Weekends coming up and I'm planning a 3 day/2 night across the Afan valley.
What food do you guys normally take to keep you stocked, other than the local pubs special

I'm looking at more options on grub, but here's the catch, aside from emergency and first aid, I'm strictly LOW SUGAR, so the typical energy bars,chocolate, jelly babies is out of the question,
Secondly,due to my age and condition I find myself able to burn over 3000kcal a day and still come home with some weight loss,.... some may call me lucky but its a pain in the a** after a week on the trail.....

Mini pork pies

Before someone else posts it...

Feed Zone Portables

Beyond that for me it's always flapjacks. For actual meals I go (relatively) high protein MREs, generally 800kcal with around 30g+ of protein in them.

Nuts, low sugar muesli bars, cheese, home made wraps (less bulk than sandwiches), samosa's.

+1 for wraps. Make up your favourite stew though make it less watery than you would normally and use it as the filling. An alternative would be refried beans, chilli sauce, grated cheese and lettuce. Wrap the wraps individually in foil and keep in a freezer bag. Unless it's a heat wave they'll last a couple of days.

I tend to find myself living off low sugar muesli bars, cheap noodles and pasta and bread rolls

The bread is great for controlling my sugars but bulky long term, so I just stock up at bakeries, nothing more cliche than a cyclist with French bread on his bike

Flapjacks seem like very dense food, alot of carbs, kcals and fat for their size, but I've yet to find them sugar free....i need to find some recipes...

Flapjacks seem like very dense food, alot of carbs, kcals and fat for their size, but I've yet to find them sugar free....i need to find some recipes...

Excuse my ignorance ... how do you get on with honey? I read somewhere that honey behaves differently from other sugars. My flapjacks are only made with oats, butter and honey.

s8tannorm wrote: Excuse my ignorance ... how do you get on with honey? I read somewhere that honey behaves differently from other sugars. My flapjacks are only made with oats, butter and honey.

Its true, honey usually behaves differently due to the fiber content, kinda like fruit.
However after a few experiments I realise I can only have both in tiny quantities, I guess I'm really sensitive, I tent to get on better with starch and fat, both of which are unpleasant to cycle with a belly full, I know....from experience


I should plan my trips with regular stops at gregs, or make it a goal to tour the country's favourite processed bakery

When I say flapjack I'm talking home made with very little sugar. Mostly fruits providing the sweetness (though obviously there's sugar in them).

Just out of interest, how are you sensitive to sugar?

Type 1 Diabetic, Insulin Dependent

I never go anywhere without sugar as its used to treat hypoglycemia, and lows can be quite awful cycling

However because I'm so well controlled, I'm also very sensitive, too much sugar, or too much insulin are both dangerous, and while I can very occasionally have something sweet I need alot of insulin, and its very easy to end up low, high, low.ect not worth the hassle.

Not all bad, I get to eat cake once a year and I got into this hobby to get fit and raise money for diabetes UK

Nightmare. Can only imagine what a pain that is.

HaYWiRe wrote:Type 1 Diabetic, Insulin Dependent
, too much sugar, or too much insulin are both dangerous,

Hi HaYWiRe, my 21 year old stepdaughter has the same problems but was very poorly controlled through no fault of her own. Her diabetes was described as "brittle" meaning her sugar levels could go from high to low and vice versa very quickly for no apparent reason. She is also very active being self employed in the equine field. At the beginning of the year she went onto an insulin pump rather than injecting and it has made a massive difference to the quality of her life because her sugar levels are now so much better controlled. Not really sure what i'm trying to say here but i'm glad to hear your out being active with cycling and bikepacking .

Not exactly a nightmare...just inconvenient, at the end of the day its the kick in the ar** I needed, it is my sole driving force and motivation to get out and prove I can do something, for that reason alone I consider myself lucky

I've considered a pump, but they don't make them in carbon or titanium, so too heavy


I have no excuse, a type one finished the transcontinental race, having his mate ship out medical supplies monthly for him, anything is possible

You've got a much better attitude than me, that's for sure!