PDA

View Full Version : What do you do for Lunch?



sixguns01
03-07-2011, 11:08
I have always had an issue with this. Breakfast and Dinner are easy; FBC works for me. But for a non-cooking lunch, what do you do/use/eat? Looking for suggestions. I always seem to have way too much left over, and also don't really have any variation. What's easy as well?

One scenario is just an overnighter. What do you like?

Other scenario is a multiday (5 day) trek. What do you bring for lunch?

sheepdog
03-07-2011, 11:11
tortilla wraps and some kind of filler (PB&J, tuna packets with mayo, spam singles etc...)

johnnyblisters
03-07-2011, 11:14
Salami and cheese sandwiches, on bagels, english muffins, bread, whatever. What do you eat for lunch at home? It would probably work fine on the trail.

Raul Perez
03-07-2011, 11:20
I tend to snack throughout the day but my typical food after breakfast and before dinner is as follows:

Snickers bar
Peanut M&Ms
Keebler cheese/crackers (prepackaged)
Granola trail mix
beef jerkey (either homemade or store bought)
Tortilla and spreads (gonna try this on my next overnight April 9th)

Dobie Swift
03-07-2011, 11:32
Overnighter: I get a $5 Footlong at Subway and eat half for lunch and half for dinner.

Multi day, see above as they hit the highlights.

sixguns01
03-07-2011, 11:42
I tend to snack throughout the day but my typical food after breakfast and before dinner is as follows:

Snickers bar
Peanut M&Ms
Keebler cheese/crackers (prepackaged)
Granola trail mix
beef jerkey (either homemade or store bought)
Tortilla and spreads (gonna try this on my next overnight April 9th)


What spreads do you use and how do you carry them?

Thanks for quick responses

Rick500
03-07-2011, 11:42
I usually just eat breakfast and dinner, and snack throughout the day.

Raul Perez
03-07-2011, 11:47
What spreads do you use and how do you carry them?

Thanks for quick responses

Got some dehydrated spreads from www.hawkvittles.com (http://www.hawkvittles.com)

I haven't tried them yet.

Tenderheart
03-07-2011, 11:49
The simplest and quickest thing that I have done for lunch is to sit down with a spoon and a jar of peanut butter.

litefoot 2000

elray
03-07-2011, 11:53
As a section hiker I tend to carry a much greater variety of food than most, much to the delight of some of thru hikers I've met, but I too really enjoy the flour tortillas with some filling for lunch. The small flour ones seem to hold up very well in the pack as well. PBJ, packaged tuna, pre-cooked bacon or pepperoni, they're all good and easy to prepare.

Old Hiker
03-07-2011, 12:06
Med. flour tortillas or pita bread with all the above, plus pepperoni and string cheese for a "pizza" taste, nutella(!) and or PB with jelly or honey.

LoneRidgeRunner
03-07-2011, 12:08
For lunch ..I eat

Farr Away
03-07-2011, 12:19
You could also try an FBC couscous and chicken salad for lunch. You just add cool water to the bag, so no stove required.

You could also wrap your couscous salad in a tortilla, or stuff it in a pita.

Hummus mix that you just add water to is another possibility. Some tasty go-withs (for an overnight) would be olives, cheese, and cherry tomatoes. Of course, for an overnight, you could just carry hummus. It will keep unrefrigerated for that long. YMMV.

hillsanddales3
03-07-2011, 12:37
Packitgourmet.com has some interesting and unique "no-cook, just add water" selections. A couple of my favorites are the Roast Beef Wrap and the Apple Waldorf Salad. Just add water, walk a bit 'til you find that sunny scenic overlook, and lunch is served.

Home Run

garlic08
03-07-2011, 13:34
Lunch, for me, starts pretty soon after breakfast and continues until just before dinner. I find I need to eat every couple of hours, so I make large snacks/small meals at every break, or every time I sit down. I keep handy a stack of tortillas, a jar of peanut butter if it's hot or some cheese if it's not, a bag of raisins, a bag of nuts, some carrots or celery. It doesn't matter if the hike is for a day or a year. Come to think of it, that's pretty much what I do at home, too.

Limo
03-07-2011, 17:31
Like some of the other posters, I usually bring nut butters, tortillas, maybe a bagel or two (I like the minis for dipping into the spreads), cheeses and dried sausages. StarKist makes a tuna salad already mixed in a pouch that I like. I also really like the little packets of Justin's nut butters, the chocolate one being my fave. One of those at the bottom of a 1000' hill gives me just a bit of a boost to get up and over without whining. (I tend to whine on anything up, no matter how small.) I like the little waxed-covered cheeses, as well.

runnergirl
03-07-2011, 18:52
I try to eat a good breakfast, then snack every hour or two throughout the day with crackers, granola bars, trail mix, etc. Sometimes I take a packet of tuna and pita bread...then I have a huge dinner!

DripDry
03-07-2011, 19:00
I squeeze "Moose Goo" http://www.ultralightbackpacker.com/moosegoo.html on a Cliff Bar- incredible energy burst and I really enjoy the taste. Like others I eat snacks before an after (a Snickers around 10 when breakfast is burned off is a given!)

Wags
03-08-2011, 01:17
gorp, snickers, peanut butter. that about does it all

XCskiNYC
03-08-2011, 01:33
The simplest and quickest thing that I have done for lunch is to sit down with a spoon and a jar of peanut butter.

litefoot 2000

..................:rolleyes:

Canute600
03-08-2011, 02:32
I recommend the tortilla idea that several others have advocated with fillers. My I hiked the Long Trail, I filled tortillas with PB, cheese or powdered hummus mix for the most part. The key to making it work is variety. I found some cool flavored peanut butters in the store (ex: cinnamon swirl) and I added things like raisins/craisins to the PB and sun-dried tomatoes and olive oil to the hummus to make it taste better. Heck, you can even get flavored tortillas!

map man
03-08-2011, 02:44
I snack throughout the hiking day on gorp (peanuts, cashews and raisins) and Clif Bars. You can eat both of these foods while walking. There are times when I don't want to stop but I do want to eat!

amac
03-08-2011, 07:19
I agree with Raul Perez, I don't do a sit down lunch, I take little breaks and snack all day long. It saves a lot of effort of preparing, cleaning, and packing up.

Papa D
03-08-2011, 08:36
I eat seitan meatless jerkey (Primal Strips), slices of hard block cheese, flat-breads like pita bread, peanut butter, almond butter, nutella, dried fruit, and gorp (M&Ms peanuts, raisins). Sometimes, I take a plastic jar of 3/4 dried milk powder and 1/4 protein shake - I dump a couple of scoops of that in a nalgene bottle, add water and make shake. I also tear off the top of an instant oatmeal bag, pour in some water, stir and eat - no cook. If you are fancy, and just left a town, hardboiled eggs work well. Meat eaters also might add pepperoni, summer sausage, pre-cooked bacon, bags of tuna fish, and stuff like that to their lunch.
Truthfully, a long hiking day is coffee in the morning with a snack, snacking on above stuff all day, then dinner

58starter
03-08-2011, 08:44
After breakfast, I start on a breakfast bar, cheese sticks, beef sticks, then 2 peanut butter on tortillas, followed by a snickers bar all sometimes before I stop to eat dinner. Eatting something every hour helps keep hungry away and provides the need calories to hike.

TheYoungOne
03-08-2011, 12:28
I either do snacking thru the afternoon, or I do a sit down cooking lunch.

Usuallly I do cliff bars, beef/turkey jerky, snickers, M&Ms, raisins, or a sandwich made at home or bought at a store before I hit the trail.

fredmugs
03-09-2011, 13:30
Other than the occasional dehydrated meal I don't do meals - I just bring food and eat it.

Lunch time I would typically eat a MetRx Big 100 meal replacement bar. Sometimes I bring a sumemr sausage and have that cut up into baggies.

When I stop for a 5 - 10 break I will eat trail mix or a snickers.

4Bears
03-09-2011, 16:19
The first day out if I like to take a subway or other sandwich, after that it varies from trip to trip sometimes PB and whatever(honey, cheese, pepperoni, about anything goes) on a half a pita-bread other times tuna/chicken in a bag, cheese, wheat thins. If its cool and rainy (one of those wonderful days, LOL). if I can get out of the wind a bit I might take time to make a cup of instant soup, if not I put head down and keep hiking to stay warm and reach into the GORP bag more often. I might make up a pita before breaking camp if I see it is going to be a cold day and stuff it in a pocket so it is ready when I am. Bottom line, eat what you like or need the weather and your body will dictate what you do, be flexable.

Scratch
03-09-2011, 16:26
What if you're allergic to peanut butter and genuinely don't like peanuts to begin with? That rules out most GORP mixes and many of the easy lunch ideas. I thought about switching out peanut butter with pepperoni for wraps but I could use some ideas for variety.

sheepdog
03-09-2011, 17:16
What if you're allergic to peanut butter and genuinely don't like peanuts to begin with? That rules out most GORP mixes and many of the easy lunch ideas. I thought about switching out peanut butter with pepperoni for wraps but I could use some ideas for variety.
tuna packets, chicken packets, salmon, cheese, spam, salami....

Dogwood
03-09-2011, 18:25
RARELY, do I stop to prepare a heated/cooked lunch instead opting for handfuls of trail mix which includes seeds, nuts, and dried fruits, usually on-the-go. Nutritional bars are also eaten on-the-go. If I do stop I like a bit of cheese, crackers, marlin/ahi(tuna)/turkey, tofu jerky, dried fruit, and dehydrated hummus, which is reconstituted with water. If I have a carrot or piece of actual fruit to gnosh I consioder that a luxury.

Dogwood
03-09-2011, 18:28
Usually, little snacks throughout the day utilizing the caloric drip method rather than one big sit down long time lunch.

Rocket Jones
03-09-2011, 19:37
What if you're allergic to peanut butter and genuinely don't like peanuts to begin with? That rules out most GORP mixes and many of the easy lunch ideas. I thought about switching out peanut butter with pepperoni for wraps but I could use some ideas for variety.

Rules out most *pre-packaged* GORP mixes. Nothing says you can't come up with your own custom mix. I do, and I know many hikers do.

Papa D
03-09-2011, 21:20
Nutella and almond butter is pretty much the most delicious thing your will ever consume -- other than red wine

4Bears
03-10-2011, 10:05
What if you're allergic to peanut butter and genuinely don't like peanuts to begin with? That rules out most GORP mixes and many of the easy lunch ideas. I thought about switching out peanut butter with pepperoni for wraps but I could use some ideas for variety.

If your allergic to peanuts then you should/would know what you can eat, nothing says you can't make up your own snack mix aka GORP that is free of whatever allergens you might have. I would suggest using Cherrios and dried fruit and M&M"S but you might have gluten sensitivities or other dietary restrictions, that none of us would know about, not trying to riddicule you but at some point the think tank has to kick in.

TheYoungOne
03-17-2011, 13:41
tuna packets, chicken packets, salmon, cheese, spam, salami....

There are flavored tuna and chicken packets. Grab a tortilla, dump some meat on there, maybe grab some mayo packets from Chick-Fil-a or other fast food joint and you got a killer lunch. Now I know what I'm packing for my next hike. :banana

Wise Old Owl
03-17-2011, 14:37
Shelter Mice.....

XCskiNYC
03-17-2011, 19:01
I snack throughout the hiking day on gorp (peanuts, cashews and raisins) and Clif Bars. You can eat both of these foods while walking. There are times when I don't want to stop but I do want to eat!

Same here. One of the 7-oz packets of peanuts and raisins is good. Easy to keep in the pocket of my hiking pants and eat without stopping. One pack has around 800 calories.

The granola bars are tasty and also easy to eat (Nature Valley, Quakers).

Cashews sound like a good idea because they are tasty and very high in fat. Maybe I'll get some of those for my next hike.

CaptChaos
03-17-2011, 19:09
Hello Sixgun:

I usually do oatmeal and hot choc for bkft with some kind of nut bar.

For lunch I have never felt that I had the time to cook anything so I ususall have a couple of beef jerky strips and a large Snickers bar.

For Dinner I go with Chili Mac or I have been known to chunk up spam and cook it and then add water to get it boiling and then add instant potatoes and that is my dinner. It is filling and it works for me. I guess I could come up with something different but it seems to work for me and you all have not found me dead yet in the Smokies of starvation.

Capt Chaos

ShelterLeopard
03-17-2011, 19:34
During my hike, this changed CONSTANTLY. The most popular thing for me was pita or tortilla bread with peanut butter or hummus and cheese. Also sometimes did instant soups (when it was cold enough for me to heat water in the middle of the day), salami and mustard, and more tortillas with cheese. Mostly I went with healthy calorie packed snack foods and cliff bars and had three small lunches instead of one.

One thing that SAVED me (after I got really sick of peanut butter) was this "Dark Chocolate Dreams" peanut butter that tasted more of chocolate than PB. I put it on everything. Bagels are good for lunch too. List goes on. And on. And on. Like an energizer bunny...

Freedom Walker
03-17-2011, 19:35
Last time out I carried MET-RX Bars, 3.5 to 4 oz at 350 to 400 cal.each, 28 to 30 grams of protein for lunch. I was told once that if you could get 100 calories for each oz of food weight you are doing good.

ShelterLeopard
03-17-2011, 19:55
Honestly, I didn't really ever calculate the weight to calorie ratio. In the grocery store I picked things up, if they looked delicious and filling but didn't weigh my hand down, in the basket they went. My one main piece of advice when food shopping during a hike is Never use a cart ALWAYS use a BASKET. Fill it with what you want, but if you can't carry it, something is wrong. (I made this mistake twice in the beginning of my hike last year)

hikerhobs
03-17-2011, 20:29
I like to bring peanut butter crackers and a container of honey and some chewy granola bars. and some peanut M&M's...... good energy snack.

sjd0397
03-17-2011, 20:32
gorp, beef jerky (if you are a meat eater), figs, can of tuna, fig newtons, peanut butter on crackers/ tortilla/ bread

coss
03-17-2011, 21:52
Cheddar cheese and sliced pepperoni on pita pockets with granola bars for dessert at 10:00 and 2:00 with M + Ms in between.

TexasEd
03-21-2011, 11:48
I enjoy hot meals and will be happier and more motivated to hike on even if it is just ramen.

I also like to take an apple for the second day of a hike or second day out of a resupply. Sometimes I'm lucky enough to find an old orchard on the trail and take a few for the next day.

I love tortillas but to me they are not the same if they are not heated.

sixguns01
03-21-2011, 13:48
There are flavored tuna and chicken packets. Grab a tortilla, dump some meat on there, maybe grab some mayo packets from Chick-Fil-a or other fast food joint and you got a killer lunch. Now I know what I'm packing for my next hike. :banana

How long would the Mayo packets last when not refrigerated? In stores they throw them in the fridge after closing and the trail in summer can bet a bit warm.

kanga
03-21-2011, 14:00
pb&j on bagels/tortillas/bread
tuna salad on crackers
summer sausage/ jerky and hard cheese wrapped in tortilla
pasta salad - made the night before and left to set up for the next day
bagels and cream cheese

also depends on the weather. the colder it is, the more likely i am to bring a chuck of ham and softer cheeses.

i save packets from gas stations or fast food restaurants for my condiments. mayo, mustard, sweet relish, honey, jam, hot sauce, all of these things can be found in small packets.

kanga
03-21-2011, 14:02
How long would the Mayo packets last when not refrigerated? In stores they throw them in the fridge after closing and the trail in summer can bet a bit warm.
a surprisingly long time. they do not need to be refridgerated so i don't why the stores would do that. i've had some that were a year old and were perfectly fine.

LDog
03-21-2011, 14:30
Rules out most *pre-packaged* GORP mixes. Nothing says you can't come up with your own custom mix. I do, and I know many hikers do.

Cranberries, oats, almonds, walnuts, dried blueberries ... Super foods!

TheYoungOne
03-21-2011, 14:30
How long would the Mayo packets last when not refrigerated? In stores they throw them in the fridge after closing and the trail in summer can bet a bit warm.

Are you sure, they seem to be room temp when they are sitting out in the store. I think its more of a "refrigerate after opening" type of deal.

TexasEd
03-22-2011, 12:42
How long would the Mayo packets last when not refrigerated? In stores they throw them in the fridge after closing and the trail in summer can bet a bit warm.

I just grab new mayo, mustard and relish packs before each hike. I make a tuna salad spread.

For bread I also like English muffins and I'll take a hard boiled egg on occasion.

ShelterLeopard
03-23-2011, 10:10
TexasEd reminded me- I completely forgot about my jealousy inducing food I carried with me out of Damascus. First of all, I had a frying pan, so this may not work for you. I carried bagels, FRESH eggs in one of those obnoxious little plastic egg containers, swiss cheese, olive oil, and I think I might've had canadian bacon too. No, it was something along the lines of pepperoni.

I would fry the egg in the olive oil, then fry the bagel, then I'd fry the meat. Then I would put it all together (slice of cheese on the top, then the egg, then the meat, and on the bottom, the bagel), and put it back on the frying pan for a minute so the cheese would melt perfectly. It was DELICIOUS, and was far less hassle than I'm sure it sounds. Took me a couple minutes to make it, and really gave me the energy I needed to hike. Some people scoffed at the "extra weight" it added to my pack, but I'd already dropped some pack and body weight since Georgia, and the fresh food was WORTH IT for me. Felt so good...

ShelterLeopard
03-23-2011, 10:12
PS- If you have leftover olive oil or egg (I only had a tiny bit of leftover olive oil- planned pretty carefully), you can always add it to some pasta meal you have for dinner.

jbsbestfan
03-29-2011, 00:10
I kind of agree with litefoot. I am happy with a spoon and a jar of JIF. If I am doing any sort of decent mileage, I am too tired and lazy to work for my food. While doing a 3 nighter in New Mexico last summer, I tried taking some of those single serving fruit cups. Too tired to eat the first day, but on day 2 I openned one and ended up eating 3 because of the syrup they were in. They took up space in the pack but they sure were good going down in the heat. I would consider them for a 3 nighter but probably nothing longer.

RockDoc
03-30-2011, 19:12
The greatest energy boost I've ever had while AT hiking was from eating hot dogs cooked over a fire. I split a package with a friend (4 or 5 dogs each) right after a stop in town, and then we both marched something like 15 miles in a few hours. This was after weeks of eating nothing but carbs and obviously our bodies were starving for good old fat and protein.

After all, long distance hiking is teaching your body to burn fat for fuel. You don't need to overdo it, and it doesn't need to be hot dogs, but taking some in by eating is the equivalent of jet fuel, under the right circumstances.

88BlueGT
04-06-2011, 12:54
Typically, for a cold lunch, I'll do P&J on a bagel OR tuna on bread or bagel. I just bring the bagged tuna, one 'thing' of mayo (the squeezable mini-pouch, you can get these from convenience stores, 7-11, etc.) and bread. I also have a fold up plate that I use to prep the tuna and other foods. Well worth the weight (only a few oz's, its one of my luxuries)

Powerbars, etc. also work well.

My latest thing is to pack an apple, yes they are heavy but theres nothing like biting into a juicy apple on trail after a hard morning!

mweinstone
04-06-2011, 14:02
lunch is a masterpeice. great invention. never go anywhere without one. or two!

protargol
04-07-2011, 11:17
What type of cheeses work best during the summer? Any tricks to get it to keep until day 5?

Rocket Jones
04-07-2011, 11:37
What type of cheeses work best during the summer? Any tricks to get it to keep until day 5?

Hard cheese: Parmesan, Asiago, etc.

dla
04-07-2011, 16:10
I have always had an issue with this. Breakfast and Dinner are easy; FBC works for me. But for a non-cooking lunch, what do you do/use/eat? Looking for suggestions. I always seem to have way too much left over, and also don't really have any variation. What's easy as well?

One scenario is just an overnighter. What do you like?

Other scenario is a multiday (5 day) trek. What do you bring for lunch?

I freezer bag cook.

When I stop for lunch I want 2 things:


Cup of coffee
Something warm and filling

I get a tea kettle of water and fire up the Alky stove. I usually make Couscous (I buy the yummy-stuff that is pre-seasoned). And I have a packet of Tuna with it. Good stuff.

Freezer bag cooking is all I do anymore. I can't imagine going back to cooking in a pot.

My daughters have totally spoiled me - I drink bold/extra-bold Starbucks VIA.

I would guess lunch takes maybe 20 minutes. It is also a good time to rotate socks. Maybe take a nap :)

Rocket Jones
04-07-2011, 19:17
Something else I like to do is to take one of those tubes that holds tubs of lemonade mix (Country Time is one brand, most stores have their own). The tube is perfect to hold a stack of Ritz crackers, along with some sliced pepperoni and cheese. Even a few olives in a small ziplock. Quick. Easy. Tasty.

skooch
04-07-2011, 19:33
Sounds good. I cook so much in my home life I've decided to go stoveless like Garlic08. One less chore IMHO. well several if you count prep, cleanup and shopping. straight to bed and up and adam in the morning. nope not much on coffee. will look forward to cooked meals in town though.