Mountain nutrition

[Eastonsgrandpa]

Maybe I’m an outlier, but I’m blown away by the stuff I see on videos and such of what is being packed on these hunts to eat.

Even listened to a podcast where it was recommended to bring gummy bears!

Sugar and carbs are just jolts of energy that burn off way too fast.

Personally, I bring eggs, smoked steak and salmon, cheese and tallow capsules. The fat and protein carry me so much further. When I wake up in the morning I have eggs, clean bacon, roast chunks, and cheese in bags that I throw in boiling water while I get ready.

Granted, this is basically my diet day in and out as I don’t eat sugars, grains, plants. But I found it interesting.

What do others pack in with?

This is definitely not a judgy post. Genuinely interested.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Do you make tallow capsules or buy them? How many calories are in them?

 

[Eastonsgrandpa]

Do you make tallow capsules or buy them? How many calories are in them?

I buy them from Ancestral Supplements. Not sure of the calories. Only doing it for quick fat intake without actually stopping to eat. I keep them in a belt pouch on my pack.

I do render my own tallow from beef suet to cook with but don’t know how I’d take that with me except mixed into the food.

 

[3325]

Hunt mostly from home so breakfast can be whatever I want. Nuts and jerky in the daypack.

John Colter didn’t have gummy bears .

 

[bushman76]

When it comes down to nutrition there are different opinion out there. I think we all should do what works best for us in as much we understand our own body system.

 

[Trial153]

I take what ever I feel like eating and is practical for the hunt I am on. Comfort food goes a long way on tough long bowhunts. I don’t see any point in unnecessarily making a hunt in to a suffer fest if it doesn’t need to be. Some gummy bears aren’t going to kill you.

 

[sargent]

At home, I don't eat breakfast and try to keep my daily carbs around 150 grams. I've found that this eating style gives me what Mark Sisson calls "metabolic flexibility", the ability to burn both fat and carbs for fuel, depending upon what is available.

In the mountains, I eat moderate to high amounts of fat and protein along with some carbs for breakfast lunch and dinner, with sugary/carb heavy snacks in between. Example:

Breakfast: Oatmeal with chia seeds, sunflower seeds, and protein powder and Fat Fuel/starbucks via coffee
Lunch: Bacon, peanut butter, and chia seeds in a tortilla
Dinner: Peak refuel Chicken pesto Pasta (depending on the dinner, I sometimes add butter or olive oil)
Snacks: 2 each fruit leathers, honey stingers, candy bars
Drinks: 2 liquid IV, 1 Gatorade packet, 1 starbucks via

This menu is about 3000 calories and 26 ounces per day. As mentioned, everyone's body is different, but this is what works for me.

 

[mtwarden]

When I'm in the backcountry I'm looking most closely at calories and on longer trips (week plus) I pay more attention to protein intake.

A lot of my calories are from fat, but a lot from carbs as well. What I eat in the backcountry is not what I generally eat at home. I always pack a few small Snickers with my lunches, I never eat candy otherwise. My lunches almost always include Fritos, I never eat Fritos otherwise. My sandwiches are either cheese and hard salami or penaut butter, honey & bacon (usually wrapped in a flour tortilla)- I don't eat these sandwiches at home. My cereal is granola mixed with powdered coconut oil, powdered butter, powdered peanut butter, sliced almonds, powdered egg protein- definitely high calorie! Not the cereal I eat at home. My coffee in the morning contains powdered coconut oil, powdered butter and powdered MCT oil- these are not in my coffee at home

I don't eat freeze dried suppers at home either, but that's all I eat in the backcountry (Peak Refuel- good calories AND protein content in these meals btw).

My point is that my backcountry meals don't look like my meals at home. I'm out ~ 50 nights/year and thus far my backcountry diet has hindered me in anyway

 

[BBob]

^^^ I’m exactly the same as above with the exception that I dehydrate my own meals for my dinners.

 

[firefinder25]

Maybe I’m an outlier, but I’m blown away by the stuff I see on videos and such of what is being packed on these hunts to eat.

Even listened to a podcast where it was recommended to bring gummy bears!

Sugar and carbs are just jolts of energy that burn off way too fast.

Personally, I bring eggs, smoked steak and salmon, cheese and tallow capsules. The fat and protein carry me so much further. When I wake up in the morning I have eggs, clean bacon, roast chunks, and cheese in bags that I throw in boiling water while I get ready.

Granted, this is basically my diet day in and out as I don’t eat sugars, grains, plants. But I found it interesting.

What do others pack in with?

This is definitely not a judgy post. Genuinely interested.

Thank you for the post,
I usually eat natural foods, meat, cheese, bacon, etc.. I’m planning a back pack hunt, and would like to take these foods along.

 

[lamarclark09]

Well, this is the first time I’m hearing about packing gummy bears.
Well obviously everyone should have what is best for them and their bodies. I actually love and rely on eggs and bacon. Yeah, some protein powder too. Pack everything you like and is practical for the hunt and you are good to go.

 

[Sinkinglizard]

When I'm in the backcountry I'm looking most closely at calories and on longer trips (week plus) I pay more attention to protein intake.

A lot of my calories are from fat, but a lot from carbs as well. What I eat in the backcountry is not what I generally eat at home. I always pack a few small Snickers with my lunches, I never eat candy otherwise. My lunches almost always include Fritos, I never eat Fritos otherwise. My sandwiches are either cheese and hard salami or penaut butter, honey & bacon (usually wrapped in a flour tortilla)- I don't eat these sandwiches at home. My cereal is granola mixed with powdered coconut oil, powdered butter, powdered peanut butter, sliced almonds, powdered egg protein- definitely high calorie! Not the cereal I eat at home. My coffee in the morning contains powdered coconut oil, powdered butter and powdered MCT oil- these are not in my coffee at home

I don't eat freeze dried suppers at home either, but that's all I eat in the backcountry (Peak Refuel- good calories AND protein content in these meals btw).

My point is that my backcountry meals don't look like my meals at home. I'm out ~ 50 nights/year and thus far my backcountry diet has hindered me in anyway

Where do you get your powdered MCT? Been looking for this but is darn expensive everywhere I look.

Why add MCT and coconut oil powder ? Just trying to get more healthy fat calories?... I will take a guess that you have no issues with bloating!! MCT has me running to the toilet usually!

when you refer to cereal - do you just mean dried granola? Or do you truly have a bowl and spoon with liquid? I love healthy cereal at home but haven't found a good solution for backcountry hunts. Have just settled on dried granola the last few years

 

[firefinder25]

Is anyone making homemade Pemmican, and taking it on hunts. ??
I'd like to incorporate most of the items listed above.
( Most Likely in different batches )
Meat, Eggs, Cheese, Bacon, Honey, Berries, Granola,,,,,

 

[mtwarden]

Where do you get your powdered MCT? Been looking for this but is darn expensive everywhere I look.

Why add MCT and coconut oil powder ? Just trying to get more healthy fat calories?... I will take a guess that you have no issues with bloating!! MCT has me running to the toilet usually!

when you refer to cereal - do you just mean dried granola? Or do you truly have a bowl and spoon with liquid? I love healthy cereal at home but haven't found a good solution for backcountry hunts. Have just settled on dried granola the last few years

The MCT is in the coffee packets, along with powdered butter and powdered coconut oil.

https://shop.fatfuelcompany.com/products/fat-fuel-coffee

I was making my own coffee packets w/ the powdered coconut oil/butter, (and Via coffee) this is just easier- add hot water and drink.

Nope, I add hot water to the granola- still crunchy, but it's good warm.

Yeah no worries about constipation!