Food Ideas

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Ericds84
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Food Ideas

Post by Ericds84 »

Generally I like to start off with hot oatmeal and coffee before a hike, but for early starts dealing with a camp stove is a bit impractical, and in any event I'm not all that hungry at that hour. Canned iced coffees are a great way to get my caffeine kick. But what do you guys do for breakfast--I'm looking for things that transport well, don't require much prep, and that are nutritious but won't leave me running on empty a couple hours down the line. I also like the idea of breakfast being distinct from lunch--I'd rather not munch power bars and gorp all day long.
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greenonion
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Re: Food Ideas

Post by greenonion »

Two boiled eggs in the morning before starting off. Pack them in one of those 6 or 12 yellow egg containers from REI/elsewhere. The protein stays with you longer.

Then I stick mostly with various flavors of Gu or gel blocks the rest of the hike. Sometimes I eat tuna packs made by Star Kist > Lunch to Go. Just pack out all your trash.

Suggest getting a Jet Boil to make hot water for instant coffee. Good enough for me!
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-wren-
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Re: Food Ideas

Post by -wren- »

To be honest I usually munch power bars all day long, but I’ve done overnight oats a few times and it’s always great
https://hurrythefoodup.com/how-to-make- ... -in-a-jar/
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SamWerner
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Re: Food Ideas

Post by SamWerner »

My recent go-to has been a bagel slathered with peanut butter. Kinda hard to choke down at 3am, but better than having to whip out the stove that early!
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supranihilest
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Re: Food Ideas

Post by supranihilest »

I do Poptarts for breakfast on backpacking trips and sometimes before large day trips. No thought involved, packs somewhat OK, no cooking, easy to eat on the move. Not nutritious or filling really, but it works for me.
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Dave B
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Re: Food Ideas

Post by Dave B »

Overnight oats are super easy to make ahead of time, transport well, and I've not had any problem getting them down in the early morning hours. I just do 1 cup oats, 1 cup vanilla almond milk, 2 tbsp chia seed and 2 tbsp honey in one of those Telatini gelato containers. Can add berries, bananas for extra nutrition and flavor, but you need to prep/add those right before eating otherwise they get mushy.

Those plus 1-2 hardboiled eggs will last me longer than anything else, plenty of fiber and protein to feel satiated.
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nyker
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Re: Food Ideas

Post by nyker »

Usually dry cereal and a bar of some sort. Anything much heavier doesn't sit well with me when exerting higher up
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turbocat
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Re: Food Ideas

Post by turbocat »

My go-to the last 2-3 years for fast starts. BoBo Bars (original or lemon poppy seed) weight 3oz, 1 bar, serving size 2, 170 calories per serving...so 340 calories total. Alpine Start (way cheaper than Starbucks) instant coffee 2 packs make 16oz and I'm rolling.
Lunch...tortilla, Justin's PB/AB or tuna packets. Slim Jims. Haribo gummi bears. Kind and Larabars. GORP. On day or short trips I will sometimes carry Pringles.

I am hiking the JMT later this year and have been experimenting with calorie loading for breakfast (and other meals too), mostly because I will have time to boil water and have a more leisurely breakfasts (and meals). I have been taking Mountain House breakfast skillets packs and Scrambled Eggs & Bacon dehydrated meals and cutting them 2-3 ways into separate ziplocks (essentially get 3 servings out of one package) and making them more packable. I then have been taking Patagonia Red Bean Chili or Black Bean Soup or Tsampa Soup meals and cutting those down separately also to add to the eggs meals to make them more interesting. Hit them with some hot water, let them soak, drain extra H2O, drop into a tortilla and add in some taco bell hot spice packets for a perfect breakfast burrito or just eat out of a GSI bowl.

Tortilla is by far the most versatile thing you can carry on trail IMHO. Travels well, extremely versatile.

A lot of the freeze dried meals and their associated packaging can be a pain, sometimes too much, sometimes not enough, sometimes just really boring. I always break down the meals prior to a trip (easier to carry in a bear can) and supplement with Trader Joe's stock items (instant pasta/rice and veggies and/or instant mashed potatoes) to make more or less. Most of the time I'll get 2 meals out of one package and add my own twist on them. Example: I'll take a Backcountry Pantry Coconut Black Beans & Rice, cut it in half into separate ziplocks, add 1/2 cup of minute rice to each and maybe a few other things like dried veggies. For a protein, I will drop Patagonia Lemon Herb mussels on top...totally 5 star 1 bowl meal in the backcountry.

The last few years there have been some interesting options popping up from some niche outfits. Check out Bushkas and Food for the Sole. Patagonia Provisions is doing some good sustainable things with some of their proteins like salmon and mussels, that really work well to supplement other meals. Cutting the meals also makes them more affordable, especially for extended time out in the backcountry.
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Jorts
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Re: Food Ideas

Post by Jorts »

You know those pill containers with Monday through Sunday on them? They work great for packing spices, dab of honey, etc. Make sure you have one that seals well though.
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oliver303
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Re: Food Ideas

Post by oliver303 »

I second that overnight oats are a great no-cook breakfast for early mornings.
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HikerGuy
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Re: Food Ideas

Post by HikerGuy »

supranihilest wrote: Thu Jul 01, 2021 1:52 pm I do Poptarts for breakfast on backpacking trips and sometimes before large day trips. No thought involved, packs somewhat OK, no cooking, easy to eat on the move. Not nutritious or filling really, but it works for me.
Same. Frosted Strawberry Poptarts, but lately I've been substituting the little six-pack of Hostess Crunch Donettes. If car camping, I add a Kellogg's chocolate protein drink.
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SkaredShtles
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Re: Food Ideas

Post by SkaredShtles »

Beer.
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