Winter Camping Feb. 19 – 21, 2010

1. Winter Camping Feb. 19 – 21, 2010 Meal Planning

2. General Considerations • Dehydration is a serious concern in winter • Water is hard to come by – it takes time and energy • Your body is an engine and you must fuel it to keep it running and warm • You can burn 4000 – 7000 calories/day or more just to keep warm and active (about 2 – 3 times your normal rate)

3. General Considerations – cont’d • Winter camping is not the time to go on a diet. • Make meals simple with easy clean-up

4. Nutrition • Simple carbs (sugars) are good for quick energy but burn off fast • Complex carbs (pasta, rice) last longer • Fats and Protein are better for longer lasting energy, but takes a while to enter your system • Meals should have a good combination of Protein (20%), complex and simple carbs (50%), and fats (30%). • Short, medium, and long term fuel in each meal

5. Typical Breakfast • Instant Oatmeal • warm, easy to prepare • add raisins and brown sugar for quick energy shot • Add a protein/fat like cheese or sausage for longer lasting fuel. • A warm drink is OK • but more important to drink plenty of water (not sugary mix)

6. Suggested Foods - Breakfast • Oatmeal • Bagels • Cream-of-Rice or Wheat • Grits • Granola • dried fruits • Peanut Butter

7. Typical Lunch • Crackers w/ Cheese and Sausage or PB&J • Dried fruit and nuts • Instant Soup • cup-a-soup packets, Mrs. Grass • Candy or energy bar for afternoon snack • Snickers, Baby Ruth, Payday are good (nuts for protein)

8. Suggested Food - Lunch • Tortillas, crackers • PB&J • Tuna • Salami, summer sausage, pepperoni • Jerky • Cheese • Nuts • Energy/candy bars • Trail mix

9. Typical Dinner • Instant meal like flavored rice or pasta with a meat/cheese. Something that can be made in one pot. Filling, warm, nutritious, easy to prepare, and good tasting. • Fruit - dried • Dessert – pudding, cookies, etc. Easy to prepare with little mess. • Bedtime snack – Nuts, Meat, Cheese (Snickers bar) – Protein/fat so it will last through the night and you won’t get cold

10. Suggested Food - Dinner • Pasta, rice, couscous • Instant soup • Sausage/bacon • Mac n cheese • Chili • Burritos • Tortillas

11. Tips • Drink plenty of fluids early in day and taper off later at night – it will improve your chances of sleeping through the night. • Take a warm water bottle to bed with you – it will feel good and will be cool to drink (not frozen) in the morning • Trail Mix of nuts, raisins, M&Ms, etc. is ideal snack. Each camper should have a private store for a quick snack during the day or night if they get cold.

12. More Tips • Do not bring a cooler/ice box • If you want to keep things from freezing pack them on the inside of your pack surrounded by clothes • If you want to keep them cold – Duh! It’s a winter campout. • Get rid of as much packaging as you can. • If we pack it in we pack it out. • If you need directions that are on the box copy them on the inner bag or cut the important info off and tape it to the inner bag/zip lock.

13. More Tips • Bring wide-mouth water bottles (2) • Nalgene’s are good, so are old Gatorade bottles • Make sure the cap is on tight and store your water bottles upside-down • Ice forms at top • During the day keep one in your sleeping bag and one ready to use. • If you start to get cold put on a hat and have a snack (handful of trail mix) and a drink of water.

14. Tips • Dehydration is a big contributor to hypothermia • Drink often and in smaller amounts – don’t chug a whole liter at once. • Rule of thumb is – 2.5 lbs (1.1 kg) of (the right kind of) food per person per day (about 4500 – 5000 calories)