Foooooood???

[Precentrix]

Hi all. While I'm writing this with my specific Salvador attempt next week in mind, I also think it is more generally relevant so posting here. There are routes less travelled, and there are also sections on the Frances, especially with alternative paths, where the services are few and far between. Therefore:

What are your top tier foodstuffs to bring for a day or a week hiking, in summer when stuff like chocolate melts? Let's assume that you aren't buying dinner in a restaurant every lunch and dinner ;-)

 

[Caomhin O Fearghaill]

Hi all. While I'm writing this with my specific Salvador attempt next week in mind, I also think it is more generally relevant so posting here. There are routes less travelled, and there are also sections on the Frances, especially with alternative paths, where the services are few and far between. Therefore:

What are your top tier foodstuffs to bring for a day or a week hiking, in summer when stuff like chocolate melts? Let's assume that you aren't buying dinner in a restaurant every lunch and dinner ;-)

Go for fruit, especially bananas, bring bread and lots of water....I usually bring a supply of "energy bars". Take on a good breakfast, snack regularly don't wait until you feel thirsty or hungary a good evening meal is recommended....

 

[Jarrad]

My go-to lunch is a chorizo and cheese sandwich, until I wear myself out on them. Then I just grab some fresh bread, dried sausage or tinned fish of some sort, cheese and fruit from a market. I also carry a 1-gallon Zip-Loc bag with a variety of items for "just in case."

While I enjoy the occasional banana, they tend to spoil fast when it's hot. Same with softer cheeses. I like dried apricots, raw almonds, and apples. And the small easy-to-peel tangerines, if I can find them (I have short nails and don't carry a knife, so regular oranges don't work so great for me). You mentioned summer, but in cooler weather a bar of dark chocolate is just the best.

I love the cafes and bars for lunch, so in full disclosure I avoid the picnic meals whenever I can. And that's weird because I've had some very memorable outdoor lunches.

 

[MinaKamina]

There are over 200 threads about food on the forum, and the subject of to-go food when there are no shops or restaurants is is also amply covered.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/search-forums/food-and-drink.263/

 

[C clearly]

I have added the tag "food & drink" under the title of this thread, and moved the thread. Click on that tag, or on the link provided above by @MinaKamina to see all the threads tagged on this topic. But feel free to continue to post here as well.

 

[Tincatinker]

I like the suggestion of bananas: the image of some poor peregrin trying to scrape overripe banana off their spare socks and underwear would make a great cartoon if only I could draw. Carry water. Most people can go five days without food, about 36 hours without water.

 

[MarijkeB]

Hi all. While I'm writing this with my specific Salvador attempt next week in mind, I also think it is more generally relevant so posting here. There are routes less travelled, and there are also sections on the Frances, especially with alternative paths, where the services are few and far between. Therefore:

What are your top tier foodstuffs to bring for a day or a week hiking, in summer when stuff like chocolate melts? Let's assume that you aren't buying dinner in a restaurant every lunch and dinner ;-)

I always carry dried fruits and salted nuts.

 

[Stephan the Painter]

Hi all. While I'm writing this with my specific Salvador attempt next week in mind, I also think it is more generally relevant so posting here. There are routes less travelled, and there are also sections on the Frances, especially with alternative paths, where the services are few and far between. Therefore:

What are your top tier foodstuffs to bring for a day or a week hiking, in summer when stuff like chocolate melts? Let's assume that you aren't buying dinner in a restaurant every lunch and dinner ;-)

What you end up with will probably depend on what they sell at whatever store you're in.

I brought a small Tupperware container that I filled with other things, but I took the other things out when I had food that I wanted to carry along. Mostly, I would buy bread, cheese, and fruit ( hence the Tupperware container to prevent mushing).

Most Spanish stores sell three packs of small tuna-fish cans, which are nice because they last. I loved the cans of clams in spicy sauce (mejillones).

I often bought baguette type bread and would put it in the side mesh pocket designed for water bottles in my pack.
Sometimes you can find energy bars and packaged trail mixes.

 

[JerryStroebele]

Bring an electrolyte -- either a sachet to dump in your water bottle or a can or bottle of Aquarius or Kas. And many of the goodies mentioned above, starting with a banana and an orange. One of my favorites is Baby Bell cheese -- Swiss cheese in a red wax cover. Buen Camino

 

[David Tallan]

Hi all. While I'm writing this with my specific Salvador attempt next week in mind, I also think it is more generally relevant so posting here. There are routes less travelled, and there are also sections on the Frances, especially with alternative paths, where the services are few and far between. Therefore:

What are your top tier foodstuffs to bring for a day or a week hiking, in summer when stuff like chocolate melts? Let's assume that you aren't buying dinner in a restaurant every lunch and dinner ;-)

Fruits, nuts, cheese, and bread were common items to carry. I generally don't bring stuff for a week, even on the less traveled routes. I don't think I have ever gone much more than 48 hours between grocery stores.

On the less walked routes like the Madrid, I would generally eat my main meal as  comida and have a light supper (maybe, for example, a mixed salad from the grocery store with some tuna, or that bread and cheese and fruit) that I threw together myself. On the Salvador there were a few more people, so I tended to find myself eating with other pilgrims more often.

 

[aidan macdhorcaidh]

Hi all. While I'm writing this with my specific Salvador attempt next week in mind, I also think it is more generally relevant so posting here. There are routes less travelled, and there are also sections on the Frances, especially with alternative paths, where the services are few and far between. Therefore:

What are your top tier foodstuffs to bring for a day or a week hiking, in summer when stuff like chocolate melts? Let's assume that you aren't buying dinner in a restaurant every lunch and dinner ;-)

Like pilgrims of old you should carry a piece of bread, cheese, a banana or apple and plenty of water.

 

[Kirkie]

A very quick reply before I forget about your question. I walked the Salvador. We checked the food options and planned accordingly.
Always, water and one of those cheap, not fashionable, sachets of whatever you want to call them - salts/electrolytes - so long as they did the task of helping rehydration.
Always, Frutos secos. plain biscuits. individually wrapped little cheeses - baby bel. Apples. maybe grapes. Never chocolate. Let it melt in someone else's bag! the rest? fresh bread with sardines. bananas, ok, but make sure it does not end up as a dressing for your socks, as hinted at by Tinca.
St James's guide, or any other, should tell you how smart you need to be about planning for food. it is short, the Salvador, but just takes a modicum of planning to be safe, energy wise. all the best!

 

[David Tallan]

St James's guide, or any other, should tell you how smart you need to be about planning for food. it is short, the Salvador, but just takes a modicum of planning to be safe, energy wise. all the best!

Ender's Guide to the Salvador is also really good for planning. It also let's you know where you need to reserve a dinner the day before, unless you plan to cook it yourself. One of the members of our local Camino group walked the Salvador earlier this summer, just using Gronze as his guide instead of supplementing with Ender, and he got caught out once for not reserving a meal. (He still says it is his favourite route, though.)

 

[Precentrix]

I usually set off with at least 2 litres of water on me but in this weather I'm upping it to 3 (and I have electrolyte tablets). I guess I'm just being overly cautious because it's a less familiar and less well-travelled route, but yes I'll be carrying more than snackies. Even on the Frances I was caught out by shops closing at midday on Saturday, or by siesta hour, so having a few meals stowed away is helpful! OTOH I generally pack light so it won't kill me to carry a couple of tins of tuna.

 

[NicolaWyke]

Bring an electrolyte -- either a sachet to dump in your water bottle or a can or bottle of Aquarius or Kas. And many of the goodies mentioned above, starting with a banana and an orange. One of my favorites is Baby Bell cheese -- Swiss cheese in a red wax cover. Buen Camino

Also dates are excellent - they are an excellent energy source, they are relatively light to carry and also replenish electrolytes.

 

[JerryStroebele]

Dates are electrolytes? Good to know. Yum. Gracias y Buen Camino

 

[trecile]

Dates are electrolytes? Good to know. Yum. Gracias y Buen Camino

Many foods are good sources of electrolytes:

Healthy Foods High in Electrolytes

Electrolytes are essential minerals such as calcium, sodium, and phosphorus. Learn which foods are high in electrolytes.

www.webmd.com

 

[JerryStroebele]

ALMONDS! Gracias, Trecile. I walked past 10 quadrillion almond trees between Malaga and Cordoba this spring. Of course, they were in bloom, but I did buy fructos sectos with almonds in the tiendas. Buen Camino

 

[Paladina]

I like the suggestion of bananas: the image of some poor peregrin trying to scrape overripe banana off their spare socks and underwear would make a great cartoon if only I could draw. Carry water. Most people can go five days without food, about 36 hours without water.

Now picture a peregrina taking a rest break on a wayside bench and scrabbling on the ground to collect some 80+ discarded banana skins. The cartoon needs a caption: leave no trace!

 

[Robo]

My 'go to' snacks and DIY meals in more remote areas were.

Nuts
Choc bars like snickers
Bananas
Wholemeal rolls
Tins of Sardines (in olive oil - the oil is important)
A few times I boiled a couple of eggs the night before.

I watched some really good videos on trail nutrition before my last Camino. (see below)

It was interesting what was important. Not so much carbs, but protein, oils, fats for sustainable energy.
Carbs are a short term burn.

I think he has 4-5 videos in this series on Nutrition, Hydration, Electrolytes etc.
I found them really good..........