[Closed] Food for multiday trek

Halva.
Peanut butter.

APF

Nice one
Better check the calories per gramme. Peanut butter has a packaging issue as well 🙂

edit
Halva 550 cals per 100g
Peanut butter 580

Peanut butter on oatcakes might be rather chewy

Supernoodles. Cheap and hard to beat at calories/g

Dead easy to prep as well.

Olive oil is also very dense calorie/g. Take some chilli oil to spice up noodles and get a few more calories in.

I was testing out a breakfast for bikepacking trip in a few weeks Oats, Powdered milk, desiccated coconut and a sugar loved it. Fat has more calories than carbs per gram so add a few high fat foods like nuts rather than all carbs.

Flapjack.

Good mix of quick sugary hit and longer burn. Also, apparently there's some enzyme in porridge oats that aids the body in exhaustion. Something about helping smooth the drop you get at the "wall". Can't remember where I read that though. Still, tasty tasty!

Oh, and sausage rolls. Obviously.

Military ration packs are good for this kind of thing if you can get hold of them.

Cfh - good call on the flapjack but we will all ready be getting our oats with the oatcakes 😉

I've been thinking about how to package PB.
PB&J sandwiches for day one.
Apparently you can buy fill-able pouches for DIY baby food, wondering about transferring some into one of those. Heat it first so it's thinner?

APF

we will all ready be getting our oats

This thread is just fine without pictures.

😉

Flapjack trumps an oatcake in terms of packing in the calories, I'd say. Also, if the weather turns, the psychology lift of a sugary hit might help.

Pour and store packs, cous cous and chorizo, add enough boiling water, yum.

A few things I used to like.

Jerky
Instant custard
Hot chocolate.

According to my sister macadamia nuts are the most calorie dense, she did some sort of fun run in the desert last year.

Also coconut oil is very calorie dense if you can find a way to eat it. I'm sure you can get peanut butter in energy gels?

Overnight oats might work for breakfast?

IF you want to buy things then energy bars probably contain more calories than cereal bars. More normal versions might be things like Trek, nakd or 9 bars.

cous cous is a good shout. Less fuel required than pasta as you pretty much just add boiling water, not need to boil for any time.

Flapjacks got added to the list. You are right

My top tip from lots of backpacking in the past.
Large packet of dried soup, packet of cous cous, shove them both in the pan with a little extra water - instant soupy carb meal

Do you eat meat, TJ? T'other half takes peperami sticks on similar expeditions (bleurgh)

All of the above plus if ever passing a shop, buy some fresh food/bread/fruit etc and if ever near a café/pub etc have food/drinks.

tbh Even in the wilds of Scotland you're hard pushed not to come across something every couple of days (unless of course you're camping in one place and walking loops from/to it). Although many years ago I did get the train to Altnabreac and then walk to Ullapool, lonely is an understatement...

Home made guacamole is good for the first day, store bought to last longer.

And biltong for snacking.

4 days, you don't kneed to be that bothered about hitting an energy consumption target.

You are right

Quoted for posterity. 🙂

Where are you going to be? Should have asked before, as temperature can have a big effect on carrying and eating.

As mentioned above, ratpacks will give you everything you [i]need[/i]. They are, however, functional before anything else.

Some ideas here

https://backpackinglight.com/forums/forum/general-forums/food-hydration-and-nutrition/

Typical food choices for me would be porridge premixed with milk powder, dried fruit and nuts, a pasta and sauce pack with added peperami or a dolmio bolognese pouch, instant mash, pack of tuna/mackerel, dried veg/mushroom with stock cube, instant noodles, instant custard and cadbury minirolls, clif/trek bars, crackers with peanut butter, any other dehydrated food packets I can find in supermarket.

The walk starts near ullapool at the waterfalls - get off the bus there. End up in Poolewe next [s]pub[/s] civilisation via a zig zag thru fisherfeild and maybe a couple of tops. then pick up a canoe to go down loch Maree and walk from kinlochewe to strathcarron via a refuel in torridon.

jonba - instant custard and the like are getting harder to find in full sugar versions but good call - I'll look for some.

The basic kilo of food I put above was 3000c so 4000 calories for a decent days walk? With even minimal packaging thats 1.5 kilos a day 6 kilos for 4 days food.

edit

Temperature - its scotland beginning of june. We will have woolly hats and suntan lotion to hand. Could have a frost up high, could be in the 20s it will rain at some point.

Pecan or macadamia nuts have crazy calorie counts - ~650cal / 100g

Nuts/Pepperami are my topper-uppers. Don't discount the dehydrated "expedition" foods as they are usually quite calorie dense and light. Even one days worth will make a difference.

If you can stand Ready-Brek (I hate the stuff) then it requires a lot less fuel than traditional porage. You can make it a bit more pleasant by mixing in crushed nuts and dried fruit. You could also decant instant porage into something less bulky.

Provisions aplenty in Kinlochewe. Remember to visit the Whistle Stop Cafe.

(PS I assume you weren't planning to visit Dundonnell Stores given that it's closing)

[I]Temperature - its scotland beginning of june. We will have woolly hats and suntan lotion to hand. Could have a frost up high, could be in the 20s it will rain at some point. [/I]

Yep, at least with June you'll only have it cold high up so could work on gear for camping at a lower level, so 2-season bag to keep the weight/bulk down etc.

I also use to carry something that even if I'd no fuel/energy etc I could eat it straight and be happy - tin of rice pud was a fav.

Peanut butter has a packaging issue as well

Just take the jar, they're lightweight plastic these days. Or almond butter instead. And some nutella. Or Reese's.

Spread them on your flapjacks.

tin of rice pud was a fav

Disappointingly low calorie count for the weight though, you're carrying mostly water.

Oh - walk faster so that you have fewer days between re-supply.

(Or visit before June and cache something?)

Cheese is pretty calorie dense - something like 400-450 for bog standard cheddar.

No idea re calorie counts but i take a bag of mixed nuts and dried fruits with me, dates, walnuts, dried apricots, sultanas. Used to make flapjack but found it too sweet so now just the nuts and fruits. Nice you can snack on it while you walk/cycle.

Scotroutes - why hurry a nice walk? We could do the route in 3 and will do if it rains but if its nice? We will want an extra days food to enjoy fisherfeild

Where is the Dundonnell Stores ? We will have parcels sent to the pubs.

Ta chaps - So - anyone any more ideas for energy dense foods? aiming for 12 000 calories under 5 kgs including packaging to last 3/4 days real food not too processed moon on a stick stylee

Dinner - cup a soup, pasta and sauce/ instant noodles, packet instant pud
oatcakes, cheese, Crackers ( main lunch and breakfast)
cereal bars
dried fruit
chocolate
biscuits
peanuts
Peanut butter
Macademia nuts
Halva
flapjacks

butteries. food of champions.

Why don't you fatten yourselves up before the trip?
Then you won't need to carry so much food on the way 😀

Don't discount the dehydrated "expedition" foods as they are usually quite calorie dense and light. Even one days worth will make a difference.

This was my first thought and I'm surprised no-one else mentioned it. Pickings are slim for me as a veggie but if you're an omnivore there is a lot more options. I'm quite partial to [url= http://adventurefood.com/en/ ]Adventure Foods[/url]' Veggie Hotpot (essentially veg in mash but it's tasty) and their Expedition Breakfast (fortified porridge). There's 1200 calories right there for <270g, if you lived off nothing else for the duration that's your calorie requirement met at just over half your weight limit (not that I'm suggesting that's a good idea, mind).

Plus you just add boiling water and leave to stand so they use bugger all fuel and so that's less weight to carry. I'd be wary of the Pasta and Sauce sachets for this reason, despite the lies on the front of the packet they take 15 minutes of simmering when I do them at home. Suppose you could leave them to stand / flash-heat them intermittently but I think I'd be wanting a dry run at home first.

Also, what we refer to as "performance-enhancing drugs" - take a bag of jelly babies.

lol @Esme. Went to a talk by Fiennes and Stroud ages ago after their South Pole expedition. They pre-loaded about 7,000 calories a day by eating, the most efficient energy source - butter. :/

all butter shortbread biscuits

Hummus is great with oatcakes

Also loads of recipes online for protein balls

Ramen noodles weigh next to nothing, just watch the salt

Lastly, I find that a pint of full cream milk and a family-size roll of milk choc homewheat tend to disappear very quickly, so best go with 2 pints... 😀

Wholemeal/grain wraps last well enough on a multiday hike, easy to pack as well being flat.

[quote="Esme]

Why don't you fatten yourselves up before the trip?
Then you won't need to carry so much food on the way

Don't want to get hungry en route - or more particularly let t'missus get hungry - I'd be likely to come home missing vital body parts

Sounds like a great trip TJ.....trip report and piccies please!

My first thoughts too were dehydrated ration packs....not brilliant to eat, butin terms of weight per calorie I just don't think that you can beat them. I think that 3 days would be the upper limit of food that I'd carry if I wasn't carrying dehydrated stuff. After that it's just too much weight to be hauling around to be worth the extra luxury in my opinion. One thing I will say though.....given that they don't exactly taste great, dehydrated ration packs aren't half pricey!!

.....and to add a slightly more helpful bit to my post. Jonny Grey is shite and we're going to smash you boys tomorrow 😆

[url= http://www.roamerpost.com/trail-snack-no-bake-energy-balls-recipe/ ]No-bake energy balls (fnaaaar)[/url]

We don't want to eat rubbish - my experience of rat packs is not good.

Main meals will be pasta, small tin tuna, half an onion, pesto, garlic fresh parmesan or pasta and a sachet of sauce fresh parmesan only 400 grammes for dinner for two at 1000ish calories each. 3rd main instant noodles with some form of protein? smoked marinaded tofu? cupa soups and instant puddings. No meat tho

Rest of that list should provide us with enough things and enough variety to eat to get enough calories in 🙂 Flask of whisky hot chocolate, coffee and tea for luxuries

When we've done multi day hikes, we liked couscous as it doesn't need boiling, just steeping in hot water (use an insulated mug, perhaps) and while that's happening, you can be warming a sauce. Various cakes (e.g. Jamaica Ginger) with instant custard. Wraps work and are easy to carry. Rather than tins, can you still get tuna in soft sachets? Look at http://www.lio-licious.com to add flavour to e.g. Instant porridge (again make in an insulated mug in cold weather). For veggies, there's Tartex spread or mushroom pates etc.

it is only 4/5 days at relatively low intensity. i'm sure you can get away with a bit of a calorie deficit and some fat burning.

Calorie deficit? What about second breakfast?

Energy ratios of major food groups:

Fat/oil: 9 kcal/g
Alcohol: 7 kcal/g
Carbs/sugar/protein: 4 kcal/g

Conclusion: ditch food, take booze. Lovely! 🙂

For maximum calories per gram per £

Custard Creams

Bladder full of energy gel?

Take tobacco and alcohol, both appetite suppressants.

Sarah Miles.

Chorizo, 5kg of chorizo.

Chorizo and or peparami type stuff is a good call. I always crave protein rather than more sweet stuff or more carbs.

Buy one of these.

http://www.appliancesdirect.co.uk/p/edfd04/electriq-edfd04-cooking?refsource=Apadwords&gclid=CK7YxOKmztICFccy0wodQaAETQ

And make your own dried meals. Works best with mince meat dishes. ie chili and spaghetti bol. You can also make your own jerky and fruit leather.

When you look at the price of 'expedition' foods that almost looks worth it.

fruit leather - mmm, sounds lovely!

I always wondered how vegan shoes were made.

tjagain - Member
We don't want to eat rubbish - my experience of rat packs is not good.

Welsh cakes. I make mine with 50% butter 50% lard 🙂

Calorie dense, as they are basically flour, sugar, sultanas and fat.

I also found out today that they also survive very well in a top tube bag without disintegrating.

Ta for pecan and macadamia tip, i stocked up today. Shop owner confirmed they were highest calories per gram, plus they absorb the bad colesterol apparently. I bought the toasted ones but i reckon the natural ones would be healthier.

Great for rides as you can eat on the go.

So after much deliberation this is the package I have put together for two people / 4 days food ( needs half a kilo of cheese adding). 4 kgs inc cheese and well over 3000 calories a day each without being total rubbish to eat. Soup and main each night noodles / couscous / pasta. Oatcakes and cheese lunches Porage or oatcakes or cereal bar breakfast. 3 bars a day each, olives, peanuts, halva, sweets, chocolate. two cups of proper coffee a day and a hot chocolate. couple of teabags salt pepper

[url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4228/34520736470_a04e24088f_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4228/34520736470_a04e24088f_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/UAtNgy ]IMG_0361[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/25846484@N04/ ]TandemJeremy[/url], on Flickr

this lot is being sent to the hotel we are staying at half way round for resupply

What are the dog poo bags?

needs more rice pudding

the little bags are coffee measured out into correct amounts for each brew

Rice pudding contains water. No point in carrying water uphill

just a wee thanks to the folk making suggestions. We carried a fair amount of Halva and olives and the olives especially made eating oatcakes and cheese a lot much more palatable. Eating a lot of halva did funny things to my bowels 😉 I gained a few lbs while away! Mrs TJ lost a few! 9 days wild camping with one resupply made for carrying a lot of food. We got more calories per gramme than rat packs provide I think

thanks