What is the best lunch for a day trip? I once took a salami. Won’t be doing that again. Looking for advice, suggestions and general help.
pastrami
I usually have a apple or two, and baggie of dried fruits and nuts.
Yanoer once brought a three inch
thick havrati cheese sandwich and his speed increased 40-50% after lunch.
I usually have Swisher Sweets and Gatorade for lunch.
day trips
Solo day trips, I usually just throw in 4 Nalgenes full of water, a couple Clif bars, some hard candy, and beef jerky. Actually that is pretty similar to a lunch on a long solo trip too…
Best to eat lightly when paddling, and save the binging for evening. Your high fat salami was exactly what your body did NOT need while exercising. Stay with minimal fat, high carb meals for lunch. Protien is ok if taken in moderation.
During exercise you cannot process fat or protien very well. Your body needs carbs to exercise, and will use fat from body reserves rather than from what you have eaten.
Level of Exertion Matters
– Last Updated: Aug-09-09 1:30 PM EST –
If you're taking it easy anything you normally eat should be fine. A few Tums in the day hatch should be all you need for any 'torso twist' indigestion. If you're putting out a lot of effort, keep the fat to a minimum. (There ain't no 'perfect lunch'. Everyone's innards are a little different.)
For snacks; something salty and something sweet.
I aren't know master paddler but I is experienced at long kayak / road bike days.
PB&J
Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches work for me - cheap, easy, and keep well. I usually bring two, have one for lunch and have the other available if I get hungry in the afternoon or on the drive home. I usually have a banana also, though it can get pretty beaten up in the day hatch.
Small jars…
of peanut butter (Chunky of course) and jelly, small plastic spoon. No bread. Easily stores in the day hatch. Spoon stays in my PFD pocket.
It’s surprising how a few spoonfuls of each will take the edge off and give you some energy to continue. And along with the water I bring, I also bring a bottle of ice tea, which goes great with the PB and J.
Andy
Amen
That is the “Bride” and my life bread !
Race training, lilly dipping, camping, and exploring, whether it’s the tandem canoe or our kayaks, we don’t leave home without them.
The peanut butter on mine has to be chunky and at least 3/8" thick and the jam has to be rasberry
She being a trim, slim thing, naturally likes the sandwich the same.
Long training paddles, we throw power gel into the mix
Cheers,
jackL
My Current Favorite
Sloopsailor turned me on to these. Smuckers makes these little PB&J (grape jelly) sandwiches called “Uncrustables.” They’re in the freezer case at the grocery store. Pre-wrapped, so they’re quick to pop one or two into your cooler. I’ve also found the little 100 calorie packs of Emerald almonds “Cocoa Roasted” almonds makes a great snack on the river. Used to make my own GORP years ago, but have found the little individual packages of the gourmet blend “Sam’s” Gorp at Wallyworld are pretty darn good. Also, they come in small packages the size of peanut bags. One other item I really enjoy on the river is Wasabi peas. Dried peas covered with the dried hot mustard. My friend, Gwen, here on P.net turned me on to those. All these are light weight, QUICK, and easily carried. WW
It was only 2.97" thick.
Speed only increased 38.61%.
Day trip lunch? Gourmet, naturally!
– Last Updated: Aug-09-09 3:23 PM EST –
Day trips (from home, anyway), represent a perfect opportunity to take along a truly tasty, nutritious, and even relatively gourmet lunch. The only thing that makes some difference is this: will I be eating lunch while sitting in the boat on potentially lively waters? Or will I have a chance to eat on shore?
In any event, be it an "in the boat" or shore lunch, I'll pack it in one of those small, soft insulated lunch containers with one or two of those "ice pack" thingies in there to keep everything fresh. I will also pack more than I think I'll eat...for a few reasons. If it turns out to be a day of more physical work than anticipated, I'll need more nutrition/energy. If it turns out to be a much longer day than anticipated--even going into night--I may need a second meal. Finally, on the rare occasion that I do encounter someone else along the way, it's nice to have something good to share with them.
So then, on to the menu...
For the more elaborate "shore lunch", I try to maintain a decent variety/balance of fruit, vegetable, grain, and protein. And naturally, the most important--though perhaps smallest by volume--food group...chocolate!
[All "sandwich" ingredients stored separately, so that nothing gets soggy while waiting to be eaten]
Apple(s)
Celery and carrots
Hummus (for dipping celery and carrots)
Little open sandwiches made with: my own home baked, whole grain baguette, to have with...
Homemade balsamic vinaigrette (my own special recipe), sliced onion, sliced tomato, whole basil leaves, and fresh smoked mozzarella.
Sometimes, I'll include a different main course, like Chinese cold noodles w/sesame/peanut sauce (w/cucumber, green onion, and if I want extra protein, some sliced cold chicken).
Then, in addition to all the water and cliff bars I regularly include with any paddling kit, I may have hot coffee or tea in a thermos. Finally, a bit of dark chocolate to make any day "just perfect". :)
Now, if I expect that I'll have to eat my lunch while sitting in the boat, with the potential for lively water as well, lunch cannot be quite so elaborate. Even so, I have managed to have some pretty decent pseudo-gourmet lunches while sitting in the boat as well. Smoked salmon, for instance, is good for an easy main course (on or off the water).
Melissa
I hope that someday, I’m that paddler
that you meet and feel a need to share with!! That sounds like it could be dinner at home! (Bring extra hummus that day!!)
Kimo Sandwich
Named after the guy who taught me.
Chunky natural Peanut Butter (peanuts and salt, anything else is just wrong!), pepperoni sliced thin, pepperjack cheese, all wrapped up in a Josephs oat bran and flax seed pita.
Pure power and oh so good!
Tommy