food - utensils

[walkingwoman]

As a first-time walker, wondering if it's necessary - or a good idea - to bring a collapsible cup and bowl w. fork, knife, spoon. Thanks for the help!

 

[marktqm]

This just adds up to the weight of your pack. If you intend to eat in bars, no need for utensils. Water bottle (or Camelback) is essential though. It would be nice to have a 'waiter' Swiss knife for the wine and canned goods if you're buying from the tiendas along the way.

 

[Rose Louise]

Hi

Keep in mind that any sharps would need to go in the "hold" luggage section of the plane if you are flying to Spain. They will be confiscated if your taking your backpack on board as hand luggage.

Buen Camino and enjoy the planning

Cheers Rose Louise

 

[jeff001]

You don't really need to bring a water bottle. Buy a bottle of water when you arrive and refill it.

 

[jl]

It is actually not a good idea to re-use a water bottle purchased containing water as these are designed for single use only and may contain carcinogens - as do some of the plastic bottles one buys for that purpose. Manufacturing and safety standards are catchin up though. Do your research and you should be able to find a bottle locally that is safe and reusable. Check carefully that they are BPA (I think !) free. Cheers, Janet

 

[Deleted member 3000]

There is no scientific study that shows that water bottles contain carcinogens. Worry about bears on the Camino if you need something to worry about. Take utensils unless you like eating yogurt with your fingers.

 

[Bridget and Peter]

It's OK not having any utensils if you are the sort who completely lives off cafe food and coffee. If, like us, you are more of a picnicker your choice in supermarkets will be seriously limited without anything to cut big hard things or eat runny things with. Fotunately more and more tins have ringpulls so you can manage without a tin opener.

You can get plastic 'sporks' which are combined knife, fork, spoon. I managed to cut chunks of apple to share and hack through crusty bread with the knife, and expect to get better with practice. I would not be without a plastic box or something similar; the box and the lid act as plates, and then the box will store the remains of a piece of cheese for later, or the opened packet of biscuits, etc.

We also take mugs, and tea bags, and have just bought a little dip-in-the-mug water boiling element, which is WONDERFUL. Bananas and yoghurt and a cup of tea before setting off in the morning is a brilliant breakfast.

 

[Timo]

It´s aiways the same question of choices. How much is one ready to "suffer" from heavy load for the little (but important) joys of life? Or how much comfort a pilgrim can take along?
-T-

 

[spursfan]

well here's my actual Camino diet that required no utensils - liquid (orange juice, water), chocolate, fruit (apples and bananas), bread - plus occasional hot evening meal in restaurant - next time, I might treat myself and carry a plastic spork (20g I think)

 

[WolverineDG]

I'm going to take a spoon & a knife next go-round.

Kelly

 

[Deirdre]

On my first Camino (one week in) I broke my front tooth off. So I could not (or would not ) eat any that was not sliced or in smallish pieces. I purchased a small paring knife at a supermercado and was able to slice fruit, bread, cheese, chorizo etc into pieces I could manage. I used it and shared it and feel it was well worth the price and the weight. (next to nothing) It really depends on what and how you eat. The main thing is, you are not in a third world country or in the middle of nowhere. You can purchase anything you need in the towns and villages along the Camino.
Buen Camino,

 

[alipilgrim]

A swiss army knife with a reasonable sized blade and corkscrew is essential. Not all albergues have a restaurant nearby and not all albergues have fully equipped kitchens. Its nice to open a bottle of wine and slice up salami and cheese and bread for dinner, or cut some apple or orange for a snack on the trail. Its not that heavy but very very handy. Be a boy scout and be prepared!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Be Prepared? Won't that ruin the spontaneity of the Camino?

 

[annakappa]

Our Swiss Army knife was confiscated here in S. José when leaving - but we were only travelling with our packs which we carried on the plane. Nothing else. So we expected this.
We bought a super folding-up knife in a ferreteria (hardware store, I guess you call it) and then gave it away when we finished our walk. We were actually eating/slurping yogurt using only our fingers (I had forgotten to bring plastic spoons and forks) but my brother supplied them when he met up with us. I will also bring along a couple of plastic cups this time. We had to do our best by cupping our hands to have a taste of the wine offered out of the tap at Irache!
If you buy fresh bread in the morning, the small shop owner or baker will always oblige by cutting it up for you.
One of the things that we appreciated was the fresh orange juice pressed in front of your eyes in most bars. Delicious!
As far as water bottles are concerned, although I have heard rumors about not re-using these plastic bottles, we did! We always topped up, either at the village fountain or at a bar and replaced the bottle about every 5/7 days. We only used the 200 ml size, but then we were walking 'out of season' when it was fresh.
Ah Bridget! Even although I was raised in England (Cheshire), I learnt to appreciate a decent cup of coffee once I went to live in Italy and that is now my in the morning fix, so your water heating element wouldn't help me. (I would LOVE to bring along my handy Italian espresso coffee pot, but I'm afraid that it's just too heavy)
Anne

 

[Anniesantiago]

I don't think the controversy has been settled. The results of research often depend on WHO is paying for the research. When I open a bottle of water and smell plastic, I'm fairly sure there's plastic in the water... if you can smell a substance, you are, in fact, ingesting it.

Is it "safe" to use for 6 weeks on the Camino? Probably not, but you're walking, sweating those chemicals out of your system (hopefully) and a person must pick and choose their battles.

A Simmering Controversy

A few weeks ago, Canada declared the chemical (BPA) toxic and banned using it in baby bottles. In September, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association linked the chemical to diabetes and heart disease in adults.

Earlier this spring, an evaluation released by the Department of Health and Human Services' National Toxicology Program also raised concerns, finding that "the possibility that bisphenol A may alter human development cannot be dismissed."

Personally, I will not use anything with BPA in it for "LONG TERM USE" --

However, on a 6 week walk, where weight is an issue, I'll use it.


Regarding utensils? Leave it all at home. You do not need it. You can pick up an inexpensive knife for under 2 euros to carry along with you for cutting bread and cheese.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I think bottled water bottles are made from PET, not BPA. PET has no known carcinogens.

http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/petbottles.asp

 

[walkingwoman]

Hi All,
Thanks for your responses. I have a stainless steel water bottle. It's not as heavy as it sounds and its much safer. Water bottles are NOT made from PET (and I believe PET bottles do contain BPA). One of Canada's largest outdoor equipment stores recently banned nalgene and other bottles. Here's a related article:

http://www.bisphenol-a.org/

Thanks again for your help!

Ruth

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Will a plastic bottle leach harmful substances into water if I reuse it?
Most convenience-size beverage bottles sold in the U.S. are made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The FDA has determined that PET meets standards for food-contact materials established by federal regulations and therefore permits the use of PET in food and beverage packaging for both single use and repeated use. FDA has evaluated test data that simulate long-term storage and that support repeated use.

The toxicological properties of PET and any compounds that might migrate under test conditions have also been well studied. The results of these tests demonstrate that PET is safe for its intended uses. (For details, see The Safety of Polyethylene Terephthalate.)

 

[Anniesantiago]

(edited)

Annie says: I don't trust a single thing that the FDA says.

Why? For one thing, the FDA lists New Leaf POTATOES, which are sold in the grocery stores as FOOD for HUMANS, as PESTICIDE... so there are no controls. The FDA is as insidious as Monsanto in my opinion.

 

[MermaidLilli]

I bought a stainless steel bottle as well and it is very lightweight. It does sweat though. Not an issue for me.
Lillian

 

[annakappa]

My question is, why if water is bottled in a plastic bottle in the first place and therefore deemed safe to drink in this receptible, whether it has been on the shelf for a week, month or even a year, how come you can't re-use this bottle?
Secondly, how can you clean out a stainless steel water bottle? - after using it constantly for weeks on end. I'm thinking now of the water container I use to refill my iron when ironing. This bottle can stay 'on site' for a few weeks before re-filling and by that time a greenish mould has grown around the sides of the bottle! Of course I can see this because the bottle is transparent - but not so with a stainless steel bottle!
'Food' or rather 'water' for thought!
Anne

 

[Kitsambler]

I would point out that Nalgene is a brand name, not a chemical composition. The Nalgene company, like most that market water bottles in the US, has now pulled their BPA-containing materials and replaced with other ones.

Can we move on to getting hysterical about another topic, please?

 

[MermaidLilli]

Stainless steel can be washed with soap and water.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

:!: :!: :!: !!!!BACTERIA IS A BIGGER PROBLEM THAN PLASTIC!!!! :| :cry: :roll: :!: :!: :!:

Take a couple of ounces of bleach to treat water bottles of any sort. Rinse well, of course. Then get hysterical.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Our food and drugs would be much safer without an FDA? Nothing it says is reliable or trustworthy? I guess I will just have to go with the industry spokesmen on the safety and utility of their output. At least they won't be self-serving in their analysis. I will particularly rely on the statements of tobacco CEO's.

If your disposable water bottle has a "1" inside the recycling triangle, it is a non-BPA bottle made with PET and quite safe compared to driving on a country highway.

 

[Hali]

As far as spoon, fork and knife goes, buy a spork!
Did I read that you are from Toronto? You can get one at Europe Bound Travel Outfitters.
Here's a link!
http://www.europebound.com/ProductDetai ... &CatID=424

I bought one here in Sweden, it's great! I'm also bringing a foldable cup.

 

[Portia1]

When I asked a friend who walked the camino what she would have done differently, she said she would have brought a fork and spoon and perhaps a spreader knife. She didn't particularly care for what she considered heavy food so she and her companion did a lot of cooking. They ate a lot of cheese, pasta, fruit, and vegetables when they could find them. They typically ate bread and cheese for lunch. She did take potholders (which I find amazing--she ended up using them alot under her pack straps due to brusing) but not a spoon and fork.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Sporks are cool... I wonder if they'll let you carry them on the airline?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I had a hard time stabbing the slab of steak with the tined end of the spork, and cutting the meat with the serrations on the handle. Maybe it is just me. I did like the way the tines prevented me from overeating the last dabs of yogurt in the bottom of the cup, just as I liked the way soup slipped through the tines to drip on my shirt. I know the spork is an American invention because it works so well for all uses. I can even use it wearing my Snuggie, the blanket with armholes.

 

[Anniesantiago]

::laughing::: Takes a bit of skill.
Some folks just can't get the hang of it.

Personally, I found a little knife I bought in SJPP to be the only utensil I needed.
The Pilgrim's Plates were served with silverware, and sandwiches only required the knife.
But that's just me... :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

Let us remember that poor walkingwoman just wanted to know if collapsible utensils would be helpful on a Camino ...

personally I find that a collapsible butler has always been my basic requirement - so pleasant at breakfast time.

Do take a Swiss army knife - (the small one with the scissors and the corkscrew!) and a tea/dessert-spoon - to eat yoghurt, etc

and take a napkin - or a headscarve or flannel that you can use as a napkin - a napkin is so civilised.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

For the devotee of the spork:

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/p/,155 ... cking.html

A one-day sale!?

 

[MermaidLilli]

This lightweight bamboo spork and my knife/corkscrew are my utensils.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Lilli, that is PERFECT!

Be sure and check you SAK in your bags... they'll take it from you if you try to carry it on.
I guess that's a duhhhh :lol: