Paleo backpackers??

[Doug Wolfe]

I was wondering how many paleo BPers there are out there and what you eat???? I started my paleo way of life almost 4 weeks ago and don't cheat I feel no need to cheat . I feel a huge difference in how I feel.
My typical diet on the trail consisted of oatmeal, gorp,cliff bars and mountain house. All carb loaded!!
Now I'm stumped I have a trip coming up next weekend and have no clue what to eat I complete forgot about having to change my trail diet. I'm also one who loves having a hot meal can't go stove less.
Anyone help me out here with a quick fix to my problem????

[Ken Thompson]

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=58668

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=56666

[Valerie E]

I think you can keep to Paleo while backpacking, but it will take a little extra effort/money.

Breakfast: Google "Paleo energy bars" — you'll find a few commercial products available, plus tons of recipes (cheaper, but more work).

Snacks: Make your own GORP (most of which is Paleo-friendly, anyway). Nut butters in a squeeze tube (or Justin's little packs).

Lunch: Meat/poultry/salmon jerky; foil-packs of tuna/salmon; hard-boiled eggs; freeze-dried veggies (just munch as-is, or re-hydrate in cold water); dried fruit of choice.

Dinner: This is the more challenging meal for Paleo. Some suggestions off the top of my head:
– powdered eggs with freeze-dried veggies and/or re-hydrated freeze-dried meat = omelet
– vacuum-sealed smoked salmon portions (maybe not in bear country)
– buy separately freezed-dried meat and veggies; combine on your own and rehydrate (talk to Packit Gourmet, they will likely help you)
– bring your own pre-cooked, pre-frozen meal for the first night
– finally, remember that most Paleo people incorporate a certain amount of "cheating" into their program, and with the increased calorie demands of backpacking, you'll never get a more justifiable cheat time. ;~)

Bon appetit!

[Ike Jutkowitz]

I eat primally (paleo plus cheese and winel) at home. I'm a little more flexible on the trail with the addition of quinoa pasta and mashed potato.

Breakfasts are usually sausage or bacon and mashed potato, sweet potato hash, freeze dried egg concoctions

Lunches- salami (I really like the olli salumeria pasture raised pork products) and hard cheeses, hard boiled eggs, jerky, larabars, nuts

Dinners- any regular meal thrown on my dehydrator- meat chili, beef stew, taco salad (seasoned beef, dehydrated cabbage and other veggies, salsa, porkitos.) spaghetti squash with meat sauce, sweet potato bark with freeze dried chicken, quinoa with sausage or chicken

I usually end up with about 50% fat, 30% carbs, and 20% protein, a little more carb than I typically eat at home.

[Jeff Sims]

http://www.stevespaleogoods.com

http://primalpacs.com

I tend to live 80/20 when it comes to Paleo. Started out 100% about 4 years go and just found a happy balance for my body that works with my lifestyle. I travel excessively for work and have found solid snack and meal replacement opportunities above.

[Doug Wolfe]

I'm going super heavy next weekend with tuna salmon and lots of nuts with powered eggs mixed in

[Donna C]

Epic bars are good too. I have one for breakfast, some gorp as snacks and lunch is anything from hard salami, hard boiled egg. I found that backpacking is more like Jeff's lifestyle…80/20. I needed more carbs by the third day out.

[Kimberly Wersal]

Jerky, pemmican, dried sausages, nuts, dried fruit, Larabars, (cheese for Primal eaters), tuna pouches, plantain chips,, zucchini chips, dark chocolate … The best option for strict Paleo hot meals is to make chili/stew/soups and dehydrate them for dinner. Curries are nice. When backpacking, I will sometimes add in rice or potatoes for homemade FBC meals when I'm not being strict.

[Jason Elsworth]

Ovaeasy eggs are pretty good. I have had them for breakfast for the last few trips, but am now tending towards a no cook breakfast to get on the move more quickly.

I don't go paleo but I am sugar, dried fruit and wheat free. I think coconut butter may be OK for a paleo option. I currently eat a lot of almond/brazil nut butter on the trail and am thinking of adding in some coconut butter mixed with raw cacao powder and a little honey for a change.

I also eat cheese for the first couple of days and jerky. For dinner it is salami and noodles (rice or bean). Fat is added with dried coconut milk.

[Diane “Piper” Soini]

Here's some paleo food I had on my last trip.
http://gossamergear.com/wp/tips/backpacking-with-no-cook-foods

[Doug Wolfe]

Great ideas thanks! I need to dig my dehydrator out and get to work my favorite season is right around the corner…

[ANTHONY FRANKLIN]

This has been a challenge for me.

Without owning a food dehydrator, I was limited the last time I went out for 3 day trip on the AT.

If I remember correctly, I did my homemade cereal for breakfasts. Theres no recipe really, its just mainly a combo of sliced almonds and shredded coconut, with some honey and pumpkin pie spice, baked on a cookie sheet until crispy / crunchy. I just ate it dry while walking. I don't miss cooking and eating mushy instant oatmeal one bit! I was able to keep up with my hiking partners eating their pop tarts while hiking, and I stayed full longer.

Lunch was foil packet tuna (in olive oil, not water!), with some relish and mustard packets for impromptu tuna salad. If it weren't for cost I would have just done jerky and some dried kale or seaweed.

Dinner was some eye of round beef jerky I dehydrated in the oven (kind of a pain)and some baby spinach, with some bullion for a soup.

For snacks between meals, I ate a lot of almonds, macadamias, dried fruit, and Larabars. I found myself looking forward to the chewy sweet Larabar and kinda disgusted by almonds after 2 days out. Dark chocolate was a precious commodity I wish I brought more of, I definitely reccomend it for the fat you need to stay fueled, and that is hard to get from other sources.

After a year of being paleo / primal, I also find that rice in moderation is not a huge deal to me and I sometiems have it, even while abstaining from other grains. If I had to pack up today for a trip, I would do some instant rice or instant potatoes to help fill out dinner. I also want to buy a dehydrater to bring out more veggies / homemade soup mixes.

[Monty Montana]

Decades ago, when under the tutelage of a trapper, I was given this advice from someone who had lived through many winters: "Don't just eat fish, you will starve!" I believe him.

[Dawn Anderson]

Hi Doug,
I'm sorry I didn't see your post earlier because I do know a quick fix to your problem. Go to http://www.PaleoMealsToGo.com for freeze-dried Paleo meals, perfect for backpacking.
Dawn

---

Dawn (and all)

We have some very firm rules here about disclosure. Any posting on behalf of a company requires a FULL disclosure by the person posting of whatever vested interests they may have in that company. Given that you have made three identical postings in support of this company, one might reasonably suspect that you do have a vested interest. If this is indeed the case, please edit all your postings to disclose this fully.

If you have absolutely no connection with the company, it would be prudent to say so in such a posting anyhow.

Cheers
Roger Caffin
Online Community Monitor
Backpacking Light

Hi Roger,
I appreciate you letting me know that and I'm working on editing the posts now!
Happy trails,
Dawn

[Dawn Anderson]

Hi Valerie,
I wanted to suggest you check out http://www.paleomealstogo.com where you can purchase freeze-dried Paleo meals. My son and I started the company in Denver about a year ago. We've had really good reviews from a number of folks but since we're operating on a very limited advertising budget as a small, start-up company, I thought I'd answer some questions people pose on blogs as to where you can find commercially prepared Paleo backpacking meals. Feel free to check out our site at http://www.paleomealstogo.com.
Dawn Anderson
Owner/Operations Manager
Paleo Meals To Go

[Dawn Anderson]

Sorry, guys, my goal was to point you to our website and let you decide if the products were appropriate for you. I'm not trying to sell you on them, just wanted to let you know they existed. In the future, I'll be sure to provide full disclosure of my ownership of the company. I apologize.
Dawn Anderson
Owner/Operations Manager
Paleo Meals To Go

[David Ure]

I am assuming you work for the company?

[Ben]

I try to eat mostly Primal but it's expensive. I take ghee for a big calorie boost to meals. As was said above, you can't go wrong by dehydrating a chilli con carne with the beans left out. Also, deppending how strict you are, white rice dehydrates/rehydrates amazingly and adding in a few carbs can be a good thing after a hard hike.

Here is an energy bar recipe also

[Kevin Buggie]

Thanks, Dawn, for the promo link. $12.99 for 300-370 calories will make that dehydrator seem cheap in comparison. Their meals are loaded with protein, but many cheaper ways to recreate in the resources posted above.

[James Couch]

From a more forthcoming posting on NWHikers:

Dawn Anderson
Operations Manager
Paleo Meals To Go
Denver, CO
[email protected]

[David Ure]

Thanks James. I had a feeling because she posted a similar response in several threads.

Edit: just saw Roger's post.

[Ian]

From Paleo Meals to Go, I've had the Beef Mountain Stew and Savory Chicken. The quality of ingredients was outstanding. Savory Chicken was pretty good. Beef Stew needs some kind of gravy or au jus; tasted like it was missing something but again, quality ingredients.

Price per meal needs to come down. Postage is also a bit high. Need more meals and variety but I will buy from from this company again although it will only be once or twice per year until the price goes down and the selection goes up.

I like Steve's Paleo or at least their Paleo Kits and Crunch.

Epic bars are wonderful.

I eat rice in moderation on Paleo as I'm not trying to go carb free or to put my body in ketosis; same for quinoa. Mountain House Chicken and Rice isn't perfectly Paleo but close enough for backpacking.

Dark Chocolate is a great snack.

Get a dehydrator and just try to work out how to convert your favorite meals in the front country to something you can dehydrate. For chicken meals, dehydrate canned chicken as it's easy to de/rehydrate.

[Sarah Kirkconnell]

They are actually good meals. Quite good. I have had them and yes, do recommend them. They can be served over grains – if you are not paleo – to make a 2 person meal :-)

[Dawn Anderson]

Hi Doug,
Try http://www.paleomealstogo.com.
Good luck!

[Dawn Anderson]

Hi Dave,
Actually I own the company. My son has stomach issues so when he was going backpacking, he could never find a backpacker meal that he could eat. They all had a bunch of filler ingredients, to bulk them up and make them less expensive to produce, but which were bad for him because he can't eat gluten. So I had just moved to Denver and he suggested we start a small company and make freeze-dried meals that did NOT contain grains so all the Paleo and gluten-free folks would have an option. That's how a school teacher and an engineer started a food business!

We've learned a lot in the past year and are happy to tell you that we will be selling our products wholesale pretty soon. We're in the middle of contract negotiations with a company that will package our meals on a larger scale, we hired a marketing company to improve our branding and build a better website so these are some big developments for our small company and we're getting very excited to be able to sell our meals in stores.

We're still very small, (just the two of us and my son works full-time at his engineering job, so really just me) and not too many people know about our company yet. We're working on spreading the word so people know there is another option out there, esp. if they are concerned about avoiding preservatives, additives, grains, etc. Our meals are more expensive because they contain about 50% more protein and freeze-dried meat is not cheap. We hope to be able to reduce prices once we can purchase ingredients in bulk sizes for less money.

Feel free to contact me via the website if you have any questions.
Thanks and happy trails,
Dawn Anderson
Owner/Operations Manager
Paleo Meals To Go

[Author]

Posts