Protein bars yes or no?

[roamingpaddy]

I'm a 64 year old who will soon be walking the Camino,(10 days). I was thinking it might be a good idea to eat a protein bar each day,is that a good idea? Also when's the best time of day to eat one?

 

[SabsP]

No need to.
Especially on the Frances there are enough choices for eating and buying food.
The Frances is not a wilderness trek.

 

[Phil Smith]

Whilst there is plenty to eat on The Way it is not always the right fayre.
On our second foray (in April) we had "shivers" etc at the end of the day, even when it was warm during the day. The protein bars did eradicate this on the third foray (again in April). I'm 53 - maybe it's something with us being more senior, but I thought they helped keep us in balance. My only issue was they seemed to encourage flatulence in my walking partner; and as he is was usually upwind I got an extra flavour

 

[Tincatinker]

What are protein bars? Serious question. I usually rely on available proteins, carbs and even the occasional vegetable that appears with the menu del dia (hint: Never eat the menu peregrino - its just local humour and you might not get the joke).

If I feel a serious need for protein or that I've done some muscle damage then I'll eat somewhere that can serve me some serious, meat, fish or legume/rice combination and take a rest day.

Carb rich is good while walking, though I would advise avoiding the dread Musli bar available in every tienda: in fact, to be honest; Tortilla hits the spot 9 times a day with whatever for supper

 

[roamingpaddy]

No need to.
Especially on the Frances there are enough choices for eating and buying food.
The Frances is not a wilderness trek.

I like your reply

 

[Felipe]

You will be ok. Planning is funny, but on the spot, you improvise.
Buen camino!

 

[SYates]

No need for protein bars, have a tortilla instead ;-)
Buen Camino, SY

 

[AlexanderAZ]

For those of us with hummingbird metabolisms and a body that runs best with more protein, I found out early on that acquiring healthy food that was protein laden was difficult. As such, I carried an entire jar of peanut butter at all times and resupplied it in major cities. (I think I ate 5 jars from Roncevalles to Muxia). The extra weight was worth it to me. That said, everyone is different. Don’t let other people convince you what works best for you to feel optimal strength. You will be able to adjust along the way of what you decide to do isn’t working.
Edit: I dislike cheese so that was not an option for me.

 

[Albertagirl]

If you are looking for a high protein snack to eat on camino, without stopping for a meal, I would recommend Spanish cheese. The hard, well-cured queso de ovejas (sheep cheese) is delicious with an apple and you can stop for lunch or a snack anywhere

 

[kelleymac]

I pack a few protein bars with me when I walk. I know I am hungry if one of those things starts sounding like a good idea. I would much rather eat cheese, smoked sausage, bread and an orange. However! There have been times when I have been out of food while walking when I didn't get into the village at the right time, or when I had to hustle, and I was really glad to have them. Last month I ended up walking in a wind storm (Storm Ali, Northern Ireland), and couldn't find a sheltered place where I could unpack my sandwich. (The gusts were up 80 mph.). And then about a year ago, while walking from Le Puy to Conques, I decided on the spur of the moment to take an alternate route and ended up hustling to get to a village in time to get a key to the Community Center (mat on floor in heated room) from the village office before it closed. I had no time to take a detour through the one village I walked through. It was good to have a protein bar to munch and swallow and keep going.

 

[kelleymac]

Of course, an option to the protein bar is a chocolate bar with nuts.

 

[rick1977]

The US recommended daily allowance for protein is 0.8 grams per day per kg of bodyweight. I think that's on the (very) low side however. Doing something aerobic and catabolic like long distance walks I'd definitely want to consume more protein than that so my body could rebuild any lean muscle mass lost walking on the camino. I guess it depends upon how much protein you're consuming now, and how much you reasonably could be expected to consume on a diet readily available on the camino. Supplementing your protein intake via protein bars doesn't strike me as unreasonable at all.

 

[Deleted member 56069]

I pack them for each Camino. This fall on the Primitivo we had a few days with not much in the way of services and the bars gave us a nice boost when we were running out of steam.
Not all routes are like the Francis which has a coffee stop (especially the last 100 k) every 50 feet or so.

 

[Footlose]

Bring or buy your protein bars. I plan on buying almonds on arrival and eat that for protein in the mornings as a healthy supplement. I see so often the breakfasts are a chocolate croussant= so unhealthy for a walking active person who is trying to fuel their body.

 

[trecile]

On the Camino I usually have a slice of tortilla de patatas, which is made from eggs (protein), potatoes and onions (carbs) for breakfast.

 

[Phil Smith]

On the Camino I usually have a slice of tortilla de patatas, which is made from eggs (protein), potatoes and onions (carbs) for breakfast.

With or without onions? A seemingly contentious issue!!
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...-no-onionists-spanish-omelette-recipe-rivalry

 

[november_moon]

I found plenty of protein for snacking - nuts, cheese, chorizo, etc. Add fresh or dried fruit and you have a nice combo. As others have said, Spanish tortilla is ubiquitous. There are also hard boiled eggs in the small groceries. Spanish cuisine has quite a bit of meat in it too. I never had any trouble finding protein.

 

[trecile]

With or without onions? A seemingly contentious issue!!
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...-no-onionists-spanish-omelette-recipe-rivalry

I prefer con cebolla. That's how I make it at home.

 

[long trails]

No. They are full of preservatives and other bad stuff.

 

[Felice]

Whilst there is plenty to eat on The Way it is not always the right fayre.
On our second foray (in April) we had "shivers" etc at the end of the day, even when it was warm during the day. The protein bars did eradicate this on the third foray (again in April). I'm 53 - maybe it's something with us being more senior, but I thought they helped keep us in balance. My only issue was they seemed to encourage flatulence in my walking partner; and as he is was usually upwind I got an extra flavour

You were probably slightly dehydrated, not lacking in protein. If the weather is warm and you do not drink enough, it sneaks up on you without you realising what is wrong. Having once experienced it when it was obviously dehydration (really hot day), I now recognise the symptoms, and always carry salt+sugar or a rehydration sachet.

 

[tpmchugh]

I'm a 64 year old who will soon be walking the Camino,(10 days). I was thinking it might be a good idea to eat a protein bar each day,is that a good idea? Also when's the best time of day to eat one?

Was 64 on my first camino 5 years ago. Never had any need for protein bars but I did bring a few, along with nuts raisins and a couple of sugar free energy gels, to get me over the Pyrenees. They were good for a tasty snack with a drink of water but actually quite unnecessary. The only food I liked to carry were small tins of tuna but only because I particularly like tuna. Everything you need will be in the supermarkets and restaurants

 

[Kathor1]

I'm a 64 year old who will soon be walking the Camino, (10 days)

You are not going to suffer from a protein deficiency during 10 days of camino walking. You don't even have to eat tortillas every day. Protein is in many foods, starting with your freshly pressed orange juice (yes), your croissant (yes) and your caffe con leche (obviously), then your ham and cheese bocadillo, and ending with your pilgrim's meal with spaghetti bolognaise or chicken, pork or fish with chips/fries.

Protein bars are energy bars that have the advantage of being less stuffed with fat and sugar (but not much less) than other energy bars. I often have a few in my backpack as a "just in case" food. But I prefer a banana, cashew nuts or peanuts, or a boiled egg if you can get it. More often than not it's stale bread, purchased yesterday, with or without cheese or preferably saliccion or lomo.

If you get any protein bars from home, test-eat them first. Quite a few taste downright awful.

 

[t2andreo]

It is not necessary. As others have explained there are plenty of protein-rich foods available on the Camino.

Spanish tortilla (a potato & egg pie), nuts (frutas secos), and a broad variety of excellent cheese and meats / fish, provide adequate protein.

Personally, I have a medical issue requiring that I use protein supplements daily to ensure I get enough. This is more than I can reasonable consume the old-fashioned way. So, I use individual packets of medical quality protein, flavored and water-solvable.

Just as an aside, one week of these supplements adds one pound to my rucksack, or 1 kilo every two weeks.

Hope this helps.

 

[rick1977]

It's all about the *quantity* of protein you need and you consume. I'm no nutritionist, but I'd say given the increased amount of exercise you'll be doing on the camino (coupled with the fact that many people lose weight on the camino, indicating they're in a caloric deficit) it's a good idea to consume more protein than normal, and supplementation might be right if some of the protein-rich food you generally consume won't be readily available on the camino.

Sure protein is in a ton of foods, including tortilla. But in terms of macronutrients as a percentage of total calories, the amount of protein in tortilla is pretty small. Fat is far more calorically dense than either carbs or protein, 9 calories per gram for the former and 4 calories each for the latter. And it goes without saying thanks to olive oil and potatoes there's a ton of fat and carbs in tortilla, and relatively speaking little protein. According to Nutritionix, there are 12 grams of protein in a 275 gram serving of tortilla, but that only makes up 11% of the caloric intake. Fat and carbs are the remaining 89%

https://www.nutritionix.com/i/nutritionix/tortilla-espanola-1-piece/577d8a5d86272be56ae7eb49

A protein bar (at least the ones I'm familiar with) is going to have a similar amount of protein in it, but far less in the way of fat and carbs, and thus total calories. Making it far more protein rich than tortilla.

 

[bearwithme]

Peanut butter is a good idea, but a tad heavy to carry. I also like dried apricots.

 

[robproct]

I bought half a kilo of cashews in Alice Springs a few weeks ago when walking The Lara Pinta Trail and now still have a few left after walking from Lisbon to Porto. The are great to carry when you feel you really need something to keep going. One stretch of the Portuguese has 16km km without even water so on the Francis it’s easy you can just relax and not stress about what , when and if you can eat. Eat protein at night.

 

[Phil Smith]

You were probably slightly dehydrated, not lacking in protein. If the weather is warm and you do not drink enough, it sneaks up on you without you realising what is wrong. Having once experienced it when it was obviously dehydration (really hot day), I now recognise the symptoms, and always carry salt+sugar or a rehydration sachet.

You're spot on about the issue of not being well hydrated. When walking in hot weather I routinely add rehydration sachet to my water - picked this tip up from the forum before my first stage. I'm a bit of a tyrant with myself on keeping myself well hydrated with walking. Still felt the bars did a job for us.

 

[lovetoread3]

I say yes, why not carry a protein bar or 2 if you think you might need them. I carried 6, gave away 4 to people who were clearly in need of food. When those were gone, I bought dried fruit and nuts and created a zip lock bag of trail mix. There were days when that was breakfast (allergic to eggs, cheese) and lunch. Dinner usually offered adequate protein but for long treks, I would never leave without a backup food supply. I walked the Frances to Ponferrada, then bused to Oviedo and did the Primitivo over about 6-7 weeks. I learned the hard way to never start out with no food in my pack. If you think you may need it, take it. It's not as easy to find protein bars (by which I mean those with 9+ grams of protein) at the little tiendas along the way. There are loads of granola bars but if you check the protein content, it may not be what you think it is. In general, you need a hiking shop or a big market to find true protein bars. Hence the homemade bag of trailmix. Do what works best for you. (I also carried 4-5 tangerines each day for hydration). Buen camino!

 

[Albertagirl]

One stretch of the Portuguese has 16km km without even water so on the Francis it’s easy you can just relax and not stress about what , when and if you can eat.

@robproct
If you have walked the Frances as well as the Portuguese you will know that there is a similar stretch (Brierley measures it as 17 km.) between Carrion de los Condes and Calzadilla de la Cueza, with no facilities: no water or toilets, only a mobile cafe in the summer. There was no mobile cafe present on this stretch on either of the occasions when I walked this stretch in October. My conclusion is that, on any camino route, it is wise to always carry adequate water.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

the question is not yes or no, but why? There are so many better sources of protein than an overpackaged lump of glucose-covered cardboard. (And for some reason, consumers of Protein and Clif Bars and other pricey, processed Science Food are terrible litter bugs. Why are people so concerned with their bodily well-being so often totally careless of their surroundings?)

 

[RJM]

the question is not yes or no, but why? There are so many better sources of protein than an overpackaged lump of glucose-covered cardboard. (And for some reason, consumers of Protein and Clif Bars and other pricey, processed Science Food are terrible litter bugs. Why are people so concerned with their bodily well-being so often totally careless of their surroundings?)

I love Clif Bars and the ones made by Pure Protein as well. Have been eating them for years and when I used to do a lot of 10k's and such I would carry one in the pocket of my running shorts. Really knock's off the edge when the old stomach starts growling. Also good to eat post workout with weights. Best to drink at least 1/2 a litre of water with them.
I always carry as many as I can in my backpack when walking the Camino. I bring about two dozen with me when I fly to France or Portugal and then as I walk the Camino I try to replace with whatever local brand I can find. Really helped a few times on mornings when I started early, no place to eat and got some hunger pangs a few kilometres into the walk. Dig one out of the pack and carry-on. I usually consume about three on the walk to Roncesvalles.
As far as discarding protein bar wrappers on the ground, cannot say I have ever done that, nor have I ever observed someone else do it. To be honest, I have never observed a protein bar wrapper on the ground in Spain or Portugal. Not saying they do not exist, but have not seen it. Saw a lot of beer cans, soda cans. Plastic water bottles. Toilet paper. So to associate consumers of protein bars with litter and a disregard for nature is a bit unfounded.

 

[sugargypsy]

the question is not yes or no, but why?

Because for instance I'm a slow walker and more often than not, I found it quite difficult to get healthy, high protein laden food on my way. Either because my timing was wrong, the tiendas or restaurants were closed or fish and meat were served fried, combined with high carb side dishes.

On my next Camino I will, if it requires any longer walking than 12 days, I will take some extra protein with me, though no proteinbars, but water-solvable medical quality protein. I lost some weight on the Camino, and if you lose weight and don't have an high enough protein intake, your body gets the energy it needs from the muscles, which are then broken down, that results in muscle loss, which is the opposite you'd want, when walking four to six hours a day.

When I arrived back home, my physical strength was measured and it was down compared to before walking the Camino, though my stamina had increased.

I decided against taking protein with me it this year, though I had already bought it, because it would have added two more kilos of weight to carry. But now, knowing how easy it is to send stuff ahead to any correos office on the Camino, I'll do that next time.

Then I'll find out, whether this is going to work out better for me or not.

 

[TSchulen]

Just realized this post is over a year old. For anyone looking for advice though - People are correct, 99% of the time you will find all you need on the Camino. There is no need to bring protein bars as meal supplements. However, as some have pointed out, sooner or later you may find yourself at the end of the day hitting "The Wall". Having a Cliff bar or protein bar may be just what you need to get you to the next town. It's also good to have if you're making an early start, before anything is open and you have an hour or more before the next town. I brought six Cliff bars for a 35 day walk. I ended up eating 3, but they were lifesavers at the time. Next Camino I will probably pack 2, and replenish them when used. Think of it as part of your emergency kit. If it doesn't save you, it may help someone else.

 

[trecile]

How in the world did anyone manage to walk the Camino before protein bars were invented?!

 

[Tincatinker]

The Spanish Protein Bar has existed for at least a Thousand years and has been relied on by the hard-working peasantry and long-suffering pilgrims through-out that time. If any modern pilgrim wants to try one they just need to pop-in to the first Carnicería they find and ask for a Chorizo / Morcilla / Fuet ...

 

[VNwalking]

sooner or later you may find yourself at the end of the day hitting "The Wall". Having a Cliff bar or protein bar may be just what you need to get you to the next town.

Instead of taking hyper-processed plastic-wrapped pseudo-food, why not just take nuts? They are so easily available and much better for you and for the environment.

 

[trecile]

The Spanish Protein Bar has existed for at least a Thousand years and has been relied on by the hard-working peasantry and long-suffering pilgrims through-out that time. If any modern pilgrim wants to try one they just need to pop-in to the first Carnicería they find and ask for a Chorizo / Morcilla / Fuet ...

With all the pork and other meat products available in Spain I'm a little puzzled about people having trouble finding sources of protein on the Camino, unless they are vegetarian, in which case nuts, cheese, tortilla are readily available.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I always carry a few protein bars in my pack, but rarely need them. They do provide peace of mind for the "what if" and depends which camino you are walking. Spain's are not as good as our variety offered in the US, but they do in a pinch and weigh little.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

....So to associate consumers of protein bars with litter and a disregard for nature is a bit unfounded.

I pick up trash on the Camino daily. I see plenty of what you list, as well as enough wrappers of these uber-processed foodlike products to become remarkable.
Best of all is the meusli bar six pack. You can follow the athlete's healthy breakfast right along about 2 km. of trail: wrappers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, and finally, the box they came in.
Not all eaters of compressed bar-shaped fud are litterbugs, but wow, some of them are champions.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I pick up trash on the Camino daily. I see plenty of what you list, as well as enough wrappers of these uber-processed foodlike products to become remarkable.
Best of all is the meusli bar six pack. You can follow the athlete's healthy breakfast right along about 2 km. of trail: wrappers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, and finally, the box they came in.
Not all eaters of compressed bar-shaped fud are litterbugs, but wow, some of them are champions.

Horrible! I carry any debris I make while eating... out with me. I never litter! Same as at home!

 

[VNwalking]

Best of all is the meusli bar six pack. You can follow the athlete's healthy breakfast right along about 2 km. of trail: wrappers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, and finally, the box they came in.

Geeze. I wonder if these come from cyclists on a training ride? Imitating the Tour de France guys who throw whatever to the side of the road for their sag crew to pick up.

unless they are vegetarian

Thank you @trecile - you're spot on. And that even applies to vegetarians. I am, and have only rarely craved protein on the camino - and only when for one reason or another there wasn't enough to eat, full-stop - and that can never happen on the Camino Frances. I think there's a lot of brainwashing about how much protein one needs, with all the attendant anxiety. People have made it this far without Cliff Bars and the like. Notice the anxiety, take nuts if you need to, and never mind the false food.

 

[Deleted member 67185]

Back in the olden days, when backpacking and mountaineering I would have these along for the ride to nibble on :

Amazon.com : Romney's of Kendal - KENDAL MINT CAKE White bar (LARGE) 170g/5.98oz : Candy Mints : Grocery & Gourmet Food

Amazon.com : Romney's of Kendal - KENDAL MINT CAKE White bar (LARGE) 170g/5.98oz : Candy Mints : Grocery & Gourmet Food

www.amazon.com

Wilson's Certified Campsite Bacon Bar

Pictured above: a genuine Wilson's Certified Campsite Bacon Bar. Compact food for the cutting-edge camper in the 60's and 70's, the Bacon ...

davescupboard.blogspot.com

Kendal's is still available, but the bacon bar died out sometime in the late '70s (RIP Bacon Bar, you are sorely missed )

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I don't particularly care what I eat...I just need something in my growling tummy if need be!

 

[trecile]

Thank you @trecile - you're spot on. And that even applies to vegetarians. I am, and have only rarely craved protein on the camino - and only when for one reason or another there wasn't enough to eat, full-stop - and that can never happen on the Camino Frances. I think there's a lot of brainwashing about how much protein one needs, with all the attendant anxiety. People have made it this far without Cliff Bars and the like. Notice the anxiety, take nuts if you need to, and never mind the false food.

If someone has "hit the wall" and is having trouble continuing, they are more likely to need carbohydrates for quick energy than protein.

 

[spursfan]

Back in the olden days, when backpacking and mountaineering I would have these along for the ride to nibble on :

Amazon.com : Romney's of Kendal - KENDAL MINT CAKE White bar (LARGE) 170g/5.98oz : Candy Mints : Grocery & Gourmet Food

Amazon.com : Romney's of Kendal - KENDAL MINT CAKE White bar (LARGE) 170g/5.98oz : Candy Mints : Grocery & Gourmet Food

www.amazon.com

Kendal's is still available, but the bacon bar died out sometime in the late '70s (RIP Bacon Bar, you are sorely missed )

Ugh, Kendal mint cake is so sickly sweet!

Protein bars are overkill for most people on the camino especially if you bring enough bars for the whole walk - I can get by walking a long day on just liquid and chocolate but a banana would be a perfectly good alternative to protein bars

 

[Kanga]

I can't imagine eating protein bars on the Camino. To me that would be a terrible waste of my calorie allowance!

The only time I can remember really "hitting the wall" was a few years ago just before the descent into Roncesvalles. It felt serious and needed a quick fix. I remain very grateful to the person who handed out an old fashioned boiled sweet.

Even on the Via de la Plata I've never found it necessary to carry anything other than a piece of fruit, or a few nuts.

 

[David]

Absolutely totally not! Read the ingredients - the main ingredient is sugar in some form ... so .. you get tired, low blood sugar, you eat a sugar bar (is what they are) and feel a hit .. blood sugar rises sharply, but it is false nutrition, a trick - your insulin kicks in and twenty minutes later your blood sugar is lower than before you ate the sugar bar - don't do it!

If you eat decent food, lots of it, the way a labourer did a hundred years ago, you will never suffer from low blood sugar just because you are strolling down a pleasant road, comfortably.

 

[cher99840]

I would not carry protein bars but I did bring some peanut butter because I like it, it’s easy to carry, and not on every shelf in Spain as it is in the US. I buy fresh bread every day and the PB adds a little nutrition to the bread that I nibble all day. But that’s me and my likes. I wouldn’t suggest that you NOT bring them if you like them and are used to supplementing your protein intake in that way. Neither would I suggest that you carry PB if you are not used to eating it frequently.

 

[Deleted member 67185]

Ugh, Kendal mint cake is so sickly sweet!

Protein bars are overkill for most people on the camino especially if you bring enough bars for the whole walk - I can get by walking a long day on just liquid and chocolate but a banana would be a perfectly good alternative to protein bars

Yes it is too sweet, but that's why you mix it with the bacon bar Lot's of summits on that stuff.

 

[RJM]

Seems to be a lot of criticism and judgement of the lowly protein/granola/whatever bars. A lot of sage advice of what to eat instead and where to eat it. Jesus, what if someone just plain likes eating the various energy bars? lol. Is that bad? Not everyone wants to pop into a cafe every morning and eat a tortilla or gnaw on some nuts, lol.
Freaking freedom of choice, lol.

 

[TSchulen]

Instead of taking hyper-processed plastic-wrapped pseudo-food, why not just take nuts? They are so easily available and much better for you and for the environment.

...Because some of us like the taste of hyper-processed plastic-wrapped pseudo-food more than nuts.

With that said, I think the important points of this thread are:
1) There is generally enough good food on the Camino so that you won't need to depend on packing 2 cases of cliff bars to avoid starvation
But...
2) You should always have some "emergency" food (fruit, nuts, energy bars, etc) with you in the rare case you, or a companion needs a little boost to get to the end of the stage.

 

[RJM]

Right about now is when someone on this forum goes into a metaphor filled spiel about choices on the Camino, and how what you want to eat is all just part of YOUR Camino, lol. I always prepare for a group hug about then, or maybe share someone's coucous.

Think of a granola bar versus a bag of nuts as a fork in the path of the Camino. One is the natural way through the forest, the other is less natural, along a busy highway, lol.

 

[Karl Oz]

How in the world did anyone manage to walk the Camino before protein bars were invented?!

They resorted to cannibalism.

 

[VNwalking]

What is it about moderns who blithely accept the big profit marketing advertising?

That's another thread and a loooong story, David.

Yes it is too sweet, but that's why you mix it with the bacon bar

OMG. Hahaha, Dave. You would laugh at the look on my face right now....

 

[jungleboy]

I think there's a lot of brainwashing about how much protein one needs, with all the attendant anxiety.

Quoted for truth.

There is some protein in basically every food (in varying amounts, obviously, but still). A lot more people are lacking in fibre than in protein, and many people in western societies get far more protein than they need, but for some reason people seem to have a weird obsession with protein.

 

[David]

Trail bars were created to make lots of money out of the new outdoor leisure movement, itself promoted by companies selling special clothes and equipment for those activities - it is all marketing, propaganda, and profit driven.

Sugar spikes send the body crazy! Sugar spike and blood sugar level zooms up so body produces insulin to bring it down, which takes it down to lower than before the sugar bar .. a roller coaster .. then the glands get exhausted and the body becomes resistant to the large amounts of insulin, so the blood sugar levels go crazy ... a lifestyle like that and Hey Presto!! Type 2 Diabetes, which has become a pandemic in the 'developed' world ....

..... so it isn't just a boost, or a feel good, and certainly not nutrition in any form ... it is a way of really messing up our bodies and eventually becoming seriously ill.

I am not being purist here - who doesn't occasionally engage in sugar products? (I like chocolate when watching a film in the evenings) ... my point is that to treat sugar products as a 'normal' or 'good' food eventually leads to serious illnesses ... don't you think??

 

[Kathor1]

Right about now is when someone on this forum goes into a metaphor filled spiel about choices on the Camino, and how what you want to eat is all just part of YOUR Camino, lol. I always prepare for a group hug about then, or maybe share someone's coucous.

Think of a granola bar versus a bag of nuts as a fork in the path of the Camino. One is the natural way through the forest, the other is less natural, along a busy highway, lol.

No, you still haven’t got it, I fear. It‘s that the Camino doesn’t give you what you want but what you need. So it doesn’t give you protein bars, it gives you nuts and bananas.

 

[jsalt]

Unexpected emergencies do occur when you least expect them.

I was on the Portuguese Camino on Sunday 14 October 2018.

There had been the most terrible storm the night before. Trees had fallen across power lines and the whole area had no electricity for two days.

I was all alone at the Cernache albergue and NOTHING was open that day, no shop, no bar, no café (the coffee machines weren’t working), nothing.

There was tea and coffee in the albergue, but no electricity to heat up the water, and no food.

Psyching myself for a long, lonely, hungry, book-starved evening (my smartphone had very little charge left in it), I suddenly thought about that granola bar that I couldn’t remember ever eating.

I finally found it at the bottom of my pack, and that’s what I had for supper that night.

 

[november_moon]

I usually carry nuts and dried fruit, maybe some cheese and chorizo, and sometimes something sweet. Works great.
But yeah, if people like protein bars, go for it.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

No, you still haven’t got it, I fear. It‘s that the Camino doesn’t give you what you want but what you need. So it doesn’t give you protein bars, it gives you nuts and bananas.

Sometimes it MAKES you nuts and bananas!

 

[alhartman]

I carry one just for emergencies--along with a packet of Ramen. Last walk the ramen made it all the way to Monte do Gozo.
For protein fix, I eat a tin of fish (well off the trail) for a second breakfast; prevents my system from crashing in the afternoon.

 

[Mark Lampe]

I think one of those fantastic Spanish burgers ( some have foie gras) or maybe some Pulpo one of those fantastic steaks so many other options than something manufactured and in a pack, we carried Jamon with us and that fantastic Chorizo, try and find some at a market. Nothing like having a break and munching on part of a baguette and a chunk of chorizo ( and maybe a little wine left over from the night before). So many wonderful protein choices on the Camino.

 

[RJM]

Unexpected emergencies do occur when you least expect them.

I was on the Portuguese Camino on Sunday 14 October 2018.

There had been the most terrible storm the night before. Trees had fallen across power lines and the whole area had no electricity for two days.

I was all alone at the Cernache albergue and NOTHING was open that day, no shop, no bar, no café (the coffee machines weren’t working), nothing.

There was tea and coffee in the albergue, but no electricity to heat up the water, and no food.

Psyching myself for a long, lonely, hungry, book-starved evening (my smartphone had very little charge left in it), I suddenly thought about that granola bar that I couldn’t remember ever eating.

I finally found it at the bottom of my pack, and that’s what I had for supper that night.

Similar experience in the O'Cebreiro municipal. Too much snow to go outside. Literally stuck in the albergue till the morning. My dinner consisted of half a stick of Palacios brand chorizo and a Clif bar I had stashed away. Was a gourmet meal to me that night. As they say, hunger is the best sauce.

 

[Peligro]

I've usually been the last guy out of the albergue but this summer my brother came with me and was waking me up at immorally early hours. I was so glad I had caffeine infused breakfast bars to get me through until we got to an open bar for some real food and coffee!

 

[Beverleycamino]

I’m vegan and will be taking vegan protein bars because I know Spanish food is not very vegan lol (lived in Spain for 8 years) x

 

[Anniesantiago]

I didn't read all the replies, but just answering your question it seems like a lot of extra weight for nothing to me. There are SOOOOO many food opportunities and choices on the Camino. Markets everywhere. You won't run out of food if you use the resources there.

 

[Beverleycamino]

Like I say lived in Spain years... vegan food is not cooked or appreciated so will be taken bars with me, they weigh hardly anything...

 

[Tincatinker]

So, in all the years you lived in Spain you never encountered garbanzos, lentillas or faba? OK, I know that the Spanish have a deserved reputation for regarding ham as a condiment and seafood as an exotic vegetable but a vegetarian/ vegan diet is achievable. And vegan protein bars (?), nuts bound with coconut fat or palm fat. Why not just eat the nuts?
If those bars weigh “hardly anything” they contain hardly anything either - oat flakes, sugars, fat and traces of nut. How many are you planning on carrying?

 

[RJM]

So, in all the years you lived in Spain you never encountered garbanzos, lentillas or faba? OK, I know that the Spanish have a deserved reputation for regarding ham as a condiment and seafood as an exotic vegetable but a vegetarian/ vegan diet is achievable. And vegan protein bars (?), nuts bound with coconut fat or palm fat. Why not just eat the nuts?
If those bars weigh “hardly anything” they contain hardly anything either - oat flakes, sugars, fat and traces of nut. How many are you planning on carrying?

I fly out to Spain every time with 12 Clif Builder's Protein bars (chocolate peanut butter) in my pack. Two or three are consumed enroute, lol and the rest get whittled down gradually.
I do not mind the extra weight as it is a consumable and my pack actually gets lighter everyday.

 

[sunwanderer]

So, in all the years you lived in Spain you never encountered garbanzos, lentillas or faba? OK, I know that the Spanish have a deserved reputation for regarding ham as a condiment and seafood as an exotic vegetable but a vegetarian/ vegan diet is achievable.

We found that the garbanzos, lentillas or faba, like many other dishes, were usually prepared with ham or other meat. A vegetarian diet is achievable, but not easily and not varied enough to be healthful.

In restaurants we asked where were all those beautiful vegetables that we saw almost daily growing alongside the trail. We were told most were grown for export.

 

[David Tallan]

So, in all the years you lived in Spain you never encountered garbanzos, lentillas or faba? OK, I know that the Spanish have a deserved reputation for regarding ham as a condiment and seafood as an exotic vegetable but a vegetarian/ vegan diet is achievable. And vegan protein bars (?), nuts bound with coconut fat or palm fat. Why not just eat the nuts?
If those bars weigh “hardly anything” they contain hardly anything either - oat flakes, sugars, fat and traces of nut. How many are you planning on carrying?

When I lived in Spain (some thirty years ago) I encountered garbanzos, lentillas and fabas aplenty. They were cooked in meat broth. That's traditional Spanish cuisine for you. I'm not saying vegetarian and vegan food isn't available on the Camino (especially the Camino Frances). Things have changed a bit in the last thirty years. But I bet if you are going to a restaurant that isn't explicitly vegetarian and order the garbanzos, lentillas and fabas, they will still be cooked in meat broth and the restaurant staff will still think they are vegetarian. I can empathize with a vegetarian being worried about what they are receiving in Spain.

 

[Tincatinker]

@sunwanderer and @David Tallan I can't but agree with you. Spanish cocina traditional, cocina pobre, includes every scrap of nourishment that can be extracted from a ham-bone or a chicken carcass. Though most days now, in the menu peregrino it will be a Magitm stock cube or three or, though heaven forbid, all those un-chewable bits of Lomo from last nights Menu. No-one is going to include expensive ingredients in a three course meal plus wine for €10 unless they have to or because they hate to see the, otherwise, waste.

Nonetheless, hauling a rucksack full of carb/fat/sugar/nut bars makes little sense to me. I've managed far more often than not to cook some sort of pulse/ carb / vegetable combination in one pot on a half-busted hob or in a polythene bag in a microwave. There is virtually always a Paella vegetal in the freezer of even the tiniest of Tienda add a tin of garbanzos and you have supper and maybe tomorrows lunch.

I too can empathize with anyone who can't always get what they want but, "if you try sometime, you find,
you get what you need".

 

[Karl Oz]

I fly out to Spain every time with 12 Clif Builder's Protein bars (chocolate peanut butter) in my pack. Two or three are consumed enroute, lol and the rest get whittled down gradually.
I do not mind the extra weight as it is a consumable and my pack actually gets lighter everyday.

Reminds me of an actual newspaper story of about 15 years ago, where it was announced that it had been proven that man could live on Mars. It seems some type in England had fed himself exclusively on the eponymous chocolate bars for quite a few years. Twenty-five per day(!) Minute traces of nuts provided the requisite protein, and naturally there was no lack of carbohydrate, fats and oils.

 

[Dromengro]

Protein seems to be the latest fad, the past couple of years it seems to be added almost everything shakes, cereals, chocolate bars and coffee. A normal balanced diet will provide more protein than you need, or just add a handful of nuts, oats or beans. If you really need an overpriced protein bar fix I'm sure they're available in Spain, but I'd rather waste my money on other things.

 

[Stivandrer]

My problem hours are the mornings!
When on stretches like the VdlP, with some of the lonely stretches w no morning service, I sometimes have just a mere apple/banana breakfast. If I do not get to a breakfast opportunity within the next 15 km, I get ever so hungry & grumpy...
For this I have satches of protein powder for ½ the days I am on tour, to be dissolved in water.
Being 65, I need a kick in the back side and watch my intake.
My protein sources are the Almindra (almonds) that have 22 gr protein pr 100 grams, the ever important complement dark chocolate ( 5-6 gr/100), cottage cheese, if I can find it, (around 12 gr protein/100)..
Good cured Spanish hard cheese and ham keeps well in the hold too...( manchego has 27 gr protein/100 gr)( Iberico dried ham, 27 to 33! gr protein/100gr)
Luckily, I am gourmand, not gourmet !!
I usually do not use up all my satches, protein is there...

 

[RJM]

Reminds me of an actual newspaper story of about 15 years ago, where it was announced that it had been proven that man could live on Mars. It seems some type in England had fed himself exclusively on the eponymous chocolate bars for quite a few years. Twenty-five per day(!) Minute traces of nuts provided the requisite protein, and naturally there was no lack of carbohydrate, fats and oils.

Exclusively eating any kind of processed food , including the various protein bars, wouldn't be healthy. To me they are just a good thing to have in the pack for the occasions I don't have an opportunity to eat something else. Those mornings when no cafes are open yet, or the times there's a long ago between villages and I need something in my stomach. I'm not one for schlepping about with containers of gruel or soup sloshing about in my pack.