Meal Plan-Prep for Hunting 2024

EJDXT21

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 29, 2021
Messages
130
Location
Kingwood, TX
Well I don' think there is another thread exactly like this from what I could find...could be wrong though. But if not, then maybe this thread will stick around. My personal goal for this year in regards to getting and staying in hunting shape is simple. Eat better, exercise more. Simple as it sounds, the price of everything is getting higher, while quality seems to be getting worse. Even restaurants that were once good now have mediocre at best tasting food with sometimes worse service.
My proposition is to help each other out by posting meal plans, single meals, recipe links, YouTube video links or personal tips for canning, growing your own food, DIY smokers, or anything else that we can do ourselves to have quality and quantity in our food, particularly that in which we know the ingredients.
I'll start by posting the link to our simple yet delicious Christmas meal we had for 2023. I'm a Texan through and through, and I love to Barbecue. I follow MeatChurch as some of you may. Below is the link to his smoked Prime Rib recipe. I followed it with a few exceptions. I didn't use his seasoning, but instead just mixed my own. Salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and some herb mix I had which I can't remember what all was in it. Which it doesn't really matter, you can use what you like here. I wrapped and put in the fridge overnight, then smoked the next day. It took about 5 hours for the one I did at 250 temp. Pulled at 122 internal temp. Next time I will go to 130 as I'm the only one who likes the prime rib at the 125-127 internal temp.
For the dip, all of our local stores were out of horseradish, so we bought a root and made our own. link to recipe below. We will never buy store-bought horseradish again.
For sides I just did roasted carrots, Asparagus and loaded baked potatoes. Carrots and Asparagus were washed and dried, add olive oil, salt and pepper, cook in the oven at 400 for 20-30 min or more depending on how many you have.


I'm working on trying to develop maybe a rotating meal plan of at least food types for different days, such as Mexican, American, Indian, Chinese, Italian, Mediterranean etc. And there are so many variations of those types of foods alone.

For snacks, there's jerky and dried fruit and trail mix, and even store bought items like Lara bars and similar.

Maybe this thread will stick around, maybe it won't, but I thought it'd be worth a shot. Below is a pic of the prime rib.



 

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Joined
Dec 6, 2023
Messages
22
Location
Texas
I have a list that I keep in my notes on my phone for this very reason. I don't have any of my smoked recipes because those are all the same for the most part (trim fat, salt & pepper, smoke at 225 until at temp, sear). However, My family came from Louisiana and we now live in Texas. Therefore, most of my meals have a Cajun/Mexican/BBQ flavor to them. Some of my favorites:

Cajun:
Smothered Green Beans: https://www.sweetdaddy-d.com/smothered-green-beans/
Smothered Cabbage: https://coopcancook.com/smothered-cabbage-recipe/
Crawfish Etoufee: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/crawfish-etouffee/

Mexican:
Enchiladas Verde: https://belaya.info/homemade-enchiladas-verdes.html
 
OP
E

EJDXT21

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 29, 2021
Messages
130
Location
Kingwood, TX
I have a list that I keep in my notes on my phone for this very reason. I don't have any of my smoked recipes because those are all the same for the most part (trim fat, salt & pepper, smoke at 225 until at temp, sear). However, My family came from Louisiana and we now live in Texas. Therefore, most of my meals have a Cajun/Mexican/BBQ flavor to them. Some of my favorites:

Cajun:
Smothered Green Beans: https://www.sweetdaddy-d.com/smothered-green-beans/
Smothered Cabbage: https://coopcancook.com/smothered-cabbage-recipe/
Crawfish Etoufee: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/crawfish-etouffee/

Mexican:
Enchiladas Verde: https://belaya.info/homemade-enchiladas-verdes.html
That smothered cabbage looks really good. Ive done similar but usually just with bacon. I'll have to try adding sausage in there.
 

Novahunter

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 24, 2022
Messages
272
I'm working on getting in shape for an elk hunt in October 2024.

I started meal planning my breakfasts and lunches during the work week with this: https://huel.com/.

All the food has tasted pretty good, it's not rediculously expensive, and it is easy to stay in calorie goals while knowing I'm getting good nutirtion.

I will also say the Huel freeze dried Hot and Savory meals have been pretty good overall. Very low in sodium too, so if anyone is looking for low sodium freeze dried meals that taste decent and low sodium these are definitely something to try.
 
OP
E

EJDXT21

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 29, 2021
Messages
130
Location
Kingwood, TX
I'm working on getting in shape for an elk hunt in October 2024.

I started meal planning my breakfasts and lunches during the work week with this: https://huel.com/.

All the food has tasted pretty good, it's not rediculously expensive, and it is easy to stay in calorie goals while knowing I'm getting good nutirtion.

I will also say the Huel freeze dried Hot and Savory meals have been pretty good overall. Very low in sodium too, so if anyone is looking for low sodium freeze dried meals that taste decent and low sodium these are definitely something to try.
Thanks for the input. One of the things I learned a while back, which I admittedly don't regularly follow because, well I'm lazy, is that meal planning can be key to a successful "diet".
We recently did a trial of the Hello Fresh meals, and have been pleasantly surprised so far. You still have to cook, but you have all the ingredients, and the portions are actually just right. Its just a matte of following the instructions. That being said, I don't think we will continue with it, only because I actually enjoy going to the stores/markets and picking out my own food, and actually using homemade healthier versions of some of the ingredients such as mayo, ranch dressing, bbq sauce etc.
I do think in a way, being consistent with healthy meal planning/prepping is harder than losing weight or becoming healthier. All that is just a consequence of a healthy diet. I can see how something like Huel can be useful in staying on track.
 

Novahunter

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 24, 2022
Messages
272
Thanks for the input. One of the things I learned a while back, which I admittedly don't regularly follow because, well I'm lazy, is that meal planning can be key to a successful "diet".
We recently did a trial of the Hello Fresh meals, and have been pleasantly surprised so far. You still have to cook, but you have all the ingredients, and the portions are actually just right. Its just a matte of following the instructions. That being said, I don't think we will continue with it, only because I actually enjoy going to the stores/markets and picking out my own food, and actually using homemade healthier versions of some of the ingredients such as mayo, ranch dressing, bbq sauce etc.
I do think in a way, being consistent with healthy meal planning/prepping is harder than losing weight or becoming healthier. All that is just a consequence of a healthy diet. I can see how something like Huel can be useful in staying on track.

We did Hello Fresh and some of those other meal services. Alternated between them based in the deals we got.

Save the recipie's. Alot of them are quite good, and we found we cna replicate them by buying our own ingredients.
 
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