All,

I'm planning on doing the Voyageurs Canoe Challange from Crane Lake to Grand Portage solo this September.
I am wondering if anyone has some advice on high energy snacks I can pack with me for this trip.
I need to average nearly 40 miles per day or more depending on wind.
I've read somewhere that people take peanut butter along, and eat it, any truth to that and any other ideas?

Feel free to share.

High energy or quick energy . . . ?

PB is good because it has a high calorie count per ounce - about 170 - same as nuts. Pure fat - oil, butter, etc. has the highest calorie count. The PB/Nuts calories are largely fat, plus some protein, and carbs, which makes it a pretty slow burning fuel. Sugar is what gives you that sudden burst, but is short-lived. I think a 3-1 mix of nuts and dried fruit (you know, GORP) might be better for what you are doing. The nuts would be easier for you to just grab a handful every so often.

There are any number of drinks, gels, etc. that are used by endurance athletes. I have used the gels (lot of sugar) before late in a marathon for a quick burst of energy, but the sugar is not a long burning carb. Of course there are always M&M's or Fig Newtons for that, too.

Consider training with the foods you hope to eat during the Event to see if your body will tolerate the diet and if you can continue to eat it hour after hour. I believe a variety of food will be your best option, small sandwiches (ham and cheese, pb & j) plus nuts, endurance gels, straight pb, jerky, potato chips, fritos, butter, olive oil, granola bars, etc. The calorie dense foods can occasionally raise havoc with your digestive system.

Linden, check out rxbars. They are a good high protein snack and come in a lot of flavors. They also pack conveniently. I am sure that some of the long distance runners or backpackers can offer a higher calorie alternative that can fit the bill as well if not better.

Hudson Bay Bread, (really a home made granola bar type food, not a bread) recipe can be found on this site with a search. It's is calorie dense, great taste, packs and travels and keeps well and doesn't take up much room. You can top it with PB&J for more calories if you need it. You can also customize the ingredients for your personal preferences.

boonie: "High energy or quick energy . . . ?


PB is good because it has a high calorie count per ounce - about 170 - same as nuts. Pure fat - oil, butter, etc. has the highest calorie count. The PB/Nuts calories are largely fat, plus some protein, and carbs, which makes it a pretty slow burning fuel. Sugar is what gives you that sudden burst, but is short-lived. I think a 3-1 mix of nuts and dried fruit (you know, GORP) might be better for what you are doing. The nuts would be easier for you to just grab a handful every so often.


There are any number of drinks, gels, etc. that are used by endurance athletes. I have used the gels (lot of sugar) before late in a marathon for a quick burst of energy, but the sugar is not a long burning carb. Of course there are always M&M's or Fig Newtons for that, too. "

+1 Very easy to eat while paddling also

I recommend making Logan Bread: Logan Bread

And a history of it: Logan Bread tips

I personally have not made it, but I am making some for my trip in August. I normally bring Cliff Bars but this time around I want to bring something that isn't as processed, and plus I like rye flour. By adding or subtracting ingredients, I hope to get each bars calorie load in the 300 range.

I've done a few overnight relay running races that are 12-24 hours or longer....I'm not running that whole time, it's a team taking turns (hence the 'relay'), but the idea is similar to what you'll be doing - up for long periods of time and needing to keep your energy up without blowing out your stomach somehow or cramping up.

I don't get deep into the science behind it, but during those I live on: trail mix, pb & jelly sandwiches, Balance bars, hard boiled eggs, bananas, & some candy and/or those energy gummy things. And lots of water.

The suggestion to try what you are going to use on some training trips where you can replicate the intensity level of your planned trip is a very good idea. I don't know how crazy you want to get with this, but when my wife was younger and heavily into ultra marathon cycling she used to use Spiz (chocolate and vanilla) for the majority of her caloric intake. This worked best for her during longer events including solo RAAM. This was quite a few years ago, so may be better stuff available now, but this was one of the few things that she did not have trouble keeping down during longer events.

Not saying you want to use it, just something else to check out. Definitely take a variety of things. Hard to know what will stay down and appeal to you until you get out there. Good luck and have, dare I say it, fun!

Minnesotian: "
I recommend making Logan Bread: Logan Bread


And a history of it: Logan Bread tips


I personally have not made it, but I am making some for my trip in August. I normally bring Cliff Bars but this time around I want to bring something that isn't as processed, and plus I like rye flour. By adding or subtracting ingredients, I hope to get each bars calorie load in the 300 range. "

This stuff looks interesting, I'm not much of a breakfast guy and heating water for Oatmeal would still take time. I could have one of these for breakfast and another for later in the day.

The Cliff Bar brownie version works for me for long lasting energy without a sugar rush. On marathon bike events and training sugared lemonade mix prepared with double the water was the sugar mix that a stomach can absorb and worked because you were exercising hard and burning the constant low ration of sugar.

On my long solo trips I mix Gorp: dry roasted peanuts, m & m’s & golden raisins. A handful at lunch is a great pick-me-upper. Then a chocolate bar in the late afternoon gets me to dinner.

Perky Jerky sold at various outlets in a choice of turkey, beef, and pork. Delicious and soft on-the-run chow-down. Stays soft on the trail too. Make sure you have an airtight 'trash' bag for the empty foil bag(s) cuz lingering smell of the jerky.

Linden-
I might be able to help:
Last year I brought too much food by about 15% per day (and 2.5 days of extra food because I finished ahead of schedule), but took inventory and notes on what I actually consumed vs planned. I will stop short of sharing my overly-detailed spreadsheets, as I think part of the challenge is figuring all that out for yourself. Amongst the paddlers there were vastly different meal plans and cooking styles. Use your experience, and test things out as you train with some long-paddle days.

But here are some rough tips on what I ate:
3500cal/day. 57% from carbs, 32% from fats, 11% from protein.
Hot breakfast and dinner each day. (freezer-bag cooking).
Good food while paddling is a combo of energy bars and nuts/m&ms/trail mix.
Energy gel packets are relatively heavy for the calories they offer, but its nice to have a couple available for the times you are feeling really worn down and need a quick 100cal boost to make it another hour to two.
Trail and ultra racers will often supplement carb intake and ensure electrolyte balance by mixing powders into your water (like powdered gatorade). For endurance sports, my stomach has seemed to tolerate Tailwind Nutrition.
When training, I have always felt best after long workouts with either chocolate milk or a protein shake recovery (or a beer, but you may not have that available along the border).

My travel day breakfast will be 3 packets of instant oatmeal with nuts and dried fruit added (strawberries, apples, or banana chips), and a clif bar. Travel day lunches are organic peanut butter and trail mix (that I make with dried fruit and peanut m&m's added). Every lunch I'll have a protein shake also. I always bring Ghirardelli chocolate squares to eat after lunch or some type of quality chocolate bar usually with nuts.

My dinners are freeze dried meals or noodles with dehydrated ground beef, steak, or chicken. On layover days I eat differently (eggs/bacon, cheese and meat sticks, fresh fish)

The Gatorade gel packs are helpful for me when I am spent near the end of a long day but want to go another hour or two. A little bump in energy that pushes me for a while. Of course, this is followed by the sugar drop crash and burn feeling an hour or two later when it is time to set up camp.

GraniteCliffs: "The Gatorade gel packs are helpful for me when I am spent near the end of a long day but want to go another hour or two. A little bump in energy that pushes me for a while. Of course, this is followed by the sugar drop crash and burn feeling an hour or two later when it is time to set up camp. "

I've learned to save energy for setting up camp at the end of a long day paddling. It doesn't feel much like a vacation when setting up camp about to pass out.

This is good stuff for a quick recovery & quick on-the-go refuel. Have tried it and it sustains as claimed.

Just letting everyone know I appreciate all the feed back I have gotten regarding this thread, I will definately be using many of your suggestions, and will tell you what I ate/drank and how it worked out for me.

LindenTree3: "

Minnesotian: "
I recommend making Logan Bread: Logan Bread

And a history of it: Logan Bread tips

I personally have not made it, but I am making some for my trip in August. I normally bring Cliff Bars but this time around I want to bring something that isn't as processed, and plus I like rye flour. By adding or subtracting ingredients, I hope to get each bars calorie load in the 300 range. "

This stuff looks interesting, I'm not much of a breakfast guy and heating water for Oatmeal would still take time. I could have one of these for breakfast and another for later in the day."

Seems suspiciously similar to fruit cake you see around Christmas :-)
"Logan bread is a dense quick bread full of dried fruits and nuts. Named after Mount Logan in the Yukon, Logan Bread’s delicious taste, high calorie content, indestructibility, and non-perishability"

LindenTree3: "Just letting everyone know I appreciate all the feed back I have gotten regarding this thread, I will definately be using many of your suggestions, and will tell you what I ate/drank and how it worked out for me."

Looking forward to reading that trip report. Details, details, details.

I always bring almonds, mixed nuts, Cliff Bars, and jerky for long-term energy. My system doesn't like the crash that comes from anything too sugary.

I just asked my son, he just finished the voyageur50 ultramarathon in just over seven hours, if he has any food secrets for his performance, just a regular breakfast of oatmeal and granola, and one cup of coffee. He avoids all processed foods and sugars but eats peanut butter by the spoonfuls.
If I recall correctly you are Native American? Several years ago in South Dakota we bought a bunch of pemmican. If you are looking for a huge jolt of long lasting energy and want to avoid processed foods you might look into this. It’s what the voyageurs ate.

This is a link to Tanka bar , made by Oglala Lakota. Happy to give a plug for a quality product.

We ate these backpacking in Yellowstone.

Plain honey has always been a favorite for me.