Food For Thought!

Peek-A-Boo Loop trail, Bryce Canyon National Park

Since it is Thanksgiving week, everyone seems to be contemplating food! Almost any kind of food tastes so much better out on the trail, don't you think?

It almost goes without saying that if you don't eat properly while on the trail, you set your body up for using up its energy, creating a "crash" or "bonk".  Not fun!  Having a selection of foods available in your pack or cargo pocket of your clothing (and eating them!) on short breaks along the trail will help keep the dreaded "bonk" at bay.  

 While I'm not a nutritionist, it seems that a selection of varied foods such as nuts, dried fruit, bagels, pretzels, peanut butter, and even chocolate contain calories that your body can use both quickly -- and slowly -- throughout the day.  Ultimately, it comes down to what works and tastes best to you.  Below is a sample selection of some of the possibilities and what we usually provide for our guests on a hiking tour.   

For sandwiches:

• lunch meat (generally deli turkey and ham)
• cheese (swiss and muenster or gouda, sometimes cheddar)
• veggies such as spinach, sliced cucumbers and red peppers, tomato, avocado
• hummus
• brown mustard, mayonnaise
• Creamy & crunchy peanut butter
• strawberry or grape jam
• various "nice" breads (like Orowheat or locally baked breads)

Snacks: 

• Chips (Sun Chips, pretzels, Fritos, Lay's BBQ, etc.)
• Cookies (Fig Newtons, chocolate chip, pecan sandies, etc.)
• Granola bars (crunchy or chewy, various flavors)
• Fruit (apples, grapes, plums, bananas, etc... whatever is in season)
• Trail Mix (a pre-bagged combination of raisins or craisins, dry roasted peanuts, cashews or smoked almonds, and two kinds of M&Ms)
• Chocolate (usually what I like to refer to as the "Butterfinger food group")

There are also many different kinds of high energy foods out there such as Power Bars, Lara bars, and Clif Bars. Gels, like Gu, or even chews, like Gu Chomps, are yet another option used by runners, cyclists, and other athletes.  I will often keep a few of these in my pack in case someone is running out of energy but prefer to use these in higher strenuous activities like races.     

To sum it all up, just take along a selection of sweet and salty snacks plus a sandwich and plenty of water (and/or Gatorade).  That way, you'll have your bases covered for both nutrition and energy needs throughout the day. 

Happy Hiking and Happy Thanksgiving!