View Full Version : Can I stay Vegan on the trail?
Swheeler05
10-08-2008, 14:12
Hi everyone!! I'm Samantha and I'm planning a thru-hike in '09. I'm a vegan and would like to keep it that way... is that impossible? Has anyone on here done the whole trail and stayed vegan? Any comments or suggestions would be awesome! Thanks!
Serial 07
10-08-2008, 14:16
good luck...there are going to be places that you are for sure gonna want mail drops b/c food selection will be dim...i'm a veg and wasn't always eatin' how i'd like...set up mail drops and bring lots of cous cous...but nothings impossible...
taildragger
10-08-2008, 14:20
Hi everyone!! I'm Samantha and I'm planning a thru-hike in '09. I'm a vegan and would like to keep it that way... is that impossible? Has anyone on here done the whole trail and stayed vegan? Any comments or suggestions would be awesome! Thanks!
Depending on how much you're willing to spend you can do it, if not you should be able to sluff off and make it as a vegetarian.
berninbush
10-08-2008, 14:36
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=40904
Check out this current thread on vegan strategies on the trail.
I think staying vegan on the trail wouldn't be a problem at all, especially if you do mail drops. I'm a vegetarian who's done 2 long AT sections now, but my mail drops for my long sections were almost entirely vegan (except for M&M's and mac 'n cheese now and then). This worked really well for me.
I think the problem with being vegan would be in town. You're likely to be in a calorie deficit most of the time on the trail, which means that you need to make up those calories in town unless you want to lose weight and get exhausted. I got to really craving fats when I got to towns, and I ate a ton of pizza, ice cream, and fatty baked stuff, none of it vegan. If you're eating vegan in town, you'll have fewer options for fattening up, and you may find it really hard to find restaurant food in some of the smaller towns. I wouldn't try to dissuade anyone from being vegan, but you should think about what it's going to be like to come into a tiny town hungrier than you've ever been in your life and see all the thru-hikers heading for the pizza place or diving into pints of Ben & Jerry's. I rarely eat ice cream (I avoid dairy), but I ate a ton on the trail--I don't think I could've made it without it.
I do think that a vegan thru-hike is doable if you have a lot of willpower, but it's going to be hard. Good luck.
Serial 07
10-08-2008, 14:58
man, what's a hike without Half Baked or Twisted Ben & Jerry's? not one i'm familiar with, that's for sure...
Has anyone on here done the whole trail and stayed vegan? Any comments or suggestions would be awesome! Thanks!
Hi Samantha, welcome!
John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods, is a vegan and thru-hiked the AT...of course it helped he had ready & ample access to good stuff. I remember reading an account of his thru on his blog or outdoor mag.
Good luck and all the best to you on your '09 hike.
TJ aka Teej
10-08-2008, 15:11
Hi everyone!! I'm Samantha and I'm planning a thru-hike in '09. I'm a vegan and would like to keep it that way... is that impossible?
:welcome to WhiteBlaze!
Sure you can, and it's been done many times. MicroManFeet was the latest vegan GAMEr that I've met just a few weeks ago. Wouldn't even have a trail's end hot dog, so enjoyed a homegrown organic baked potato from my garden instead :D
The Weasel
10-08-2008, 15:39
A few suggestions:
- Being vegan/vegetarian (yes, I know the difference) is no different in terms of calorie deficits than meat-eaters, since protein contains the same calories as carbohydrates. The trick is to get additional fats, which are more calorie dense (9/gm vs 4/gram for prot/carbs).
- Ghee (clarified butter, easily made) is an excellent fats source if you're willing to use dairy. If you're 'pure' vegan, consider vegetable oils as additions to foods.
- Resupply is not difficult for vegans with some planning. Guides here on WB to resupply as well as elsewhere can show you larger stores where choices are easier.
- Get dried refried beans and other dried beans/legumes that can be rehydrated easily. Not hard to find them.
- Dry your own vegetables. Easier than you think. Also look into soy crumbles (NOT tvp) which can be dried the same as hamburger. I used these exclusively and they are excellent.
Good luck.
The Weasel
Lone Wolf
10-08-2008, 19:59
Hi everyone!! I'm Samantha and I'm planning a thru-hike in '09. I'm a vegan and would like to keep it that way... is that impossible? Has anyone on here done the whole trail and stayed vegan? Any comments or suggestions would be awesome! Thanks!
chances of making it period are slim. as a vegan, very, very slim
Jack Tarlin
10-08-2008, 20:59
I know lots of vegans who've completed thrus. Don't be discouraged; with discipline and planning, it can be done.
I suggest you look into dehydrating and preparing a lot of your own food ahead of time, and relying on maildrop re-supply more than other hikers do. You can then get a good percentage of your food from home, and supplement it en route with appropriate food you find while on the Trail.
It's been done before, it can be done again, and your "chances" of completing your trip have very little to do with your diet. Good luck!
minnesotasmith
10-09-2008, 11:58
A few suggestions:
- Being vegan/vegetarian (yes, I know the difference) is no different in terms of calorie deficits than meat-eaters, since protein contains the same calories as carbohydrates.
http://www.slp-slimming.co.uk/calories-in-food.html
"Each gram of carbohydrates contains 3.75 calories.
Each gram of fat contains 9 calories.
Each gram of protein contains 4 calories."
=============================================
http://www.annecollins.com/weight-loss-support/foods-calories.htm
"Carbs contain 3.75 calories per gram.
Fat contains 9 calories per gram.
Protein contains 4 calories per gram."
============================================
http://dining.byu.edu/minutemaid/eat.html
"Protein—4 calories per gram
Carbohydrate—3.75 calories per gram
Fat—9 calories per gram "
============================================
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/wine/main.jhtml?xml=/wine/2002/05/04/edpigy04.xml
"After fat, which contains nine calories per gram, alcohol is the most fattening substance we consume, with seven calories per gram. This is followed by protein, with four calories, and carbohydrates, with 3.75 calories."
=========================================
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/focus/nutrition/facts/lifestylemanagement/carbohydrates.htm
"1g carbohydrate contains 3.75 calories.
1g protein contains 4 calories."
=========================================
http://www.arphs.govt.nz/Publications_Reports/nutrition/NHfactsheets/Carbohydrates_at_night.pdf
1 gram carbohydrate = 3.75 calories
1 gram protein = 4 calories
=========================================
I am a Vegan and hiked GA-PA in 08. I occasionally ate cheese, but no egg, no other dairy, no fish, no poultry, no honey, no animal prod, no gelatin, no meat. It can be easily done. I had no health issues at the end of the trail. Just try and keep up your fresh fruit/veggie intake.
Most thru's end up on a junk food diet, due mostly to taste and some loose caloric reasoning. Junk food diets are often vegan friendly.
It's all a matter of the degree of your veganism. Some people make an art of saying you can't carry enough food to make up for the calories you burn carrying it.
It all depends on how far you walk in a day, or over a period of days. When I hiked, we would hike long, consecutive days (20-30 mi) but then take a near-equal amount of rest time in town (2-3 days of eating and resting for every 4-5 of hiking).
Not sure how you would satisfy your body's need for protein. You need protein to build muscles & recover.
take-a-knee
10-25-2008, 09:52
Not sure how you would satisfy your body's need for protein. You need protein to build muscles & recover.
The straight answer is, you can't. I like "vegans" though, they are unwittingly helping solve the Social Security "crunch", they don't live to be very old (ask ICU nurses who've taken care of lots of east Indians).
Eating a vegetarian diet supplemented with eggs, dairy, and fish though is likely the healthiest diet, it has worked for Jack Lallane (he's 93 and going strong).
Half of your non-water weight is protein (in the non-obese), if you don't ingest enough ot the right types of protein to support that gene expression you will lose muscle and tendon strength every year. You are fitting yourself for a walker/wheelchair.
Cookerhiker
10-25-2008, 10:05
I didn't see anyone mention peanuts, a good source of fat and protein as well as tasty. Sure, there will be some in your trail mix but since you're undoubtedly relying on maildrops, I recommend grinding dry-roasted peanuts in a blender at home and package it in baggies for your maildrops. On the trail, cook your Success brown rice or bulgur wheat or couscous, reserve a little of the cooking water, and add the peanut mix.
I buy my peanuts bulk at Amish markets, a local fruit market where I live, or health food stores; don't buy Planters or store-brands since they contain high fructose corn syrup.
Here's a good source for dehydrated veggies. I've been using their products on all of my overnight hikes. The potatoes take too long to cook using too much fuel, other than that they're all good.
http://www.harmonyhousefoods.com/
good recipes here, some are vegetarian, some are vegan, most can be modified to vegan
http://www.freezerbagcooking.com/
Feral Bill
10-25-2008, 12:10
Not sure how you would satisfy your body's need for protein. You need protein to build muscles & recover.
Legumes, lentils, nuts. Not any problem at all. A real stove, one that allows cooking at some length, would help.
If you shop carefully, you can get chocolat with no dairy, too.
I personally enjoy animal based food, but they are no necessity.
max patch
10-25-2008, 13:00
The vegans I've hiked with really seemed to enjoy a cheeseburger in town.
SASSA-FRAS
10-25-2008, 14:07
Swheeler05-- Hi, I'm a vegetarian and have had no problems eating well while hiking, being vegan may make it a little harder to resupply in towns. As already suggested ship ahead your food. Consider dehydrating meals, pretty much anything I eat at home can be dehydrated and used in combination with Freezer Bag Cooking. I buy my veggies from Harmony House, the link is above in #17. There's a lot of good information in this thread, you can do it.
happy hiking and good eating
Getting complete protiens are not a problem on a vegan diet. It's just getting the vitamins and minerals that can get tricky at times. Generally speaking, legumes with grains are complete protiens. If you look at traditional diets they balance their protiens really well. Mexican food like beans with corn. Mediterranean food like hummus with pita. Indian food. Asian food. Of course many of them they all have fish and meat and poultry also, but almost all traditional cultures figured out how to balance their vegetable protiens. I know its not vegan but milk with grains works because milk is a complete protien but contains extra amounts of the protiens that grains lack. A vegan diet is doable. Just takes a little research, you probably have to rely more on full service grocery stores for resupply than fast food joints and convenience stores. I don't think multi-vitamins are neccessary on thru-hikes if you eat right, but vegans might need to suppliment certain vitamins where certain foods might be less available.
I'll bet you're more likely to have problems with you colon than vegans are to have hip replacements.
The straight answer is, you can't. I like "vegans" though, they are unwittingly helping solve the Social Security "crunch", they don't live to be very old (ask ICU nurses who've taken care of lots of east Indians).
Uh, are you serious?
Since I'm 1/2 Indian, and the Indian/strict veggie if not vegan (no fish, no eggs, limited dairy) side seems to live well into their 80's.
I am a meat eater, but I understand the virtues of traditional diets. Personally I think it best to be vegan 6.5 days a week, maybe even 13 days straight, then eat a moose or something.
aaroniguana
10-26-2008, 16:13
eat a moose.
Raw or cooked? Cuz' I wasn't planning on carrying a stove. And what kind of whine goes with moose? Something like "This is too stringy!" I'll bet.
kristin1065
10-26-2008, 16:59
Also, you should check out the book "Lip Smackin' Vegetarian Backpackin'." It has a bunch of wonderful recipes, and many can be made vegan by eliminating cheese or substituting soy milk powder for milk powder, and some you just need to add some edamame for the complete protein aspect.
Just giving you the gears take-a-knee. I like your diet, but there are many good diets.
take-a-knee
10-26-2008, 22:06
Just giving you the gears take-a-knee. I like your diet, but there are many good diets.
You are right JAK, but I think the Zone Diet will be vindicated as the healthiest. I'm not anti-vegetarian, I just think the vegan thing is taking a good idea way too far. Jack Lallane has been a lacto-ovo vegetarian (he eats fish occasionally) longer than most of us will live (he's 93 and still going strong, really strong).
I'll be using maryjanesfarm.com for my vegan thru this year. they will do all my mail drops.
OF COURSE U CAN THRU-HIKE THE AT AND STAY VEGAN! Like JT said, "it's been done before, it can be done again." Several reviews, here on WB, of people that did it and how they did it.
I'll be using maryjanesfarm.com for my vegan thru this year. they will do all my mail drops.
Pretty cool web site.
Are you using them to supplement what you can't find in town or for the whole trip? Sounds like it could get pretty expensive.:-?
You can stay vegan on the trail. You'll just need to use mail drops and be disciplined.
Though for the CDT, and a bit different (raw food), I am sure the strategies are similar. The author of the website may be willing to give some helpful beta:
http://www.rawhike.com/index.shtml
Good luck!
Bare Bear
01-20-2009, 23:58
YES you can. Plan a few food drops where there are not good supermarkets. For examples look for Jack Tarlins article.
theinfamousj
01-21-2009, 01:15
Repeat after me: "TVP is my friend."
I'm a pesco-vegetarian, and a section hiker, but I eat a lot of TVP when on the trail.
I'm a vegan and would like to keep it that way... is that impossible? Has anyone on here done the whole trail and stayed vegan?
Not around the RAT > PATROL they haven't, it is not possible, we will convert you to meatatarian somewhere between Brown Gap and Damascus !
RAT
Rockhound
01-21-2009, 11:15
Maildrops maildrops and more maildrops. The only way you're gonna stay vegan. There are some spots on the trail that may meet your dietary needs but they are few and far between.
A vegan diet doesn't look all that different than a typical hiking diet.
http://api.ning.com/files/fHNXwqyebC9JaD6VyhbHof3jY3rrPDbxSDsHP6pnYhdicHLeio C5atkozYYLZqTPMO9HvxFfLXdRh6R9dVtxrCX9Z06GH0Qr/VeganFoodGuide70dpg75pc.jpg
The only tricky part logistically might be getting evaporated soy milk, or equivalent, fortified with calcium. Iodized salt is easy. B12 supplements might be scarce, but you could carry enough that you needn't resupply that often. You might get enough vitamin D directly from the sun, not sure, but it would likely be included with whatever is fortified with calcium, or you could take it as a supplement, along with the calcium.
Personally I like to get my vitamins and minerals directly from the food I eat, with the least amount of processing and packaging. I think a vegan diet, with just enough animal products to avoid supplements, would be a very healthy and natural diet, either for hiking or everyday living, but a strict vegan diet, with supplements, wouldn't be that hard logistically, as long as you weren't a fussy eater, insisting on soy tofu and stuff, when there might be lentils and split peas and stuff that are just as good. With a higher calorie diet its usually easier to get the nutrition you need, as long as your not too fussy, so even some junk food doen't hurt. In my opinion, if you are on a high calorie intake and still require supplements, there's something inherently unnatural about your diet. That said, most North American diets ain't natural.
Yes, you can, it just takes a lot of work, and plan on losing more weight than your meat eating friends on trail, unless you carry LOTS of food. Quinoa would be a good choice for sure, and you can soak it during the day while you hike, just plan on that little bit of extra weight! :)
I hope you have a great hike!
Rockhound
01-23-2009, 11:08
The question was not "is maintaining a vegan diet the correct ethical choice?" or "Is a vegan diet healthy or not?". The question was, "Can I stay vegan on the trail?". The answer is yes, with lots of mail drops. If anyone wishes to discuss these other issues perhaps they should start a new thread.
HikerRanky
01-24-2009, 14:52
If you wish to discuss the nutritional needs and various diets that you might see on the trial, go to this thread (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=45654)
mountainsmith
01-24-2009, 23:39
I know a lot about vegetarianism (only one in my family since I was 5 years old), and very little about hiking (working on that). That said, if you've been a vegan for a long time (like a year or more) you probably have a pretty good handle on what you need to be healthy. At that point it just comes down to a question of how to get enough calories to keep your energy up.
My suggestion (in addition to mail-drops) is to research both your best bet in terms of "specialty" food (like veggie burgers, tvp etc) and your best bets in terms or normal foods (lintels, oatmeal, pasta, etc). And you might consider some sort of vitamins. It's easy to stay healthy almost anywhere as a vegetarian, so I can't imagine trail towns, no matter how "non-vegetarian friendly" they are would be a hazard to a well prepared (mentally) vegetarian.
And seriously, vegetarians get plenty of protein. And if you shy away from the junk-food diet you may even end up better off. And if not, well, everyone loves sourpatch kids.:D
Good luck to you!
~mountainsmith
Hi everyone!! I'm Samantha and I'm planning a thru-hike in '09. I'm a vegan and would like to keep it that way... is that impossible? Has anyone on here done the whole trail and stayed vegan? Any comments or suggestions would be awesome! Thanks!
being vegan and longdistance hiking,i just hope you dont blow your thyroid glands :cool:neo
wildwood wanderer
02-01-2009, 13:26
I Don't know but am wondering?
you see all kinds of dry foods in stores (even small ones) like pinto beans
lima beans and bean soup theres other vegtables dry as well
so wouldn't these work in a pinch
I find beans considerably more gassy than lentils and split peas, but yeah they work in a pinch. They take longer to soak also, but do-able. The complete protiens on a vegetarian diet come mostly from mixing grains with legumes. There are losts of different legumes, including peanuts of course. How could I forget peanuts? Peanuts are a legume, not a nut.
peanut butter + bread = complete protien
Celeritas
02-03-2009, 17:36
I just made some suggestions on the other thread already suggested http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=40904, before I saw this one. I'm planning the same this year and I have some ideas. PM me if you want some more! :)
Hiker "Tumble" has just posted her podcast "Preparing Your Own Trail Meals - for vegans and non-vegans" at www.longtrailpodcast.com (http://www.longtrailpodcast.com) .
She discusses how she prepared vegan meals for our end-to-end hike of Vermont's Long Trail and includes tips on your trail kitchen, what foods to carry, cooking, and determining your serving size. She made it look easy and the meals were delicious.
Snowleopard
03-22-2009, 17:33
Samantha, A stove that simmers and a pressure cooker might help. I have a 1.5 liter Aluminum pressure cooker that weighs about 2 pounds (with modification I think I can get it down to about 1.5 lb). That's a bit heavy, but would make cooking beans, lentils, brown rice, much faster. The brand to get is Hawkins (classic, aluminum)
http://www.welectronics.com/hawkinscooker/1.5LITRE.shtml is one place that has them. There are also 2 liter versions that REI carries sometimes. For some beans you have to wash thoroughly, bring to a boil and skim the froth to keep it from jamming up the works.
I've heard of Indian pressure cookers that weigh 1 pound, but have never been able to find one. Indian groceries often have aluminum pressure cookers, including Hawkins, but I like the Hawkins.
Also, perhaps you already know: red lentils and quinoa cook quickly.
harmonyhouse.com has dehydrated beans and lentils.
Have fun!
--Walter
Surplusman
05-05-2009, 16:08
How's about good old AT Mix? I wouldn't want to eat it every day, but it is good. 2 parts brown rice, 1 part barley, and 1 part lentils. Check it out on the web or in Ed Garvey's AT Hiker books. :sun
powered_by_tofu
06-12-2009, 12:10
The straight answer is, you can't. I like "vegans" though, they are unwittingly helping solve the Social Security "crunch", they don't live to be very old (ask ICU nurses who've taken care of lots of east Indians).
Eating a vegetarian diet supplemented with eggs, dairy, and fish though is likely the healthiest diet, it has worked for Jack Lallane (he's 93 and going strong).
Half of your non-water weight is protein (in the non-obese), if you don't ingest enough ot the right types of protein to support that gene expression you will lose muscle and tendon strength every year. You are fitting yourself for a walker/wheelchair.
I can't say that I find these comments to be very helpful...
The old "vegans don't get enough protein" argument just doesn't hold water anymore.
An employee at my local REI gave me a tip to soak beans and lentils in a spare Nalgene bottle and by dinner time they are ready to cook on the stove.
I would agree that its easier to stay vegan on the trail than in town. However, don't be afraid to ask your server for what you want. I've travelled to a lot of small towns, and side dishes are like a little pot of vegan gold: baked potato, sauteed mushrooms and onions, black beans, broccoli... mmm
Good Luck!
Roasted Soybeans and Pumpkin seeds will load you up on calories and massive amounts of protein.
I'd be totally screwed doing vegan, besides my love for eating all things bovine,pretty much all the bars i eat have dairy in them.
take-a-knee
06-13-2009, 20:33
I can't say that I find these comments to be very helpful...
The old "vegans don't get enough protein" argument just doesn't hold water anymore.
An employee at my local REI gave me a tip to soak beans and lentils in a spare Nalgene bottle and by dinner time they are ready to cook on the stove.
I would agree that its easier to stay vegan on the trail than in town. However, don't be afraid to ask your server for what you want. I've travelled to a lot of small towns, and side dishes are like a little pot of vegan gold: baked potato, sauteed mushrooms and onions, black beans, broccoli... mmm
Good Luck!
Well, my comments may not be "helpful" but they are true nontheless.
"The old vegans don't get enough protein arguement" has a lot more science behind it now than ever before. I took a nutrition class in college 22yr ago. The fat home economics PHD that taught it said you only needed 30-40 grams/day. What we now know is that will stave off Kwashiorkor, but it will result in a low-functioning immune system. This isn't debateable, to state otherwise is to demonstrate profound ignorance of the subject. You really need to do some research.
FaceplantOG
10-17-2009, 14:54
Unfortunately I was unable to stay vegan on the trail. It only took 2 months before I was craving cheese burgers. The key to staying vegan is in pre-preparing alot of your foods and mailing them to yourself because if you carry them you'll have to eat them! My next attempt may be more successful if I find more freeze-dried vegan backpacking foods. Does anyone know of a good site?
Feral Bill
10-17-2009, 15:45
Well, my comments may not be "helpful" but they are true nontheless.
"The old vegans don't get enough protein arguement" has a lot more science behind it now than ever before. I took a nutrition class in college 22yr ago. The fat home economics PHD that taught it said you only needed 30-40 grams/day. What we now know is that will stave off Kwashiorkor, but it will result in a low-functioning immune system. This isn't debateable, to state otherwise is to demonstrate profound ignorance of the subject. You really need to do some research.
Protein is easy to get in a legumes and grain based diet. Other nutrients may be and issue, but not protein. Personally, I like and eat meat, but to say it's essential is nonsense.
How about citing sources from peer reviewed journals?
Unfortunately I was unable to stay vegan on the trail. It only took 2 months before I was craving cheese burgers. The key to staying vegan is in pre-preparing alot of your foods and mailing them to yourself because if you carry them you'll have to eat them! My next attempt may be more successful if I find more freeze-dried vegan backpacking foods. Does anyone know of a good site?
So you listened to your body.
$64? Are you still omnivorous?
SunnyWalker
10-17-2009, 19:04
SwheelerO5: There is a guy who hiked the entire CDT both ways in one year and did it on a vegetarian diet. He purchased food and had it mailed to him. I was looking for his site on the Net, I can't quite remember his name. I thought the last name was Tarpon. The food he had was from bobsredmill.com He also did not carry a stove and was hiking as light as possible. He WAS a success. Hope this helps.
David@whiteblaze
10-17-2009, 21:55
Well, did you make it out (and or back in)?
MikenSalem
10-17-2009, 22:57
Bears love vegans:eek:, they taste like chicken only easier to catch:banana
This guy hiked the CDT as a vegan:
http://www.rawhike.com/
A vegan hike can be done..just requires more logistics (and will power) than most hikers may want to deal with.
(This thread is also a year old. :D)
Doooglas
10-18-2009, 08:45
AVOCADO's Get them mail dropped and eat one every night.
$$$$
But you asked for it choosing to be a vegetab...I mean vegan.
SunnyWalker
10-18-2009, 18:06
Thanks for the site MAGS. Alright . . . droool . . . .
thru hiking the AT and staying vegan?? I'd say that's impossible but then again I am a carnivore! Even Elmers in Hot Springs uses dairy products..though his meals are vegetarian.
I would at the very least seriously wonder about the health effects you might encounter from not only no meat but no dairy products. Just where are you going to get your calories from?
DavidNH
thru hiking the AT and staying vegan?
DavidNH
A guy did it on the CDT..why not the AT?
paintplongo
10-19-2009, 12:11
I don"t know anyone that stayed true to that during the trail. The amount of protein you'll need is ridiculous.
take-a-knee
10-19-2009, 13:48
I don"t know anyone that stayed true to that during the trail. The amount of protein you'll need is ridiculous.
Ssshhh! Don't let the word out, I'll be eligible for Social Security soon enough and the more of these granola types (ohh, I guess vegans don't eat those either) cash-in before age 62 (which is the life expectancy of India, veggan mecca), the more money'll be left for me.
rambunny
10-19-2009, 14:08
Always tell a service provider (hostels ect) ahead of time of your preferances. We all cook with meat down south except for Elmer's which i've had carnivores tell me with his meals you don't miss the meat!
Feral Bill
10-19-2009, 22:04
Ssshhh! Don't let the word out, I'll be eligible for Social Security soon enough and the more of these granola types (ohh, I guess vegans don't eat those either) cash-in before age 62 (which is the life expectancy of India, veggan mecca), the more money'll be left for me.
When you compare life span in a country with hundreds of millions in dire poverty to a that in a wealthy country like a USA you are telling me you don't have the slightest clue. AGAIN: Cite some actual scientific research comparing apples to apples, or pork chops to pork chops if you prefer. (written while happily digesting roast beef)
FB
Odd Man Out
10-22-2009, 00:01
Went backpacking with vegetarian daughter this summer. I made a lot of dahl bat (national dish of Nepal). 1/2 cup rice, 1/2 lentil, spoon of curry, salt, dried or fresh veggies if you have them, a dollop of olive oil, 2 cups water. Boil until alcohol (in stove) runs out. Take the pot off the stove, cover, wrap in dish towel (or pot cozy if you have one), let set for 20 minutes. You can adjust the proportions to get the consistency they way you want it. For variety, you can also replace the seasonings with a package of instant soup mix (if you can find a vegan one).
Very cheap, easy, tasty, nutritious, lightweight, vegan.
njordan2
10-22-2009, 00:31
Vegan on the trail; sure no problem. Main staples would be ground flax seed, walnuts, coconut, and sweet potatoes. In fact, if that was all one ate, one could live off of it for many active years. But for variety, it is nice to mix things up a bit with apples, oranges, greens and such.
Go easy on the soy, though. I know it is a popular food, but it tends to leach calcium and other minerals.
With all that said, ounce for ounce, it is hard to beat eating meat for protein and minerals. Generally speaking, the closer a life form is to being you, the better it is for you to eat it.
I am not but it is an interesting read and they did the AT totally vegan....in the winter for eight months. I got hungry reading the book, but it is a good read but I did not think they got enough nutrition. They did not think so either at some points. But it seemed to be more about poor planning on some sections than being vegan. Thier vegan menu seemed very healthy and filling otherwise. The book is:
The Barefoot Sisters Southbound..by Lucy and Susan Letcher. Paperback available.
Two of my hiker friends are vegearian, but not vegan. They have taught me alot and opened my mind to non-meat dishes on hikes. My favorite is lunch on the trail with my veggie friends is french bread, smashed fresh avacodo slathered with hulled sunflower seeds.Yum. It fills you up as well as roast beef sandwich. Who would have thunk it? The deyhdrator is also great for refried beans, tahini recipes, basil and tomato sauces. But I love a good cheese burger when I get back to town.
I just saw the above post about Elmer's in Hot Springs. We chose it for our section because we thought it would be fun and our veggie friends would like it since most of us are meat eaters and we thought it would be a surpirse for our vegeatrians who did not reaseach the trip. Oh ho, a vegetaian dinner, wow! They always get stuck with salad , Subway, whatever on the 14 hour drive over there thru the boonies. It was a wow dinner. Fantastic.
FaceplantOG
02-15-2010, 12:31
So you listened to your body.
$64? Are you still omnivorous?
Yep. I find its hard to be vegan on the trail and off the trail. But especially on the trail because trail angels offer you food out of pure generosity and kindness and its hard to turn it down and explain that it has meat and dairy and I choose not to eat those items. Now I just eat everything in front of me- cant turn it down, need the calories!
letmebefreee
02-15-2010, 13:10
Ssshhh! Don't let the word out, I'll be eligible for Social Security soon enough and the more of these granola types (ohh, I guess vegans don't eat those either) cash-in before age 62 (which is the life expectancy of India, veggan mecca), the more money'll be left for me.
I just read this magazine... discover-adventure i think last months or so and its about the longest living indigenous peoples of the world. The findings were actually quite interesting... they found that the longest living peoples (top 5 groups) were eating completely 100% plant matter, their average lifespan was a healthy 90 or something close. The 6th or 7th group down was a group that only ate plant and pig, no beef, no fowl. They found that the pig was close to our genetic makeup and actually internally is alot alike us. All the groups that were strictly carnivores lived 25 to 30 less years... i dont know if all this is 100% true because i dont believe everything i read but it was a very interesting article....
PS. i eat no meat :D
Hatfield
02-17-2010, 13:19
Is honey vegan?
Appalachian Tater
02-17-2010, 15:37
Is honey vegan?No, it is an animal product. There are plenty of people who call themselves vegan who eat it but they aren't truly vegan.
letmebefreee
02-18-2010, 13:27
Is honey vegan?
nope easy substitute... Agave nectar much better for you, low glycemic index and its sweeter so you can use less of it. Pretty darn cheap around here too.
A guy did it on the CDT..why not the AT?
OK take this scenario. You are starved. You get to a road crossing and wow trail magic. A table of burgers and chips and potato salad and on and on. Who really has the will power to not eat? I mean I can see being vegetarian but vegan? no dairy at all? Even at Elmer's Sunny Bank Inn where meals are vegetarian they still use lots of cream and butter!
I am sure it is possible, just wonder who really has the shutzpa to go with out any dairy products.
DavidNH
JustaTouron
02-18-2010, 14:09
OK take this scenario. You are starved. You get to a road crossing and wow trail magic. A table of burgers and chips and potato salad and on and on. Who really has the will power to not eat?
One of the hikers who joined our picnic was mostly vegan, but flexible. She never purchased meat or other animal products, but rationalized that if the food was going to go to waste and get thrown out anyway than then she wasn't contributing to animal suffering by eating the food instead of having it wind up in the dumpster. (She had the same attitude about wearing a wool sweater she had gotten out of the trash.)
She was really thin so I lied to her about things getting thrown out when in fact our group hardly ever threw anything out, but took it home and had the leftovers over the next few days.
I am sure it is possible, just wonder who really has the shutzpa to go with out any dairy products.
DavidNH
http://www.rawhike.com/
PCT, too.
So, what makes the AT so much more difficult than the PCT or CDT to stay Vegan? :) Never make the mistake of assuming what is bad for you (lots of temptations) would be bad for others (a committed vegan). Yes, it can be difficult. It can be tempting. But it can, and has been, done.
(Mind you, I'm an omnivore. I love all types of food. And because Grandma used olive oil instead of butter, a fair amount of dishes were actually vegan at times. But, I never knew they were vegan, or even what a vegan was, until sometime in the past decade! :) )
It is easy to get enough protien on a vegan diet.
Oats + Nuts + Seeds = good balance of protien/carbs/fats
Dried Fruits = extra carbs
I could easily do without meat. Doing without milk would be harder for me, as I drink alot on the trail with tea. Rather than going vegan, I would like to reduce my meat intake, and only meat from local farmers that raise their animals more humanely. I would pay extra for that. Also with milk, I would pay extra for cows milk and goats milk from cow and goats that aren't expected to produce like a gazillion gallons of milk every day. That's just sick, and they actually hand out records for such craziness. I won't give up wool either, but I will look into how humanely sheep are raised. I don't agree with arguments about raising sheep for wool taking up too much land. We need fewer people, not fewer sheep. We shouldn't waist wool though. Alot of clothing is waisted every year, because people want to keep buying new stuff even if its crap. I am more into sustainability than veganism. Alot of vegan sites push artificial wool, which is basically a petroleum product. I think vegans have alot of good points, but like the rest of us they need to update their ideas with respect to sustainability.
Vegan diet is easy while hiking. I don't see the problem.
Except for the B12 thing, but there are supplements for that.
sherrill
02-18-2010, 16:15
Just stay away from the pork rinds... :D
Reason I say this, is: I hiked with a guy from New York in 83 who was a veg, but had never been south below Maryland. Somebody offered him a handful from a bag, he took a big bite, and promptly threw up.
Trail names weren't all the rage those days but we did dub him, well.
Vegan thru hikes can be done. However, you will have to be creative and dedicated. You will sometimes need to carry a little bit greater food supply than the non-vegan hiker. You may need to use mail drops in some areas where stores with larger selections are rare. Be prepared to hitch to larger towns and to larger stores to find more diverse vegan food choices. You may have to spend more time "searching" in stores and reading labels. You will sometimes have to sacrifice the ability to have lighter weight food in order to have food that is vegan. In some smaller towns, vegan choices will be very limited in stores and restaurants.
LeeAllure
02-19-2010, 18:59
Hi everyone!! I'm Samantha and I'm planning a thru-hike in '09. I'm a vegan and would like to keep it that way... Can I stay Vegan on the trail?
I don't know, can you? ;)
I believe that if you plan out your food as obsessively as some do, then you'd be able to plan out your meals, your resupply, your mail drops, your restaurants, etc. in such a way to have success. If you are committed to having a vegan hike, I believe that you can do what it takes to make it happen. There's a lot of information about what to eat, where, etc. Use what seems helpful, and adjust along the way if you have to.
If you end up doing it, I'm sure that there will be other people interested in what you did, so keep good notes. If you end up not, that'll be interesting
as well.
Best of luck!
Lee
Trailbender
02-19-2010, 19:06
I prefer not being vegan, personally. You have more options in what to eat, and it is more flexible.
This is an old post someone dragged up. But if there are any Vegan or vegetarian hikers or thru-hikers planning a hike in 2010 and want to stay Vegan or vegetarian on the trail it is entirely possible. I know several who have, not only on the AT where I think it easier to do, but on other trails I would say need greater planning for a Vegan thru-hike. I am typically a pesce vegetarian at home and on the trail. I have done multiple thru-hikes staying a pesce vegetarian.
Instead of asking those who often comment on such things without fully knowing how a Vegan or vegetarin lives ask those who have done it.