"Menu for a Day" Question

[glessed]

From what I have read, it looks like the typical hiker burns 4000-6000 calories a day. Can anyone provide a sample list of foods for a typical hiking day that provides this amount of calories?

I love Ramen and Macaroni & Cheese and even Snicker bars and Gorp, but I can't imagine how much I would have to carry to provide the correct amount of calories that appears to be needed. What am I overlooking?

[warraghiyagey]

Cat brain soup. . .

[aquaman1208]

not bad - sounds better than boiled shelter mice

[bigcranky]

From what I have read, it looks like the typical hiker burns 4000-6000 calories a day. Can anyone provide a sample list of foods for a typical hiking day that provides this amount of calories?


Here is a very typical daily menu for me:

Breakfast: large bag of homemade granola with powdered milk, dried fruit, brown sugar, Butter Buds, and protein powder. ~600 calories. Chocolate covered espresso beans. ~200 calories.

2nd breakfast: package of pop tarts. ~400 calories.

Elevenses: Snickers Bar. ~300 calories.

Lunch: large flour tortilla with 7-ounce tuna packet, 3 slices of American cheese, 3-4 mayo packets. ~500 calories.

Afternoon Tea: 6 ounces homemade gorp, ~500 calories.

Dinner: Lipton's Teriyaki Noodles and Sauce, bag of chicken, squirt of olive oil, hot sauce. ~600 calories. Large chocolate bar for dessert. ~450 calories.

Miscellaneous snacks during the day: Combos pretzels, dried fruit, hard candies, more Gorp, etc., ~500 calories.


That's about 4000 calories. When I'm hiking, I lose weight on this diet -- I am hungry all the time, from the first day on the trail. (Note that some hikers take a few days or a week for their trail hunger to kick in.) I make it up by eating in town.

[Spokes]

Stovetop Stuffing with instant potatoes (in a freezer ziplock) and foil pack chicken. It's almost like a Thanksgiving dinner!

[garlic08]

I don't like to get too hung up on numbers. Just bring what you like to eat and eat as much as you want to of it. If you end up hungry, next time bring more. If you carried too much, next time bring less.

I carry a little less than two pounds a day and that's a lot of food for me. I think the calorie count ends up in the 3500 range in the long run. I'm very skinny and I loose a little weight but not too much and like Big Cranky I eat a lot in town. To me, it's more important to have a reasonably balanced diet (a few raw veggies and fruit, and as little processing as possible) that's varied and that you enjoy eating.

If I ate 6000 calories a day while on a three season thru hike with my load, I'd end up obese.

[Foyt20]

Personally, I notice that when I am on a weekend trip, my hiker hunger does not kick in. Actually I find that i eat less than I normally do, prob because of exertion, heat, nerves, etc. Just eat as much as you want to, I find that I always end up bringing food home.

[LaurieAnn]

This is a typical hiking menu for our family... we tend to stick in the 3000 - 4000 calorie range for the most part

B - Harvest Oatmeal Bars
S - Dried Fruit and Almonds
L - Tuna Salad Wraps
S - Dark Chocolate
D - Pasta with a Beef, Tomato, Basil and Garlic Sauce
S - Hot Chocolate

[Midway Sam]

This is a typical hiking menu for our family...

B - Harvest Oatmeal Bars
S - Dried Fruit and Almonds
L - Tuna Salad Wraps
S - Dark Chocolate
D - Pasta with a Beef, Tomato, Basil and Garlic Sauce
S - Hot Chocolate

Are we related?

[LaurieAnn]

Are we related?

maybe... I like to eat well. I don't want to gain weight and I don't want my son or husband to lose weight on the trail. I can use to lose a few pounds but my 8 year old is a bone rack to begin with.

[Bulldawg]

Stovetop Stuffing with instant potatoes (in a freezer ziplock) and foil pack chicken. It's almost like a Thanksgiving dinner!


Mmmmm, one of my favorites!!


Personally, I notice that when I am on a weekend trip, my hiker hunger does not kick in. Actually I find that i eat less than I normally do, prob because of exertion, heat, nerves, etc. Just eat as much as you want to, I find that I always end up bringing food home.

Yep, every single time!!!

[Pedaling Fool]

Personally, I notice that when I am on a weekend trip, my hiker hunger does not kick in. Actually I find that i eat less than I normally do, prob because of exertion, heat, nerves, etc. Just eat as much as you want to, I find that I always end up bringing food home.
Same here. My appetite actually goes down at the beginning of a hike or any other strenuous activity. And then starts gradually increasing, generally takes 2-3 weeks for me to get the Hiker's Appetite.

I also wouldn't worry too much about calories, just focus on nutritious and well-balanced meals, that's why I dehydrate much of my own food.

I have no idea what my dailey caloric intake is while hiking, but I'm sure it's much less than my calories burned number. But that's why we get the Hiker's Appetite, which is one of the things I really love about hiking, hunger like that is in a strange way a great feeling.

[sheepdog]

Stovetop Stuffing with instant potatoes (in a freezer ziplock) and foil pack chicken. It's almost like a Thanksgiving dinner!
What!!! no gravy????