a time, but at the cost making the stuff taste terrible. Half the calories in NIDO. on the other hand, come from fat. Each 30 gram (1 cup reconstituted) serving has 160 calories, making NIDO much more "weight efficient" to carry than sugar, rice, bagels, and noodles happen to be. And that tasty serving of whole powdered milk additionally provides 7 grams of protein and various vitamins and minerals.

On the trail I use NIDO in Mac and Cheese, in Knorr's pasta sides that call for milk, with breakfast cereal, and sometimes simply as a beverage. At home I consume it with breakfast cereal occasionally when our household's supply of liquid milk has been exhausted. I've not yet ever had NIDO spoil during a backpacking trip, even when I've carried it with me for several weeks in Virginia in August. But, if I ever undertake an extended summer trek at Death Valley, for those conditions I would probably leave the NIDO at home (And, before departing I might seek psychiatric assistance.)

Venchka
01-15-2017, 23:18
Nido Whole Milk in the YELLOW label cans. 2 sizes available. Don't confuse with the baby formula version.
Wayne


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Siestita
01-15-2017, 23:47
"For the thru hiker freeze dried meals like Mountain House are way too expensive in the long run. Plus their really bulky to pack for more then a few meals. These things are geared more towards the weekend and week long section hiker. Most of the MH meals I've eaten were given to me by section hikes who for some reason didn't want to take the extras home. But there are places where that's all they have and you have little choice but to buy a couple.

I've eaten way too many Knorr sides with tuna, but its a cheap and readily available combo." Well said! But, there may be special circumstances when Mountain House type meals merit consideration.

It's been my experience that freeze dried meals generally do not require as much "cooking" as do Knorr sides and other pasta or rice products. That difference doesn't matter along the AT or other places in the Eastern United States. But, up in higher altitude western settings (think 10,000 or 11,000 feet) water's boiling point is lowered, greatly increasing cooking time. I once spent 40 minutes cooking pasta that would have been ready in just 12 minutes at a lower elevation. So, I've used some freeze dried dinners during trips to California's Sierras.

In the USA recreational backpacking became popular during the 1960s in California and Colorado, promoted by writers such as Colin Fletcher. Simultaneously, markets developed for freeze dried 'convenience' backpacking dinners. But, for many other hikers (including me) those expensive little 'dinners' are no longer helpful much of the time. They can be prepared very quickly but are not particularly light, calorie intense, nor tasty.

Venchka
01-16-2017, 00:09
Food. Shoes. Backpacks. Shelters. Sleeping systems. Clothes.
Everyone is different. One person's delicacy is another person's poison.
We can make suggestions, but nothing is absolute.
Wayne


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