Food for hiking

newagesurfer

Just wondering what food ye bring along hiking unfortunately for me what I bring on day trips always tends to be high in sugar : protein bars, chocolate bars anyone suggest good alternatives?

Also any recommendations for over night trips, I find cous cous very handy as cooks super quick and easy, black pudding and porridge for breakfast.

sparrowcar

Day hikes

Bananas
Sandwiches, you can't live on protein bars etc for the day.
Jellies for quick energy burst.
Homemade flapjacks
In winter a warm Ribena with a slice of lemon in a flask, will cheer you up no end.

Overnight and breakfast you seem to be doing right as I bring very similar.

Cous cous with dried mushroom and chorizo
Porridge as well

If just one night I'll bring a camping ready meal which can be bought online. I use http://www.expeditionfoods.com

I wouldn't use them for a whole weekend.

Peanut butter and jam sandwiches.
Crisps, salty varieties.

my3cents

Two fillers I like are dried mashed potato and noodles. Neither require anything more than boiling water and can take up whatever flavour you put on them.

Alun

I eat whatever I want when I'm hiking, and pay no attention to whatever the food police are saying is bad for you this week. The amount of sugar in a muesli bar or whatever will be used up in a few minutes anyway, if you're doing it properly, so enjoy being able to eat what you want and not feel guilty about it.

my3cents

I feel very guilty about carrying anything that weighs too much, no matter what the food police say.

Losty Dublin

I only do daytime walks so I'm bringing meat and salad rolls/sandwiches, along with a banana or two. The humble bag of Tayto do a job here as well and, if I think of it, I have one or two boiled eggs as well. A hot flask for my tea is a must along with powdered milk; I have a spare flask in my car for my journey's end. For a sugar boost I have a few of the Super Valu mini Mars/Twix dupes and of course some water is a given. Once I took pasta and cold cut meat; it can be nice if a little bland.

I try to avoid more citrus fruit and wholegrain or overly breads in case they bring on calls of natures

Something to expand on what Alun said; eating general decent grub before you go is more important than eating the In Food along the way.

unkel

Day hike: eat as much breakfast as I can first thing in the morning. Full Irish or brown bread with loads of cheese / ham + boiled eggs. During the hike I eat very little, maybe some dried nuts / fruit (Always have spare food / bars in case of emergency). Drink loads though. Ice cold water in summer*, tea in flask + water in winter. Then when I come home a massive takeaway

Overnight: couscous (Ainsley Harriott, variety of tastes) + chili pepper + spicy chorizo sausage. Fry chili + chorizo in pan, then add water and couscous and job done when it all boils.

*Tip: fill your bottles half full with water the night before and stick in freezer (-20C). Top up with tap water before you go and you will have (ice) cold water pretty much all day. Works with hydration bladder too.

Neady83

To add to the list
- Tucs with cheese slices between
- Raisin & cinnamon bagel with almond butter & jam
- Little bags of dried fruit/salty nuts/regular nuts mix
- nakd bars
- EatNatural bars
- Home made porridge bread made with seeds & dried fruit
- Chocolate covered ginger or dates can be a great pick me up
- Home made date/coconut/cocoa powder/nut energy balls
- pasta with pesto & pine nuts
- dried mango

my3cents

Neady83 wrote: »

To add to the list
- Tucs with cheese slices between
- Raisin & cinnamon bagel with almond butter & jam
- Little bags of dried fruit/salty nuts/regular nuts mix
- nakd bars
- EatNatural bars
- Home made porridge bread made with seeds & dried fruit
- Chocolate covered ginger or dates can be a great pick me up
- Home made date/coconut/cocoa powder/nut energy balls
- pasta with pesto & pine nuts
- dried mango

Plus a million on the dried mango but have to pack it at the bottom of my bag or I eat it in the first five minutes I'm out walking

Note that Lidl dried mango can be either chewy rubbish or excellent you have to check the packets the bags with plumper more orange coloured pieces are the best.

And in case anyone is worried dried mango doesn't seem to have quite the same side effects as say dried prunes or dried mixed fruit.

Red Kev

Large bowl of porridge in the morning with a banana and some honey. Usually for lunch a sealed container with lentil, pea/bean and veg stew. Ditto if I'm staying overnight.

Both of them are eaten cold. I don't take a cooker or utensils unless it's a 3 day hike.

Flask of ginger tea with extra ginger as it can be drank hot or cold if it's chilly.

Might bring bananas or a fruit salad with yoghurt in it if I'm late back. Usually get a chipper or Indian on the way home if it's been a long day.

my3cents

Sorry but can't not have a stove, nothing beats hot food and a hot drink on a "soft" day in Ireland.

Red Kev

Yeah I can understand that as well. If there's more than one we'll take a stove, but on my own I'm not bothered.

If it looks like rough weather I'd stay home. Don't mind cold or wind but if it's raining constantly I stay home these days.

my3cents

I collect camping stoves so take one even on short walks just to test how they perform.

unkel

Red Kev wrote: »

I don't take a cooker or utensils unless it's a 3 day hike.

Jaysus, that's a bit spartan, isn't it? Would you not enjoy & relax after setting up camp by making a brew / making a fire - even if it's only a stove fire or gas fire / cook a hot meal?

Red Kev

To be honest Unkel I really couldn't be arsed if I'm away for the one night and especially if I'm on my own. I like to travel light and I'd rather a Tupperware box or two full of pre cooked food than carrying all the bits and bobs in the rucksack. If I'm away for 2 nights I take the cooker, a small pot and pre-cooked stews as well as a small coffee maker.

Personal choice I guess.

I said I eat porridge above, I eat it most mornings and I eat it like Ready-Brek; cold, uncooked with milk and honey. I just like it that way.:)

I have to say the nicest thing I've eaten is cold pizza. Not frozen, but restaurant pizza. Had takeaway the evening before, left a couple of slices...beautiful. On the down side, couldn't really justify getting a takeaway the evening before every hike. But know of ultra runners who go for that "bad" food effect, loaded with fat and salt and sugar...but delicious...pizza, pork pie etc.

sheesh

I did 3 days of the kerry way on peanut m&ms and water (During the Day)

I would usually take sandwiches and a flask and chocolate

Orion

my3cents wrote: »

Sorry but can't not have a stove, nothing beats hot food and a hot drink on a "soft" day in Ireland.

Absolutely. I have a pocket rocket and a small kettle that I always bring on a hike. Nothing beats a lovely hot cup of soup at the top of a mountain.

Effects

You just reminded me I need to get fuel for my pocket rocket!
Spending the night on Ben Bulben next week and I want warm food and coffee in the morning.

SomeFool

Can't beat a jam sandwich, my favourite energy food. Must give the cold pizza a go though, sounds good. Would only take the stove if it was sub zero, usually happier to keep moving and take the odd short stop.

unkel

I've a proper full size thermosflask (1l). Put in boiling water and a teabag at 8AM and hike in freezing temps in the mountains all day and at 4PM the tea is still hot (nearly burn your hand hot)

I would bring a burner for overnight hikes though. For having something relaxing to be at more than anything else

Losty Dublin

unkel wrote: »

I've a proper full size thermosflask (1l). Put in boiling water and a teabag at 8AM and hike in freezing temps in the mountains all day and at 4PM the tea is still hot (nearly burn your hand hot)

I would bring a burner for overnight hikes though. For having something relaxing to be at more than anything else

Now Unkel, I love my tea nice and strong and well drawn but 8 hours??:eek::eek::P

unkel

One tea bag in a liter of water. There's only so strong it can get