Ann from St. Louis writes: “Hi Barbara. I read with great interest (in a previous column) your horseback camping experience in Texas. I am new to horseback camping! I am still trying to figure out what nutritious foods to bring that don’t need to be refrigerated (outside of a cooler) and don’t need to be heated or cooked. Do you have any portable snack recipes (besides peanut butter and jam) or recipe sites you could recommend? — By: Your fellow horse lover
Ann, I’ll take my cowgirl hat off for you. Even when my kids were little, we never took a rugged trip with just a cooler and we thought a week in a tent would be fun. Now that we’re “grown up” and have time for longer trips, having a little fridge in our horse trailer is a real lifesaver.
However, we just recently invested in a cooler that can keep food cold for several days (I mean, how much?). For those of us who can’t go to the store for ice every day, this is a plus. If this is the only equipment for items that need to be refrigerated, then most foods should certainly be safe without refrigeration.
Here are some ideas we’ve taken from our own experience and some we’ve borrowed from others: Make a list for each food group, so you’re on your way to a balanced diet.
Fruits that don’t need to be refrigerated include bananas, oranges, and various dried and canned fruits. Fresh whole watermelons, cantaloupes, and pineapples also thrive when stored out of direct sunlight.
Vegetables: Cherry tomatoes are convenient and taste better unrefrigerated. Carrots, cucumbers, red, yellow and orange peppers, onions and celery provide the variety of colors you need for balanced nutrition.
You also need protein, like the peanut butter you mentioned. A mix of nuts and dried fruit will provide valuable fiber as well as protein. If you’re going out for an early morning bike ride, have a high-protein drink before you set off (look for one that has 20-30 grams of protein plus vitamins and minerals).
I also pack beef jerky and protein bars in my saddlebags for those days when a two-hour ride turns into a four-hour ordeal. Canned or individually wrapped tuna makes a quick sandwich between bread or crackers. Or how about canned bean dip or mashed avocado with corn chips (look for whole grain options).
Because I drink milk, I love the individual 8-ounce cartons of milk that don’t need to be refrigerated until opened. If you like cold milk on your cereal, save room in your cooler for a few of these packs. Save room in your cooler for individually wrapped cheeses, too.
Save individual packets of mayonnaise and mustard from the sandwich shop for your sandwiches. Most importantly, bring plenty of bottled water. And if you can camp without having a way to make hot coffee in the morning, you’re a better horse woman than I am.
Barbara Intermill is a registered dietitian and syndicated columnist.
