Food When Winter Hiking

Kevin Rooney said:

Happen to know if the bacon is cured without nitrates & nitrites?

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95% sure that there are no nitrates on any of the ones I've listed.

Can you call yourself "all natural" if you have nitrates/nitrites?

logan bread

roadtripper said:

95% sure that there are no nitrates on any of the ones I've listed.

Can you call yourself "all natural" if you have nitrates/nitrites?

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From the web -

“Natural foods” and “all natural foods” are widely used terms in food labeling and marketing with a variety of definitions, most of which are vague. ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_natural

Nitrates and nitrates give bacon it's "bacon" taste. Buy some cured without those chemicals and I doubt you'd consider it "bacon".

Hikerbrian: Really?? Can I assume you are less than 30 years old??

On a serious note I see a lot of references to hot/warm gatorade. Do you just warm it up on the stove and throw it into a Nalgene bottle? I would have assumed that tastes kind of nasty but maybe not.

Lastly, lot of references to cured meats. Is that because of the high sodium levels, which presumably help with electrolyte loss? Normally these foods are NOT good for you at all but I could see the benefit here.

DayTrip said:

On a serious note I see a lot of references to hot/warm gatorade. Do you just warm it up on the stove and throw it into a Nalgene bottle? I would have assumed that tastes kind of nasty but maybe not.

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Hot lemonade is a traditional drink--the sugar adds a few calories.

You can pour hot liquids into a Nalgene bottle. Heat the liquids however you wish. In any case, the liquid is likely to be cold by the time you get to drink it--the hope is mostly to delay freezing. (Insulate the bottle--there are commercial insulators or you can improvise one from a wool sock and a small stuff sack.)

Lastly, lot of references to cured meats. Is that because of the high sodium levels, which presumably help with electrolyte loss? Normally these foods are NOT good for you at all but I could see the benefit here.

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They also often contain a lot of fat (which is good for winter hiking).

Doug

DayTrip said:

Hikerbrian: Really?? Can I assume you are less than 30 years old??

On a serious note I see a lot of references to hot/warm gatorade. Do you just warm it up on the stove and throw it into a Nalgene bottle? I would have assumed that tastes kind of nasty but maybe not.

Lastly, lot of references to cured meats. Is that because of the high sodium levels, which presumably help with electrolyte loss? Normally these foods are NOT good for you at all but I could see the benefit here.

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Ha! The bacon pizza bit, is that's what's causing your faulty assumption?!! What can I say, I just like bacon. And pizza...

As for the chicken nuggets, I make them myself, excellent source of protein and fat, and importantly, they taste good to me on the trail.

Gatorade is delicious when hot. I just add the powder to the hot water that's already in my Nalgene container. Blue flavor, arctic chill or something. Delicious, no joke. Good source of extra salt and extra calories, which I generally can't get enough of, no matter how hard I try, in the winter.

Lastly, the OP was directed specifically at day trips, but I'll transgress slightly and say that fats are absolutely pivotal for backpacking. They are calorically dense, keep me warm at night, and provide a consistent source of energy during the day. I pack copious amounts of butter and cheese and add them to my hot meals whenever possible. I have to work pretty hard to avoid losing weight on winter trips.

DayTrip said:

I sweat quite a bit as well and find I drink far less water in winter and pee more often than summer. Summer is usually reverse. I drink borderline obscene amounts of water and rarely have to go.

An.. uh ...what the heck is "Gorp"? Is that an acronym for something? I plea "newbie" on that one. Please elaborate.

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Gorp: Another name for Trail Mix. Often found in the nuts or snacks section of supermarkets. But most of us make our own mix of various nuts, dried fruits, and M&M's.

I had a good day once hiking Carrigain round trip with a high temp of perhaps -5 F, maybe a bit lower, eating nothing but a big bag of Reese's Sticks for energy. Probably 2000 calories in the bag, distributed among all my accessible pockets. I had cheese and a beef stick but it was too darn cold to stop, get it out of my pack and cut it up. Worked fine. Of course I was 10 years younger, but lipids be damned. Things like Reese's Sticks and Kit Kats don't freeze hard because of the way they are built.

Food items vary, but many of the above named are taken on various hikes. The beverage of choice is boiling Tang. I make mine sweet, my wife a bit less so. A hot drink of sugar on a cold day is delicious. On a long hike the second nalgene of boiling Tang in a an insulated water bottle cozy is in the pack and the heat that does escape helps keep the later in the day food from freezing.

GORP, you know, peanut M&Ms

Tim

I eat/drink the same things as everyone else here has mentioned.
On a winter hike maybe 6-7 years ago, I noticed a hiker on the trip (Rols) had a Kraft Parmesan cheese container that he kept his trail mix in, and that is what I have used ever since. The flip top lid makes grabbing a handful of calories pretty easy. And I store it so that I can grab it without stopping, as with my drink.

Bacon Jerky, Honey Roasted Peanuts/Cashews, Peanut Butter and Cheese crackers, and Butterfingers.

I am new to winter hiking so have been curious what else to ad to my pack that won't freeze & I like Kevin's idea to try stuff in the freezer. I will add in my 2cents as I have my masters in Human Nutrition.

Doug summarized it nicely above. In general we need a variety of Carbohydrate, Fat & Protein for long lasting nutrition/energy throughout a cold winter day. We use a lot of water to heat our breath and I know I don't drink enough in winter on the trail and should be drinking every 20-30 min. I make myself more salty snacks in the winter so I will drink more. Everyone knows what their body can tolerate the best. If you ask someone who has run an Ironman Triathalon or two what difference does nutrition make during the race? he/she will tell you what they ate or didn't eat during the race effected the outcome.

It always depends on how strenuous & long the activity is as to how much carbohydrate you should have for your muscle gycogen. Endurance racers think about their carbohydrate intake a few times per hour. Fat is also important for more calories/energy when you can't keep up with your energy expenditure. Protein can be used as energy if needed but is necessary for repair after excercise. Protein immediately after exercise is usually encouraged. Using all 3 of those in a meal/snack helps keep a study supply of energy- but the orginal question was what to use.

I think Kevin's idea of a full carbohydrate snack like dried fruits is great with a mixed protein/fat/carbohydrate option for long term energy. Potassium & sodium are good to replace during a long day and most can get some with nuts & the right fruits. It depends on how long you are out & how hard you are working as to how many "Carbo/protien/fat" mixed snack you need such as every 3 to 4hours- but don't wait until all your engergy is gone before you refuel. Small frequent snacks/meals are best tolerated so all the blood doesn't go into digesting your food instead of keeping your toes warm!

I also like Warm Tang, had it as a kid..
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 2 tbsps
Amount Per Serving

Calories from Fat 0
Calories 92
Total Fat 0
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 2mg
Potassium 48mg
Total Carbohydrate 24.6g
Dietary Fiber 0.1g
Sugars 22.55g
Protein 0g
Vitamin A 10%
Vitamin C 100%
Calcium 9%
Iron 0%

I usually start with a breakfast that's high in carbs (pancakes or french toast with maple syrup, cereal with a banana or a bagel with cream cheese)

Carried on the hike, one or more of the following (depending on distance):
Peanut butter and raspberry jam on oatmeal bread, cut into bite-size pieces and carried in a plastic container
Homemade Toll House or Keebler Original chocolate chip cookies
Homemade Brownies
Cadbury fruit and nut chocolate bars
2 bottles of plain water in OR bottle parkas
Small thermos of hot chocolate

At Dunkin Donuts I usually pick up an apple fritter, which I try to stay away from except in winter because I love them so much. Also, cut my sandwiches in thirds (Nutella is great!) for ease of holding and stuffing. Oreos, fig newtons, oranges that have been pre-peeled and sectioned at home

I carry the same thing on every hike year round. Cliff bars, Gel of some find, Beef jerky and dried pineapples. I used to add Cytomax to my water ( which is awesome), but now I hike with my dog so I only carry water so we can share. On a side note, I don't carry anything for my dog, he eats everything I do, except the pineapples.

sierra said:

... he eats everything I do, except the pineapples.

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Does he eat cyclists?

Tim

bikehikeskifish said:

Does he eat cyclists?

Tim

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Not yet, I don't think he knows what to make of you, your bike and your helmet. He either will become your friend or eat you, we shall see. He was raised on a farm a lot of stuff still looks weird to him, but he is learning.

I like convenience because I nibble throughout the day and rarely stop long enough to eat a "real meal". For example, on a recent traverse of the Dix Range (16 miles, 5800' ascent, 12.5 hours) I consumed:

three Clif Power Builder bars (carbs, protein)
a packet of Skittles (carbs)
a few pieces of a bar of dark chocolate/almonds/raisins (fat)
two liters of plain water

All the mentioned food is easy to eat 'on-the-go' and, for me, palatable and digestible while hiking. Foods like pepperoni and cheese would not sit well in my tummy but if they work for you, great!

I found the Clif Power Builder bars to be easier to eat when frozen as opposed to the traditional Clif Bars which turn to forged steel. Naturally, pre-warming either bar in a pocket solves that problem.

Trail Boss said:

I like convenience because I nibble throughout the day and rarely stop long enough to eat a "real meal". For example, on a recent traverse of the Dix Range (16 miles, 5800' ascent, 12.5 hours) I consumed:

three Clif Power Builder bars (carbs, protein)
a packet of Skittles (carbs)
a few pieces of a bar of dark chocolate/almonds/raisins (fat)
two liters of plain water

All the mentioned food is easy to eat 'on-the-go' and, for me, palatable and digestible while hiking. Foods like pepperoni and cheese would not sit well in my tummy but if they work for you, great!

I found the Clif Power Builder bars to be easier to eat when frozen as opposed to the traditional Clif Bars which turn to forged steel. Naturally, pre-warming either bar in a pocket solves that problem.

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I'm always amazed at the differences between people's food intake on hikes. When I hike the time and distance you mentioned, I would probably consume 2-3 times that amount of calories. It's not uncommon for me to eat (in warmer weather) a banana, apple, orange, 2 ounces of cheese, 2 ounces of salami, 3-5 protein bars, and maybe 500 calories in trail mix on a 16 mile day. I'm not always really hungry right at the end of a hike either though and I don't often start with a large breakfast. I do better with frequent 200 calorie hits of food through the day.