The vegan backpacking thread

[Heltrekker]

My real weakness is Nakd bars, especially the lemon meringue, but they're so chuffin' expensive. If you check out the ingredient, they are just fruit and nuts, mostly dates, I suppose 'cos they bind everything together so well. I've recently started making my own. Our local market has a guy that sells confit fruit - any variety you can think of - it's got no additives except icing sugar. I get a couple of hundred grammes in whatever combination takes my fancy, throw them in the food processor with about the same amount of organic stoned dates and a handful of organic pecans or peanuts or cashews and some toasted oatmeal. I press the paste into ice cube trays to get cubes, then either keep them in the fridge until I need them (well hidden from the family....), or make a bigger batch and freeze them. Marvellous trail snacks, or for a a great breakfast, use extra oats - costs about a quarter of Nakd bars.

 

[Odd Man]

Cheap short sell by date Clif bars

https://store.approvedfood.co.uk/sn...colate_macadamia_nut_68_g-243293-p?pid=243293
https://store.approvedfood.co.uk/snacks/clif_bar_blueberry_crisp_bar_68g-30867380-p?pid=30867380
https://foodcirclesupermarket.co.uk/collections/clif

 

[Enzo]

I also used to buy Clif bars out of date too. But I'm with Mole.

I used to neck maltodextrin made up with 3 in 1 coffee sachets too. But they are all standard carb 400cal/100g.
Oil/fat is double that and I presume walking doesn't need fast energy. So I've tried to focus on high fat foods.
Latest experiment has been making up dry hummus dry mix using chickpea flour, sesame seeds, garlic granules and a pinch of citric acid, to which water and oodles of olive oil can be mixed.

Though being a predominantly weekend hiker, I'm not sure calories are as important as food being filling and nice to eat.

 

[Stuart]

That sounds great. Do they hold together OK? And you just keep them in the fridge, not the freezer?

 

[Heltrekker]

That sounds great. Do they hold together OK? And you just keep them in the fridge, not the freezer?

They're good for a couple of weeks in the fridge, I'd be amazed if my tribe allowed them to survive unconsumed longer than that!! They are a bit sticky, but I add the toasted oatmeal 'cos the starchiness helps bind them and dries them out a bit, they're dense enough to hold together quite well. They do stick together if you just have them loose in a zip lock, but you can wrap them individually in a bit of greaseproof paper or clingfilm.

Confit fruit is a French thing (not quite the same as candied fruit), they blanche fresh fruit in sugar syrup (breaks down the cell fibres) then pack it in icing sugar which sucks out all the moisture, you have to leave it for about 2 weeks and change the sugar regularly. They are surprisingly not too sweet and keep the original colour, with a texture something like a jelly baby. Tbh, they're good on their own as trail snacks, but terribly more-ish!!

There's a good short-cut method here if you have a drier https://www.tompress.co.uk/A-10003978-make-half-candied-fruit-in-a-home-dehydrator.aspx

 

[Bmblbzzz]

They do sound pretty good. Trouble with all these making your own things is, a) getting the ingredients at non-supermarket price, b) finding the time and tuits, c) having the kitchen space to work in (without disrupting everyone else's lunch) and store the stuff.

Or am I just making excuses...?

 

[edh]

Now I'm making my Chia Poohding with Coconut Milk Powder I guess that is vegan too.

And tasty.

 

[Enzo]

Coconut milk powder is I think a great basis for a lot of dry meals, I've used it instead of butter baking too. Surprising how little flavour it imparts.

 

[Odd Man]

.

 

[dovidola]

1:55 "head to your oven - Bang it on at 120 C"
2:35 "...and Whack 'em in the oven for about 20 minutes"

Why must chaps, when cooking, always describe using ovens thus? If you doubt this, watch any episode of Saturday Morning Kitchen!

It would appear even the 'wokest' of males have yet to address their need for this hilarious verb selection.

Following Delia's example (as always), I just 'preheat' or 'set' my oven to the required temperature and 'place' my cooking therein.

Nigella, on the other hand, likes hers 'inserted' - but then she would, wouldn't she?

 

[Michael_x]

Just heard that we can take vegan sandwiches into the EU. (Source: The Bunker podcast https://play.acast.com/s/the-bunker 25/01/21)

Quick google suggests it's true e.g. https://m.truckerworld.uk/2021/01/v...-be-handed-to-hauliers-en-route-to-continent/

Logically vegan dehydrated meals, etc should also be admissible. That's what I'm hoping.

[Presumably if one had the necessary paperwork one could take meat, dairy, etc. Can't find the details online for personal imports (Incidental finding I came across: for a b2c business to consumer sale of a small order of cheeses it apparently requires a fee of £180 per order so probably not viable).]

 

[Mole]

Just heard that we can take vegan sandwiches into the EU. (Source: The Bunker podcast https://play.acast.com/s/the-bunker 25/01/21)

Quick google suggests it's true e.g. https://m.truckerworld.uk/2021/01/v...-be-handed-to-hauliers-en-route-to-continent/

Logically vegan dehydrated meals, etc should also be admissible. That's what I'm hoping.

[Presumably if one had the necessary paperwork one could take meat, dairy, etc. Can't find the details online for personal imports (Incidental finding I came across: for a b2c business to consumer sale of a small order of cheeses it apparently requires a fee of £180 per order so probably not viable).]

If only there was a thread for sharing stuff about the new rules for import/export with Europe

 

[simplerandomwalk]

I thought I'd signal this website RealFoods which has a lot of good (if a bit expensive) vegan options for backpacking. They have all kinds of nuts, dried mushrooms, dried fruits (mango and papaya are fantastic for oatmeal), TVP if you like it, and recently found a pack of edamame spaghetti that cook in 3-5min and have 42g of protein per 100g (by Murphy's law I can't find them on the website right now, probably out of stock).

Another find is that the ultracheap Tesco-special brand (I believe it's Stockwell?) dried mashed potatoes have no milk in them (unlike the Idaho's), so that's another good option. The taste must be added though

 

[rootsman]

I haven’t tried them myself but heard some good things about these:

https://tentmeals.co.uk/

Not that many meal options so far though

 

[Nigelp]

I haven’t tried them myself but heard some good things about these:

https://tentmeals.co.uk/

Not that many meal options so far though

I’ve ordered some but not tried them yet. They look OK but don’t look like much in the packet.
I have also seen some of the Naked Noodle range is now 100% plant based. For some reason they are twice the price of the other flavours. At £1.50 a go they will still be cheaper even doubled up for a good meal portion. Not tried them yet because I’m not 100% plant based so have the rice based based ones that are vegetarian. Will try some when they go on offer. Just see they are on offer at a £1 so will but some when I shop.

https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/307139089

 

[Stuart]

Most of the comment on here has been on snacks and prepared meals.

I'm hoping to go on a 6 day trip on the Pennine Way through Yorkshire and don't want to carry 6 days food. One option will be to eat in cafes and pubs when possible but I imagine places could be packed or booked up.

I've never tried to buy food for backpacking meals in the UK. What kind of options would you go for? Are there any good tricks like taking some base foods and then adding to them?

 

[dave_g]

Most of the comment on here has been on snacks and prepared meals.

I'm hoping to go on a 6 day trip on the Pennine Way through Yorkshire and don't want to carry 6 days food. One option will be to eat in cafes and pubs when possible but I imagine places could be packed or booked up.

I've never tried to buy food for backpacking meals in the UK. What kind of options would you go for? Are there any good tricks like taking some base foods and then adding to them?

Taking some protein powder can be an option if you anticipate challenges getting the right things for a balanced diet over 7 days.

 

[Stuart]

Having never thought about protein powder, are there particular brands or types that are better than others?

 

[dave_g]

I use Raw Sport, think it's a bit more pricey than others but tastes good, uses a broader mix of protein sources, and has lots of fancy labels on the pouch.

Also consider taking some Hurl Savoury for when in a pinch. It doesn't weigh much, is nutritionally complete and not bad when you're hungry (especially if you spruce it up with some fresh veg etc).

Another (expensive) but convenient option for food during the day is Human Food bars, nutritionally complete but from whole food sources, and lots of fancy logos again. Although expensive they are apparently cheaper than the retail prices of the ingredients. Probably not much different to taking a fruit and nut mix, depends how picky you are on nutrition.

 

[dave_g]

Also, I like taking coconut cream (the solid bar version) to mix into morning porridge to bump calories, get some fat, and make it nice and creamy.

 

[WilliamC]

Hurl Savoury

I was thinking, what on earth was the marketing team thinking when they came up with that name. Disappointingly, a bit of Googling shows it to be a typo

 

[Stuart]

I like the coconut cream idea, have only used dessicated before.

I see what you mean when you say the protein powders are expensive, £34 for 1kg.

 

[WilliamC]

Also, I like taking coconut cream (the solid bar version) to mix into morning porridge to bump calories, get some fat, and make it nice and creamy.

I like the coconut cream idea, have only used dessicated before.

We use this Maggi Coconut Milk Powder at home. It seems to get the same effect as the solid bars but it's easier to use the amount you want and is probably more convenient when backpacking.

 

[Stuart]

Cheers.

I'm not sure about protein powder, never really used this kind of thing and generally cook from fresh ingredients.

 

[dave_g]

We use this Maggi Coconut Milk Powder at home. It seems to get the same effect as the solid bars but it's easier to use the amount you want and is probably more convenient when backpacking.

Looks good, note it contains milk though. Wonder if there's a version available without.