FoodGrocery budgets are provided for crews based out of the Flagstaff, Tucson, and White Mountains offices while on projects, but is not provided for Youth Conservation Corps crews based out of Flagstaff . If you are on a Tucson, Flagstaff, or White Mountains crew, let the staff know of any dietary restrictions before your first day. Also note that some Crew Leaders encourage group meals, while others encourage folks to cook independently.
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RecipesHere are some Ideas to get you started!
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What to eat?
How and what you eat on hitch will make a huge difference as to the experience you have. If you don’t eat well, or don’t have enough to eat, you will be unable to function at your best. You will not have enough energy, you will feel tired a lot, and your mood will suffer.
Providing yourself with adequate food is a requirement of this job. Just to clarify, if you show up for hitch without adequate food, you will likely be disciplined and sent home. If you cannot afford food there are food banks, or you can apply for food stamps.
Quantity:
The main thing to realize is that you will probably eat A LOT MORE food on hitch than you normally eat. Working at your mental and physical limits in the outdoors for 10 hours a day (and camping out on top of that) really takes it out of you, and you need to replenish your body.
You should plan, at least at first, to consume roughly TWICE the amount of food on spike as you eat when living in town and being sedentary.
General Nutrition:
WHAT you eat is just as important as how much you eat. Everyone has a unique metabolism and needs to figure out what works for them. However, we can lay out some rough guidelines for you.
First, you want to consider the proportions of Carbohydrates, Proteins and Fats in your diet. Each of these “macronutrients” is essential to good health and performance.
Carbohydrates are found in fruits, vegetables, grains and sugars. Carbs provide your muscles with readily accessible energy. Carb-rich foods can be divided into two categories: high-density (high glycemic index) and low density (low glycemic index). The former includes grains (bread, pasta, etc.), sugary foods and starchy vegetables (potatoes, carrots, beets, etc.) while the latter includes fruits, vegetables and high-fiber grains (oatmeal). Low density carbs are generally better for you because they provide a slow, even supply of glucose to the body instead of causing big spikes and valleys. You should generally shoot for having ½ to ¾ of the carbs in your diet be low density carbs. Try to make most or all of the grains you eat whole grains, as these have more nutrients and a lower glycemic index than refined grains.
Protein-rich foods include meats, dairy products, and soy products. Nuts and beans have some protein, but nuts are mostly made up of fat and beans are mostly carbs. Proteins are the building blocks of the body. They can be broken down and used by the body for energy, but they are more important for building and maintaining muscle, connective tissue and other body parts. Therefore, when you are doing hard physical work, it is essential that you make sure you get enough protein in your diet to repair the damage you do to your body and build up your muscle so that you can become stronger and more resistant to injury. The amount of protein each person needs varies widely, but a rule of thumb is to eat about 4-6 oz of protein at each meal (more if you eat a lot). You should be eating almost as many grams of protein as you do of carbs. The diet book “Entering the Zone” recommends a ratio of 7 g protein to 9 g carbs.
Fat is the densest form of food energy and is also essential for the proper functioning of the brain and other bodily systems. Conventional wisdom says that there are “good” fats and “bad” fats, the bad ones being saturated fats (found in meat and dairy products) and hydrogenated fats (found in processed foods) and the good ones being polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, found in nuts, avocados, olive and canola oils, etc. Fats are important to have on spike because they provide the most calories per pound. You should try to avoid the bad fats and heap on the good ones.
Once you have the macronutrients taken care of (i.e., you are eating balanced meals), don’t forget the junk food! It can actually be pretty difficult to get enough calories, and some people tend to lose weight while at on a crew. Even if weight loss is your goal, don’t short yourself on food, and bring yourself SOME treats.
Also, a good spice kit can be worth its weight in gold for providing interest and variety to your palate. Consider putting a crew spice kit together so you aren’t duplicating. A small bottle of your favorite hot (or otherwise-flavored) sauce is another must.
What kinds of Food to Eat on Hitch:
Lack of refrigeration, limited cooking methods, limited time for preparation and the need to transport all limit what foods are good to bring on hitch.
Foods that work well:
Foods to use sparingly:
Foods to Avoid Like the Plague:
Providing yourself with adequate food is a requirement of this job. Just to clarify, if you show up for hitch without adequate food, you will likely be disciplined and sent home. If you cannot afford food there are food banks, or you can apply for food stamps.
Quantity:
The main thing to realize is that you will probably eat A LOT MORE food on hitch than you normally eat. Working at your mental and physical limits in the outdoors for 10 hours a day (and camping out on top of that) really takes it out of you, and you need to replenish your body.
You should plan, at least at first, to consume roughly TWICE the amount of food on spike as you eat when living in town and being sedentary.
General Nutrition:
WHAT you eat is just as important as how much you eat. Everyone has a unique metabolism and needs to figure out what works for them. However, we can lay out some rough guidelines for you.
First, you want to consider the proportions of Carbohydrates, Proteins and Fats in your diet. Each of these “macronutrients” is essential to good health and performance.
Carbohydrates are found in fruits, vegetables, grains and sugars. Carbs provide your muscles with readily accessible energy. Carb-rich foods can be divided into two categories: high-density (high glycemic index) and low density (low glycemic index). The former includes grains (bread, pasta, etc.), sugary foods and starchy vegetables (potatoes, carrots, beets, etc.) while the latter includes fruits, vegetables and high-fiber grains (oatmeal). Low density carbs are generally better for you because they provide a slow, even supply of glucose to the body instead of causing big spikes and valleys. You should generally shoot for having ½ to ¾ of the carbs in your diet be low density carbs. Try to make most or all of the grains you eat whole grains, as these have more nutrients and a lower glycemic index than refined grains.
Protein-rich foods include meats, dairy products, and soy products. Nuts and beans have some protein, but nuts are mostly made up of fat and beans are mostly carbs. Proteins are the building blocks of the body. They can be broken down and used by the body for energy, but they are more important for building and maintaining muscle, connective tissue and other body parts. Therefore, when you are doing hard physical work, it is essential that you make sure you get enough protein in your diet to repair the damage you do to your body and build up your muscle so that you can become stronger and more resistant to injury. The amount of protein each person needs varies widely, but a rule of thumb is to eat about 4-6 oz of protein at each meal (more if you eat a lot). You should be eating almost as many grams of protein as you do of carbs. The diet book “Entering the Zone” recommends a ratio of 7 g protein to 9 g carbs.
Fat is the densest form of food energy and is also essential for the proper functioning of the brain and other bodily systems. Conventional wisdom says that there are “good” fats and “bad” fats, the bad ones being saturated fats (found in meat and dairy products) and hydrogenated fats (found in processed foods) and the good ones being polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, found in nuts, avocados, olive and canola oils, etc. Fats are important to have on spike because they provide the most calories per pound. You should try to avoid the bad fats and heap on the good ones.
Once you have the macronutrients taken care of (i.e., you are eating balanced meals), don’t forget the junk food! It can actually be pretty difficult to get enough calories, and some people tend to lose weight while at on a crew. Even if weight loss is your goal, don’t short yourself on food, and bring yourself SOME treats.
Also, a good spice kit can be worth its weight in gold for providing interest and variety to your palate. Consider putting a crew spice kit together so you aren’t duplicating. A small bottle of your favorite hot (or otherwise-flavored) sauce is another must.
What kinds of Food to Eat on Hitch:
Lack of refrigeration, limited cooking methods, limited time for preparation and the need to transport all limit what foods are good to bring on hitch.
Foods that work well:
- Home-cooked foods in tight-closing Tupperware (great for the 1st couple of days)
- Durable Fresh Fruits and Vegetables, e.g., apples, citrus, carrots, potatoes, peppers (Fresh produce is a huge morale-booster. Plan on using less durable items in 1st ½ of spike)
- Dried fruit and Jerky
- Cheese (pure protein that will easily last 8 days even without being kept in a cooler. I recommend part-skim mozzarella for summertime because it won’t separate into a pool of oil with chunks in it)
- Bulk whole grains, e.g., brown rice, quinoa, rolled oats, etc. (quinoa has the highest protein content of any grain and cooks quickly—oatmeal with honey and butter makes an easy, filling and nutritious breakfast when paired with a protein source)
- Bulk dried foods
- Tortillas (more durable than bread, especially when stored in a Frisbee)
- Bagels (one contains as many carbs and calories as 5 slices of bread—also more durable than bread)
- “Tasty Bites” (Indian or Thai meals fully cooked and sealed in foil pouches—a little pricey, but can be a tasty and easy way to spice up an otherwise boring meal”)
- Trail Mix (make your own mix of nuts, raisins, etc. A great snack food and source of extra fat and calories. )
Foods to use sparingly:
- Canned foods (can add variety and are easy to prepare, but have fewer nutrients than fresh foods—a good way to add some extra protein to the diet)
- Processed, refined grains, e.g., pasta, bread, chips, etc. (too many high-density carbohydrates will cause your insulin levels to spike and leave you feeling tired, grumpy and hungry long before the next meal)
Foods to Avoid Like the Plague:
- Freeze-Dried packaged meals, e.g., “Backpacker’s Pantry”, “Mountain House”, etc. (these expensive, highly-processed foods contain few nutrients, can be hard to digest and are packed with salt, MSG and other artificial flavorings to try to disguise the fact that they are worthless goop in a pretty foil pouch)
- Ramen noodles (high in saturated fat, high-density carbs, MSG (so that your taste buds think you are eating real food) and not much else)
If you have any questions about food before the beginning of your term, please contact the office that you will be based out of.