Backcountry menu....need some input

[Becca]

I have bought several kinds of powdered milk (milkman, Kroger and great value grocery brands, and others) and never had an issue with it. I wouldn't drink a glass of it (ick! Too chalky) but in granola or other cereal it's totally fine. I have been been bagging up single servings of "glorious cereal" (as Luke calls it) for the last couple seasons since we both burned out on oatmeal. 1 cup of Quaker granola cereal with 1/3c of powdered milk is around 500 calories, and we just add hot or cold water and stir in the field to eat. I priced it out last season and if I buy the granola at Costco in bulk, it comes out to less than $1 per serving which is way cheaper than MH version and just as tasty.


We do sometimes splurge and split a Mh biscuits and gravy though...that's good stuff right there!

As far as calories per day, it's totally individual and also depends on a whole lot of factors. I have determined that for most backpacking and hunting trips, Luke and I only consume between 2200-2500 cal per day. If we really pack a heavy load a long way we might eat a bit more, but truthfully most days we are totally satisfied with that kind of intake. It took me awhile to get it dialed in, counting calories in my regular life with the myfitnesspal app really helped me figure out my caloric needs depending on my activity level and also what the caloric content of various foods was.

 

[rhendrix]

Been busy packing, but I'm finally done. This is what my final menu looks like:

Breakfast:
Instant oatmeal (2), 320 calories
Coffee

Snack:
Probar, 370-390 calories

Lunch:
Tortilla roll up (2), 620 calories

Snack:
Granola bar (2), 360 calories

Dinner:
Mtn house (2.5 servings), 600 calories

Dessert:
Trail mix, 280 calories

Total calories: 2500-2600
Total weight per day: 1.5 pounds give or take an ounce

And I can throw some crackers with cheese or peanut butter in each day for just another ounce and be at 2700-2800 easily.

 

[Jason Snyder]

What's the calories/oz. on this? I was trying to find some earlier tonight to check this but my ol lady used it up I guess.

I have no idea, but it makes it taste a hell of a lot better.

 

[rhendrix]

I did granola, raisins and powdered milk last year. If I remember correctly it was 80 calories per ounce. But I'd have to check my notebook tomorrow.

 

[William Hanson (live2hunt)]

That'd be cool

 

[orionsbrother]

Sulfured apples, sweetened banana chips, dried cherries and craisins (dried cranberries). Eat them alone as a quick snack or add them to your granola etc. A couple of banana chips go really well with a handful of smashed peanut butter cracker crumbs.

 

[rhendrix]

Found it. 1 ounce=102 calories. Roughly.
This is the nonfat carnation powdered milk.

 

[William Hanson (live2hunt)]

Found it. 1 ounce=102 calories. Roughly.
This is the nonfat carnation powdered milk.

Thanks

 

[darcytribe]

Found it. 1 ounce=102 calories. Roughly.
This is the nonfat carnation powdered milk.

I cant seem to find powdered milk that isn't non fat. Does anyone know if there is powdered milk that still has the fat in it? & Where to get it?

 

[FreeRange]

I got some Nestle Nido Fortificado at the local Mexican market I shop at. Per 30 g serving it has 9g fat and 160 cal. Good stuff, mix it straight into my granola. I think the "fortificado" part is the key.

 

[William Hanson (live2hunt)]

I cant seem to find powdered milk that isn't non fat. Does anyone know if there is powdered milk that still has the fat in it? & Where to get it?

I had the same problem. Unfortunately backpackers are trying to do the opposite of what the vast majority of consumers are trying to do, they want as few calories per ounce as possible.

 

[darcytribe]

I got some Nestle Nido Fortificado at the local Mexican market I shop at. Per 30 g serving it has 9g fat and 160 cal. Good stuff, mix it straight into my granola. I think the "fortificado" part is the key.

I saw that in Walmart but it was in Spanish. I thought it might be baby formula but it's milk huh?

 

[William Hanson (live2hunt)]

I saw that in Walmart but it was in Spanish. I thought it might be baby formula but it's milk huh?

Baby formula works too

 

[FreeRange]

Yeah it looks like baby formula but they say it's just whole milk with added vitamins and minerals. It's for kids ages 1+ so it's safe for me!

 

[IdyllwildArcher]

I think it's worth a little extra wt for food that you'll look forward to eating.

 

[darcytribe]

Yeah it looks like baby formula but they say it's just whole milk with added vitamins and minerals. It's for kids ages 1+ so it's safe for me!

So your sayin your just a big kid then?

 

[nirvanafan]

I like to throw in some dehydrated fruit. Especially mangos or apples. Also, what about some jerky?

They're good, but I prefer dried bananas. They have more calories/oz. If you really want to get fruit with high calories/oz, try dates. Watch out though, they tend to clean you out, if you know what I mean. I chop up a couple and put them in my granola.

 

[bivouaclarry]

I have also replace granola bars with a high protein bar. I have tried a LOT of bars, and these are my fav: www.comeready.com

No affiliation with the company, I just really like the bar. 24 gr Protein, 320 calories and they taste great.

 

[Vids]

Some stuff I like to carry: Clif Builder's bars - 270 calories each, they taste way better than normal Clif bars. Or try Big100 protein bars, they are good and over 400 cal. Almonds are a great snack full of energy. Check out Wisconsinville turkey sausage sticks, delicious with cheese.

I would shoot for closer to 3k calories per day, my base metabolism (5'10" 190lb) is 2250/day.

 

[2ski]

Those Big100 bars your talking about are from MetRx if anyone is looking for them. Grocery stores should have them or convenience stores. ProBar makes protein bars as well. The one I'm looking at I picked up from Schnees. Cookies dough. 2.46 ounces and 290 calories. 20 grams of protein. It's been a while since I had one but they were pretty good if I remember correctly.