
Deciding what food to take on a five-day hike, when you’ll have to carry every bit of it on your back (plus a whole lot else besides), can be a real challenge. Chantal Deacon Daniel comes up with some healthy ideas.
The Otter Trail, as many will agree with me, is possibly the most beautiful hike in the country, with its pristine beaches, majestic waterfalls, fern-filled forests, inviting rock pools and tannin-coloured rivers. Having now completed the hike 5 times (AND the trail run twice – article on this to follow), I feel I am finally starting to fine-tune the packing, and, most importantly, what food to take!
The trick with this sort of hike is to keep everything as lightweight as possible – remember, you will be carrying everything on your back for five days (including cooking pots, utensils, sleeping bags, food and clothes). Unfortunately it’s not practical to take only fresh food, as it may spoil or get squashed and is likely to be heavy, so the focus is always on what’s light and easy to prepare. Nutritional intake is therefore often less than satisfactory. However, there are ways to counteract this to some degree – without packing your whole vegetable garden plus your juicer, of course! Here are my tips for making sure that your hiking food is as nutritious as possible.
The number one thing to remember when exercising heavily is to keep yourself hydrated. Drink plenty of water throughout the day, and fill up your water bottle at every safe spot. Find out before you start the hike whether water purification tablets are necessary. I recommend avoiding sugary energy drinks if possible but I do prioritise electrolyte drinks, especially for those of us who sweat profusely. My current favourite is drip drop or rehidrat sport.
RISE AND SHINE
Breakfast is always a priority – the most important meal of the day, as we are continually being told. When tackling a long and strenuous hike it is particularly important to refuel your body in preparation for the day ahead.
One lightweight yet nutritious breakfast option is a mix of quinoa flakes and oats, 1 teaspoon of xylitol (or to taste), and 1 tablespoon of hemp powder (this contains 20 amino acids – including all the essential ones – and is 30% protein). If you are more adventurous you can add other superfoods such as lacuma (rich in vitamin B3 and absolutely deliciously creamy), maca (good for endurance and an excellent adaptogenic, packed with vitamins, minerals, amino acids, phytonutrients and enzymes), we also love to add nut butters for extra protein and they make the oats so creamy and delicious. Wazoogles oat pots are also a firm breakfast favourtie and save the hassle of prepping and portioning.
Measure this all out into a ziplock bag, so that when the time comes you can just add some warm water. Preparation is key for a five-day hike – if you are properly prepared you save time, you don’t waste anything, and you can ensure that you are carrying the bare minimum. This entails putting in a bit of extra effort before you leave, but believe me, it is worth while! Bananas for the first day or two (they do go brown quite quickly) are a nice touch, and apples last very well. Muesli is always a popular option for the less adventurous (try to stick to a sugar- and wheat-free variety).
One of the following (or a mixture) with a glass of water makes a good morning booster:
- Wheat grass powder
- Barley grass powder
- Spirulina powder
Mixed organic fruit, vegetable, phytonutrient and enzyme powders (I recommend Primary Greens or Pure Synergy) Green Power from The Real Thing is another excellent product.
Snacking during the day is a necessary part of hiking. I find it best to make up two snack packs for each day with a combination of the following (choose organic products wherever possible):
Savoury nut and seed pack:
- raw almonds
- raw brazil nuts
- raw walnuts
- raw pecan nuts
- raw cashew nuts
- sunflower seeds
- pumpkin seeds
Add a sprinkling of Himalayan crystal salt to this mix.
Biltong is always a great additional snack and protein source and so easy to carry.
Sweet pack:
- goji berries – used by the Chinese for thousands of years, this superfood contains all the essential amino acids (plus many more) as well as 21 trace minerals – it’s also very high in antioxidants and has numerous health benefits.
- raw cacao beans/nibs – rich in magnesium and antioxidants and ‘feel-good’ neuro- transmitters
- dates
- dried cranberries
- dried organic mango.
BREAKING FOR LUNCH
For a light lunch I love organic rough oatcakes (containing slow-releasing carbohydrates), which are both delicious and very filling. For the first day a rye and pumpkin seed bread (fresh) sandwich could be an option. Sachets or tins of seafood are popular with those who eat fish. Sea vegetables (mineral rich and yummy) such as nori or dulse are both nutritious and very light in weight, so they are an absolute must! And to finish things off, an organic coconut bar or some other health bar (look for ones with no cane sugar or trans-fats – good ones include Oskri and Maryanne’s).
THE END OF THE DAY
At supper time take a green powder mix with a glass of water as in the morning. Organic quinoa is a fabulous option for supper. It is a seed rather than a traditional grain, so it’s gluten free, and it is also a complete protein, containing the essential amino acids in the correct balance (it comprises 12 – 18% protein). This easy-to-digest food is high in iron, magnesium, phosphorus and fibre. Amaranth is another grain that is high in protein (particularly lysine and methionine). It is also high in fibre and minerals and has been found to contain cholesterol-lowering agents.1 A traditionally popular option for supper on a hiking trail is pasta – if this is your preference, stick to organic wholewheat pasta (there are also some excellent wheat-free varieties available). We also enjoy the chickpea and lentil based pastas.
Various sauces or combinations can be used with the above, pesto being one of my favourites. Garlic, onions, green peppers and baby tomatoes often travel well. Brown basmati rice and wild rice are fabulous, and I’ve found that lentils prove a good option too. For non-vegetarians, ostrich steak (vacuum packed and frozen) could be an option for the first night or two.
And for dessert there’s nothing like treating yourself to a couple of blocks of extra-dark chocolate (85%), or nibbling on some cacao nibs or ginger oatcakes with a delicious cup of herbal tea (my favourites include ginger, mint, chai, green and chamomile).
Remember, these are just suggestions, but even incorporating one or two of them into your hiking menu plan could be beneficial. It is also important to stick to your current nutritional supplement regimen.
More recently we ventured to the Cederberg and Nambia for some family camping and hiking. We even slept in a cave for two nights. This was an incredible adventure for the children and involved many new ‘food' opportunities. Some highlights included, many a potjie dinner – our favourites are curry based with free range chicken and lots of vegetables. We also loved the freeze dried meals from Forever Fresh – the children loved eating ‘astronaut' food. We packed all the usual health snacks and plenty of apples. A big party of the learning was that we each had to ration our food and only had the ‘daily allowance' available. This was certainly a way to kick fussiness to the curb. We shared many special moments sleeping under the stars and learning about being in the wild and self-sufficiency.
Happy hiking!
Editor's note: Here is an article on The Lowdown on Health Bars. For those who don't et meat, here is an article on Vegan Athletes Reach Peak Performance. Another interesting topic is Paleo vs Plant – a comprehensive response to an ongoing debate.
Reference
1. Marcone MF, et al. Amaranth as a rich dietary source of beta-sitosterol and other phytosterols. Plant Foods Hum Nutr 2003; 58(3): 207-211.
Bibliography
- Amagase H, Nance DM. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical study of the general effects of a standardized Lycium barbarum (Goji) juice, GoChi. J Altern Complement Med 2008; 14(4): 403-412.
- Holford P. Optimum Nutrition Made Easy. Piatkus Books, 2008.
- Murray M, et al. The Encyclopaedia of Healing Foods. Piatkus Books, 2008.
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