Favorite foods on your elk hunt

[codym]

This is entirely dependent on the terrain, distance, and your current fitness level. Most people aren't breaking down that much muscle to require that much protein per day while in the field. Carbs are going to be more helpful for a 3-6 mile hike, which is nothing unless you're literally climbing a mountain. If you tank on day 3, you're not in good enough shape in the first place.

Disagree. 3-6 mile hikes are definitely breaking down muscle tissue especially if you have 30-40 pound pack on your back. Do this for several long days in a row you will need to have a significant source of protein to recover. If you want to live off carbs constantly spiking your insulin levels so be it. I think as nutrition evolves in hunting you will see protein will be the corner stone macro unless people are doing Keto, like in every other fitness regime in the world.

 

[DavePwns]

For breakfast I pretty much always have the same thing - extra large home made oatmeal, raisin, chocolate, walnut cookie with hot black tea w/ a packet of sugar.

walnuts are one of the most calorie dense foods per gram and provide good fats and some protein, the cookies are soft and very enjoyable to eat with a hot caffeinated drink.

If I am extra hungry I will have one of the many types of LÄRABAR - they have clean ingredients, high calorie per oz easy to eat, and I buy them in bulk at grocery outlet for super cheap

for lunch I like having a butthole sandwhichs as Aron Snyder likes to say. ( bagel, peanut butter, bacon, honey) I typically bake my bacon glazed with maple syrup in bulk in the oven at 350 degrees with heavy duty tin foil lining the baking sheets for easy clean up, and then I freeze the bagels prior to the trip. Alot of times I will double up on the bacon and it extremely tasty and filling after a long hike. I like the "everything" bagel with the sandwiches.

 

[Cockeye]

Pork tenderloin cook with green Chile from NM and hominy corn in the can cooker.

 

[Lytro]

Disagree. 3-6 mile hikes are definitely breaking down muscle tissue especially if you have 30-40 pound pack on your back. Do this for several long days in a row you will need to have a significant source of protein to recover. If you want to live off carbs constantly spiking your insulin levels so be it. I think as nutrition evolves in hunting you will see protein will be the corner stone macro unless people are doing Keto, like in every other fitness regime in the world.

Live off carbs? Lol. OP is asking about an easy breakfast option and I recommended simple carbs for quick energy so he’s not dragging ass out the gate.

It’s no secret that protein is necessary if you have any understanding of nutrition, but if you NEED 300+ grams protein to recover from a 3-6 mile hike, you probably need to get in better shape.

 

[neil.hansford]

Breakfast? That's easy. Coffee and a donut....I can hunt all morning on that.....day after day after day. If I start realizing it's not enough after a few days, 2 donuts.

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[codym]

The average sedentary man needs a gram of protein per body weight on a daily basis. The Elk hunting I’ve done is anything but sedentary. Yea carbs to get you through one part of a hike I get it, it takes 90 minutes to burn through glycogen stores with vigorous activity then in an over simplification you began to burn glycogen in muscle tissue which eventually results in break down of muscle. It can’t be rebuilt without protein. It doesn’t matter how good of shape you are in. If you do vigorous activity and don’t provide the proper nutrition to recover your body will fail at some point. I train some of the most conditioned athletes in the world I understand what prolonged malnutrition will do to performance do you? My elk hunts have been 10 or 15 day affairs here in NM and I average 10 miles a day. I’ve seen guys in great shape that didn’t eat right and not drink enough water struggle around day 4. Do what you want I know I will be doing.

 

[justin84]

That doesn’t sound like much fat. A packet of peanut butter is 17g of fat and a RX Bar is a measly 9g. For comparison, Heather’s Choice dinners have 40-50g of fat, a typical slice of salami has about 3g of fat and 1 tbsp of powdered butter has 4g of fat. Mountain House meals typically contain less than 10g of fat. An oz of macadamia nuts is 21g of fat.

I’m not a bean counter so I tend to just approximate intake, but, I’m mountains Conditions, ~30% of your calories sources from fat is likely ideal, so, on a 3,000 calorie budget, ~100g of fat a day and a little more is probably of use if it’s particularly cold. So, you’d need to eat 4 packets of peanuts butter and 4 Rx bars a day to get that, which probably isn’t sustainable.

To each their own!

 

[justin84]

Do what you want I know I will be doing.

Probably the most important part of this conversation. Everyone is different. Do what works for you!

 

[CJF]

This year I made little baggies for cold oats so I could put water in the night before and it will be ready to eat in the morning.

1 cup oatmeal
2 Tbls chia seeds
1 scoop protien powder

Fat 15
Carb 48
Protien 40
Calories 612View attachment 117396

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This right here is close to my go to breakfast since I stopped packing a stove. Only difference is that I use powdered whole milk and powdered peanut butter in lieu of the protein powder.

 

[hammerguy]

I greatly appreciate the spirited suggestions. Historically I choked down a granola bar and dehydrated apple because I too struggle with morning food when hunting. That said, by lunch I am dragging and need a nap to get me to dark. By day four, if the weather isn't perfect, spore promising, and the comraderie ideal (in other words, on a mental high) I'm near tapped.
This year i am going to change things up. No more calorie deficit, thinking the week is a good long exercise/training session. I also use GU when racing marathons, not sure why I never thought to use some of them on a hunt. Finally, a protein increase seems logical - the oats and protein powder sounds easy.
What about adding some dehydrated honey?

 

[ljrunyanii]

I greatly appreciate the spirited suggestions. Historically I choked down a granola bar and dehydrated apple because I too struggle with morning food when hunting. That said, by lunch I am dragging and need a nap to get me to dark. By day four, if the weather isn't perfect, spore promising, and the comraderie ideal (in other words, on a mental high) I'm near tapped.
This year i am going to change things up. No more calorie deficit, thinking the week is a good long exercise/training session. I also use GU when racing marathons, not sure why I never thought to use some of them on a hunt. Finally, a protein increase seems logical - the oats and protein powder sounds easy.
What about adding some dehydrated honey?

I like the honey idea. I may put that in and try some tomorrow.

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[stump06]

Any alternatives for oatmeal? Never been a fan but I like the simplicity of it

 

[JtAnvil]

I never eat breakfast when out hunting, and even rarely at home as well. I have my coffee and I'm ready to go. When I'm out and about I'll have a MH, or bacon, or maybe a sandwich if I packed one........some nut and dried fruit mix, and maybe a cookie or two.

In base camp I'll have fried chicken, ribs, burritos, ribeyes, sandwiches, chili, spaghetti with elk meat sauce, etc, etc. I also always have salad mix, cantaloupe, apples, grapes, bananas......

Imma need coordinates to that base camp and what time will super be

 

[Btaylor]

Any alternatives for oatmeal? Never been a fan but I like the simplicity of it

Powdered eggs? Would be a good source of protein and with some pre cooked bacon would make a tasty morning nibble.

 

[codym]

For protein I like jerky, tuna packs, high protein protein bars (25+ grams) protein powder and if car camping a good lean steak or piece of salmon at night. The problem with honey (simple sugars) is they spike insulin levels and only give a short burst of energy then leave you feeling bad. Your better off having complex carbs think sprouted grain products to help regulate insulin levels and more sustained energy. Fat is even better at this as it’s 9 calories per gram and breaks down slower and helps you feel full longer and keeps insulin levels stable.

 

[codym]

Powdered eggs? Would be a good source of protein and with some pre cooked bacon would make a tasty morning nibble.

Definitely. Ate a ton of powdered eggs in the Marine Corp!

 

[Poser]

I dehydrate pineapples, mangos etc for carbs. I slice them up and dip them in a mix of honey and lemon juice before dehydrating. I’ve been increasingly switching to relying more on dried fruit for carbs vs gels, honey stingers etc since I hate dealing with the packaging as trash and thy are annoyingly expensive even in bulk. I haven’t eliminated them completely because there is and likely always will be a place for glucose uninhibited by fiber, but I’ve been cutting them back.

I try to tweak and experiment with Backcountry nutrition every year. Since I do a lot of alpine/Backcountry Mtn biking including multiday trips in the summer and early Fall, it’s a good way to experiment with fuel for regular anaerobic bursts on top of sustained all day and multi day efforts.

 

[xcutter]

I love fresh Medjool Dates. I don't eat them very calorie dense and high in sugar. They will be in my pack this season.

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

Any alternatives for oatmeal? Never been a fan but I like the simplicity of it

You can make yourself like it if you want, I hated oatmeal but always thought it would be a good breakfast food, always smelled and looked good. One day, because of some new dietary restrictions, I just started choking it down and now I actually enjoy it. It helps to do the steel cut, the texture is better and therefore not as bad.

 

[young7.3]

We changed our morning routine last year to get going quicker. We get up, get dressed, brush our teeth with a piece of gum and head out. Takes maybe 10 minutes and off we go. Nibble on a bar as we hike then once the morning settles fire up our stove and make an oatmeal/protein powder mix or MH breakfast. The warm breakfast is pretty nice and we don't have to rush at that point.

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I like this strategy for those mornings you are running behind!