“My goodness, these bars are delicious“
I think to myself as I have a snack during the middle of the day while working. I have learned over the years that I want to enjoy what I am eating while out on my hunts, hikes, etc. I also firmly believe that knowing how your body feels with your food and drink that you will be using in the backcountry is very important. One other note is that I believe my body is a machine and it responds best with healthier foods so I will opt to use better products, knowing that I am giving it the best fuel options. I know many outdoorsman that ask, “what meals do you like when you are hunting,” or ”what do you drink as a get me up in the morning when you wake up”?
I can recommend all sort of things for folks but the thing that needs to be taken into account is, how do you feel after you eat it? I know for a fact that there are certain items that I love the taste of but it might cause me to feel bloated, my stomach might get upset, or worse, it makes me feel super inflamed and tired.
With all this said, my word of advice to you all. I will outline my thoughts on my 5 must have items that I use but you need to get them for yourselves 3-6 months ahead of time and use them to know how you feel all the time while eating/drinking them. This will truly let you know what items you will want to have in the backcountry that will make you feel ”Bomb Proof”.
Here are my must have items that I enjoy on every Backcountry adventure.
1. I love a good pick me up in the morning. I know, I know, you are already thinking I am going to tell you about some Starbucks instant coffee ☕️ or some new pour over product. Nope! I instead like to have a scoop of a powder that I can toss into my Nalgene bottle and head out on my morning hike to my hunting or glassing spot. I like this product because it gives me a great mental attitude with its Nootropics and it tastes fantastic. It makes me feel like I can rock the day out, I am hyper positive, it gives me the feeling of a preworkout without the drop in energy down the road and there are no side effects. If you haven’t heard of it, it is called Ignite by Mtn Ops. My fitness side could tell you all about the fun stuff it has in it but I will keep it simple and straight to the point. It helps dilate your blood vessels which helps with cardiovascular performance, it gives you great ingredients with everything being all natural, and it gives you a great pickup from the caffeine and nootropics. It is a must try and an every day item for me whether being in the office or on the mountain. It also comes in tubs or trail packs which is nice.
2. In the essence of drinks, this one can be considered a drink or some food. Typically, there is a large amount of talk in regards to calories and how much weight is your food going to be in your pack for a backcountry hunt. This product doesn't have many calories but it is very nutritious and it can sooth the soul. It is made by BuiltBar and it is their Built Broth. I enjoy this as a hot drink for dinner most of the time and it is very satisfying. If I really want to get some calories in, I will take some dry ramen/rice noodles and put them in there for 5 minutes. I use a jetboil, boil the water, toss in the broth packet and stir. Then, the ramen goes in and after those 5 minutes, I have a good ole soup instead of a drink.
So Why Do I enjoy a soup or broth?
Well, it is solid protein with each packet delivering 10g of protein. It also has 500mg of sodium which is good to gain back after a tough day of hunting. It helps with preventing cramping and overall electrolytes in the evening. I also enjoy the taste of their product compared to others which is why I chose to use this as my broth of choice.
**If you purchase anything from Built, Please use the code E2WHUNTS and get yourself 10% off**
3. I have seen myself lose and gain weight over the years depending on my performance goals, increase or lack thereof activity, and muscle gain/loss. One of the items that has made me feel great over the year that I use on the daily are the BuiltBars. I am sure you have seen me promote these if you follow me on instagram. This is a product I fell in love with and will talk about them for days because they are so damn good. These bars taste fantastic, they have a super easy digestibility and they are made of collagen protein. This protein is very digestible and I have seen significant fat loss. Since I enjoy them on the daily, I also use them out in the woods. I will caution you that if you were to be hunting in 90 degree weather, these bars would have a hard time not melting. :)
4. I enjoy snacking throughout the day and I do worry about ensuring that I get good calories in while also getting good quality food in. One of the big factors when I am out for days on end is the fat content I am getting. I ideally want to get most of my carbohydrates from my dinner which will usually entail some sort of pasta and other noodle, however fat content can come from nuts, butters, etc. Since I enjoy snacking throughout the day and enjoying great tastes, the Packaroons from Heather's Choice are a must have for me. My favorite is the coconut flavored one but I can't say anything bad about any of them. I just enjoy vanilla and coconut as simple flavors for myself. You will just have to try them and see what you like on your end.
5. So how about meal items? Well, on the point of consistency with good quality food, you will have to try Peak Refuel Meals and see which ones you enjoy the most. I thoroughly enjoy their Strawberry Granola Breakfast, Chicken and Rice, and Beef Chili Mac. These are great tasting and they have an amazing amount of protein which is very well needed to retain your strength and muscle. I think this is even more important while you are out in the backcountry. I also enjoy that I do not wake up feeling like I just had the saltiest Chinese food on the planet, feeling bloated and puffy for the next day. There is a reason that this company has blown up over the past couple years and that is because they have a great product.
**A little add in there for you. If you buy them from sportsman's and sign up for their emails, you will get 10% off and get yourself some purchases in bulk.**
I want to be clear with everyone that I might have some other items in my pack in regards to snacks but this will encompass my must have items that I am not leaving the house without. I hope you do enjoy some of these items if you have not tried them because I do believe they are great and I would not use something that wasn't. If you have any questions in regards to them or want more information on how my food is structured for a hunt, please reach out to me via instagram, my email, or website.
Scout, Hunt, Repeat
Alex
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