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Backpacker Magazine – May 2008

Eat Better

Want to hike farther, explore tougher terrain, and carry big loads without bonking? To achieve your biggest backcountry goals, you have to change how you eat.

by: Dorothy Foltz-Gray and Elisabeth Kwak-Hefferan, Photos by Justin Bailie

Photo by Justin Bailie

THE PERFECT MENU
4 power-packed recipes that will keep you walking, not flagging

You can do better than candy bars and mac-n-cheese in the backcountry. This sample daily menu, designed by Stacy Beeson, a wellness dietician at St. Luke's Hospital in Boise, Idaho, delivers the perfect balance of carbs, proteins, and fats for multiday adventures.

Kashi-Pumpkin Seed Trail Mix

2 cups Kashi Go Lean Crunch
1 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup corn flax chips
1/4 cup peanut M&Ms
2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips

At Home
Mix ingredients together. Makes five 1-cup servings.

Tuna Pizzazz

1/2 cup dry instant brown rice
1 tuna pouch (7 ounces)
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes
1 tablespoon Knorr Garlic and Herb powdered sauce mix
1/4 cup powdered skim milk
1 slice cheddar cheese

At Camp
Cook 1/2 cup rice in 1 cup boiling water. Reconstitute tomatoes in water. Once rice is cooked, turn flame down and stir in garlic and herb mix, milk, and 1/2 cup water. Then mix in tomatoes, tuna, cheese, and ground pepper. Makes 2 cups.

blueberrybananabars

Blueberry-Banana Peanut Butter Bars from A Fork in the Trail, by Laurie Ann March (Wilderness Press, 2008)

1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 cups high-energy cereal made of strong flakes, crushed
1/2 cup dried blueberries
1/3 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup dried banana chips
1/3 cup white chocolate chips

At Home
Break the banana chips into small pieces and set aside. Heat the honey and brown sugar in a large pot and simmer for 1 minute. (Boiling too long will make the bars brittle.) Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the peanut butter. Add the remaining ingredients and combine well.

Coat the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square pan with vegetable oil. Scoop the mixture into the pan and pack down evenly. Freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer the pan contents to a cutting board. Allow to return to room temperature and then cut into 10 bars. Wrap bars in waxed paper and store in zip-top bags. The bars will keep in the freezer for three months.

Vanilla Pudding Parfait

1/2 packet vanilla pudding mix
3 tablespoons powdered skim milk
6 to 8 ounces water
2 tablespoons granola or Grape Nuts

At Camp
Add vanilla, dried milk, and water to bowl and mix well. Add Grape Nuts or granola, let soak in, and eat. Makes heaping half-cup.

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READERS COMMENTS

I think Craig is funny. He made me laugh. Thank you Craig. And you do bring up some very good points. Thank you again, Craig.
Posted: Dec 31, 2009 Josh

Two useful expert sources of fitness & nutrition:
1. U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion & Preventive Medicine (USACHPPM) - Hooah Health: http://www.hooah4health.com/ http://www.hooah4health.com/body/default.htm

2. military.com: http://www.military.com/military-fitness/ http://www.military.com/fitness-center/military-fitness/nutrition/archive
Posted: Nov 06, 2009 JMP

I don't want to eat what Craig eats. It appears to make you grumpy.
Posted: Sep 09, 2009 George

Ground flaxseed goes rancid in no time. Take the seeds whole and grind them yourself.
Posted: Jul 11, 2009 CB

You really need to check your nutritional consultants credentials as she appears to be an imbecile.
Posted: Jul 11, 2009 Craig

Complex carbs breaking down slowly has absolutely nothing to do with why marathon runners eat it the night before a race. The reason they do that is to make sure their bodies' reserves of glycogen are full. The speed at which carbs are digested has nothing at all to do with how effective they are at replenishing glycogen, given that length of time. Stick to pitching tents and leave the nutrition to the experts.
Posted: Jul 11, 2009 Craig

Most retards who try their hand at being nutritionists these days are absolutely obsessed by carbohydrates. It's laughable that the only advice you have to offer is whether to eat simple or complex carbs. Here's a few facts for you about carbohydrates. 1) The human body can survive indefinitely with a bare minimum of carbs (even none) whereas eliminating protein or fat will result in certain death. 2) The diet our bodies evolved to eat and thus the one most conducive to good health consists of around 35% carbs, comprised from large amounts of vegetation and a moderate amount of fruit. 3) ALL the cereal grains you idiots are obsessed with are inedible in their natural state and are only made edible by heavy mechanical processing. I'm reasonably sure they didn't have the ability to process food when Palaeolithic humans were around and therefore these foods are ill suited to human consumption (regardless of how many dumbasses would claim otherwise).
Posted: Jul 11, 2009 Craig

Cheddar can go 4-5 days w/o refrigeration, it just gets oily and melty, but still tastes good (makes the best mac and cheese)
Posted: Jul 24, 2008 ellen

These are great recipes! One question though, how do you keep the cheese in the Tuna recipe cold on a muli-day trip?
Posted: Jul 16, 2008 JP