# Hunting > Game Cooking and Recipes >  lightweight meals for the bush

## oneshot

Being the miserable prick that I am when it comes to carrying extra weight into the bush I did some experimenting with some light weight meals. This is my latest creation and surprisingly makes a lot of food. I have put the below ingredients in a large bowl, then halved the mix again, then seal in a vacuum bag.  This type of food can save you cooking, so no need to carry a gas or fuel cooker if you dont mind eating it cold. 
When your ready to eat just put into a billy tin or what have you, add boiling or cold water, allow the mix to soak up the water, it will expand a lot! especially the Couscous and oats.  This is high in carbs and energy, is very quick and easy, and tastes really good. 

Mix in a bowl dry- 

½ cup of rolled oats
½ cup Couscous
¼ cup of milk powder
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup shredded coconut
¼  cup Goji berries
¼ cup peanuts
¼ cup Sun flower seeds
¼ cup linseeds
¼ cup Banana chips 
¼ cup Wheat germ
¼ cup Pumpkin seeds
¼ cup chocolate powder

----------


## ebf

interesting, but that's rabbit food  :Zomg:  :Psmiley: 

carbs are just short term energy, and they make you feel lethargic once the initial "hit" wears off.

i'm more a fan of high protein meals. energy lasts longer.

----------


## Ryan

I'd be inclined to disagree with you there EBF. Protein does deliver some energy but its primarily used by the body to repair muscles, tissue etc. Carbs provide far more energy and oats in particular are slow-release so keep you fuller for longer and release their energy over a longer period.

No?

----------


## oneshot

> interesting, but that's rabbit food 
> 
> carbs are just short term energy, and they make you feel lethargic once the initial "hit" wears off.
> 
> i'm more a fan of high protein meals. energy lasts longer.




cant eat meat for breakfast everyday  :Thumbsup:

----------


## ebf

BACON, the king of breakfast foods  :Psmiley:

----------


## ONYVA

I agree with Ryan, I have done a bit of indurance sports and most athletes would not last very long on a protein rich breakfast,its carbs all the way.

----------


## Ryan

On my last hunting mish I packed nuts, raisins, powerade, bananas and some biltong and droëwors.

----------


## Toby

Should change your name to tweety bird!

----------


## Ryan

> Should change your name to tweety bird!

----------


## Gibo

Ha Ha Toby you should change your name to Uncle!!

----------


## K95

> I agree with Ryan, I have done a bit of indurance sports and most athletes would not last very long on a protein rich breakfast,its carbs all the way.


Yep, Carbs are king for "high performance" activity. Protein is good for back at camp before bed.

----------


## phillipgr

Good recipe bro. I should get into vacuum packing my own meals for those longer trips.

----------


## Sidney

There is a move towards low carb athletic performance... theres a kiwi guy called Jack ? in the +60 triathlete arena who went onto a paleo diet and is current world champ I think.. I read an article in north and south some time back about him..  his intake is meat (incl. organs and marrow/ligament joint tissues etc) and vegetables along with certain fats.  This diet solved his joint related issues and has enhanced his performance by all accounts.

This website is about another high performance athlete doing similar..

Low Carb Triathlon Training

----------


## oneshot

I have an extremely low carb diet, so when I do eat carbs im like the energizer bunny. Im going to make some meat type meals, might have to try some Biltong.

----------


## veitnamcam

Biltong/jerky is great!

----------


## mrs dundee

Are they those sticksthingy you see on the counter in the bottle stores

----------


## veitnamcam

yea

Sent from my GT-S5360T using Tapatalk 2

----------


## Spook

> Being the miserable prick that I am when it comes to carrying extra weight into the bush I did some experimenting with some light weight meals. This is my latest creation and surprisingly makes a lot of food. I have put the below ingredients in a large bowl, then halved the mix again, then seal in a vacuum bag.  This type of food can save you cooking, so no need to carry a gas or fuel cooker if you don’t mind eating it cold. 
> When your ready to eat just put into a billy tin or what have you, add boiling or cold water, allow the mix to soak up the water, it will expand a lot! especially the Couscous and oats.  This is high in carbs and energy, is very quick and easy, and tastes really good. 
> 
> Mix in a bowl dry- 
> 
> ½ cup of rolled oats
> ½ cup Couscous
> ¼ cup of milk powder
> ¼ cup sugar
> ...


I got as far as "couscous" and flagged it...how does anyone eat that shit?

----------


## Ryan

> I got as far as "couscous" and flagged it...how does anyone eat that shit?


With a mouth.

----------


## kiwi39

that looks bloody awesome

----------


## 308

Got a similar mix

1 measure of milk powder
1 measure of protein powder (vanilla beats choc in my book here)
1 measure of toasted muesli
1 measure of rolled oats
1 measure of bran with sultanas
1 measure of untoasted muesli
half measure cranberries

same deal, mix the lot up and bag about 1.5 to 2 cups for a serving
In the bush, brew a cuppa and put the extra hot water into the bag, squelch it around and then eat after a minute or so

I like it so much I have it for regular breakfast often. The only thing is that protein powder is mad expensive


Good idea with the couscous - I never know what to do with that shit so I'll give it a go, likewise the goji for slow release energy

Also, less rubbish to carry out

----------


## oneshot

> I got as far as "couscous" and flagged it...how does anyone eat that shit?



 :Grin:  just live a little and try something extra healthy, I love the stuff.

----------


## stretch

Bookmarking this one.

----------


## Spook

> just live a little and try something extra healthy, I love the stuff.


Oh, but I have tried it...has the taste and consistency of wet sawdust, and probably equal in nutrition.

----------


## ANOTHERHUNTER

I agree with ebf,
protein for breakfast is the way to go. bacon and eggs , steak and eggs or a big bag of mixed nuts is a lot more slow release energy. porridge or pasta,and your hungry again in an hour or two.

----------


## Driverman

You could add potato flakes to the list. And as far as diets go the body can fuel its self on ketones just as well as glucose. A ketogenic diet has much to recommend it.

----------


## possummatti

Tried a similar setup not long ago. When it came to vacume packing it i didnt have the fancy townie stuff so thought the old vacume cleaner and a snaplock bag would do. Never again. Half my shit disappeared up the pipe and the rest sprayed out everywhere. Good times

----------


## 308

Haha brilliant

I don't have one of those fancy vacuum sealers either so I use those slidelock bags - they are overpriced but the Pams knockoff ones are shite





> Tried a similar setup not long ago. When it came to vacume packing it i didnt have the fancy townie stuff so thought the old vacume cleaner and a snaplock bag would do. Never again. Half my shit disappeared up the pipe and the rest sprayed out everywhere. Good times

----------


## possummatti

> Haha brilliant
> 
> I don't have one of those fancy vacuum sealers either so I use those slidelock bags - they are overpriced but the Pams knockoff ones are shite


I learnt a little trick of matt wattson. Put ur shit in a snaplock bag and put the bag in a bucket of water right upto the seal with the seal open. That'll push all the air out then u seal it. It works

----------


## Gibo

> I learnt a little trick of matt wattson. Put ur shit in a snaplock bag and put the bag in a bucket of water right upto the seal with the seal open. That'll push all the air out then u seal it. It works


And yet you still tried the vaccum cleaner  :Grin:

----------


## possummatti

> And yet you still tried the vaccum cleaner


U could've brought a howa and yet you still got a tikka. People don't always pick the smart option first.

----------


## Toby

> U could've brought a howa and yet you still got a tikka. People don't always pick the smart option first.


Comment of the month!!!

----------


## Gibo

ha ha, could have picked a blaser too but im not into following trends  :Psmiley:  Next you will be telling me I should have also got it in 6.5

At least it shoots mate, I see you picked a beaut not long ago?

----------


## possummatti

> ha ha, could have picked a blaser too but im not into following trends  Next you will be telling me I should have also got it in 6.5
> 
> At least it shoots mate, I see you picked a beaut not long ago?


Ill pretend i didn't hear that last bit haha 
For the record i have nothing against tikkas just had to think of something quick to take the piss outta u.

----------


## sako75

Used the vacuum cleaner before. Had the foresight to reduce the suction so held a straw in the nozzle to suck the air out of the bag. worked pretty good.
Like the water idea.


Used the exhaust of a diesel engine to inflate an airbed once. Clements Road quite late at night and no foot pump.
Give it a few revs and they inflate faster

----------


## oneshot

Just trying an oven batch of Jerky, did a bit or research as to temperature etc. Next on the Plans is to make a large wooden smoke box and make a huge run of the stuff.

----------


## Tahr

For day trips, or as a first day "treat" I often grab myself a couple of cheeseburgers. They are ok cold.
B

----------


## Gibo

> For day trips, or as a first day "treat" I often grab myself a couple of cheeseburgers. They are ok cold.
> B


McD's?

----------


## oneshot

First experimental batch, I cut it really thin so it dried fast, tastes fantastic! it was a bit of a bitch to vacuum seal as some of the jerky bits have sharp edges and pierced the bag? I will leave these two and see how long they can last and stay edible, just to check I have done it right, I waited for it to be completely cooled down before I bagged. One has a moisture absorber, the other doesn't. The rest is in my belly :Psmiley:

----------


## Gibo

Looks good. I like mine spicey as fuck!! Door blowing hot  :Grin:

----------


## oneshot

I'm not a fan of the burning ring gear of fire  :Psmiley:

----------


## sako75

> For day trips, or as a first day "treat" I often grab myself a couple of cheeseburgers. They are ok cold.
> B


Subway is our meal of choice.

I can see the merits of McDs as it will last a couple of days and still be good

----------


## TeRei

This some info on this topic?

Paleo articles in North and South Magazine, New Zealand | Julianne's Paleo & Zone Nutrition

----------


## TeRei

Think the article is in the March 2014 North and South mag.

----------


## stretch



----------


## kiwi39

> interesting, but that's rabbit food 
> 
> carbs are just short term energy, and they make you feel lethargic once the initial "hit" wears off.
> 
> i'm more a fan of high protein meals. energy lasts longer.


Thats not what I saw yesterday when you were inhaling chrissie cake  :Wink:   :Grin:   :Grin:   :Grin:   :Thumbsup:

----------


## kiwi39

> Being the miserable prick that I am when it comes to carrying extra weight into the bush I did some experimenting with some light weight meals. This is my latest creation and surprisingly makes a lot of food. I have put the below ingredients in a large bowl, then halved the mix again, then seal in a vacuum bag.  This type of food can save you cooking, so no need to carry a gas or fuel cooker if you dont mind eating it cold. 
> When your ready to eat just put into a billy tin or what have you, add boiling or cold water, allow the mix to soak up the water, it will expand a lot! especially the Couscous and oats.  This is high in carbs and energy, is very quick and easy, and tastes really good. 
> 
> Mix in a bowl dry- 
> 
> ½ cup of rolled oats
> ½ cup Couscous
> ¼ cup of milk powder
> ¼ cup sugar
> ...


Question for you @oneshot : 
Where did you get those narrow gauge vacuum pack pouches ... ?? I have a roll of wide vacpac bags , but they do not work at all well when I try to use them sideways ...

----------


## oneshot

cut them to size and seal the edges in the vacuum machine to make any size bag you like.

----------


## kiwi39

> cut them to size and seal the edges in the vacuum machine to make any size bag you like.


What kind of machine do you have ?? I ask because I tried that already - and failed - the Sunbeam I have does not seem to like it : cant get all the air sucked out -and- they dont seem to seal. 

Mught give it another try

----------


## oneshot

I have a Russell Hobbs, it was the best machine I could find at the time, I've never had a problem with it, I don't know much about Sunbeam.

----------


## Dangerous Dan

Stolen from MSC guide, is it pretty logical. In winter, cold, snow etc you want to swap it to 1:2:3

You want between 0.7 - 1.0 of solids per day.

"High energy value – should contain proteins, fats and carbohydrates
in the proportion 1:1:4:
1: Proteins: meat, cheese, eggs, milk powder.
1: Fats: cheese, chocolate, butter, bacon, salami.
4: Carbohydrates: sugar, bread, muesli, rice, macaroni,
sweets, dried fruit."



Thank you for mix, I'll be trying over Easter weekend  :Have A Nice Day:

----------


## stretch

Interesting article on meals for the bush Multi-Day Food - Big Game Hunting New Zealand, The Home of New Zealand Hunting. You used to be able to buy tuna in thick foil pouches like this, which would be better than tins, but I haven't been able to find them anywhere.

----------

