Trail snacks

[Sojourner47]

Hi all, what do you eat during the walking day?
I'm only a beginner, but on my recent CI, I lived on tomatoes,oranges and chocolate digestive biscuits (!) whilst walking. I eat the toms and fruit at home, but the CD biscuits are something of a luxury normally, but walking uses up the excess cals.....(the biscuits were readily available in all the small shops, hence my reliance on them...) :mrgreen:

 

[mikevasey]

It all depends on if i managed to get to a shop the night before, if i do then i usually pack a couple of oranges, red grapes, a big bar of dark chocolate(minimum 70% cocoa), some dried mixed nuts and 2 litres of water . If ive not been a good diligent peregrino then expect me to eat and drink on the way at various stops, this includes cafe grande con leche embasso, various breakfast pastries, crossiants with ham and cheese, Kas d' limon, the occassional cerveza,especially if i spot them selling Estrella Galicia and the tapas that sometimes accompany the cerveza(s)

 

[+@^^]

ah food...
my favourite was when the hospitalero offered to make a monster sandwich of cheese, ham, tomato
of the most delicious freshly baked bread
and often packed in a small box juice
.
but best of all was walking in autumn/fall on the vdlp when harvesting was on
there was fruit everywhere
nuts
grapes
pears
berries
.
picking up the fallen fruit was like a gift from above
always a surprise and well appreciated

 

[Kitsambler]

On the road from Le Puy: I focused on trying to get enough protein (French breakfasts of bread, butter, and jam being notoriously carbohydrate-rich). Finally I settled on tinned sardines, and a tinned concoction dubbed "Salad Parisienne" by the locals, that involved tuna, mixed veg, and vinagrette. Plus the odd raw carrot or apple, for the fiber. IF I was lucky enough to find an open bakery, and IF I was early enough they had not sold out of the limited number of sandwiches, I found the ham and cheese sandwiches were mostly bread with a small amount of protein as a garnish.

 

[renegadepilgrim]

I would normally try to get to a grocery store every few days. I would stock up on things that weren't too messy and easy to eat. Usually, yogurt (this keeps just fine if not refrigerated), apples, bananas (if I could find them), and occasionally an orange. I would supplement with bread, cheese and meat (later on, it was butter, jam and peanut butter). I also would buy a box of granola bars and munch on those as I walked. On hot days, I supplemented my water with Gatorade or Powerade. I started out the Camino with a bunch of Cliff Bars and Luna Bars, too.

 

[LTfit]

I kept a supply of dried fruits (apricots and figs)and nuts in my pack to nibble on. In addition a tin of tuna and a pack of olives on hand as emergency. On the Francés it was no problem keeping stocks in pack. I'm not sure how the Via de la Plats will be - probably fewer and farther apart.

 

[William Marques]

I kept a supply of dried fruits (apricots and figs)and nuts in my pack to nibble on. In addition a tin of tuna and a pack of olives on hand as emergency. On the Francés it was no problem keeping stocks in pack. I'm not sure how the Via de la Plats will be - probably fewer and farther apart.

+1 for dried fruit and salted peanuts.

 

[johnnyman]

Yo, peoples

Heard people on here talk about the joys of having peanut butter on the Camino. Bought myself a big jar to bring with me, but the damn thing weighs nearly two pounds! Can one find the stuff in markets along the way?

 

[markss]

In my backpack, which was carry on luggage for the plane ride, I included a jar of peanut butter. Unfortuntely it was considered liquid by TSA and confiscated before boarding the plane leaving the US. Couldn't find a replacement anywhere along the Camino.

Seems peanut butter is not very well known in Europe. I was trying to explain the concept of peanut butter to a few Spaniards and they thought the whole idea sort of strange. Nevertheless whole peanuts, sunflower seeds and a wide assortment of nuts and trail mixes are easy to find.

 

[+@^^]

on the vdlp, my Japanese walking partner Michika (i miss you sister) and i made a bad call
which cost us an extra 20kays on top of a hard 30kay day
it was about 30 deg C
we had both run out of water and food
and both getting a bit delirious and struggling
.
out of her emergency pocket she took 2 suckers/lollypops
sucking these sugar-bombs slowly returned some energy
and the mental booste that this delivered was amazing
.
from then on i carried a few in my belt pouch

 

[WanderingChristian]

I planned on bringing a little cloth shopping bag for my Camino and hitting up the local bodegas in whatever town I happen to lay my head in each night. I like nuts and sunflower seeds (minus shells, messy ), LOVE oranges and apples. Dark chocolate? NOW you're speaking my lingo :lol: . I'm curious if local bodegas would carry things like Gatorade powder (whatever flavor i can get, but orange is a favorite). Also curious if there are sausages made in Spain that can go without refrigeration? I'm a fan of Chorizo (Mexican style) and would love to have a little bit in my pack to make a sandwich when i take a rest break.

I remember the Provencal style tuna salad when I stayed in Normandy a few years ago. i was in Bayeux (20km from Omaha Beach) and met a young lady from western Canada (it was nice to hear a voice that almost sounded American) and we toured around for a couple of hours together. we went to a local baker shoppe for a nosh and she said the tuna salad in France was divine. Growing up with tuna salad being made with mayonnaise (Americans eat it that way), I was in for a culture shock when I took a bite of this style. It was just as she said, light and full of flavor. I hope I can get that again on my trek from Paris to St. Jean.

Kudos on the idea of lollipops, though.

DE COLORES Y ULTREYA!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

In France

 

[dougfitz]

I planned on bringing a little cloth shopping bag for my Camino and hitting up the local bodegas in whatever town I happen to lay my head in each night. I like nuts and sunflower seeds (minus shells, messy ), LOVE oranges and apples. Dark chocolate? NOW you're speaking my lingo :lol: . I'm curious if local bodegas would carry things like Gatorade powder (whatever flavor i can get, but orange is a favorite). Also curious if there are sausages made in Spain that can go without refrigeration? I'm a fan of Chorizo (Mexican style) and would love to have a little bit in my pack to make a sandwich when i take a rest break.
[snip]
Kudos on the idea of lollipops, though.

I have included a cotton shopping bag in my 'ideal' packing list as a fellow pilgrim friendly way to personally avoid the early morning alburgue rustling competition, so I applaud you on that.

My snack bag contained a combination of nuts and dried fruit (dates and figs mostly) fruit, bread, hard cheese, chocolate and some confectionery.

On the third day of my pilgrimage (Zubiri to Pamplona) I survived on jelly beans that I had put in at the last minute before leaving Australia. I walked past Larrasoana in the early morning thinking I could get breakfast not too far further on, and did not realise that I wouldn't see a bar or cafe until the outskirts of Pamplona at lunchtime. That experience made me determined never to walk past an open bar again on the Camino, a sentiment that is very difficult to explain where the social connotations of this are completely different

Unless I knew that I could properly wash fruit like apples, strawberries, etc, I confined my selection to fruits that could be peeled.

I didn't see Gatorade specifically, but there seemed to be other powdered drink preparations. I don't have a clear memory of how big the packages were, or whether they had packs of sachets.

The hard cheeses were okay in the back pack for a few days - they never survived much longer than that anyway. I bought a chorizo style sausage at Los Arcos that claimed not to need refrigeration, but only consumed about half of it before becoming concerned about whether it was still safe to eat. I didn't get any gastro at that point (did later - another story) but that doesn't mean anything about the sausage.

 

[jpflavin1]

I bring about 16 Quaker oatmeal raisin bars with me initially. Otherwise I usually buy a variety of nuts, dried fruit (dates), oranges, strawberries and plums when I could find them.

I found Gatorade (preferred it to water) in bottles (1-2 Euro's) in a lot of the Bodega's other than the real small towns. Never looked for the powder but would assume the larger chains would carry it.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[Abbeydore]

Thanks for reminding me, will take a couple of boxes of muesli/flapjack bars,
These are my latest favourite,

which are just delicimo, If I'm lucky will hope my partner will make some of her beauties.
They are are pretty instant energy & unlike chocolate don't have a downer.
When in Spain will investigate dried fruit parlors...... español salas de frutos secos

 

[Tia Valeria]

Spain has a wonderful selection of salami type sausages hanging up in many small shops. Cut to request they will keep for a time. Chorizo is widely available.
We bought salami and cheese slices in a small supermarket last year, good supper and next day's sandwiches.
If you pass through Oviedo there is one shop, near the market, which just has its window stacked full of chorizo/salami sausage .

 

[Abbeydore]

My partner is a Vege, do they do vege ones or twos :roll:

One can get a Vege Haggis :lol:

 

[Tia Valeria]

Spain doesn't really 'do' veggie, it is more a case of avoiding the meat, so sorry we are not aware of any veggie type sausage. Plenty of cheeses and salad etc.

 

[Sansthing]

My favourite lunchtime food was meio curado cheese and a crisp green apple. For snacking along the way there is nothing better than dark chocolate and a handful of nuts. None of these weighs too much and they are full of energy-giving calories.
Sandra :arrow:

 

[Arn]

There I was...walking the AT and just entering a small village in a secluded valley, the group of buildings included...small Chapel, Parsonage and General Store (no gas station). I always tried to add to my daily fare of pop tarts and crunchy peanut butter(B'fast), dried fruit/nuts (a walking lunch) and a variety of scalloped potatoes, or rices for Supper, by purchasing some meat: hot dogs (they are already cooked and keep a few days, hard salami and hard cheese (I think some of the cheese from 96' is in my other pack...might still be good too.) I also drank a lot of water!

To this day, if I'm on a short walk of two or three days...I can get by with some pepperoni and hard cheese. I find the combination works well on the Camino also. Great chorizo and quesa is available just about everywhere. And, though I still drink a lot of water...I've yet to find a bad vinotinto.

Buen "snacking all the Way" Camino,

Arn

 

[Abbeydore]

& of course the best pick-me-up is water & is instant
& of course it's easy to test if you are OK
Look @ the colour of what comes out,
if it's the colour of a smilie you need to drink more :lol:

 

[Gailsie]

I loved it when I could find a two pack of chocolate pudding with whip cream on top in a store. I eat both of them. For some reason they tasted better than any other that I have had since. Maybe it was just all the walking.....

 

[Andrewere]

Chorizo and cheese for me too. But when food ran out I used this as emergency fuel when walking the Via de la Plata. It was greatly appreciated on some of those long hot days and, surprisingly, never caused any post-sugar slumps. Available in most Spanish supermarkets.

Andrew.

 

[WanderingChristian]

One thing I like to have now and then is v8 (3 servings of veggies per bottle). Is it (or a similar product) available on the Camino?

 

[methodist.pilgrim.98]

Oreos.

 

[k-fun]

The Principe cookies were a favorite of many women last year. You can get them in most mercados. The are delicious chocolate filled vanilla wafers.

 

[mmm042]

Food is such a great topic! I bring a bunch of Uncrustables (packaged PBJ sandwiches), and they seem to be the perfect combo of protein, carbs and fat for a lunch -- plus they're not as heavy as sausage and cheese can be. Chocolate is also good, and can be found everywhere. If you can find a good candy shop, there are also lots of licorice/jelly bean/sour patch kids kind of candies that are lightweight, don't get stale too quickly and are nice for midday pick-me-ups (the lollipop idea, only they're chewy candy, not hard). And of course fresh fruit always tastes extra good on the Camino.

Melanie

 

[Freetime]

Aren't the uncrustables supposed to be kept frozen? How long do they keep?
Do they sell things like that at the mercados?

 

[SabsP]

Some of the food I had on the CF
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... 700&type=1

 

[Abbeydore]

Some of the food I had on the CF
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... 700&type=1

This is not fair, now I'm hungry again!

 

[Paul1116]

Can some one confirm that there is in fact NO peanut butter available throughout the entire Camino??!!!! If this is in fact accurate I am rethinking the entire trip, not really but I cant live w/o Jiff extra crunchy!!!!

 

[dkenagy]

Nonsense. I'm in Santiago now. I bought Peter Pan Creamy at Leon (Corte Ingles). Them some European brand at the albergue in Foncebadon. Then crunchy at the Eroski in Melide. Also, the trail side vendor beyond Hospital de Orbigo offers it. You MUST be able to ask for "Crema de Cacahuete". They stock it in odd shelf locations. You will never find it on your own.

 

[jujuaway]

honestly... the whole idea is to be in a different culture... if you want to repeat what's at home, i don't really get the point.

also, a lot of people, myself included, were pleasantly surprised to find that eating loxally i just wasn't hungry.... in australia on a 14 km walk i'm starving

 

[JillHives]

Can some one confirm that there is in fact NO peanut butter available throughout the entire Camino??!!!! If this is in fact accurate I am rethinking the entire trip, not really but I cant live w/o Jiff extra crunchy!!!!

I understand your love. When I moved country people always asked what I missed the most and my default (tongue-in-cheek) answer was Peter Pan peanut butter. It tastes like home. I haven't done Camino yet but I have been to Spain a number of times and I have seen peanut butter on the shelves. You might not find the Jiff brand (in Ireland they only sell it in "American sections" of a few specialty shops) but peanut butter is found almost everywhere here now. There is a brand called Panda that is quite similar that has replaced Peter Pan for me. I would be more concerned with how heavy a jar of it would be in your bag.

 

[Paul1116]

Thanks for the PB tips folks!!!

 

[Luka]

As a veggie I have quite a hard time getting my proteins. For that I brought 300 grams of (whey) protein powder with me. Just as an emergency supply for days I couldn't lay my hand on eggs or cheese. Next to that, I always carried some dried fruits and nuts with me.

 

[WanderingChristian]

I have a question on food eaten in a bar or restaurant. According to the Brierley guide, one should enjoy tapas while in Navarre. However; as our good pal Joost says to Tom in "The Way", they're called pinchos. My question is: who's right? Either way, I don't want to look like a fool calling them tapas when they should be called pinchos, or vice versa.
Buen Camino,
WanderingChristian

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Pintxos is probably the correct one, but many places in Pamplona advertise tapas. Ask for whatever they call it on the menu, and you will be OK. Speaking Basque is not really expected. The Basque will love it if you can speak it, but they do not confuse learning one word from a movie as a real interest in the language! I give them a little more credit than that.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

From a web food site

How to Order Pintxos in the Basque Country
One of the 'novelties' of pintxos is that you don't order, you take. It's not the most hygienic practice in the world, but it's a bit of fun to order your beer and just start nibbling at what you see on the bar. You then normally just tell them at the end how many you've had and the barman will charge you accordingly.

However, it is not always done like this. In some bars, the barman can be very protective of his pintxos, you have to ask. How do you know whether you can help yourself or not? Well, it seems that the Basques have a psychic connection with their pintxos - they just know. For the rest of us, I found that a good tip is to ask for a plate ('¿Tienes un plato?' tee-EN-es oon PLA-to) - if the barman just gives you a plate, you are free to help yourself. If he holds onto it and looks at you expectantly, it's time for you start pointing!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

More from the website

What are 'pintxos'? How are they different from 'tapas'? And why is the word sometimes spelt 'pinchos'? Find out on this page.

What Does 'Pintxo' Mean?
'Pintxo' is a 'Basque-ified' take on the Spanish word 'pincho', which itself comes from the verb 'pinchar', which is 'to pierce'. Pinchos are traditionally pierced with a cocktail stick, to attach it to the piece of bread that they invariably came attached to. However, as Basque cuisine has evolved, the food is now less likely to be pierced to a piece of bread than before.

I'll leave it you to decide if the deliberate bastardization of a Spanish word when there is probably a perfectly legitimate Basque equivalent is done to deliberately bait the Spanish or not!

What's the Difference Between Pintxos (or Pinchos) and Tapas?
The difference between a pincho and a tapa is complicated and depends largely on context and location in Spain.

A significant minority of Spaniards (well, I've come across more than one myself) who have not traveled extensively within their own country have the idea that a pincho is paid for and a tapa is always free. This is simply not true.

The basic uses of 'pincho', 'pintxo', and 'tapa' are as follows:

In the Basque Country, you are served 'pintxos'. It is never written 'pinchos' and they are never called 'tapas'. This is the case regardless of whether it is served 'pinchado' to a piece of bread with a cocktail stick or not. Even if you're served a plate of risotto, it's still a pintxo. You will always pay for your pintxo. Find out about the best San Sebastian Pintxo Bars.
In Salamanca, particularly on Calle Van Dyck, you are served pinchos. They are almost always a piece of meat served on a piece of bread. Though not actually 'pinchado' with a stick, this is still close to the original idea of what a 'pincho' is. However, here they are free.
In Granada and Leon (and in some other nearby cities) as well as in some bars in Madrid, a small portion, whether served on bread or not, is a tapa. It is free.
In Seville and other parts of Andalusia, all small portions are called 'tapas'. They are not free.
In many cities in Spain, particularly Madrid, a large portion of, say, calamares, will be called a 'ración', with a half-size portion called a 'media ración' and a quarter-size portion a 'tapa'.
In most parts of Spain, when trying to informally say 'a bit of', for example "Can I have a bit of tortilla please?" you will ask for a 'pincho' - so 'un pincho de tortilla'.

 

[Laura Jean]

I would normally try to get to a grocery store every few days. I would stock up on things that weren't too messy and easy to eat. Usually, yogurt (this keeps just fine if not refrigerated), apples, bananas (if I could find them), and occasionally an orange. I would supplement with bread, cheese and meat (later on, it was butter, jam and peanut butter). I also would buy a box of granola bars and munch on those as I walked. On hot days, I supplemented my water with Gatorade or Powerade. I started out the Camino with a bunch of Cliff Bars and Luna Bars, too.

Is it possible to find Clif bars or some kind of energy bars anywhere on the Camino?

 

[Castilian]

Is it possible to find Clif bars or some kind of energy bars anywhere on the Camino?

Clif bars started to be sold in Spain a few months ago being www.qbio.bio its distributor.
I think you could find other energy bars in the bigger towns along the route (Pamplona, Logroño, Burgos...). Ask locally for advice about where could you find them.

 

[Lachance]

How about diet coke (ducking)

 

[Anniesantiago]

I usually carry a slice of hard cheese, some olives, bread and an orange.
Sometimes I carry a tiny tin of tuna instead of the cheese.
If I'm planning breakfast on the trail, I take Marias, yogurt, and fruit.

 

[ShellsG]

I am so much more a savoury snacker than going for sweets so the idea of being able to stop for cheese and sausage to snack on is appealing. Is it difficult to find things like eggs served for breakfast? That is usually my go to protein when starting my day.

 

[mspath]

Eggs are generally not served for breakfast in either France or Spain. The basic continental breakfast is bread or a pastry such as a croissant, plus a hot beverage. Juice may also be available. However you might always hard boil eggs in the albergue kitchen to carry with you. In a Spanish cafe delicious wedges of a tortilla made with eggs and potatoes are another way to eat eggs. Fried eggs and/or omelettes are often available for later meals.

 

[Tia Valeria]

We carried 1€ packets of lomo curado and bread this year. If we did not eat it as we walked then it made a good light supper. (We ate our main meal at mid-day). An alternative when we wamted it to keep well was a tin of sardines in tomato and bread. On one day we passed a pasteleria and bought cakes which were too big to eat at one go, so kept some back for next day. (Huge croissant filled with crema pastelera and topped with chocolate and apple slice).
Roasted salted almonds were a good snack for me and I carried a pack of these much of the time. We also had a packet of 'Bimbo' breadsticks which were useful.