How long have you gone on a solo without resupply? I am looking at somewhere between 14 and 18 days this year. As in a previous thread we talked about reduced appetite and always bringing too much food. I am starting to plan now and want to keep weight down. 18 days worth of food sounds like a lot. That is twice as long as I have done in the past. Doable?

I have only done 8 days but ate very well. I always eat more when I am out canoeing and come home thinner.

8 days plus some backup food = 2 small bear kegs for me.

I have wondered about upscaling my food for long trips as well. Eg., on a shorter trip I normally have an individual baggie of granola that I eat out of for each breakfast, longer trips I would pack a single bag (or 2) and eat out of a bowl.

I have found it is harder to accomplish for other meals, for lunch I do lots of pb&j tortillas.

Dinners I have wondered about dehydrating more of my own food and storing it in bulk to reduce packaging. Bulk beans, mash potatoes, chili, and rice etc.

For now I always repackage the commercial dehydrated I buy into smaller freezer ziplocks that I make the meal in, but throwing a bunch of packets into a single big bag to save packaging is something I have wondered about. I worry that the huge pile of seasoning at the bottom of the bag might make the last meal inedible though.

Going a little short on food and hoping for fish or blue berries is tempting but risky. That being said, sometimes I will plan a meal or two of mash potatoes, a small helping of chili, or something similar and hope that a fish will round out the meal

I will be interested to hear other peoples ideas and experiences.

Lots of very dense foods such as Clif bars. If you have a dehydrator it would be great for variety so you're not doing prepackaged freeze dried stuff all the time.

I'm also including this link for "meal replacement shakes" from the top health and wellness company Usana Health Sciences. They are science based and include everything your body needs for nutrition. Here's the 2 min video

They taste really good and I have at least one a day. The bars are great too but more pricey than a clif bar. The nut and berry bar is so incredible I'll be loading up on those for my trip. You can't find this company in stores even though they do a billion dollars a year in sales you need to find an associate. PM me for info if you like to try them.

With these powdered shakes you'd save bulk and weight and know you're staying healthy and have the energy you need.

hobbydog-

I've done 8 days, but am thinking about a 12-day trip, so it's something that has been on my mind too. Food weight adds up and it can get bulky too. I have become fairly adept at not carrying way more food than I need. I can now get the food for an 8-day trip in my BearVault. On an 8-day trip, I'll have breakfast before I enter and dinner after I exit, so that leaves 7 breakfasts, 7 dinners, and 8 lunch/snacks to pack in the BearVault along with enough VIA coffee to maintain my caffeine addiction.

I'm usually consuming about 2,200 to 2,300 calories per day. I'm not a big guy and my appetite is not huge, especially solo, so yours might differ a little. I do burn off some belly fat on an 8-day trip though ;). I try to make sure that most of the foods I pack provide well over 100 calories per ounce. A large part of this is that the nuts I pack for snacks provide 175 calories per ounce and I'll usually have 4-5 ounces per day. Peanut butter also provides about the same calories per ounce. I'll have a Pro Bar Meal for lunch that provides 375 calories.

I buy dehydrated meals for the rest primarily from Outdoor Herbivore and HawkVittles and sometimes supplement with some of my own. Most of these meals provide around 600 +/- calories at about 125 calories per ounce. The calorie count of meals can be increased by adding oil - 2 tablespoons of olive oil (1 ounce) = 240 calories.
The packaging of these allows them to conform and really fill up a BearVault. These meals are generally nutritious, high in fiber, and low in sodium. I find many to be quite delicious, although not every one is to my taste. You can find some specific mentions in my last three trip reports.

This food basically works out to about 1.25 to 1.3 lbs. per day. So yes, I think it's "doable", but you'll have 20 lbs. of food. How much did your food weigh for a trip half that long? Did you carry a lot out with you? Do you know how many calories it provided you?

I also minimize weight by rehydrating these in the bag in a cozy and eating them out of the bag - no plate, no bowl. I have a spoon/spork, a mug for coffee, and a JetBoil Sol. I have no other "kitchen" - no extra utensils, utensil rolls, fry pans, bake ovens, coffee presses, kitchen sinks, scrubbers, dish detergent. This minimizes the amount of fuel that one needs to carry, which is further reduced by eating mostly cold breakfasts. It also saves a lot of time with camp "chores".

I'm also in the process of trying to lighten up some other gear to compensate for having more food weight, which is another thing to think about. I may use an Ursack for the extra days' food instead of a bear canister, which will save between 1 1/2 - 2 lbs. (See thread in gear forum. Two would save 3 -4 pounds, but I'd lose my stool (BearVault) ;). I've got some other changes in the works too. I'd like to keep my total weight of everything - food, clothing, gear, canoe, paddles, PFD, etc. - to around 90 lbs., 100 max. so I can double portage without too much strain. I'll be 10 lbs. lighter half way through.

longest was 12 days. I had a lot of food left too. it boils down to how much you eat.

quote kanoes: "longest was 12 days. I had a lot of food left too. it boils down to how much you eat."

Didn't you lose about 20 lbs that trip?

quote kanoes: "longest was 12 days. I had a lot of food left too. it boils down to how much you eat."

I'd love to do a 30-day solo trip just wandering Quetico, but I've only been able to get away for a solo trip of ten-days so far. I always return with food also. Probably enough to stretch to 14-days.

My point is, I could probably do 18-days without re-supply, especially if I supplemented my menu with fresh fish every few days. For my 30-day dream trip though, I'd most likely need a re-supply option. For 14 to 18-days, very do-able in my opinion.

Hans Solo

Ive done 14 days and everything fit into the 30 l barrel.


Except the gorp.. that is my weakness. I no longer can stomach Clif bars and prefer Laras though all those bars now disinterest me. I take jerky , string cheese and dried fruit for my on the go lunch.

quote boonie: "hobbydog-



This food basically works out to about 1.25 to 1.3 lbs. per day. So yes, I think it's "doable", but you'll have 20 lbs. of food. How much did your food weigh for a trip half that long? Did you carry a lot out with you? Do you know how many calories it provided you?
"

On my 8 day trip (packed for 10) I had 16.5 lbs. and had about 3 days left. I figured about 1800 calories a day. On that trip I brought gatorade packets which were quite heavy. I found a much lighter way to pack electrolytes this time around. I almost always use a stove but for this trip I plan on heating water and frying fish on the fire as long as weather is good. One plus on this trip is not much portaging the first 3 days. Also going the end of June into July so I can lighten up on the warm weather gear as I usually go in Sept. I am like you, no extra luxury items like chairs, reflector ovens or cooking gear. I do splurge a little on camera gear.

I used to take Gatorade too, hobbydog, but there are better options for the weight, bulk, and calories; leaving that out will lighten things up quite a bit. I think you'll be quite a bit lighter than the 1.65 lbs. per day and can up the calorie count a little too by adding some nuts, PB, or oil if you like. Even for the full 18 days, you should be able to get it below 25 lbs., which is still quite a bit, but I'd assume doable under the circumstances. Eat the heavy food the first three days ;).

@Hans- you could always just triple portage for the first 12 days. Or leave the couch at home ;).

quote boonie: "
I also minimize weight by rehydrating these in the bag in a cozy and eating them out of the bag - no plate, no bowl. I have a spoon/spork, a mug for coffee, and a JetBoil Sol. I have no other "kitchen" - no extra utensils, utensil rolls, fry pans, bake ovens, coffee presses, kitchen sinks, scrubbers, dish detergent. This minimizes the amount of fuel that one needs to carry, which is further reduced by eating mostly cold breakfasts. It also saves a lot of time with camp "chores".
"

This is what I have always done as well. I may be crazy but I have been thinking that on my longer solo trips I am going to make more meals in a bowl and avoid carrying so many dirty bags around with me. Not sure that the weight is significant but the amount of trash I am carrying would certainly decrease. Maybe just for my hot breakfast granola?

I just feel that by bringing more dehydrated bulk ingredients rather than precooked meals I could save some volume and perhaps some weight.

Not leaving behind my via or crystal lite though.

barracuda-

I have never tried that, but know that some do it.

I have never felt that it would benefit me enough to make it worthwhile, but still something to consider. I like having it already portioned and not worrying about rationing it properly so that I don't eat 14 days of granola in the first 10 days. It probably wouldn't save enough weight and space for me to compensate for the bowl.

My entire trash from my last trip fit in a quart ziplock and weighed less than a lb. There's a picture of it somewhere here ;).

If you try that, be sure to let us know your thoughts.

I've done as much as 18 days in a shot. on my longer trip my last resupply was 18 days. I'd learned to trim some things down. But both Bernice and I had lost a lot of weight. Ok for me but Bernice was skinnier than I liked her to be. I had three bear vaults to accomplish that.

Oh, and as far as minimizing your load by cooking out of bags and such I find it refreshing to have well cooked meals on a good sized trip myself. It's a real treat to be able to make nice meals and eat off a plate. I find you can make a nice kit that weight would not be an issue imo. Not trying to knock others ideas. Just my humble opinion.

I'm starting this weekend dehydrating meals for a 15 day trip in May, see what new meals I come up with, not much of a breakfast or lunch person when traveling but will bring plenty of snacks.

I like a hot breakfast of instant oatmeal and I just end up burning the paper pouches. Intant oatmeal has come a long way in taste over the years and it's very lightweight.

I have gone 14 days with one extra breakfast, lunch and dinner packed. Worked out to be 20 lbs of food, all stuffed into a 20 liter Sea to Summit roll-top sack.

All I can say is that a dehydrator is your best friend.

For recipe ideas I suggest Freezer Bag Cooking

Also, for figuring out how to dehydrate tuna, chicken, ground beef and various other food stuff, I suggest Backpacking Chef

One of my favorite meals I have figured out is a White Cheddar and Prosciutto Mac and Cheese. If you even go so far as to cook and then dehydrate noodles at home, that makes meal time cooking and fuel consumption even shorter. I suggest it.

quote Minnesotian: "
I have gone 14 days with one extra breakfast, lunch and dinner packed. Worked out to be 20 lbs of food, all stuffed into a 20 liter Sea to Summit roll-top sack.


All I can say is that a dehydrator is your best friend.


For recipe ideas I suggest Freezer Bag Cooking


Also, for figuring out how to dehydrate tuna, chicken, ground beef and various other food stuff, I suggest Backpacking Chef


One of my favorite meals I have figured out is a White Cheddar and Prosciutto Mac and Cheese. If you even go so far as to cook and then dehydrate noodles at home, that makes meal time cooking and fuel consumption even shorter. I suggest it. "

Great links, thanks for sharing them.

hobbydog,
What are you using to carry the food in? Bear Vaults, 30L Blue Barrel?, Hanging a food pack? just curious. I would agree with Ben (nctry) should be able to pack all this into 3 Bear Vaults (BV500) or ONE 30L Blue Barrel. Might Also consider the URSACK to keep weight down? I need REAL food, like dehydrated burger, eggs, pancackes, goolash etc. I am not one to cut on food...but some can do it. Are you doing a loop, where you could STASH a Bear Vault and then swing back around on way out and pick it up to finish trip out?

Intersted to see how you figure this one out

SunCatcher

quote SunCatcher: "hobbydog,
What are you using to carry the food in? Bear Vaults, 30L Blue Barrel?, Hanging a food pack? just curious. I would agree with Ben (nctry) should be able to pack all this into 3 Bear Vaults (BV500) or ONE 30L Blue Barrel. Might Also consider the URSACK to keep weight down? I need REAL food, like dehydrated burger, eggs, pancackes, goolash etc. I am not one to cut on food...but some can do it. Are you doing a loop, where you could STASH a Bear Vault and then swing back around on way out and pick it up to finish trip out?


Intersted to see how you figure this one out


SunCatcher"

No bear barrels. I spread it out in Sea to Summit dry sacks. I am doing a fly in and paddle out of WCPP. Following your footsteps. :-) I think the big benefit of this route is the first 30 miles or so of paddling has only a couple very short portages. I plan to spend the first 3-4 days between Artery and Dunstan so I can go heavy to start. But that is also where I plan to eat a fair amount of fish.

I am not too particular on what I eat as long as I get the calories needed. I like the way Boonie does it. I normally plan calories per day but didn't look at weight or the ratio of weight to calories. I will be calculating that this time around. I know from experience that I can burn a lot more than I consume on an 8 day trip, just not sure how many days I can do that in a row.

Thanks for the links Minnesotian. I was planning on dehydration some of my own on this trip and not much experience with that so that will help.

I don't have the benefit of having done a trip longer than 8 days, hobbydog, but I can take my belt in an extra notch after that, so I'd probably be thinking about ramping up the calories a little for a longer trip. I think the simplest way to do it would be to take some olive oil to add to each meal. There's nothing more calorically dense than oil - 2 Tablespoons, which is 1 more ounce a day, would add 240 calories. The main reason polar explorers sometimes just drink a cup of it :). I've already mentioned that nuts and nut butters are also very high in calories. They are also compact to pack. Another thought for you is quinoa instead of rice. It's more compact to pack (it absorbs more water), is higher in fiber, and is higher in protein. It's also a rarity as a plant protein source in that it contains all essential amino acids. It's also gluten free. I often have it substituted in some of the HawkVittles meals I get.

Maybe on a trip that long, it'd be worth taking one or two big bags of muesli and a squishy bowl like barracuda was talking about.

You've gotten a bunch of good replies already. I just wanted to add my 2 cents on foods to bring.

Peanut butter and peanut M&Ms. Simple as can be- just go to the store to buy and throw'em in your packs. Energy-packed food requiring no preparation, cooking, or cleanup. Pure energy! Those peanut M&Ms are power pills for snacking on while paddling. Peanut butter right from the jar makes for a great desert that can be eaten in your tent if it's raining outside or the skeeters are bothersome. Figure 1/2 jar per serving.

Boonie is right in that your body will need and will be craving fat.

Wow boonie. I didn't know about quinoa... To town I go!

quote nctry: "Wow boonie. I didn't know about quinoa... To town I go!"

I have used that a couple times now and it is great. Make sure you get any that say they are pre-washed. I have also found that cooking it at home and then dehydrating it saves a lot of boiling and simmering time out on the trail.

Preparing quinoa for the trail, from Freezer Bag cooking

My wife works at a bulk food store that has a machine that grinds nuts into nut butter. They sell peanut butter made from honey roasted peanuts that is great. This thread is making me think of various nuts and combinations of nuts that I could make nut butter out of.

nutrition is life. not eating enough of the right foods rob you of strength, attitude, just a general good feeling of what you are doing. starvation makes you dull, weak, not energized.
on canoe trips, especially solo trips, I read where some are not hungry and do not eat very much.
I too, have lived that moment-but food is fuel.
hawk vittles are my go to food. they provide all the nutrients I need.
sugar picks you up, but then you crash.
nuts,jerky, dark chocolate, raisins, dates.
take time to eat and have a good meal, it will enhance your trip.

quote nctry: "Wow boonie. I didn't know about quinoa... To town I go!"

nctry- Be sure to get pre-rinsed quinoa that Minnesotian mentioned because if you don't get all the saponins rinsed off it will have a bitter "soapy" taste. I like the Ancient Harvest brand. The size, taste, texture is very similar to couscous (if you've eaten that), which also makes a good substitute for rice, although not quite as nutritious as the quinoa. There are also red and black varieties of quinoa, as well as the regular.

Beav- I'll bet you ate a hell of a lot of PB and peanut M&M's didn't you? And yet, you're probably not so sick and tired of them that you never want to see them again, are you? I often just sit and eat PB out of the jar too.

My "go to" lunch on my trip up and back is PB, apples, and dark chocolate. It's a very seductive lunch. Pull into a rest stop picnic area, sit at a table next to a guy and his gal - she'll watch you take a bite of crisp, juicy apple, a spoonful of PB, and a chunk of dark chocolate. She'll watch way too long, maybe even smile. He won't. ;).

Plenty of good, healthy fats (as well as protein and carbs) in PB and other nut butters too like tpember said - almond butter, cashew butter, etc. Sometimes I just buy a jar of Dark Chocolate Dreams (by Peanut Butter & Co., I believe), and sit down and eat it.

I'm thinking some coconut cream might make an interesting addition to cereals or maybe curries.

As bwcasolo said, I like the fact that the Hawk Vittles and Outdoor Herbivore meals are devoid of chemical additives, mostly fairly low in sodium, and nutritious, as well as quite tasty.

Well, you all are making me hungry. I think I'll go have a bedtime snack :).

This is an interesting thread. I do not really think about things like calorie intake. My wife keeps me healthy and eating right :-)

Last year, I did my first longer loop with three other guys. 45 miles in two days, and we had one guy get really sick and could not even carry a pack on a travel day. Yes, he was really sick :-). So that one day was especially hard.

It took me about three or four days to fully recover and feel normal after the trip. I am 49 and in good health.

Could it be that I was not eating enough or the right food on the trip??

quote bwcasolo: " starvation makes you dull,


"

Wow, think how dull I'd be if I didn't eat well.

quote tpember: "This is an interesting thread. I do not really think about things like calorie intake. My wife keeps me healthy and eating right :-)


Last year, I did my first longer loop with three other guys. 45 miles in two days, and we had one guy get really sick and could not even carry a pack on a travel day. Yes, he was really sick :-). So that one day was especially hard.


It took me about three or four days to fully recover and feel normal after the trip. I am 49 and in good health.


Could it be that I was not eating enough or the right food on the trip??"

Yes, it could be. It could also be that you were dehydrated. Or it could be that, although healthy, your fitness level was not geared toward that level of exertion. I don't know what your loads were, but that's a lot of miles for 2 days.

Or...my vote - (D) all of the above :).

quote nctry: "

quote bwcasolo: " starvation makes you dull,



"

Wow, think how dull I'd be if I didn't eat well."

It also makes you think about food all the damn time, Ben, so that's when you should really start to worry :). If you haven't already, I recommend reading "The Lure of the Labrador Wild", by Dillon Wallace.

quote BeaV: "You've gotten a bunch of good replies already. I just wanted to add my 2 cents on foods to bring.

Peanut butter and peanut M&Ms. Simple as can be- just go to the store to buy and throw'em in your packs. Energy-packed food requiring no preparation, cooking, or cleanup. Pure energy! Those peanut M&Ms are power pills for snacking on while paddling. Peanut butter right from the jar makes for a great desert that can be eaten in your tent if it's raining outside or the skeeters are bothersome. Figure 1/2 jar per serving.

Boonie is right in that your body will need and will be craving fat."

I need to amend my above reply pushing fat intake. If you're really pushing hard hour after hour, carbohydrates need to be the main focus while exerting yourself to avoid "hitting the wall". Consume fatty foods while sitting in camp in the evening or if you want to lose weight, don't intake fat. Your body will then use your own fat reserves as needed. Most people have enough fat reserves to fuel themselves for at least a couple weeks.

If you want to lose weight, minimize the carbs as much as possible (though you can't completely cut them out when active all day). Eat all the fat you want - you can't get fat from fat!

Lots of great tips in this thread! I see a Bear Vault in my future, along with a lot of peanut M&M's. :)

quote MNDan: "If you want to lose weight, minimize the carbs as much as possible (though you can't completely cut them out when active all day). Eat all the fat you want - you can't get fat from fat!


Lots of great tips in this thread! I see a Bear Vault in my future, along with a lot of peanut M&M's. :)"

I must be an exception. My fat is all due to fat. And I don't eat enough carbs. So I guess we're all different. I eat way more carbs on trips and way less fat and I loose twenty pounds plus in good tripping years. I eat well out there.

quote MNDan: "If you want to lose weight, minimize the carbs as much as possible (though you can't completely cut them out when active all day). Eat all the fat you want - you can't get fat from fat!


Lots of great tips in this thread! I see a Bear Vault in my future, along with a lot of peanut M&M's. :)"

A few years ago when I was trying to lose weight and get in shape for an upcoming solo, a co worker who had lost a lot of weight shared the "Lose-It" app with me. I was never a big believer in counting calories but other methods were not working. There are 3500 calories in a pound. That doesn't mean if you have a 3500 calorie deficit you will lose a pound but it is a pretty good rule of thumb. But a calorie is a calorie. How quickly your body can convert food to a calorie ready to use will vary. Carbs get you that quick does you often need on a canoe trip. Using a calorie calculator canoeing burns about 500-600 calories per hour and portaging a bit more. On my solo trips I figure I can burn as much a 7000 calories on a long day and maybe about 4000 on a layover day. (my guess is BeaV was easily burning 10K a day) So losing a half pound to a pound a day on a active trip can be assumed. Losing some weight on a trip is nice side benefit but at some point it might detract from the trip. That was my concern on a 16 day trip. I know firsthand dehydration can do strange things to you. I also know that when burning that many excess calories a day for a long stretch can add stress to the body. Hence...how do you pack enough calories to keep going on a longer trip and keep the weight down?

Some good tips on here. Boonies advice on calories per oz is going down the right track. I found a good web site to find calorie per oz info to see how different foods stack up. Peanut M&Ms go for 155 calories per oz. Now to find some new ideas. I know peanut M&Ms will be in the pack... not just for the calories but for the inspiration I will get from eating them. :-)

I usually just take it off the label for most things. A lot of them, like my nuts, are a 1-oz (or 28-gram) serving. Amount per serving is 170 calories. Otherwise, I just multiply the calories per serving by number of servings and divide by net weight. But that'll be real handy for stuff that doesn't have a label.

Label on nuts

Mostly fat, but mostly not saturated, low in sugar and sodium, fair amount of potassium (important for maintaining sodium-potassium balance), modest amount of carbs, fiber, and protein. Some vitamins, and quite a fair dose of minerals, especially trace, in just one ounce and 170 calories!

Throw in a little bit of dried fruit for sweetness at about 80 calories per ounce. Adds carbs and fiber and minerals - a lot more potassium (which is good) and almost no sodium (which is good).

Four ounces of nuts, an ounce of dried fruit = 750 calories (150 per ounce), a mix of healthy fats, carbs, and protein, a fair amount of fiber - never underestimate the importance of regularity - and a lot of minerals and vitamins. Only 225 mg of sodium. Throw in a few M & M's or some chocolate if you want. You can't beat that.

No wonder GORP is such a popular trail food ;).

My longest stretch without resupply was 47 days. Red Lake, wandering through Woodland Caribou to the Bloodvein/Gammon confluence and then south to Dryden. That was 1994 and I was travelling heavy. 4 trips per portage.

More recently, 29 days on the MacFarlane and William Rivers in northern Saskatchewan. Two packs, both CCS Pioneers, triple layer pack liners. Down to 3 trips on this one. Food pack was 94lb to start. Gear was 79lb, with some overflow food. Should've taken one of Dan's ultralight day packs so the food pack wasn't quite so bad. I have a good appetite. I bring bulk foods (rice, quinoa, couscous, orzo, pasta), dry veggies and add something to flavor. I cook pantry style (no planned meals), which is a challenge the first few times to get the quantities right. Snacks are granola bars, chocolate, nuts and other bulk items, and bread and cheese for the 1st 9-10 days. Amazing how long hard white cheeses will last.

Foods I regularly dehydrate:
Frozen: corn, peas, broccoli, cauliflower (very easy, no chopping)
Cabbage, carrots, celery, green and black olives, squash, onions, beets, kale, peppers, potatoes, sweet potatoes
Cream of anything soup, Tomato paste
Ground beef, ground turkey, tuna
Apples, pears, bananas, kiwi, peaches, nectarines
I probably forgot a few.

The colder the trip the oil, butter, cheese and nuts.

Hope this helps.

quote boonie: "I used to take Gatorade too, hobbydog, but there are better options for the weight, bulk, and calories; leaving that out will lighten things up quite a bit. I think you'll be quite a bit lighter than the 1.65 lbs. per day and can up the calorie count a little too by adding some nuts, PB, or oil if you like. Even for the full 18 days, you should be able to get it below 25 lbs., which is still quite a bit, but I'd assume doable under the circumstances. Eat the heavy food the first three days ;).


@Hans- you could always just triple portage for the first 12 days. Or leave the couch at home ;). "

+1 on the food lists!

quote BeaV: "Peanut butter and peanut M&Ms. Simple as can be- just go to the store to buy and throw'em in your packs. Energy-packed food requiring no preparation, cooking, or cleanup. Pure energy!

Those peanut M&Ms are power pills for snacking on while paddling. Peanut butter right from the jar makes for a great desert that can be eaten in your tent if it's raining outside or the skeeters are bothersome. Figure 1/2 jar per serving.

Boonie is right in that your body will need and will be craving fat."

Two thumbs up on the Peanut Butter suggestion. I eat pounds of it annually, but it's also really an essential menu item as BeaV and boonie mentioned for the canoe camper's menu.

For me it's not just any Peanut Butter. I highly recommend two brands that are far healthier choices than your average Jif and Skippy.

Naturally More Peanut Butter

In addition to "Naturally More" being a healthy choice, it's packaged in half size plastic jars, so it's BWCAW "legal" right from the store. It's a little pricey, but you can actually find it at your local Wal-Mart.

Another great choice is the Smuckers Natural or Organic Peanut Butter. Another item I should probably just buy by the case.

Smuckers Natural Peanut Butter

Great tasting and a healthy choice for Peanut Butter. Not as packed with all the dietary "tweaks" of the Naturally More brand. Still, it beats the hell out of Jif, Skippy and other sugar laden brands.

The organic version is also a little pricey too, but I find just the "Natural" to be adequate. Unfortunately it comes in glass jars, which is a healthier packaging alternative. But for the BWCAW, Quetico, or other wilderness areas were glass and cans are prohibited, you'll need to re-package the Smuckers.

Hans Solo

Nice info on peanut butter Hans. Thanks I'm gonna check it out.

I'm also taking Manuka Honey with on my trip this year. Very thick and tasty and not a "fake" honey that's pretty common in stores these days. Here's a good article about that.
Fake honey

In that article there's a link to manuka honey. Click on that to learn about that particular honey.

:) Great minds think alike, Hans! Smuckers Natural has been my go-to PB for years. Ingredients: peanuts, a little salt. How much "peanuttier" can you get than that?

Last year I tried the Naturally More and it was very good too, although not as "peanutty" tasting. But a very good option with a bump in the nutritional profile.

I have had no luck with the squeeze tubes by Coughlans. Often they tear at the base and I am less than happy with the mess.

Any other repackaging options? Our local grocery has good PB in plastic jars so maybe I need not worry.

I have repackaged peanut butter and lots of things into nalgene bottles, the smaller ones with full caps that can be picked up at Paragis or other sites. Mixed nuts with some M&M's is my primary snack along with cheese sticks and the babybells for protein. Fats are good when tripping.

quote yellowcanoe: "I have had no luck with the squeeze tubes by Coughlans. Often they tear at the base and I am less than happy with the mess.


Any other repackaging options? Our local grocery has good PB in plastic jars so maybe I need not worry. "

Yeah, there are better options than the squeeze tubes ;). Wide mouth Nalgene containers as bhouse mentioned, or just re-purpose empty plastic PB containers for the Smuckers. Like Hans, I like that the Naturally More already comes in a plastic container and doesn't need repackaged.

If you want REAL honey and want to BEE HAPPY, Go to a local beekeeper and buy it from them!

I have Bee's and they are a lot of fun.

SunCatcher

check out the nutritional value of pemmican.
u can buy this great product from us wellness meats.
candy, sugar, may pick you up, but you will crash.
eat some real food. to each their own diet.

I really like the peanut butter idea. heavy yeah, but simple to eat with a lot of fuel in there.

quote kanoes: "I really like the peanut butter idea. heavy yeah, but simple to eat with a lot of fuel in there."

I am not a big peanut butter fan but it does have some advantages. I usually have some french bread along to go with it. I drink lots of water to wash it down. That helps with the hydration which can be as big an issue as getting calories.

quote SunCatcher: "If you want REAL honey and want to BEE HAPPY, Go to a local beekeeper and buy it from them!


I have Bee's and they are a lot of fun.


SunCatcher"

We used to have 300 hives, wish we still had them, I always take some honey with me, one of my favorite thing to go with PB.

quote kanoes: "I really like the peanut butter idea. heavy yeah, but simple to eat with a lot of fuel in there."

I'm thinking PB and Hersey bars will make a good lunch snack instead of bread and PB.

Love eating peanut butter on trips, expecially in Pad Thai. But I also don't like the heavyness of it. So, I started using PB2 - powdered peanut butter. Ya, it is not exactly the same as chunky peanut butter, and you have to expirment with the water to peanut powder ratio, but it tastes great in my opinion and works in recipies perfectly. I haven't really tried it streight onto bread though. I usually get it through amazon.

quote Minnesotian: "
Love eating peanut butter on trips, expecially in Pad Thai. But I also don't like the heavyness of it. "

I tried dehydrating it- doesn't work.

quote boonie: "My "go to" lunch on my trip up and back is PB, apples, and dark chocolate. It's a very seductive lunch. Pull into a rest stop picnic area, sit at a table next to a guy and his gal - she'll watch you take a bite of crisp, juicy apple, a spoonful of PB, and a chunk of dark chocolate. She'll watch way too long, maybe even smile. He won't :-)"

OMG... I will never be able to eat apples with PB quite the same after reading that! :-)

quote Minnesotian: "
Love eating peanut butter on trips, expecially in Pad Thai. But I also don't like the heavyness of it. So, I started using PB2 - powdered peanut butter. Ya, it is not exactly the same as chunky peanut butter, and you have to expirment with the water to peanut powder ratio, but it tastes great in my opinion and works in recipies perfectly. I haven't really tried it streight onto bread though. I usually get it through amazon. "

I just bought a jar of the PB2 at Target for my spring trip. I am going to mix it into my morning cereal/oats and also to flavor Thai style noodles for dinner.

I am also going to experiment and mix up a batch of
Super Spackle in the next month or so to see if I like it enough to bring along as a trail snack. I am planning on substituting organic honey for Agave.

My longest trip is 10 days solo and for that trip I filled two BV 500 containers. I vacuum packed each meal separately and had two small nalgenes of bourbon. This year I am going to package more items in bulk to cut down on the space used by individually packing each meal and try to get everything into one Ursack. Should be doable as I will only be out for 7 days at a time.

quote Bearpaulsen: "My longest stretch without resupply was 47 days. Red Lake, wandering through Woodland Caribou to the Bloodvein/Gammon confluence and then south to Dryden. That was 1994 and I was travelling heavy. 4 trips per portage.


More recently, 29 days on the MacFarlane and William Rivers in northern Saskatchewan. Two packs, both CCS Pioneers, triple layer pack liners. Down to 3 trips on this one. Food pack was 94lb to start. Gear was 79lb, with some overflow food. Should've taken one of Dan's ultralight day packs so the food pack wasn't quite so bad. I have a good appetite. I bring bulk foods (rice, quinoa, couscous, orzo, pasta), dry veggies and add something to flavor. I cook pantry style (no planned meals), which is a challenge the first few times to get the quantities right. Snacks are granola bars, chocolate, nuts and other bulk items, and bread and cheese for the 1st 9-10 days. Amazing how long hard white cheeses will last.


Foods I regularly dehydrate:
Frozen: corn, peas, broccoli, cauliflower (very easy, no chopping)
Cabbage, carrots, celery, green and black olives, squash, onions, beets, kale, peppers, potatoes, sweet potatoes
Cream of anything soup, Tomato paste
Ground beef, ground turkey, tuna
Apples, pears, bananas, kiwi, peaches, nectarines
I probably forgot a few.
"

Thanks for that, Bear. I pack my food similarly and eat many of the same things (vegetarian so lots of grains and beans). I'm hoping for a 30 day trip around the WCPP area this summer and was wondering if I could do it, practically, without a resupply. Sounds like yes!

Alan

quote Minnesotian: "
So, I started using PB2 - powdered peanut butter. Ya, it is not exactly the same as chunky peanut butter, and you have to expirment with the water to peanut powder ratio,
"

I saw this at the store the other day and got all excited until I looked at the nutritional info. If I remember right there was considerably less calories and protein than regular peanut butter. I assume much of the oil was removed to make it dehydratable. While I like the taste of peanut butter the real reason I carry it is fuel so I think I'll be sticking with the real thing.

Alan

quote Alan Gage: "

quote Minnesotian: "
So, I started using PB2 - powdered peanut butter. Ya, it is not exactly the same as chunky peanut butter, and you have to expirment with the water to peanut powder ratio,
"

I saw this at the store the other day and got all excited until I looked at the nutritional info. If I remember right there was considerably less calories and protein than regular peanut butter. I assume much of the oil was removed to make it dehydratable. While I like the taste of peanut butter the real reason I carry it is fuel so I think I'll be sticking with the real thing.


Alan"

Good point. I haven't looked at the label so may have to rethink whether I need the fat calories and protein on my trips.

It's interesting to note the different number of calories (remember that's the measure of energy in a food) provided by each of the three products - Smuckers Natural PB, Naturally More PB, and PB2:

A 16-oz. jar of Smuckers provides 14 210-calorie servings, 2,940 calories in the jar, 184 calories per oz.

A 16-oz jar of Naturally More provides 13 169-calorie servings, 2,197 calories in the jar, 138 calories per oz.

A 16-oz jar of PB2 provides 37 45-calorie servings, 1,665 calories in the jar, 104 calories per oz.

You'd have to carry over 28 ounces of the PB2 to get the same number of calories as the Smuckers. It would be bulkier and less nutritious since you're giving up most of the healthy fats in exchange for some added sugar.

having said that, I still think it has uses as a flavoring in some dishes.

While the Naturally More provides fewer calories than the Smuckers, it provides more than the PB2, while providing certain nutritional enhancements.

But for pure food energy, Smuckers wins and there's nothing in the ingredient list to worry about - peanuts and a little salt is about as simple as it gets.

OMG... I will never be able to eat apples with PB quite the same after reading that! :-)

The real clincher is after you eat the apple, then the PB, then that chunk of dark chocolate goes in your mouth and you just let it melt, your eyes close, and . . . well, you know I'd never embellish :).


I am also going to experiment and mix up a batch of
Super Spackle in the next month or so to see if I like it enough to bring along as a trail snack. I am planning on substituting organic honey for Agave.

Let us know how that tastes and...how much work it is to fill a 2-liter Platypus with it. That seems like a job best left to professionals ;).

quote boonie: "
I am also going to experiment and mix up a batch of
Super Spackle

Let us know how that tastes and...how much work it is to fill a 2-liter Platypus with it. That seems like a job best left to professionals ;)."

I will report back on the taste but I can tell you right now that even if I love it I won't be bringing 2-liters of it on the trail with me! BeaV might be able to polish off that amount but I surely wouldn't be able to.

I will likely use the smaller Coghlans tubes or possibly vacuum pack individual portions for trail ease.

coghlans tubes...I wouldn't trust them. personal experience.

Yeah, I think a wide-mouth jar would be better than the tube. If the spoon is too much extra weight (and trouble) just scoop it out with a finger, but be sure to clean out under that fingernail before you go to bed ;).

quote boonie: "Yeah, I think a wide-mouth jar would be better than the tube. If the spoon is too much extra weight (and trouble) just scoop it out with a finger"

Sticks make good finger/utensil substitutes. A nice finger width stick with the bark scraped off stirs my hot chocolate, mixes my bannock, and spreads peanut butter.

Alan

quote HansSolo: "


Another great choice is the Smuckers Natural or Organic Peanut Butter. Another item I should probably just buy by the case.

Smuckers Natural Peanut Butter



Hans Solo"

+1 on the Smuckers Peanut Butter, best peanut butter I've had bar none, and I've tried them all! I stay away from the brands that have added sugar, oils etc. Just peanuts and salt.

I just weighed my food for my 2 week trip, a little under 11#, thats snacks and all my other food. My final back weight is 39#, my carry bag will be a little over 7# depending what cloths I take off and add to it and water bottles, Waist pack 5#, canoe about 35# with extra paddle and 1 fishing pole, Every thing together a little under a 100#, besides what I'm wearing and life jacket.

All this talk about peanut butter reminded me of a company i have been using lately. Justin's Nut Butters They sell their butters in regular jars as well as individual 2 oz packaging. I have used the classic peanut butter as well as the almond butter for a couple recipes now and they are great. Better nutritional value then the PB2 but without the weight of bringing a whole jar.

My favorite food for low weight, low bulk, high energy meals is Vigo or Mahatma rice. I could eat red beans and rice with a 15 inch walleye every night for dinner without getting sick of it. I like these brands as much for the low bulk, and energy just as much as I like them for the taste. My food pack is usually pretty small, and I'm never wanting for food.

Oat meal or biscuits or pancackes for breakfasts, Vigo for dinner with a fish and then I'll bring a bag of nuts and a bag of dried strawberries and I'm good for a while.

The real trick on a long trip is bringing enough whiskey!

quote housty9: "I just weighed my food for my 2 week trip, a little under 11#, thats snacks and all my other food. My final back weight is 39#, my carry bag will be a little over 7# depending what cloths I take off and add to it and water bottles, Waist pack 5#, canoe about 35# with extra paddle and 1 fishing pole, Every thing together a little under a 100#, besides what I'm wearing and life jacket."

That food weight is pretty light, housty. I usually figure on about 1.2 lbs., but often come in lower. How many dinners and breakfasts is that?

I'm also hoping to have my total weight for everything except the clothes I'm wearing, come in between 90-100 lbs. and the closer to 90 lbs. the better.

Enjoy your trip!

quote TheBrownLeader: "The real trick on a long trip is bringing enough whiskey!"

Exactly! That Bourbon is not light!

I am in the process of putting my food together for my upcoming trips. I will have to weigh my food this year to see what it actually weighs to see what I am adding to my pack.

quote luft: "

quote TheBrownLeader: "The real trick on a long trip is bringing enough whiskey!"

Exactly! That Bourbon is not light!


I am in the process of putting my food together for my upcoming trips. I will have to weigh my food this year to see what it actually weighs to see what I am adding to my pack."

You need to take that dehydrated version of bourbon that some people rave about ;).

Or at least the more concentrated form of alcohol.

Even just cutting out the Gatorade reduced my bulk and weight considerably.

Yeah, now I'll be curious to see what my food weighs for my trip.

I think it's definitely doable. My longest solo trip is 14 days and I usually have some leftovers for emergency situations. I know I could fit a few more food items in my pack.