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TigerFan 
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Joined: May 2010
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Posted on: Dec. 06 2012, 5:11 pm |
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I suddenly have a 14yo son who is constantly hungry and we have an 8-day hike planned for the spring. I don't know which scares me more... that he won't have enough food (I'm pretty sure I'm ultimately the one who'll go hungry if that happens) or that his pack will weigh more than he does. I have no idea where it all goes, because he's still < 100 lb. So, carrying a huge heavy pack full of food isn't an option.
I need high calorie but lightweight food ideas. He loves pasta. Hasn't beed thrilled with freeze-dried meats. Doesn't like cheese. Hates mashed potatoes. Not big on nuts. What will be the most satisfying? Should I concentrate on calories? Or take and add olive oil?
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Duct tape is like the Force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together.
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| Post Number: 2
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| Post Number: 3
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RebeccaD
Double Arch, Arches N.P.
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Posted on: Dec. 06 2012, 7:13 pm |
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My 15-y.o. presents similar problems. Tons of jerky. Slim Jims. Homemade energy bars, customized. Candy. Lots of pasta, some success with wraps (see Sarbar's web site, or I can send recipes). Peanut butter.
Or take him to high altitude and see if you can make him lose his appetite 
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Bits of writerly thoughts and random short fiction found at
The Ninja Librarian Blog
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| Post Number: 4
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ol-zeke
me in the Tetons
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Posted on: Dec. 06 2012, 7:38 pm |
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I would suggest he write down everything he eats for a couple of weeks. Everything. Then, you can sit down with him and figure out how to come up with 8 days of calories for his trip. Add me to list that carries olive oil. It makes bland meals more tolerable.
FBC--Spaghetti & meat sauce, Chili Mac, Chicken & broccoli alfredo (using Mt H chicken breast if necessary), This site helps me pack the most calories per ounce carried. Interestingly enough, Pringles can be smashed and eaten or used as a fire starter.
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Everything I know, I learned by doing it wrong at least twice.
The easiest way to ruin a Friday is to realize it is only Tuesday.
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| Post Number: 5
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LiteMan
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Joined: May 2012
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Posted on: Dec. 07 2012, 12:53 pm |
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A lot of typical, common hiking foods are pretty low in fiber content. The SAD is generally really critically low in fiber. Foods with fiber tend to offer that more full feeling. Also amounts of protein tend to help with that as well.
So i would recommend higher calorie foods and higher amounts of fiber. Could supplement with things such as dried figs, whole grain pastas vs white stuff, whey protein stuff, etc. With things like Figs, you can dip them in Coconut oil, and while i haven't tried this myself so i can't say how well it would taste, you can dip it in coconut oil and then roll it in Vanilla whey protein. (now that i mentioned it, i'm going to try it though).
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| Post Number: 6
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| Post Number: 7
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TigerFan
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Posted on: Dec. 07 2012, 1:08 pm |
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Thanks for all the suggestions.
I did have a chuckle, though, imagining his reaction to "write down everything he eats for a couple of weeks. Everything." and "Figs [...] dip it in coconut oil and then roll it in Vanilla whey protein"  I have a pretty typical teen -- pasta, jerky and slim jims is much more likely and he doesn't write down anything!
@Ol-zeke, thanks for the link, very helpful.
Glad to hear all the pasta/carbo suggestions. That's what we normally take anyway. Maybe I just have to take *more* of it this time.
Breakfasts are tough; he doesn't really like oat meal (though I guess he'll eat it if he's hungry since he ate all of *my* oatmeal on our last hike.) He likes Cheerios and peanut butter but 8 days' worth will be super bulky *and* heavy. 
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Duct tape is like the Force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together.
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| Post Number: 8
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RebeccaD
Double Arch, Arches N.P.
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Posted on: Dec. 08 2012, 12:23 pm |
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TF, try some other hot cereals. Eldest Son doesn't like oatmeal, but he does like cream of wheat and grits. Also consider (though expensive) freeze-dried scrambled eggs. You can repackage for less bulk and to split a two-serving package. We added shelf-stable bacon to half our breakfasts this summer, too. Seemed like we needed more protein at breakfast to keep ES and me from needing lunch at 9 a.m., and it did help. With the bacon, I just stuffed the unopened package (the inner, plastic one; leave the box at home of course) into the cosy with the oatmeal and it takes the cold edge off.
ES also finds that chewing gum helps when he feels a little hungry. Giving his mouth something to do seems to say least take his mind off it.
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Bits of writerly thoughts and random short fiction found at
The Ninja Librarian Blog
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| Post Number: 9
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schmittdas
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Posted on: Dec. 08 2012, 1:00 pm |
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most important to find out what he will eat. all the suggestions are great, but he has to eat it. Any chance you can cash some food along the your planned route?
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Swa = (a*Rw/(Phie^m)/Rt)^(1/n)
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| Post Number: 10
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| Post Number: 11
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TigerFan
Group: Members
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Joined: May 2010
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Posted on: Dec. 10 2012, 1:51 pm |
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(OverUnder @ Dec. 10 2012, 10:25 am)
QUOTE Have you ever had him try soaking the oats instead of cooking them. Just pour the hot water over the oats and eat. I'm not big on cooked oatmeal but I love the soaked oats version. I put enough hot water on them to make sure they are covered and a little extra. I also and the regular additions to them.
Yeah, we never actually "cook" the oatmeal. We've tried the instant stuff (blech) and FBC-style with 'minute' oats. He just doesn't like most things even remotely in the "mushy" category... which a lot of BP food inevitably falls into.
QUOTE Any chance you can cash some food along the your planned route?
No, not possible.
I do agree that he has to be able to eat it, which is really why I'm getting ideas now, so that we can try some of these things before the hike.
We tried grits. Polenta. Cream of Wheat. No go on those. He doesn't like scrambled eggs either. He does, however, love carbonara, so I'm thinking about that using the shelf-stable bacon.
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Duct tape is like the Force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together.
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| Post Number: 12
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TDale
Group: Members
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Joined: Jun. 2005
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Posted on: Dec. 10 2012, 8:21 pm |
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Do you ever eat cornbread? I'm big on corn as an energy source. Cornbread is pretty light and with honey may appeal to him.
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"Sure as I know anything, I know this - they will try again...They'll swing back to the belief that they can make people... better. And I do not hold to that. So no more runnin'. I aim to misbehave."
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| Post Number: 13
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SauntRR
Group: Members
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Joined: Jan. 2008
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Posted on: Dec. 10 2012, 9:14 pm |
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TF, some stuff that my 16 year old son loves on the trail:
-mixing instant stuffing, canned turkey, dried cranberries and gravy mix--presto turkey dinner casserole.
-rehydrated refried beans and wraps for burritos
-orzo and pesto
-nutella and bananas rolled up in a wrap
-pepperoni pizza made over the fire on naan bread
-walking tacos (taco stuff all tossed into a bag of doritos)
-gouda cheese wheels
Have fun!
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...SAUNTERING is derived "from idle people who roved about the country, under pretense of going a la Sainte Terre," to the Holy Land.... Some, however, would derive the word from sans terre without land or home, which will mean having no particular home, but equally at home everywhere. Thoreau
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| Post Number: 14
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RebeccaD
Double Arch, Arches N.P.
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Posted on: Dec. 10 2012, 10:08 pm |
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Great to be sharing all the kid-foods! Maybe those of us with difficult eaters (I'm being polite because the boys hate being called picky eaters, even though I have to tell them that's what they are) can find even one or two new ideas. I could kind of see feeding ES a bag if corn chips with grated cheese mixed in. And they do love campfire pizza, made on pita bread or similar, though it's kind of a pain to do. Can be done in the pan, but definitely best with a fire and a grate, as we found one year when we stumbled on a camp site where someone had left a grate!
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Bits of writerly thoughts and random short fiction found at
The Ninja Librarian Blog
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| Post Number: 15
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peeb
Let's see who's been naughty, and who's been naughty!
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Posted on: Dec. 11 2012, 1:06 pm |
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We found out this summer that my son eats Ramen now - that can be quite filling, especially if you add in a peanut butter packet and a lime packet for "poor man's pad thai" 
Does he like couscous or quinoa? Mine won't eat oatmeal either but he loves breakfasts made with quinoa (he told me this year that couscous was for dinner and quinoa for breakfast LOL). We mix it with dried milk, brown sugar, cinnamon and dried cherries. It's his new favorite camp breakfast.
I love the slim jim idea - it's been years since we took them on the trail but it would certainly do the trick!
Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate. We can't eat enough peanut M&Ms.
Oh, and ITA about the "taking more of everything." This is pretty much where we're at right now as well. We cut it a little too close for comfort on our 5 day trip this summer.
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It's all so simple when you break it down scientifically - Nick Bakay
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Survival Skills 101 • Eat Better
