Lactose Intolerant Hiking foods

[Singer]

I'll be hiking with my son for 18 days on the AT this summer. He is lactose intolerant. Does anyone have any suggestions (besides peanut butter and nuts) for lunch alternatives (i.e. cheese replacements). We have begun trying out the hamburger helper, lipton, and rice a roni meals that don't require milk. Not a lot of selection, but dinner will be OK. Ramen is yucchy (sorry Ramen lovers!). Also, not having tried many, are there any energy bars out there that are milk product free? He takes calcium supplements so that has been thought of. Thanks for the ideas!

[orangebug]

One word : Lactaid

Makes lactose intolerance much simpler for the prepackaged foods and snacks we require.

[plodder]

Health food store. Find the strangest looking one that works there and ask. I find alot of stuff there cheaper than the grocer, but compare. Soy? I like dry cereal (shredded wheat) plain, dry. He might be like others with allergies-eat some nasty stuff with a smile, cause it ain't poisonous. Ask him...

[Doctari]

I can't have milk ("that nasty white stuff" is what I call it) & don't suffer on the trail, or anywhere else for that matter.
All those Lipton type meals that call for TNWS, I simply add water instead. I havn't had milk or it's by-products for over 10 years, so don't notice the taste difference.
I havn't tried Lactade, I am allergic so I react a bit different (as I understand it) to milk than those Lactose Intolerant, but friends who are LI say it works well, for them, as does Soy milk.
The calcium supplements seem to have helped me all these years

Try: granola bars, dried fruit, Jerky (beef, chicken, turkey, tofu, etc.) PBJ, cookies, candy bars (I like Fast breaks) crackers & stuff, GORP.

Doctari.

[sarbar]

I'll be hiking with my son for 18 days on the AT this summer. He is lactose intolerant. Does anyone have any suggestions (besides peanut butter and nuts) for lunch alternatives (i.e. cheese replacements). We have begun trying out the hamburger helper, lipton, and rice a roni meals that don't require milk. Not a lot of selection, but dinner will be OK. Ramen is yucchy (sorry Ramen lovers!). Also, not having tried many, are there any energy bars out there that are milk product free? He takes calcium supplements so that has been thought of. Thanks for the ideas!

One thing to try:
Soy Milk Powder. Stuff is finely granulated, mixes easily-and has only a slight taste....in food you won't notice it. It comes in tubs for about $9-11 and will last, oh 3-4 years... Out here in the West I can find it at any grocery store in the soy aisle (I kid not...we Washingtonians drink a lot of soy.....)
If not any good health food store would have it Just make sure you get plain, not vanilla for cooking.
If you add it to oatmeal it boosts the protien quite a bit!

[TooTall]

Kraft makes two lines of cheeses under the Kraft and Cracker Barrel brand names that have no lactose. Mostly Cheddar and Swiss. You can buy the cheese as cubes, shredded or as blocks.

Kraft also sells Parmesian cheese in the shaker can which also has no lactose. You can buy the cans in a very small size. Great for taking on a hike and spicing up a meal. I've made my own version of lactose free Mac & Cheese by cooking Macaroni then tossing in some squeeze Parkay Butter and Kraft Parmesian cheese.

Too Tall Paul

[soulrebel]

FYI-goat's milk molecules are the same size as human milk molecules unlike cow's milk which are larger. Some people that are lactose intolerant will find goat's products easier to absorb.

Highly recommend meyenberg milk or powder, goatein powder, goat's cheese, or any of these products http://www.redwoodhill.com/index.shtml

GL just a suggestion.

[gumby]

Kraft makes two lines of cheeses under the Kraft and Cracker Barrel brand names that have no lactose. Mostly Cheddar and Swiss. You can buy the cheese as cubes, shredded or as blocks.

Kraft also sells Parmesian cheese in the shaker can which also has no lactose. You can buy the cans in a very small size. Great for taking on a hike and spicing up a meal. I've made my own version of lactose free Mac & Cheese by cooking Macaroni then tossing in some squeeze Parkay Butter and Kraft Parmesian cheese.

Too Tall Paul

I too am lactose intolant, hard cheeses like cheddar are ok, look for such things as cassienate (sp?), it is used as a filler in quite a lot of things and is milk based, I try to stick to soy based products.

Someone mentioned lactaid, it works but if you take too much it will constipate you. In other words reverse trail trots

Just look at the label and research the internet for more suggestions or better yet ask your primary care physician if he/she has any literature on it.

l8tr, gumby

[Smile]

Avacados instead of cheese! ( last 2-3 days), Raisins, carrots ......not exactly cheese 'replacement' though....Lots of great foods that are dairy/lactose free.

[TooTall]

look for such things as cassienate (sp?), it is used as a filler in quite a lot of things and is milk based, I try to stick to soy based products.

Also whey. All those trail and power bars? They all use whey for their protein. Blah!

Too Tall Paul

[gumby]

Also whey. All those trail and power bars? They all use whey for their protein. Blah!

Too Tall Paul

How true I forgot about whey.

Here is a link that provides some good info.

http://info-4-you.info/lactose.html

You might also want to check to see if it is lactose intolerance or irritable bowel syndrome or both. I have both and it sucks.

gumby

[Lone Star]

If you are just looking for lunch alternatives... I ate peanut butter or tuna on a tortilla everyday for lunch. For 18 days you won't have to worry too much about variety at lunch as you can get that at dinner.