Food? - Appalachian Trail

imported
#1

What is the best thing to eat starting out on the trail and what kind of food is available/best for re-supply?

fa·ce·tious

#2

I would recommend 4,000-6,000 calories per day, 35% protein, low glycemic carbs and an electrolyte drink 1x per day. As to the actual food you bring to achieve this is a matter of personal preference. I had 80% of my food mail dropped to me (dehydrated by me or freeze dried bought in bulk and repackaged for individual meals), however, what I saw available for resupply on the trail was Knorr (Lipton) sides, foil packets of tuna and salmon, summer sausage, cheese, peanut butter, bagels, instant oatmeal, jerky, dried fruit, instant soup and candy bars. Also, when I was hiking, I ate four full meals a day (2 lunches) and 2-3 snacks a day. In order to get the calories, my “portions” were double normal portions. Having said all this, I lost 76 pounds during my thru-hike, which fortunately I could afford to lose.

croft

#3

I don’t want to get off-topic here. I’m interested in this same topic. But Croft - after you’d developed that voracious “hiker’s appetite” on the trail, did it dissipate when you returned home?

Hickory Stick

#4

I relied on mostly Mountain House meals last year. Expensive yes, but so simple. Just pour in two cups of boiling water, stir and let sit for 10 or 15 minutes then enjoy.
I am not a cook and after weighing the expense (and time) required to dehydrate all those meals, package and mail to the appropriate drop-off places, I decided the MH meals were just as cheap,or convenient enough, to offset the expense of dehydrating. Besides, getting to all those post offices or other mail drop places is a pain in the you-know-what. I bought everything I ate along the way.
Believe me, you will get sick of anything you can carry on the trail no matter if they are M-House, Knorr, Ramen, Oatmeal or whatever. That’s what makes trail towns so great!!!

Sparky

Sparky

#5

Yes, the hiker appetite went away within a couple of days once I stopped hiking. I had to pay close attention, however, to get out of the habit of huge portions. On the trail I could down a quart of ice cream without thinking twice about it–I don’t do that anymore. I LIKE the new slim me and want to keep it that way.

As to getting tired of my food on the trail–there were only a couple meals that I did get tired of and when I’d receive them in my mail drop would contribute them to a hiker box. But everything else I liked and continue to eat. Anyone interested in my trail menu, let me know and I’ll e-mail you my menu plan.

croft

#6

Our usual meal plan based on buy as you go:
b. cold cereal/granola with dried milk
s. granola bar
l. cheese sandwich with packaged meat if available (Buddig type) and cookies and dried fruit
s. chocolate bar
d. Knorr/Liptons with protein (Tuna, salmon, spam, chicken) and more cookies.

A lot of hikers who start the trail overweight will lose a lot of fat on the trail, especially if you’re male. Women may lose weight, but not as much or as quickly. Thin people rarely lose a lot of weight and some will even gain it on the trail. Most of those who do lose weight will regain it within a year. Why? 1) You get used to eating whatever and as much as you want when you’re thruhiking; that is a very hard habit to break. After being deprived for several months, you feel like you deserve it - even though you don’t need it. Hiking is a lot like being on a strict diet. You think about food, a lot. You dream of all the food you’re missing. As soon as you stop the diet (or the hike) you eat everything you fantasized about. And the pounds pile back on. If you do manage to go back to healthy eating soon after you get off the trail, then 2) few people keep up the activity level they had on the trail. The lack of exercise will slow down your metabolism. The obvious answer is to stay active - but it isn’t always that easy. If it were, you wouldn’t have started the trail overweight.

Ginny

#7

I always resupplied in town. Never used the resupply boxes.
One thing that worked for me and I will do it on my PCT thru-hike this year: I had a fanny pack that I turned around and wore in the front. I would fill a gallon freezer bag with a trail mix concoction that I would get at the store.It always changed so that I didn’t get bored with the same foods. There were some food that I used every time: M&M’s, Malted Balls, peanuts, lots of almonds, dried banana sluices, dried apricots.I would supplement these base foods with granola, wheat thins, chex cereal,dried fruit, different types of nuts, and anything in the store that looked good. I would stir this all together. It was dense in calories, and gave me a lot of energy. I found that by the end of my hike I was using this for lunch and almost all my energy needs while I was hiking.
I didn’t have to get into my pack during a break and it took weight off of my bony shoulders while I was hiking.

Wingo

#8

Croft - what kinds of foods did you dehydrate? I am looking for suggestions as I have some dietary restrictions and am looking for alternatives to the carb-bombs I have been eating in past years (planning for a 2-3 week section hike this year as I work my way north). Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Stumps

#9
  1. Breakfast: Oatmeal, raisins, honey.
  2. Sandwich: honey and raisins.
  3. Sandwich: peanut butter and raisins.
  4. Sandwich: cheese.
  5. Sandwich: meat.
  6. Drink: water, dry milk, honey.
  7. Spaghetti.
  8. Brown rice.
  9. Raw fruit.
  10. Raw vegetables.
  11. Water.

Nunam

Nunam

#10

I dehydrated mushrooms, broccoli, tomatoes, cooked pasta, cooked ground turkey, celery, cooked 95% lean ground beef, spinach, and apples. These were all ingredients for a variety of meals including Shepherd’s Pie and Turkey Dinner with Stuffing, Vegetables, Cranberries and Gravy. I also bought Mountain House meals and vegetables in #10 cans, combined the vegetables with the meals (Chili Mac and Corn, Beef Stroganoff and Peas, Beef Stew and Beans, Seafood Chowder and Peas), repackaged them in double portion individual servings and vacuum sealed.

Croft

#11

A lot of hikers talk about chocolate, especially Snickers, as a favorite snack. What keeps the chocolate from melting and making a mess in the pack?

Hickory Stick

#12

Croft - thanks for the tips - any problems with the dried veggies taking longer than the Mountain House meal to rehydrate? Also - did you do anything to the dehydrated meat to package them? I owe you a non-dehydrated brew. :cheers

Stumps

#13

Stumps - I used freeze-dried Mountain House vegetables with the Mountain House meals and rehydration time was the same. My dehydrated veggies I used with my dehydrated meals. Regarding the dehydrated meat, I used 95% lean ground beef and ground turkey which is naturally lean. Put it in the dehydrator after cooking it and just made sure it was fully dehydrated; then vacuum sealed it in individual portion bags. Ziplocs would probably work okay but they’re heavier than my vacuum seal bags.

Croft

#14

On hot days my Snickers bars would get gooey but the “mess” was always contained in the wrapper–never had a problem with it leaking into my food bag. Cheese on the other hand, will sweat oil in the heat so be sure you put that in a ziploc.

Croft

#15

When it is hot, they melt and can make one hell of a mess. At the best, it is near impossible to separate the chocolate from the wrapper.

Solution: When it is hot, don’t take chocolate.

Kea

#16

I shoot my food along the way. That and some bark will keep you regular. No need to throw any wood chips in the mouldering privy; like Prego, it’s in there!

Jack

#17

I’m not a big candy fan but I probably ate over 100 Snicker bars on my thru. Never had a problem with them melting. Ate all sizes, mini, standart size and the giant size. They would give you a shot of energy when you needed it.:tongue

Grampie-N->