Discussion Board

I've decided I need to start exercising and I've signed up for a hiking club, since none of my family or friends likes to hike. So, what are some hiker friendly food I can pack that will keep for a day in my pack? AnneC

When I'm going to be away from home for any length of time, I pack my food in this Thermos, I have two of them...purchased at Target. It keeps my food hot or cold for a really long time. If you pack your food hot, the lid will be difficult to remove, it seals really tight. So I bring along one of those rubber flower jar openers to open it easily.

Today my husband and I attended all day marriage communication workshop and they served a steak and chicken burrito lunch, coffee, donuts, and soda...so glad I had my own food! I was the only one who brought food and I definitely got some looks. The next meeting will be in the middle of May and I can't wait for them to see how nice and thin I will be!

Lately my favorite has been a warm red potato salad with raw green vegetables and a homemade mustard and vinegar dressing. I also pack a couple of bananas along, nature's fast food!

http://www.thermos.com/products/vacuum- ... spoon.aspx

Oh, how do you make that homemade mustard and vinegar dressing? THAT sounds great to me!!

Thanks...
I also pack carrots in foil, they keep well, and make potato "chips" that are great to munch on. One whole potato makes a nice batch.

All measurements are approximate, I just throw it together until it tastes and looks right.

1 cup water
1/3 cup white vinegar
3 TBSP brown mustard
1 TBSP Mrs. Dash Original
1 TBSP dehydrated minced garlic
1 TBSP dehydrated onion
1/4 tsp pepper
3 packets Splenda

Put all ingredients into a bottle and shake until mixed.

I pour this over cold, cubed red potatoes (skin on), chopped celery, chopped carrots, shredded raw cabbage, or whatever raw veggies I have on hand. It tastes really good hot or cold and is a whole lot less expensive than the bottled dressings at the store.

I tried making some potato chips a couple of weeks ago and they were so good. For me though, I could eat them all day, so it'll be an occasional treat.

Anne, I always get really hungry while hiking!

I would take a hearty sandwich- hummus (keeps well unrefrigerated for a day) with cukes, shredded carrots, shredded cabbage, tomato etc. along with the previously mentioned potato salad. I often pack baby carrots and red pepper strips with more hummus to snack on. I've not hiked since I started McDougalling, but now I would probably add in some cooked baby potatoes as well. Depending on how far you are going to go, I would have a cooler in my car with extra water to hydrate when you are done and maybe some extra snacks in there as well.

If it were all day (which you are probably not going to do to start with), I would also add in a baggie of cereal for a morning snack on the trail.

Enjoy yourself! Make sure you get boots that fit...go to a store like REI or Cabelas if you have one near you instead of someplace like a Sports Authority.

Pam

Thanks for the replies. The thermos suggestion is the best idea, since then I can just take my regular food along with me. I haven't had to pack a lunch in a thermos since I was a kid, so I guess I just didn't think of that. I've done a few 2 or 3 mile walks already, but those are so short, I don't really need a snack and they were close to civilization, so didn't have to worry about being far from a food source.

I did a lot of bike riding last summer - worked up to 16 mile trips and that was before McDougalling and weight loss, so I'm really excited to see how far I can go this summer. AnneC

I made some of this dressing today using these measurements and it wasn't right...I added more vinegar...I would use 1/2 cup vinegar, not 1/3 cup.

I've been on a few hikes since I last posted and thought I'd let everyone know that the thermos idea really worked. I purchased one designed for hiking which is pretty much unbreakable and designed to last 7 hours. It kept it my vegy potato meal nice and hot and I packed some fresh vegy sticks with an ice pack to keep them cold and that worked well too. My pack wasn't exactly lightweight with all my food, but it worked out well and I figure the extra weight can only help with the weight loss. Thanks again for all your ideas. AnneC

Hi Anne, Can you share a link to your thermos maybe at Amazon or REI?

I actually bought it at WalMart in the camping section.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Thermos-Steel ... e/16537201