By Jason Reid
Rochester, New York – -(Ammoland.com)- Going from sitting at a desk to averaging 10 or more miles each day, even with pre-season workouts, makes your body scream for fuel.
Even if you are simply sitting in a deer stand for a long weekend it must be fueled properly. My sales job in the Food industry always forces me to stop and consider what foods are in my pack.
The human body is a machine and is capable of amazing things and when in the mountains the monotony of a repeated diet consisting of dehydrates meals, jerky, and trail mix doesn’t seem so bad until about a week or more into the hunt.
In the future when you are at the store trying to figure out what to buy for your hunt remember these foods which fueled me and my hunting partners.
Wild Roots Trail Mix:
Wild Roots Coastal Berry has a great blend of cashews, almonds, white chocolate chips, dried cranberries and blueberries. Besides just being a great snack providing consistent energy, I love the higher balance of cashews, white chocolate chips and berries.
As compared to other brands of trail mix, I didn’t cringe every time I had a snack mostly since there were no raisins nor is it a heavily salted product. Just a great blend of quality nuts and berries and I consumed about a quarter bag everyday.
www.amazon.com/wildroots
Cave Man Foods Food Bars:
My day job in the Food industry provides plenty of exposure with great food bars from across the world. Last year Cliff Bars were in our packs. This fall bars from a small company called Cave Man Foods based out of California helped power our hunt. They were equally as filling as a Cliff Bar and took up less space in my pack. An added bonus! These food bars are also full of great nutrients as they are based off the Paleo diet. These bars are held together by almonds, sunflower seeds, organic tapioca syrup, cocoa coating and come in varieties such as blueberry, cherry and apricot. No sugar rushes or crashes with these bars. Caveman bars provided consistent energy to fuel the body in the backcountry. : www.cavemanfoods.com
Creative Hunter Snacks:
As the week pushed on we became increasingly creative with food combinations. Taste was of little meaning as the hunt melted away. Dessert in the backcountry is not likely, but something that kisses the taste buds is always welcome. My friend, Bryce, loves to bring extra tortilla soft shells to add an extra bread base for calories. By the end of the week we were combining Nutella and Honey (or individual Honey Sticks) for an energizing snack. This did have a higher sugar count, but was welcomed. If Nutella is not available, the snack also tasted great by using with extra crunchy peanut butter.
Mountain House Dinners:
There are several brands hunters and backpackers can trust. Mountain House is certainly a brand favorite among many as flavor and consistency stands on decades of product development experience. I’ll take this chance to publicly thank my friend, Bryce, for buying 30 Chicken and Mashed Potato meals. Since I ate more of this meal over the ten day span than anything else, here are my thoughts.
Extremely fulfilling and hearty.
After a long day of hiking all you want is something hearty and this meal provides 22 grams of protein. Another great bonus to this warm meal. Instant mashed potato compliments two big pieces of dehydrated chicken meat. Just remember to take the chicken out after cooking them, then cook the potatoes. This keeps the chicken from becoming too tough. Wrap a few spoonfuls in a flour tortilla and it makes a great way to cap off a day in the mountains. : www.mountainhouse.com
Hunting Food Final Thoughts
Skimping on food can create a disaster on a long hunt. While weight is always a concern, making sure you are well fueled on a long hunt can make the difference between a tag sandwich and a filled freezer. Little snacks can make a huge difference and power your way in those critical moments.
About:
Dedicated to preserving and promoting the legacy of hunting, Jason Reid, balances a day job with his passions for bowhunting, capturing the stories and sharing information through writing and photography. Follow Pushing The Wild Limits on Facebook for more outdoor content.