I'm very careful these days not to work a whole bunch without sufficient calories and water. Treaded a fine line yesterday as I was not in the mood for any breakfast. Forced myself to eat a couple pieces of sugar toast before heading off. I had done about an hour worth of labor and noticed that my stomach had begun to protest. Once finished and I got back to the buggy I grabbed one of my recent favorite snacks...a hardboiled egg. I keep a salt shaker handy for this purpose exclusively. Scarfed the egg down and headed to next chore, which was weedeating. Had been at it long enough to need refuel and restringing and felt the hunger again. Decided to take an actual break this time and pulled out my favorite 'snack' for working...Chocolate Milk. Drank it down and enjoyed a view of the river for about ten minutes. Picked the weedeater back up and started again, feeling way better than I had when I sat it down. Chocolate milk has magical powers! Did another hour and fifteen minutes with the trimmer and called it a day. So what are your go to snacks when you are working on wood or outdoors (inconcenient locations to prepare food)? My current go-to's include: Chocolate milk, boiled eggs, granola bars, beef jerky, string cheese. If I know I'm in for a slog, ahead of time...I will likely pack a lunch meat sammy and some pretzels or something.
Only thing I can add is some venison/bear sausage/sticks and crackers. And keep a roll of TP handy in the truck.
I carb out the day before and a good meal with eggs and sausage type proteins the day off. lunch and supper will be a normal meal And bring a 5-gal igloo water container to the field with me.
Just about every Saturday & Sunday begin with Eggs, Bacon and Toast for me. Typically can work into the afternoon on that. On a lazy day (or if I'm behind) I'll order sausage gravy & biscuits from Bob Evans to go. My emergency roll is kept in the water tight glove box of the buggy. Thankfully it mostly gets used for blowing my nose. lol
Water for me. I also drink a Body Armor or two depending on temps. For me, hydration is key. I will head in for a snack depending on how things are going. Thankfully, where I tend to cut and process isn’t that far from the house. Worse case, a quick 4 wheeler ride back to civilization.
My morning routine is 2 pieces of French toast (each piece of bread uses one egg) and two pieces of sausage. Can of V8 energy and a swig of STōK coffee. my favorite sausage is Schwaggerty brand. When I can’t find it, then I get Old Folks brand. when eggs hit $5/doz, you gotta wonder about things.
Coffee w heavy cream in the morning. I have enough calories hanging over my belt, not much need for food. Unless I'm splitting by hand that day. Then pizza is in order..doggo gets the crusts. Yesterday I ran the saws for 8 of the 9.5 hours I was out there. Doggo and I got egg mcmuffins at cumbys. Stumpy brought subs over at lunch,.doggo got some of my bread/roll. I should have brought body armor yesterday...pounded 3.5 quarts of water (half a quart went to doggo) No real go to's. No carb loading, at least not intentionality.
I used to treat myself real bad with liquids. Low intake and very sugary with lots of sodium. Have gotten completely away from the sports drinks these days, which is crazy cause I used to take my own bottle of gatorade to biddy league practice. That's how far back I go with sports drinks. Water, water, water. Every now and then I will still drink one if I have really been sweating to get some salt and stuff back into my system but for the most part I want water to drink.
I never hesitated on the eggs. They can have my weekend breakfast when they pry it from my hungry hands!
I will go through 6-7 water bottles in 4-5 hours this summer on any given day when working outside. Won't even think of heading off without at least 6 bottles in the cooler.
It's so odd for me to only want water these days. Complete opposite of me 5 years ago. But I have changed a lot of things since then. Nearly 50 pounds lighter, stronger and generally happier (all things considered). Been trying to encourage others to drop all the junk liquids. They look at me suspiciously when I tell them eventually they won't want that stuff anymore once they get away from it. Anecdotal, but that's how it is for me now.
I always have a large container of ice water and some Nature Valley fruit and nut bars. When I got put on night shift many years ago, I quit drinking soda for a full year. I didn't loose one pound in weight but I did it mostly to assisting w the unusual sleep pattern. Then when I quit that job, first time I drank one was a Mountain Dew and it made me feel like absolute chit. Now when I do drink them, it's with lots of ice to help water it down a little.