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Re: How to get enough carbs down my neck?

Ah, the perennial problem of how to eat lots of snacks and other yummy stuff. I also don’t react well to huge sugar rushes from things like Mars Bars and find many snack bars too sickly.

I would recommend Eat Natural bars, my favourite of which is yoghurt-covered almond and apricot. Their only drawback is that at below freezing they assume a concrete-like consistency.

I also like Trek bars, the high protein ones are my favourites, and Nakd bars, both made by Natural Balance Foods.

All the above have the advantages of not only being vegetarian and gluten free, but also readily available in all good supermarkets.

Another favourite are Stoats Porridge Oats Bars. They are not as sweet as many generally available flapjacks - all flavours are delicious.

Re: How to get enough carbs down my neck?

I would endorse the recommendations given. I've tried several of these and found them very successful particularly enjoying Eat Natural bars though it's very much a personal taste. What's most important is that you try things out before hand and in the same sort of body-stress situation that you may meet on the Challenge. I've found some bars delicious at home but like putty when on the hill. I also run trail races and marathons and find my taste and my body's capability to accept some bars or gels totally different 'under load'.
Don't dismiss traditional stuff like Eccles cakes either.

Re: How to get enough carbs down my neck?

Eccles Cakes are my current Challenge breakfast of choice. Eat Natural, Nakd Bars, homemade granola bars, all work for me. But I've also found I need something that makes my tummy feel full, so I carry rolls, preferably wholemeal, and a mini camembert for up to for days. We get cool enough weather for the cheese to remain soft but not too ripe...

Re: How to get enough carbs down my neck?

Oooh... this thread is making me peckish now!

Kirsten - 9-bars: Yes, I found these in Sainsburys a couple of weeks ago and I like them.
Your recipe sounds tasty but I think I'll take the easy route and buy something. I made some camping flapjacks a few years ago and ended up having to eat sporkfuls of crumbs out of a bag because I didn't quite get the consistency right.

Emma - I find some of the Eat Natural bars a bit icky but I love the darker chocolate with brazils and apricots. I also like the Nakd bars but have not tried Trek, so will give them a go if I can find them.
I took Stoats porridge bars for breakfast on a Challenge a few years ago but decided that I preferred a pan of porridge and that the bars were quite heavy to carry across Scotland. However, looking at the webpage they seem to do two sizes - 85g and 50g - and at 248kcal for the 50g bar (Festive Fruit) it's a good energy to weight ratio.

Stan - Eccles cakes? I've never even thought of taking them so thanks for the idea. I used to like them but they started to give me heartburn so I'll need to give them a trial run so I can work out if the weight of the extra Bisodol cancels out the calorie gain!

Louise - Camembert! I thought I was posh taking Leerdammer!

I'm considering taking a small bottle of extra virgin olive oil this year. I can stir it into my dinner, dip bread in it and even drink it, I suppose. So far, the smallest bottle I have found is 250ml which I think will be a bit big so I'm on the search for something smaller or a leak-proof bottle to decant some into.

Re: How to get enough carbs down my neck?

Cotswolds do a 125ml Nalgene Leakproof bottle that ought to work for Olive Oil.

They do a 60ml one too.

125 here

Re: How to get enough carbs down my neck?

Andrew, Robin - You have just reminded me that I do already have a 60ml Nalgene bottle - and that I used to use it for cooking oil years ago so it should still be fit for purpose. Thanks for jogging the memory.

Re: How to get enough carbs down my neck?

Bob at Backpackinglight does 125 and 60ml jars http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/food-preparation/QC103-5.html

M&S Flapjack bars are yummy and full of calories. The super seed one is nutritious. There's also a chocolate one

Re: How to get enough carbs down my neck?

Cheese & Macaroni pie, the one true way :-)

Taking olive oil is a brilliant idea, apart from the extra calories it also makes your rehydrated cardboard meal a nicer consistency. Take a few cloves of garlic too. They do nowt for energy but they really give your meal a kick in the pants.

Eccles cakes + instant custard = terrific.
Dried fruit + a good pinch of nutmeg or cinnamon + instant custard = tasty, warming, calories.

JJ

Re: How to get enough carbs down my neck?

I am sure beer contains carbs John.
Doesn't it?

Re: How to get enough carbs down my neck?

Dehydrated beer

http://www.today.com/food/beer-concentrate-lets-you-take-brews-outdoor-adventure-2D11741579

Re: How to get enough carbs down my neck?

Ordinary porridge oats - i.e. not the nice-but-useless instant porridge is a very efficient fuel, is good for your cholesterol and for your bowels and doesn't weigh very much. I pre-mix it with powdered milk and a bit of sugar. The trick, to avoid burning porridge onto the bottom of your pot, is to put the porridge into boiling water and then let it cook by itself for about ten minutes and, maybe just gently warming it up a bit before stuffing it down your neck. The ten ,minutes taken whilst it's brewing can be filled by drinking the cuppa you made just before despoiling your pot with all that porridge, removing the slug from your boot or refitting the lens to your spectacles after you slept on them last night. I hardly ever have issues cleaning the pot since I usually camp with my little dog. If you haven't got a dog, or aren't allowed one cos its the TGO, then a little water, warmed up slightly and a pan sponge/scrubber thingy (apols for the technical jargon here)will do the trick.
Be like Bill and eat porridge

Re: How to get enough carbs down my neck?

I too use porridge: At home mix porridge oats, dried milk and lots of dried fruit/chopped nuts - varied mix so I don't get bored. Don't bother cooking it - just pour on boiling water when I make my breakfast cup of tea. Stir up and put in my cozy. Leave to soak while I sip tea and wake up. By the time my tea is gone the porridge is lovely and thick. Last stir then eat! Yummy start to my day.

(This is so good I also do it when working away from home and staying in a Travelodge)

My other staple is oatcakes with Primula 'squeezy cheese' from a tube.

I always carry dried fruit and nuts. Brazil nuts are very good to chomp on. Good flavour, and don't leave your mouth feeling dry.

Re: How to get enough carbs down my neck?

I also go for the porridge, fruit and nuts mix which I eat every day, but I go for the J Oliver 'pukkolla' recipe, which is just to put the mix in a bowl with milk and leave it in the fridge overnight. A bit of extra milk in the morning and it's ready to eat. I guess you could do this on the Challenge by putting the mix in a kliplok tub. I actually prefer it cold so should save a bit on gas! I suppose you could heat it as well. The oats seem to soak up the milk very well and it's certainly tasty.

Re: How to get enough carbs down my neck?

I'd also vote for porridge but I use Maggi coconut milk powder, available from Tesco. I think it has a far better taste than milk powder. The other thing I'd recommend is having a desert with your evening meal. If you dehydrate your own food try dehydrating Jamaica Ginger Bread. It's great sunk in instant custard.

Ian C.