Backpacking lunches? (Enough salami and cheese on bagels!)

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Wandering Daisy
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Re: Backpacking lunches? (Enough salami and cheese on bagels!)

Post by Wandering Daisy »

From
http://www.bodyresults.com/e2highaltitudenutrition.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

“Fat, while tolerated relatively well in the cold at sea level, may not be as well tolerated in diets at high altitude… Although high-fat foods are energy dense and reduce the weight/calorie aspect of food carried on climbs, fat requires more oxygen for metabolism than carbohydrate and will place a small, but added burden upon the already overtaxed oxygen economy of the climber.”

It is has been a standard in mountaineering for years to reduce fat at high altitudes. That is not to say no fat, and a spoon of peanut butter is fine, but most people have digestion problems if they eat too much fat. I like my fats at dinnertime, not when I am walking and heavily exercising. But each person has his own unique belly. On the average, if you take out a lot of people climbing at higher altitudes, you have less altitude sickness if you eat more quality carbs vs fats. Quality carbs do not have to taste like cardboard. I find the Larabars quite tasty as well as MoJo bars.
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Re: Backpacking lunches? (Enough salami and cheese on bagels!)

Post by markskor »

Wandering Daisy wrote:...people climbing at higher altitudes, you have less altitude sickness if you eat more quality carbs vs fats.
Well gosh...Having only been to a little over 20,000 feet...maybe just lucky then that the "added burden upon the already overtaxed oxygen economy" has never abated my copious enjoyment of local alpine surroundings.
Wandering Daisy wrote:Quality carbs do not have to taste like cardboard. I find the Larabars quite tasty as well as MoJo bars.

Totally agree about your, "each person has his/her own unique belly" comment...Whatever works for your's. Bought a assorted dozen Larabars (@ REI's 20% discount for buying a dozen sale) a few years back...tasted fine, initially.
BTW, still have 6 left...carried them for a whole summer too. Nobody would eat them.
Mountainman who swims with trout
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Re: Backpacking lunches? (Enough salami and cheese on bagels!)

Post by Wandering Daisy »

markskor- I am not trying to argue about your particular food experiences. I am just saying, if you sample 100 people, more than half will do better WHILE THEY ACCLIMATE (first few days), if they cut back on fats a bit. If someone has trouble with digestion while acclimating, it is worth it to try something different. I eat a fairly low fat diet normally, so my system does poorly on lots of fats, even at sea level! I agree that one becomes burned out on trail bars. That is why I take a variety and never eat more than one a day, if that.

Back to the original post and question. If you are doing a long trip and have to use a bear canister, you must also consider bulk and crushability. On a typical 10-day trip, I try to camp at a bear box the first night and then need to get everything else in the can. This is really tough! In order for the food to fit (and still have 2,500 calories per day), I have to choose low volume food. Crackers are out. Bread is out. Almonds pack down better than walnuts. FD pineapple resists crushing better than FD strawberries. I use regular oatmeal and cereals - they take less space (1/3 cup cereal for 1 cop water for regular vs 1/2 cup for instant). Yes, that is more fuel, but the fuel does not have to fit inside the bear can. The little meat sticks or cubed jerky pack better than the regular slices. Anything that has to be packed in a hard container packs less efficiently.

If you are doing a 2-3 day trip, then I see no reason you cannot essentially eat lunches similar to that you eat at home, if they do not require refrigeration. Bring an apple, carrots, avocado. Even on a long trip I will bring an avocado to eat the first day. Pack those crackers in a hard sided container so they do not become crumbs. I even pick up a deli sandwich on the drive to eat the first night (make sure they do not have real mayonnaise or eggs).

Lunch for me is not a big meal. I eat a moderate breakfast and large dinner and just munch all day, with only about 600 calories consumed for "lunch". I never really sit down and have lunch. I move better without a lot of food in my belly. If however, you do short travel days and spend half the day fishing, you will probably want more lunch goodies.
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Re: Backpacking lunches? (Enough salami and cheese on bagels!)

Post by rlown »

those tuna packets with a squeeze of a mayo packet on a flour tortilla works well. heck, have two. and yes some black pepper. Oops.. forgot the relish packet as well.

Also the 1lb bag of white cheddar cheez-its and the jacks links jerky. and some dried figs, blueberries and cranberries.

Not sure i ever look at caloric intake. just eat when i'm hungry.
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Re: Backpacking lunches? (Enough salami and cheese on bagels!)

Post by The hermit »

Ive come full circle on bars. Ate em every day for years. I would get tired of one brand after another. Now im back to the classics cliff and power bars once in a while.
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Re: Backpacking lunches? (Enough salami and cheese on bagels!)

Post by Satsuma »

I make wakame salad for lunch. Soak dried seaweed in filtered water for 5 min, drain, add some fresh onion diced and sesame seeds.
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Re: Backpacking lunches? (Enough salami and cheese on bagels!)

Post by AlmostThere »

My lunches for the upcoming journey into Blackcap Basin:

Hummus and flatbread, plus a little gouda for variety
Tuna, mayo, relish and flatbread
cold couscous/lentil salad
last day out I eat random leftover things, trail bar/snacks that are left.

snacks are going to be gummi bears, a really tasty raspberry/chocolate/nuts trail mix, a rice cracker mix with some dried edamame, and a few crunchy granola bars - a mix of Trader Joes and Clif brands, I enjoy the White chocolate macadamia Clif crunch bars a lot. Also taking some Sport Beans.

Evenings are going to be the tank-up - I can't eat a lot during the day, am more of a grazer. For dinner - chili and rice, home dehydrated. Trail pizza - with string and cheddar cheese, pepperonis, pizza sauce (rehydrated), over a pot-baked biscuit. Chicken/three cheese pasta/zucchini (this is a freeze dried meal that's been sitting around, going to eat it and be done with it) and a soup mix, either miso or good ol' Lipton cream of chicken - not mixed into the pasta but as an appetizer. Hot chocolate from Land o Lakes - amaretto, mint, and deluxe chocolate. A few tea bags. A few Emergen-C that I like drinking hot, either in the morning or evening. Dessert - I'm taking a pudding and a no-bake cheesecake mix complete with graham cracker crumbs to sprinkle over it, to stick in a snow bank to set up prior to eating it out of the bag. (have also eaten dessert for lunch!)

I take cheddar sticks to add to things or snack on, or to use as a treat for the dog. Dog is carrying her own food and treats, supplemented with bits from my meal, especially on pizza night. she does like a good pepperoni.

And of course, taking some tin foil, garlic salt, herbs, and olive oil, with which to cook some wild caught trout....

Breakfasts will be granola with a little milk powder to add water to, coffee, a protein smoothie that mixes in a small nalgene, and dried fruit to add to the granola or snack on while I pack. I'm going to take a pistachio rice pudding (home made) to try out for one breakfast, to see how that goes...

It'll all fit in a Bearikade Weekender. Won't have any problems, as this is what works... never take oatmeal, peanut butter, or any of the overdone, always-rides-home-again snacks I am tired of, as it wastes space for things that taste good to me.
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Re: Backpacking lunches? (Enough salami and cheese on bagels!)

Post by Wandering Daisy »

Sounds yummy! How many days/nights do you plan? Where are you going? I am curious because this is a trip I am considering for a fishing trip with husband. It would be the longest backpack trip for our dog (she will be just over a year old in August). Since you are taking your dog I am interested in your opinion as the suitability of the trip for a dog. Do you put the dog food in the bear can at night? We are "beginners" at backpacking with a dog so any information is really helpful. Does your Dog share your lunches? I know you fish. Does your dog get to eat fish? Raw or cooked?

I totally agree- do not take any food that you do not like to eat! No matter how wonderful everyone else says it is. I think over the years we all have developed a list of "backpack foods to avoid". Protein powder is one thing I have learned to leave at home. No matter what I do all I get are lumps. On trips a week or less the nutritional value (other than being deficient in calories) is of less importance. Last year when I did 40+ days in a row, I had to be more careful about nutrition. I am a proponent of taking a multi-vitamins on longer trips. Learning to identify and munch on wild greens is also a good source of vitamins, although do not count on this for calories.
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Re: Backpacking lunches? (Enough salami and cheese on bagels!)

Post by rlown »

don't feed your dog raw fish. ever.
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Re: Backpacking lunches? (Enough salami and cheese on bagels!)

Post by 87TT »

If you let your dog sleep in the tent with you, I highly recomend not feeding fish to it. I tried stretch my dogs food with cooked fish and it gave her the worst case of gas #-o
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