"Field Trip" to St. John: need snacky lunch nonperishable ideas!
Hey all, my fourteen year old son is going to St. John in the Virgin Islands with a bunch of kids and a couple of Earth Science teachers and chaperones over spring break and it's affiliated with CampFire USA. While there, they will be clearing away brush from slave quarters and hiking and snorkeling around the island. Big breakfasts and dinners are provided. They would like the kids to bring "non-perishable, snacky type lunches" that can be carried in a pack with them during the day to where ever they happen to be. The food needs to be able to stand up to 80-85 degree days. And they also need to be able to pack light. This is a ten day trip and I need to pack this in his luggage to go with him. He will have be able to buy some stuff at the camp store, but that might not always be practical depending on where they happen to be that day. So far, all I've come up with is those cheese and cracker pkgs (Keebler processed ones), peanuts and Slim Jims.
I'm hesitant to do trail mix with any sort of chocolate due to the melty factor and I'm not sure about dried fruit such as cranberries due to the sticky factor. If anyone knows how well those stand up to 80-85 degree days, I'd love to know. He'll be taking some Crystal Light fortified mix tubes to mix with water during the day, so I'm not concerned about beverages.
He's a cross country and track runner and growing like crazy and the amount he eats and still is skinny just amazes me. So, any suggestions would be appreciated. I know he'll have the opportunity for a big breakfast, but like me, he usually eats lighter in the morning during warm weather. I just don't want him to end up really hungry during the day while being so active.
Some field trip, eh? I just want this to be a good experience for him, as it's the first one far away from us.
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13 Comments:
Sounds like quite a conundrum. I'm from the Gulf Coast, so we face heat and humidity heavily. Maybe I can help.
I carry around said 'snacky lunches' myself. I am a huge, huge fan of Kashi products; a great suggestion is their protein bar line. Not the dinky cereal bars (which are great for small snacks)-but with major protein content.
Also: a nutrient rich granola mix (Bear Naked, True North,the like). Plenty of these with a variety of grains and nuts, sans chocolate.
Past (only) pure packaged snacks like those, I could only suggest nuts--good mixed cans, soy nuts. But if it's possible, he could keep a small soft cooler with him--there you may solve the problem. If that's the case, I can come up with more. (have lived on the gulf/boat-this is a constant issue)
Hope I helped a bit.
emilytaylor at 8:43PM on 04/01/09
Having lived on St. Thomas for a few years may I suggest whatever you pack from him include ziploc bags! It should help with the moisture in the air but more importantly it will keep out the little ants that get everywhere. And send along insect repellent (I know you didn't ask but thought I would suggest).
The babybel cheeses (wrapped in wax), pretzels, the protein / granola bars, and nuts like you were thinking are good. I will keep thinking...
momraz at 9:35PM on 04/01/09
hey dhorst - sounds like a beautiful trip ... can't you chaperone????
my first thought was boxes of raisins, the little individual ones... and then maybe just packets of different crackers. nuts of course, i don't think it would be too hot for dried fruits.... maybe mix up your own version of trail mix and put it into little baggies for him. maybe toss a little granola into it, also. there are so many kinds of dried fruits these days.... i just had some dried kiwi's the other day. not bad, a little on the sweet side, but different.
well, i hope he has fun, i know you'll be missing him.....
pooch at 10:00PM on 04/01/09
Beef jerky, nuts, granola bars, snack bags of Cheese-Itz, yogurt covered raisins,snack size cereals, juice boxes,individually wrapped Sunsweet prunes(there delicious),dried fruit bars and those round pretzel things with the filling inside.
dmcavanagh at 6:00AM on 04/02/09
and boxes of Cracker Jacks.
dmcavanagh at 6:18AM on 04/02/09
and sunflower seeds
dmcavanagh at 6:24AM on 04/02/09
Just go in a well stocked convenience store for inspiration.
dmcavanagh at 6:26AM on 04/02/09
I'll throw this out out, how about individually wrapped flat breads and those foil pks of tuna, chicken etc. they are fairly light weight, hold up to heat, need nothing special to open, and would be a fairly filling meal for a growing teenager.
huneybumper at 8:33AM on 04/02/09
The flat breads are a great idea; also you can get small aseptically packaged tube-like containers (seem like a kind of sturdy waxed cardboardy material, not plastic, but they're tough; we've carried them hiking) filled with hummus. I would think even those small cheeses would get too hot/mushy/unappetizing after a morning in the heat. I would suggest jars of peanut or other nut butter that they could spread on flat breads in the morning & roll up (we do that hiking too), but that probably is not realistic for kids this age who aren't accustomed to thinking/preparing ahead.
erialc at 9:20AM on 04/02/09
You could add M&M's to trail mix and they won't melt- I used to do this all the time hiking in 110 degree Arizona heat. Fruit Leather is a good way to get some fruit in, plus it comes in lots of flavors and tastes yummy (I think).
Embackus at 4:13PM on 04/02/09
Slave Quarters??? Is that a joke??
lambowner at 5:12PM on 04/02/09
@lambowner--Much of the Carribean used to have plantations with slave quarters. Part of the trip is dedicated to removing brush and debris from the ruins that were once slave quarters on St. John with in the the national park. It is certainly not a joke. For more information please go to Maho.org. It's an important part of American history, not to be taken lightly or ignored.
dhorst at 5:45PM on 04/02/09
@emilytaylor--I really like the Kashi protein bars. I haven't tried those myself, but I like the Kashi line and so it's great to hear a recommendation. Unfortunately a soft cooler will not be in the cards.
@momraz--Ziploc baggies it is. And extras for what ever he happens to pick up. And thank you for the insect repellent advice, I picked up a travel sized one today. I do happen to have some of the Babybel light cheese in the fridge. And with being a lower fat content, they are less likely to become gooey, so I may try a couple of them for him and just recommend that it be a mid morning snack.
@pooch--ya know I want to be there. However, I have the younger guy to think about and with my husband travelling so much and the start of hardcore allergy and asthma season, I'm here. Maybe his tan will rub off on me??: ) I really like your suggestions of dried fruit added to granola. I really haven't tried any dried fruit in the last 10 years (hangs head in shame) and I'm sure that there is a much better selection along with an improvement in quality in current times. Wegmans, here I come. We'll have a dried fruit and nut taste test during Scrabble, DELUXE SCRABBLE that is (quadruple word and letter scores and twice the number of letters). And gee, will my kid be looking to get out of Dodge after that geek fest!
@huneybumper--excellent suggestion. I hadn't even thought of the foil packed tuna and chicken. Easy, no brainer and really protein rich food for my teen. And I like the idea of being able to mix and match the flat breads with peanutbutter as @erialc suggested.
@Embackus--Nice suggestion with the M&M's. And you are my son's hero now. He will crave a bit of chocolate and I hadn't even thought about M&M's and their chocolate encompassing shell. And well, you've been hiking in temps a lot hotter so that's a really great testimonial for me.
To all, thanks! SE is really a great community to be a part of.
dhorst at 9:56PM on 04/02/09