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Break:Away
02-20-2013, 12:36
My section hikes will probably avoid any mail drops for food pickup/resupply. I don't have lots of time to hike a mile or two into towns and then head back to the trail again and I don't want to count on hitching rides either. I'm still working and will be using vacation time to do several states this year.

My pack weight is a reasonable 18+/- #'s. However, food and water are a real issue for me and I've reviewed dozens and dozens of YouTube videos, etc., on what people are using for food nd well, yuk...most food supplies are pretty poor and unhealthy IMO. My food weight is about 8#'s and that will cover 3 meals/day plus morning and mid-afternoon snacks for 6 days at a time. The usual instant oatmeal, jerky, tuna fish salad (pre made), energy bars, breakfast bars, a couple of freeze dried meals, instant potatos and other odds and ends make up my food bags.

However, there must be a better way? After I add the food and water (I have a 3L hydration pack and know I can offset weight by limiting water and reducing the 6.6# weigth it'll add), well, the pack is now easily in excess of 30#'s. Is the food weight reasonable give my hiking plans?

What HEALTHY suggestions do you have? Please....no captain crunch, etc. Thanks in advance for suggestions.

TSWisla
02-20-2013, 12:49
I am doing my first section hike this year, I will definately be bringing a jar of peanut butter (protein, unsaturated fat) and, along the same line, nuts. I am interested to see what people come up with here. I think that pasta would be a great choice as well, but will be rather bland without sauce...

88BlueGT
02-20-2013, 12:56
I am doing my first section hike this year, I will definately be bringing a jar of peanut butter (protein, unsaturated fat) and, along the same line, nuts. I am interested to see what people come up with here. I think that pasta would be a great choice as well, but will be rather bland without sauce...

You can always purchase sauce by the packet. Many varieties out there.

BirdBrain
02-20-2013, 12:57
You need lots of calories. For me it is caloric density (weight to calorie ratio). Your list looks okay. I don't see nuts. Macadamia nuts are 718 calories per 100 grams. Only pili nuts are higher at 719. Brazil nuts are another good one to carry. Don't be scared of the M&Ms, Snickers, Pop-tarts, and Little Debbie snacks. You need that sugar.

fredmugs
02-20-2013, 12:58
I eat a lot of Met-Rx meal replacement bars. Snickers just because. Trail mix from WalMart. Sometimes I bring a log of summer sausage. If you're bringing peanut butter bring some healthy tortillas to spread it on. When I hiked the JMT last year I brought Nutella instead.

Hot Flash
02-20-2013, 13:02
I am doing my first section hike this year, I will definately be bringing a jar of peanut butter (protein, unsaturated fat) and, along the same line, nuts. I am interested to see what people come up with here. I think that pasta would be a great choice as well, but will be rather bland without sauce...

Buy or make whatever sauce you like, and dehydrate it in a food dryer.

Teacher & Snacktime
02-21-2013, 19:52
I'm planning at least one meal of gnocchi w/ pesto. The gnocchi (potato & cheese-based pasta that looks like big white beetles) only needs to be boiled, and the pesto is the McCormick's dried envelope. It is a very heavy, calorie-filled and nutritious meal...that I haven't tried cooking on my little Esbit stove yet...but it SOUNDS like a really good idea.

FarmerChef
02-22-2013, 08:43
As Birdbrain said you need lots of calories. I didn't see dried fruit or gorp in your list. If you have a dehydrator (even if you don't) dried fruit is easy to make. If you want a healthier option, skip the dried fruit with sugar in it (candied fruit sold as "dried fruit"). It will be lighter and very dense calorically.

Nuts are very dense calorically and also heavy but worth it. Find a few nuts you enjoy and bring some of those in your gorp bag.

Since you said "healthy alternatives" it's hard for me to recommend Knorr sides or any prepackaged meals that I know of. You can use dried potato flakes, instant rice or pasta with accompanying sauce packets and dried or pouch meats to make just about any meal. Let your imagine run wild. Try cous cous as well (pasta really).

That said, if you're doing long distances over several days (sounds like you are) then you are going to probably want to stop into town near the middle/end just to get more calories. 7 Days at a time isn't too long but you may start getting the munchies by the end of it. If there's an ice cream stand or a deli near the trail, heck, even a place to get a cold beer or soda I'm stopping for 30 minutes to enjoy a break and the easy access of food I didn't have to carry. Don't rule those quick stops out :)

Starchild
02-22-2013, 09:23
What one person considers healthy eating another person may not. So this is what works for me and what I do find healthy for what I have found I need to keep not just my body healthy, but mind (and soul), and also helps me keep a healthy attitude not feeling deprived.

I do like to bring some cheese, though don't like a lot of it at once, so the single serving packs work great, though ziplocking a larger piece also works. I also do like to bring some varieties of dried meat such as the many forms of salami's available, which are calorie, protein and fat dense, taste great on the trail, don't require cooking, don't require refrigeration, don't require cleanup except for wiping the knife blade, goes well with the cheese to add a extra tasty treat and usually easy enough to obtain. I have also brought those sealed usually 4-8oz packs of presliced cold cut meats (ham, roastbeef, turkey etc.) and have eaten them early, maybe days 1-3.

Nuts are also on my snack list, various ones depending on mood and what I find, some chocolate is also much appreciated, and some consider it healthy.

I have also tried trail popped popcorn. The healthy variety you bring your own oil, the convenient variety use a single serving (small ) microwave popcorn bag (which contains the oil stuff) and popping it in the Jetboil (after taking it out of the bag). It does work well but I have found that it has the potential to hurt the Jetboil Sol Ti pot so I stopped and have not gotten good results with my caldera cone, though the Alumium Jetboil models don't have that limitation and should work well.

For hot foods, besides the freezedried ones, I have made eggs, along with the trail ambitious egg meat and cheese sandwiches. Instant mashed potatoes work very well. For the first night out I may bring along some fresh or sometimes preferably frozen meat if the temperature will keep it good till dinner, or a alternative of soup/stew - some healthy home made variety or a convenient carry container type.

If I get a opportunity along the trail for a ice cream stop I usually will or hot coffee if it's cold out.

Peace

QiWiz
02-22-2013, 16:03
My section hikes will probably avoid any mail drops for food pickup/resupply. I don't have lots of time to hike a mile or two into towns and then head back to the trail again and I don't want to count on hitching rides either. I'm still working and will be using vacation time to do several states this year.

My pack weight is a reasonable 18+/- #'s. However, food and water are a real issue for me and I've reviewed dozens and dozens of YouTube videos, etc., on what people are using for food nd well, yuk...most food supplies are pretty poor and unhealthy IMO. My food weight is about 8#'s and that will cover 3 meals/day plus morning and mid-afternoon snacks for 6 days at a time. The usual instant oatmeal, jerky, tuna fish salad (pre made), energy bars, breakfast bars, a couple of freeze dried meals, instant potatos and other odds and ends make up my food bags.

However, there must be a better way? After I add the food and water (I have a 3L hydration pack and know I can offset weight by limiting water and reducing the 6.6# weigth it'll add), well, the pack is now easily in excess of 30#'s. Is the food weight reasonable give my hiking plans?

What HEALTHY suggestions do you have? Please....no captain crunch, etc. Thanks in advance for suggestions.

There are some resupply options that are right on the trail, depending on what section you are doing. Take advantage of these to carry less food weight or carry more food per day.

Only carry the water you need to get to the next water source. This is usually just a liter or less. Camel up at water sources to carry even less.

Hiking burns LOTS of calories. You are (at 8 pounds for 6 days) at about the minimum food weight I would ever carry. When I carried and ate 1.5 pounds of fairly high fat content foods per day for three weeks, hiking an average of 13.5 miles a day, I was never hungry, but I lost a half pound of body weight per day. If you are not carrying much body fat to lose (I had plenty of body fat to donate to the cause), I would go with 2 to 2.25 pounds of food per day so that you are not breaking down muscle for calories.

rustmd
02-22-2013, 19:13
i'm a section hiker also. i make lots of soups & stews at home, dehydrate and vacuum seal. this gives me more healthier foods for dinner. i also make my own beef jerky, vacuum seal that. i buy instant mashed potatoes in the pouch to add to some soups & stews for bulk. cheese, gorp, dried fruits (my own dehydtated as well as store-bought) also help w/ calorie intact but keeps pack weight down. i bring snack-size baggies filled w/ organic peanut butter (avoid the hydrogentated oils), eat that w/ ritz crackers for lunches.

i usually plan 1-4 week section hikes, so i need to resupply my food. i mail boxes of my own food to places along the AT wherever i am section hiking.

i am considering adding protein powder to my dehydrated meals. . .no experience w/ that yet. anyone have advice on using protein powders w/ meals???

.com

JAK
02-22-2013, 20:17
Alot of really good food is already dehydrated for you, and can be bought in bulk like 0.5 pounds or 1 pounds when resupplying and mixed and matched into various breakfasts, trail mixes, and soups and chows for night time.

Healthy food and a resupply amount.
Don't have to resupply everything at once or the same stuff every time...
Oats = 500g
Sunflower Seeds = 200g
Almonds = 200g
Peanuts = 200g
Lentils = 500g
Dried Vegetable Mix = 200g
Dried Herbs, especially Parsley, also Parsley = 100g <===== For Vitamins and Minerals not just flavour
Spices other than Parsley, just one at a time but build up a collection for Chai, Oatmeal, and Soups
Skim Milk Powder = 500g

MuddyWaters
02-22-2013, 22:06
Like others said, its all about the calories per oz.
You can only carry so much wt, but you have to have the calories.

Fat, sugar, dry refined flour, with a bit of protein thrown in is about all you can do.
Or you can try to eat healthy and starve.
Which is worse?
Hike enough and you starve even on the high cal hiker food, you just cant keep up with 10 hrs per day of aerobic excercise.

Deadeye
02-23-2013, 12:32
You indicated that you carry 8 pounds of food for 6 days, which is pretty light IMO. You're not going to starve in a week - my hiker appetite doesn't even kick in for a few days. I budget a little over 2 pounds per day. Just remember, it gets lighter everyday! My recommendations for healthy choices:
- quick or instant oats or meusli
- dried fruit (apples, dates, apricots, raisins, prunes, pears), you can get a big bag of mixed fruit at Costco, good source of carbs & fiber
- nuts, nuts, nuts for good fat, protein, fiber. Very calorie dense
- dehydrated veggies & beans from Harmony House. I start them soaking mid-afternoon, then add a pouch of chicken and some spices for a hearty stew/soup. Sometimes I start with an instant soup mix or a prepackaged Thai dinner.
- bagels & tortillas with peanut butter & jelly (I wouldn't classify refined flour as healthy, but its carbs and you need the energy)
- cheese
- I bring dry milk, instant breakfast and protein powder for extra protein
Most of these are bulk items that I just scoop into a big baggie so I can make up meals as I go.

Rasty
02-23-2013, 13:03
On my last hike I made a smoothie that came out pretty good.

2 Packets Carnation Instant Chocolate Breakfast
1/2 Ounce Freeze Dries Bananas and Strawberries (Turn into Powder)
2 Ounces Nido
16 Ounces Water

Dogwood
02-23-2013, 13:58
If you are aware of water sources as listed in the AT Thru-Hikers Companion I NEVER see the need for hauling 3L of water on the AT. Water sources are WELL DOCUMENTED on the AT. Of course water availability is going to be dependent on what section you hike when you hike, and when it has rained last. So, maybe nix the idea of all that water wt to carry.

If you want to go trail food lighter, consider a quick resupply or supplementing food somewhere really close to or on trail like where the trail goes through a town. This not only makes for a lighter wt food haul but MAY make for a speedier hike overall beacuse of the less wt. And, YES, 1 1/2 lbs of trail food per day is light wt so chowing down while in town might help with the energy you'll need.

You sound bored with your trail food menu. BE CREATIVE! BE HEALTHY! For example, oatmeal is not just for b-fast. It can be eaten dry or added to meals as an extender. It's cheap. Cooks fast(boil water, let oats soak for 5 mins in hot water, DONE). And. it's SUPER versatile. Add protein powders, dried milks(I especially like dried cconut milk w/ cinnamon and crytallized ginger), nuts(all kinds), seeds(chia, hemp, sesame, sunflower, flax seed/meal, pumpkin(pepitas), etc) and all manner of dried fruits(organic dried coconut flakes racthet up the healthy fat cals too!). You could also opt for amaranth, millet, instant polenta, cous cous for a warmed b-fast doctored up the way you like to taste and tweaked for nutrition. Don't forget you can also doctor up oatmeal for greater cals and nutrition by adding REAL(NON-HYDROGENATED) peanut butter or a small 1/2 - 1 oz packet of nut butters to the oatmeal. I've tried cashew butter(yummy), hazlenut(sometimes with REAL cocoa chocolate added), almond, coconut, etc

Hopefully, you already understand this, food whether it be on or off trail IS NOT just about getting enough cals or getting ratios tweaked according to where those cals come from -cabohydrates, fats, protein - for you and your desired activity. It's also about all those other things in food that we sometimes forget like living enzymes, phytonutrients, fiber, etc And, it's not about each of these things in and of itself alienated form all the other ingredients. There's a synergy of the ingredients in a whole food that exists that's greater than the sum of the individual ingredients! Aim for trail foods that are close to their original state or minimally processed and you'll probably be eating healthier.


BTW, what I've done MANY times, is to take the trail recipes found in the myriad of trail food cookbooks, published in Backpacking Magazine, or the ingredient lists on commercial rather expensive(at least for me on a long hike)dehydratede meals and make them myself in a healthy higher cal version according to my own portion size.

JAK
02-23-2013, 22:03
minimize moisture content, packaging weight, but get enough fibre
tweak the fat content up, but not so much if burning body fat