1977 carried one #10 can of Mountain House freeze dried beef stew as main dinner menu. Tahoe-Yosemite trail. Thanks for updating me how things are done in modern times
Thanks for sharing. I’ve noticed that it is very difficult to avoid plastic packaging, especially with instant / dried foods. Perhaps you would consider a video about plastic-free backpacking/hiking? With everyone watching your channel and following you, it may be easier for you, Darwin, to gather everyone’s hacks and tips about cutting down or cutting out plastics. Just an idea. Thanks again.
@@scottb9937 Thanks, Scott. We have a couple of those 'bring your own jar/container/bag' stores opening in my area -- problem (nearly) solved.... don't even need to buy the ingredients plastic-packaged.
Just want to say thanks for taking the time to make these videos for people to learn from your experiences so they don't have to learn from the misery of mistakes out in the bush.
Your videos are very informative. I don't hike ,but I do backpack hunting in the mountains. So I use your info to help me decide ,foods, shelters, containers etc. Appreciate the time you take to talk to us👍
This is close to video number 10 of yours for me today, this is the one that made me subscribe. As a pescatarian and generally whole food eater off the trail, I struggle with the idea of fueling myself off of candy. This provided a ton of good and helpful information! Many snack foods I use at home and throughout life were mentioned. Didn't realize that I could stack these deep for backpacking fuel! Thanks!
I appreciate your getting healthy and efficient food sourcing. One comment: Disclaimer- I haven’t tried the complete cookie but word is, the chickory extract they put in it can make some of us bloated and gassy. Still looking for that other video ( more recent) one that was really really good in that you dialed it in even more. Great work Darwin.
Great stuff, Darwin! I myself enjoy some of the options you pointed out, but I’ve found that I personally need more variety than that, and I just have a hard time putting down more than 1-2 bars a day. For me, if I’m not looking forward to a rewarding meal on the trail, it quickly stops being fun. More often than not, that means prioritizing taste and texture over calorie density and practicality, and having at least 3-5 different dinners to rotate between. You’re lucky that you can get by on less variety, it certainly simplifies things.
Thanks for the pro-tips! Your videos are super helpful and you have a great voice for explaining things! East to listen to and full of good experience. See you on the trail!
When I use to fight wildfire we would just pour a little water straight into the instant coffee packet and shoot it...didn't do it for the taste thats for sure haha
My father was in the military for a number of years and I live close to a base one thing I’ve been doing is gathering up MRE’s and breaking them down to use for food along with a collapsible cup saves up a good amount of space and food is warm.
Yes, as we get older the value of nutrition comes into view. For health and longevity, but also efficient and effective fuelling for performance sake. This only improves with the heating of food! My doctor is a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine. She never tires of enlightening me as to the value of heating food and consuming it warm.
Food is key to keeping morale high. I became a much happier thru hiker with a lightweight skillet by MSR. Only 7oz I think... being able to cook a quesadilla, pancakes, hash browns, etc. Absolute game changer and before long anyone hiking around me bought one too.
Excellent video! Just recently started planning multi day hunting trips where I pack in the whole time and calorie intake is important so I needed ideas as to what kinds of foods could help me without going too crazy with it. Ive found videos like these from backpackers have been super helpful in many ways. Thanks for sharing!
It’s been over a year since I’ve been on my last through hike it was just a little 30 mile one here in Colorado but you make me wanna go out on the trail again
Glad to see you are eating better. On my long distance bikes I take my own home made freeze dried meals. No sugar. Nuts and bars. As an older lady it made a huge difference.😀
Cool! I'm glad I found this vid (YT suggested it). I did 500 miles on the PCT last summer. I did the Poptarts + sugar candy stuff a LOT of the time. And I paid for it. Next summer I plan on doing another 600-700 miles, and I'll be eating MUCH better food ... including some of the bars you recommended.
Thanks for the advise on the peanut butter. I normally like to take some tortillas with me and put some peanut butter on it but I never found a method I liked. Gonna try yours.
I’ve never hiked more than 5 days at a time and plan on bumping that up significantly in the spring. I’ve never been on the PCT and am looking forward to it.
There are very few areas where you need to carry more than 4 days of food, the Sierras being ones of those areas. If you are able to hike 30 miles a day, that actually reduces your food carry.
I'm really trying to find ways to eat healthier while on trail and this has been really inspirational! I ate pretty healthy on the AT but I need some more ideas of different things to try and I learned a lot from you! Thank you!
Bobo's for the win! My favorite bar for starting the day while thru-hiking the PCT this year. My trail diet was different than yours but it worked for me. Hmm, when will my food video be released?
Did you find most of these foods while hiking, or did you send yourself resupply boxes? I'd love to see a video on how you went about your resupplies on the PCT :)
It seems as though he frequently goes into towns. He has mentioned in other videos that he often buys new/different supplies in towns and even packs out things like Subway sandwiches
Extremely helpful video! Like you I was originally just looking for calorie dense foods. Now I want nutritious and calorie dense. Thanks for some terrific suggestions...
Fantastic video, Darwin. Appreciate this information. I too am a few years older than I used to be and really gravitate towards putting good fuel in my tank. This video gives me some great options. Safe hiking my dude.
When I'm on the trail, I eat a ProBar or add hot water to some oatmeal and dehydrated fruit in a ziplock bag for breakfast. Mid morning I eat peanut butter cookies (Nekot) or an RX bar. For lunch, it's the Quest cookies or tuna in a sealed bag with a Payday candy bar and then I would take a caffeine pill. Mid-afternoon is Peanut M&M's and some beef Jerky. For dinner, its a Packit Gourmet meal (best hot meal food on the market) and then before bed, I eat some Oreo cookies. I mix it up sometimes, but this is usually what I have been taking with me and for a 5 day hike, my food bag weighs 5-7 lbs. The greenbelly bars are too heavy and allot of calories just for lunch (at least for me). My calories intake is not that much, however, I don't eat allot of calories off the trail.
I was in the I Will Never Give Up My Stove camp until my stove broke. It took me a while to make the leap, but going stoveless means more "just a few ounces" out of your pack - no fuel bottle/canister & fuel and no cook pot is more than just a few ounces. I won't deny that hot food has a strong emotional impact, but even on miserably rainy days, once I was swaddled into my down cocoon it didn't matter that dinner was cold. There's an environmental impact to going stoveless. If you use a canister stove, it's highly likely you cannot recycle the steel canisters once they're empty. The fuels are usually petroleum distillates. I have people carping at me for using a Smartwater bottle because it's plastic, but they're just fine with burning a carbon-based fuel.
I grew up on couscous, and I love bobos bars. When I hiked as a kid I got to eat Golden Bricks, basically a thick homemade granola bar witha ton of honey and butter in it, an inch thick. Gotta make those again, talk about dense, and calorie rich. Be careful with Lara bars for rocks.
Like you I can eat pretty the much same thing everyday. But something that I cannot get tired of is powdered milk. Goes a long way, extremely versatile, you can have a protein drink quickly, tasty adding whatever you want. Really is a lifesaver for me. While others will be grossed out by it. Everyone of course is different, but love to see the different options just to learn more. Then you choose for yourself.
Hi Darwin, this was a great video since nutrition is so important on the trail. I appreciate your comments about the healthy fats as I'm diabetic and eating tons of carbs and sugar even on a hike isn't a great idea for me so calorie quality and source are just as important as quantity. Good thing fats are more calorically dense then proteins or carbs. Thanks for sharing!
"cold" soaking is a bit of a misnomer. Ambient temperature soaking is more appropriate. It's not as if you are pulling the soaked food out of a refrigerator, the food is at roughly air temp when soaked without heating the water. I tried this a bit on my last backpacking trip and was surprised by how much I was not missing boiled water in my rice side or BP/MH meal. Now, I haven't done a trip where I haven't carried a stove at all...mainly because I still love a cup of hot coffee in the AM. But ambient temp oat meal is just fine for me and I eat it at home even. There is something to be said for the simplicity of soaking. I've balked in the past, but I am gonna try the stoveless thing in the future
Liked it. You and I are in agreement on how we get dense nutritious calories from!! I eat very similar, cold camp until a town and switch up to a hot meal or two then. So many hiker eat junk foods? Don't see the benefit? Denser foods, less space and a lot of time less weight. And we know how you like light weight, you pound out the miles everyday. At my age now diet is critical. Thanks again for all the post hike information! Keep it coming, always learning.
great video. the problem for me is not calories but the sodium. i sweat a lot on the trail and drink lots of water so i know i am losing tons of sodium. i know this because i cramp a lot in the legs when i dont have enough sodium. the food i choose are usually salted nuts, ramen, beef jerky, pepperoni etc. i will certainly add some of your ideas to my food list. thanks
I take this on all my trips and it recently served me well in the canyons of Utah in the snow. I take the weight and hike with a thermos on shorter trips to keep it hot all day. Magic Cocoa Mix 3 parts cacao powder 3 parts maple sugar 2 parts coconut milk powder 1 part vanilla protein powder ( I use a hemp/chia/pea protein blend) 1 part medicinal mushroom powder (cordyceps, lions mane, reishi, chaga, turkey tail) dash of pink salt dash of cayenne Make this mix as large or small as you want. If you plan on brewing it cold, make sure to run the sugar through a blender or spice mill first. This will give you sustained energy and you can add some of your coconut oil (If hot) packets to it. Coconut milk powder is available at health food stores or at Asian markets. Ensure that your mushrooms are extracts and not just mushroom powders, they are more efficient, sometimes 40:1 and more bioavailable. If the weather is cold, add ginger and cinnamon equalling one part. Thanks for the info Darwin,
Great video I did try the couscous, cooked and I really liked it. I added some freeze dried vegetables and gravy mix. Will be added to my food bag. thanks
Excellent video bro and lots for me to “chew on” for my distance/elevation trail foods. I’ve got a couple big (for me - small compared to the AT or PCt) trips planned for the year and food is a huge part of my planning. I hate the idea of cold breakfast/dinner but I almost never cook at lunch and I’ve been wanting some good recommendations for bars etc. Cheers from the PNW brother!
Looking at the ingredients on Mountain Inn meals, I notices a lot of Sodium, Potassium, Iron, Protein--the essential electrolytes to prevent medical disaster.
Really helpful cheers Darwin :) I’m from the uk so have no idea what’s available on the American market as I’m planning a Pct thru hike in a couple of years and Needless to say I’d never heard of any of those bar brands haha Hike on!
thanks for the video, definitely helps to have some ideas on other foods to try. it's constantly a struggle for me to get enough calories on the trail. i'm a picky eater anyway, but now i've got some hope that maybe one day i'll find that perfect go to meal that'll get me through my travels :)
If utter depression on trail and dreaming of town is your thing then take this advice. Food is often all we thru hikers think about. My morale changed greatly when I started sacrificing extra weight for sanity. I carried a lightweight skillet and routinely cooked hash browns, grilled cheese, quesadillas, pancakes, stir fry veggies, etc. It wasn't long before others did the same. With ultra light gear you can eat well and still pack under 40lbs. Suck it up. Old head hikers use to carry 70. Take adventure of technology and stop starving yourself. (Advice from a thru hiker)
Great input. I carry emergen-c but have only used it when I get a scratchy throat. Makes sense it would be good to have some to give an extra boost of c even in good health! Thanks!
Very well done my friend, this was very helpful. Trying to put together my dietary plan for my 10-13 resupply boxes my buddy is sending me. Thanks there’s a few things in this video is like to try. Cheers
Really cool idea with the couscous, I hadn't realized that it was that caloric. Have you tried the dry hummus mix that's readily available from the grocery? With some additions, it's really tasty and makes a great trail sandwich filling.
Thanks the food ideas. Always a popular topic with many of us. I can't stomach the ProBars, so maybe I'll give the green belly's a chance. I also like the Alpine start. Going to give the ones with creamer a try too.
I still can't seem to find the cous cous Knorr sides in my area. It's funny because I always inadvertently search for that specific Knorr side. Lol. I live in the gorge area of the PNW. ☮️
Glad you are considering QUALITY of calories, long distance hiking is a strenuous physical activity and you need to nourish the body to repair and run efficiently, something I have notice a lot of hikers don't care and go for the cheapest stuff.
Food is the only category worth carrying a little more in. I know its not ultralight, but with my 5lb base weight, I pack out fresh fruit/veg, at least a pound or two of deli meat, a little cheese etc.
This was relieving to see that you switched to healthier food options while hiking. I am going to be doing lots of camping with possibly some hiking and I have to eat healthy because of my illnesses. One thing I noticed is that you eat a lot of grains and starches. Why is that? Is it just for convience? I personally prefer fruits, vegetables and fish. As they are more easily and quickly digested. Giving me more energy and nutrition. I am a 22 year old male weighing 160 pounds and I am only 5 foot 4 inches. I hope to turn about 30 pounds into muscle this year while exploring the outdoors. Do you have any tips for me on how I could eat healthier while hiking/camping while gaining muscle? Thanks for the great videos and I look forward to hearing about your next adventures. God bless
Hey Darwin, thanks for the amazing videos i just finished binge watching the pct videos and now just finished watching this one but you should do a video of a basic cost breakdown for the pct thru hike because i remember you mentioning cost of the A.T. But with it being out west I'm sure it is different. Again thank you for these videos 🏕
''I'm not the one that believes that hot food warms you up''...of course it does, even hot water raises your core temperature. A hot drink/meal on the trail raises morale too, very important.
Awesome video. I like the food choices. Our bodies find it hard to shift from glucose to fat burning. It looks like the cous cous and complete cookies have more glucose for fuel but with all those miles I think it adjusts. Healthier eating is always good. As far as plastic waste goes. Unless you're going to kill it and eat it. It's going to come in some form of a container. Just carry in and carry out. LNT. Simple. Thank you.
John Publius I live in a small town in North East Alabama. I spend a lot of time in northeast Tennessee visiting family and friends. I personally haven’t had a problem finding any of these other than the alpine start coffee and bobo’s bars however those are things that can easily be changed out because there are dozens of bars that offer the exact same thing it’s just subjective to taste.
those emergen-c + packets are great. cheaper than the name brand electrolyte tabs and easier to find. I picked up a bunch on my trans-am ride this past summer after crazy heat coming down the underground railroad. Found myself wandering around a supermarket in a daze for nearly 2 hours, most likely due to electrolyte depletion after days of sweating so much that my skin would be white with the crystalized salts and my shirt would be crunchy after drying.
![BLACK BAG - Official Trailer [HD] - Only in Theaters March 14](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Du0Xp8WX_7I/mqdefault.jpg)
Don't try the cold soaking routine in your Scotland trip this year. The cold, damp climate will quickly teach you the value of hot food!
"I will never forgive you this lack of gas tank for stove" - last famous words of my friend in Lake District :)
@@Marcin79W Your friend died and you're smiling about it? You're one sick puppy.
@@AttunedFlux It's a joke mate. We're both good and heading Scotland soon back again 😂😂😂
Marcin Wojtaszczyk trying to read what you said, gave me a stroke
Lots of places along the Way to get a good, hot meal.
1977 carried one #10 can of Mountain House freeze dried beef stew as main dinner menu. Tahoe-Yosemite trail. Thanks for updating me how things are done in modern times
Ronald McDonald i still do that
Thanks for sharing.
I’ve noticed that it is very difficult to avoid plastic packaging, especially with instant / dried foods.
Perhaps you would consider a video about plastic-free backpacking/hiking?
With everyone watching your channel and following you, it may be easier for you, Darwin, to gather everyone’s hacks and tips about cutting down or cutting out plastics.
Just an idea.
Thanks again.
No, since you need container to hold your food
Agree.....waaaay too much plastic here. Check out video below after giving this one a 👎
ruclips.net/video/Il75dzsFax8/видео.html
@@scottb9937 Thanks, Scott. We have a couple of those 'bring your own jar/container/bag' stores opening in my area -- problem (nearly) solved.... don't even need to buy the ingredients plastic-packaged.
THIS GUY. Darwin you are the man for reppin BETTER TRAIL NUTRITION. LOVE that most of your trail foods are vegetarian friendly too.
Just want to say thanks for taking the time to make these videos for people to learn from your experiences so they don't have to learn from the misery of mistakes out in the bush.
Your videos are very informative. I don't hike ,but I do backpack hunting in the mountains. So I use your info to help me decide ,foods, shelters, containers etc. Appreciate the time you take to talk to us👍
This is close to video number 10 of yours for me today, this is the one that made me subscribe. As a pescatarian and generally whole food eater off the trail, I struggle with the idea of fueling myself off of candy. This provided a ton of good and helpful information! Many snack foods I use at home and throughout life were mentioned. Didn't realize that I could stack these deep for backpacking fuel! Thanks!
Priceless!! Fits my modus operandi. I'll be adopting MOST of these recommendations. Thanks!!
Thanks for always sharing your knowledge. I am a combo hiker/bushcrafter but I always enjoy your channel . Always great and positive 👍.
You are the only youtube backpacker talking about nutrition, thanks for speaking for it!
I appreciate your getting healthy and efficient food sourcing. One comment: Disclaimer- I haven’t tried the complete cookie but word is, the chickory extract they put in it can make some of us bloated and gassy.
Still looking for that other video ( more recent) one that was really really good in that you dialed it in even more. Great work Darwin.
5years in the infantry and I can tell you morale is just as important as calories.
MaxAmmoNeeded damn fucking straight.
That is so insanely true.
Definitely. MRE’s didn’t cut it for me so I got creative with them.
Wow. Walking champ and library.
What branch ?
Cold coff... Stop right there! You have violated the law!
@@svenlima Iced coffee is a real treat
Great stuff, Darwin! I myself enjoy some of the options you pointed out, but I’ve found that I personally need more variety than that, and I just have a hard time putting down more than 1-2 bars a day. For me, if I’m not looking forward to a rewarding meal on the trail, it quickly stops being fun. More often than not, that means prioritizing taste and texture over calorie density and practicality, and having at least 3-5 different dinners to rotate between. You’re lucky that you can get by on less variety, it certainly simplifies things.
Thank you for making the videos that help so many people.
Man, your eyes lit up when you got to cous cous. Totally adding your ideas to my outdoor cooking.
Please add seasoning to it before you leave. I add cumin, black pepper, garlic power, red peppers powder, salt etc
Seaweed is a great lightweight option to get those vitamins that you need
2nd breakfast is a favorite of mine when I do weeklong bike trips.
Thanks for the pro-tips! Your videos are super helpful and you have a great voice for explaining things! East to listen to and full of good experience. See you on the trail!
I'm going to miss the PCT vids! I always looked for them when I got home late from work and were the first things I'd watch!
When I use to fight wildfire we would just pour a little water straight into the instant coffee packet and shoot it...didn't do it for the taste thats for sure haha
oh my god i just laughed and dribbled coffee down my chin. That's the best/worst thing I've ever heard of !
This is more my style
New tshirt: "Fueled by Couscous!" Lol!
Nice!🤙🤙
Hike On,
Darwin
My father was in the military for a number of years and I live close to a base one thing I’ve been doing is gathering up MRE’s and breaking them down to use for food along with a collapsible cup saves up a good amount of space and food is warm.
Yes, as we get older the value of nutrition comes into view. For health and longevity, but also efficient and effective fuelling for performance sake. This only improves with the heating of food!
My doctor is a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine. She never tires of enlightening me as to the value of heating food and consuming it warm.
Enjoyable video. You speak very clearly, great job. I picked up some cool tips from this!
Appreciate your expertise and experience that you share with all of us, thank you Darwin! 👍🏽💯🏕
Food is key to keeping morale high. I became a much happier thru hiker with a lightweight skillet by MSR. Only 7oz I think... being able to cook a quesadilla, pancakes, hash browns, etc. Absolute game changer and before long anyone hiking around me bought one too.
Excellent video! Just recently started planning multi day hunting trips where I pack in the whole time and calorie intake is important so I needed ideas as to what kinds of foods could help me without going too crazy with it. Ive found videos like these from backpackers have been super helpful in many ways. Thanks for sharing!
It’s been over a year since I’ve been on my last through hike it was just a little 30 mile one here in Colorado but you make me wanna go out on the trail again
It’s been awesome to see your channel grow over the past year or so! Keep up the great work and thanks for the info!
Glad to see you are eating better. On my long distance bikes I take my own home made freeze dried meals. No sugar. Nuts and bars. As an older lady it made a huge difference.😀
Cool! I'm glad I found this vid (YT suggested it). I did 500 miles on the PCT last summer. I did the Poptarts + sugar candy stuff a LOT of the time. And I paid for it. Next summer I plan on doing another 600-700 miles, and I'll be eating MUCH better food ... including some of the bars you recommended.
Pine needles are an exCellent source of vitamin C as well! I highly recommend fashioning the fresh green needles into tea.
2nd breakfast you say? I didnt know hobbits were on the trail!
Julio Sandoval all thru hikers are probably descended from hobbits 😆
@@katielaeger6174 amen to that
He's a bit tall for a Hobbit
Shawn R must’ve gotten into some ent draught
@@katielaeger6174 where can I get some of that, I could start a career as an NBA superstar 😀
Thanks for the advise on the peanut butter. I normally like to take some tortillas with me and put some peanut butter on it but I never found a method I liked. Gonna try yours.
I’ve never hiked more than 5 days at a time and plan on bumping that up significantly in the spring. I’ve never been on the PCT and am looking forward to it.
Thanks for sharing! These are great ideas for long hikes. I’ll keep them in mind.
my question is, how much food were you caring at a time tell you had to restock and how many days did it last. then how did you restock
That’s a great question. It’s a Five Month trail run the PCT.
Yeah good question
There are very few areas where you need to carry more than 4 days of food, the Sierras being ones of those areas. If you are able to hike 30 miles a day, that actually reduces your food carry.
I'm really trying to find ways to eat healthier while on trail and this has been really inspirational! I ate pretty healthy on the AT but I need some more ideas of different things to try and I learned a lot from you! Thank you!
Another satisfied consumer of your awesome vids! Thanks!
Bobo's for the win! My favorite bar for starting the day while thru-hiking the PCT this year. My trail diet was different than yours but it worked for me. Hmm, when will my food video be released?
🤔🤔🤔... When Indeed?
Hike On,
Darwin
Did you find most of these foods while hiking, or did you send yourself resupply boxes? I'd love to see a video on how you went about your resupplies on the PCT :)
The mandem
It seems as though he frequently goes into towns. He has mentioned in other videos that he often buys new/different supplies in towns and even packs out things like Subway sandwiches
Couscous....food so nice they named it twice ;)
From now on, I call beer "beer beer" 😁
Extremely helpful video! Like you I was originally just looking for calorie dense foods. Now I want nutritious and calorie dense. Thanks for some terrific suggestions...
Fantastic video, Darwin. Appreciate this information. I too am a few years older than I used to be and really gravitate towards putting good fuel in my tank. This video gives me some great options. Safe hiking my dude.
When I'm on the trail, I eat a ProBar or add hot water to some oatmeal and dehydrated fruit in a ziplock bag for breakfast. Mid morning I eat peanut butter cookies (Nekot) or an RX bar. For lunch, it's the Quest cookies or tuna in a sealed bag with a Payday candy bar and then I would take a caffeine pill. Mid-afternoon is Peanut M&M's and some beef Jerky. For dinner, its a Packit Gourmet meal (best hot meal food on the market) and then before bed, I eat some Oreo cookies. I mix it up sometimes, but this is usually what I have been taking with me and for a 5 day hike, my food bag weighs 5-7 lbs. The greenbelly bars are too heavy and allot of calories just for lunch (at least for me). My calories intake is not that much, however, I don't eat allot of calories off the trail.
I went to an Indian grocery. They have dehydrated spiced veggies on the cheap. You could add some of that to the couscous.
I was in the I Will Never Give Up My Stove camp until my stove broke. It took me a while to make the leap, but going stoveless means more "just a few ounces" out of your pack - no fuel bottle/canister & fuel and no cook pot is more than just a few ounces. I won't deny that hot food has a strong emotional impact, but even on miserably rainy days, once I was swaddled into my down cocoon it didn't matter that dinner was cold.
There's an environmental impact to going stoveless. If you use a canister stove, it's highly likely you cannot recycle the steel canisters once they're empty. The fuels are usually petroleum distillates. I have people carping at me for using a Smartwater bottle because it's plastic, but they're just fine with burning a carbon-based fuel.
I grew up on couscous, and I love bobos bars. When I hiked as a kid I got to eat Golden Bricks, basically a thick homemade granola bar witha ton of honey and butter in it, an inch thick. Gotta make those again, talk about dense, and calorie rich. Be careful with Lara bars for rocks.
thanksssss alot. dont remove this video never ever pleassss
Like you I can eat pretty the much same thing everyday. But something that I cannot get tired of is powdered milk. Goes a long way, extremely versatile, you can have a protein drink quickly, tasty adding whatever you want. Really is a lifesaver for me. While others will be grossed out by it. Everyone of course is different, but love to see the different options just to learn more. Then you choose for yourself.
Hi Darwin, this was a great video since nutrition is so important on the trail. I appreciate your comments about the healthy fats as I'm diabetic and eating tons of carbs and sugar even on a hike isn't a great idea for me so calorie quality and source are just as important as quantity. Good thing fats are more calorically dense then proteins or carbs. Thanks for sharing!
"cold" soaking is a bit of a misnomer. Ambient temperature soaking is more appropriate. It's not as if you are pulling the soaked food out of a refrigerator, the food is at roughly air temp when soaked without heating the water. I tried this a bit on my last backpacking trip and was surprised by how much I was not missing boiled water in my rice side or BP/MH meal. Now, I haven't done a trip where I haven't carried a stove at all...mainly because I still love a cup of hot coffee in the AM. But ambient temp oat meal is just fine for me and I eat it at home even. There is something to be said for the simplicity of soaking. I've balked in the past, but I am gonna try the stoveless thing in the future
I could live off of dehydrated saviory chili beans. Sooo good! Plus they dehydrate easy, rehydrate easy and are loaded with calories and nutrients
Liked it. You and I are in agreement on how we get dense nutritious calories from!! I eat very similar, cold camp until a town and switch up to a hot meal or two then. So many hiker eat junk foods? Don't see the benefit? Denser foods, less space and a lot of time less weight. And we know how you like light weight, you pound out the miles everyday. At my age now diet is critical.
Thanks again for all the post hike information! Keep it coming, always learning.
great video. the problem for me is not calories but the sodium. i sweat a lot on the trail and drink lots of water so i know i am losing tons of sodium. i know this because i cramp a lot in the legs when i dont have enough sodium. the food i choose are usually salted nuts, ramen, beef jerky, pepperoni etc. i will certainly add some of your ideas to my food list. thanks
Love your meal plans! Thanks for making another good video!
I take this on all my trips and it recently served me well in the canyons of Utah in the snow.
I take the weight and hike with a thermos on shorter trips to keep it hot all day.
Magic Cocoa Mix
3 parts cacao powder
3 parts maple sugar
2 parts coconut milk powder
1 part vanilla protein powder ( I use a hemp/chia/pea protein blend)
1 part medicinal mushroom powder (cordyceps, lions mane, reishi, chaga, turkey tail)
dash of pink salt
dash of cayenne
Make this mix as large or small as you want. If you plan on brewing it cold, make sure to run the sugar through a blender or spice mill first.
This will give you sustained energy and you can add some of your coconut oil (If hot) packets to it.
Coconut milk powder is available at health food stores or at Asian markets. Ensure that your mushrooms are extracts and not just mushroom powders, they are more efficient, sometimes 40:1 and more bioavailable.
If the weather is cold, add ginger and cinnamon equalling one part.
Thanks for the info Darwin,
Great video I did try the couscous, cooked and I really liked it. I added some freeze dried vegetables and gravy mix. Will be added to my food bag. thanks
Thanks Darwin. I live in Mojave, CA. You tought me a lot about the PCT.
Excellent video bro and lots for me to “chew on” for my distance/elevation trail foods. I’ve got a couple big (for me - small compared to the AT or PCt) trips planned for the year and food is a huge part of my planning. I hate the idea of cold breakfast/dinner but I almost never cook at lunch and I’ve been wanting some good recommendations for bars etc. Cheers from the PNW brother!
Looking at the ingredients on Mountain Inn meals, I notices a lot of Sodium, Potassium, Iron, Protein--the essential electrolytes to prevent medical disaster.
You are awesome Darwin!
This is the healthiest thru hike food video ive seen. Were these things available at most stores?
Title. "How I ate a ton of granola bars with peanut butter and happened to hike as a side effect" roflcopter
Really helpful cheers Darwin :) I’m from the uk so have no idea what’s available on the American market as I’m planning a Pct thru hike in a couple of years and Needless to say I’d never heard of any of those bar brands haha
Hike on!
Did you make it?
thanks for the video, definitely helps to have some ideas on other foods to try. it's constantly a struggle for me to get enough calories on the trail. i'm a picky eater anyway, but now i've got some hope that maybe one day i'll find that perfect go to meal that'll get me through my travels :)
Very good ideas. Very informative and educational. Thank you very much
You’re a good dude, thanks for your video
If utter depression on trail and dreaming of town is your thing then take this advice. Food is often all we thru hikers think about. My morale changed greatly when I started sacrificing extra weight for sanity. I carried a lightweight skillet and routinely cooked hash browns, grilled cheese, quesadillas, pancakes, stir fry veggies, etc. It wasn't long before others did the same. With ultra light gear you can eat well and still pack under 40lbs. Suck it up. Old head hikers use to carry 70. Take adventure of technology and stop starving yourself. (Advice from a thru hiker)
Great input. I carry emergen-c but have only used it when I get a scratchy throat. Makes sense it would be good to have some to give an extra boost of c even in good health! Thanks!
Very well done my friend, this was very helpful. Trying to put together my dietary plan for my 10-13 resupply boxes my buddy is sending me. Thanks there’s a few things in this video is like to try. Cheers
Great episode! I will return to thise one before next hike.
Isn´t there a way to do this using less plastic?
@@jalmarivartola2286 Lovely point, thank you so much :D
Those laughing cow cheeses are pretty tight trail food. They don't need to be refrigerated and are somewhat calorie dense.
Excellent video. Love having different options. Thanks for sharing bud.
Really cool idea with the couscous, I hadn't realized that it was that caloric.
Have you tried the dry hummus mix that's readily available from the grocery? With some additions, it's really tasty and makes a great trail sandwich filling.
I have this powdered masala chai I think I would try on the trail. Very informative video
Thanks the food ideas. Always a popular topic with many of us. I can't stomach the ProBars, so maybe I'll give the green belly's a chance. I also like the Alpine start. Going to give the ones with creamer a try too.
I still can't seem to find the cous cous Knorr sides in my area. It's funny because I always inadvertently search for that specific Knorr side. Lol. I live in the gorge area of the PNW. ☮️
You can eat Oath flakes or muesli, it's like cuscus, needs only water.
This is a very smart video! Great ideas for future meals and snacks/ trail hiking fuel
Glad you are considering QUALITY of calories, long distance hiking is a strenuous physical activity and you need to nourish the body to repair and run efficiently, something I have notice a lot of hikers don't care and go for the cheapest stuff.
Gotta love a honeystinger and some Justin’s peanut butter. My go to snack lately
electrolytes are great for water retention and muscle activation (and more) :)
Food is the only category worth carrying a little more in. I know its not ultralight, but with my 5lb base weight, I pack out fresh fruit/veg, at least a pound or two of deli meat, a little cheese etc.
This was relieving to see that you switched to healthier food options while hiking. I am going to be doing lots of camping with possibly some hiking and I have to eat healthy because of my illnesses. One thing I noticed is that you eat a lot of grains and starches. Why is that? Is it just for convience? I personally prefer fruits, vegetables and fish. As they are more easily and quickly digested. Giving me more energy and nutrition. I am a 22 year old male weighing 160 pounds and I am only 5 foot 4 inches. I hope to turn about 30 pounds into muscle this year while exploring the outdoors. Do you have any tips for me on how I could eat healthier while hiking/camping while gaining muscle? Thanks for the great videos and I look forward to hearing about your next adventures. God bless
Hey Darwin, thanks for the amazing videos i just finished binge watching the pct videos and now just finished watching this one but you should do a video of a basic cost breakdown for the pct thru hike because i remember you mentioning cost of the A.T. But with it being out west I'm sure it is different. Again thank you for these videos 🏕
''I'm not the one that believes that hot food warms you up''...of course it does, even hot water raises your core temperature. A hot drink/meal on the trail raises morale too, very important.
Nice. I hope you had a chance to try the lemon poppyseed complete cookie. My personal favorite anyway.
Awesome video. I like the food choices. Our bodies find it hard to shift from glucose to fat burning. It looks like the cous cous and complete cookies have more glucose for fuel but with all those miles I think it adjusts. Healthier eating is always good. As far as plastic waste goes. Unless you're going to kill it and eat it. It's going to come in some form of a container. Just carry in and carry out. LNT. Simple. Thank you.
Hell yeah to the cous cous. I'm not sure that I could stand it every day, but definitely a staple for me.
Did you find most of this stuff available in towns you stopped in, or did most of it have to be shipped to you? Hike on...
Tony Pierce I had the same question
John Publius Yes all of these questions!!
Zerodayresupply.com is a great service for thru hikers, all similar stuff available, costs a bit more but worth it imo 👍
Almost all of these things can be found in any grocery store or definitely a Walmart
John Publius I live in a small town in North East Alabama. I spend a lot of time in northeast Tennessee visiting family and friends. I personally haven’t had a problem finding any of these other than the alpine start coffee and bobo’s bars however those are things that can easily be changed out because there are dozens of bars that offer the exact same thing it’s just subjective to taste.
Have you ever made your own pemmican? Super calarie dense and you can control the quality of the ingredients.
Hi Darwin. Great video, thanks! Do you have a food list on your blog?
Thanks Darwin. Would love to hear how you feel on this better calorie source. Energy, recovery, injury, healing, mental clarity, etc.
Wonderful. Your videos are such a great source of well-presented info. Thanks!
Great vid Darwin! I’m always trying to tweak my trail foods!
Ever try buckwheet? Has a good amount of protein with the cals.
Buckwheat and quinoa are excellent! I agree the protein content makes me reach for those over cous cous.
those emergen-c + packets are great. cheaper than the name brand electrolyte tabs and easier to find. I picked up a bunch on my trans-am ride this past summer after crazy heat coming down the underground railroad. Found myself wandering around a supermarket in a daze for nearly 2 hours, most likely due to electrolyte depletion after days of sweating so much that my skin would be white with the crystalized salts and my shirt would be crunchy after drying.