Peanut Butter???

[moytoy]

Here's another way to carry peanut butter---make it into homemade "fudge"---
** Mix in bowl a good amount of peanut butter (or cashew or almond).
** Add a generous amount of rice syrup, like Lundberg's.
** Throw in some carob powder---a chocolate substitute.
** Sprinkle in some shredded coconut.
** Knead repeatedly until mixed.
** Transfer into double ziplocs and put in fridge until trip.

Sounds pretty good. I wonder how choc powder would work instead of the carob.

[Spokes]

I say eat what you like. Most of those people saying peanut butter is crap will pop a Reece's Pieces in a heartbeat anyway....

By the time I hit New England I was going through a regular size jar of peanut butter a week. Just ate it by the spoonful right out the jar. Buying the individual containers aren't that economically feasible for most thru's.

[Tipi Walter]

I say eat what you like. Most of those people saying peanut butter is crap will pop a Reece's Pieces in a heartbeat anyway....

Not me. They don't call it junk food for nothing. And I still say these adulterated foods are crap. Why let the corporate bottom line (as in a longer shelf life and desired texture) dictate our diet? It's the curse of processed food. And you're not really eating what you like, you're eating what a company wants you to eat without thought of the long term consequences. There are thousands of foods which do not contain artificially added hydrogenated fat, so a person doesn't have to be fanatical to avoid it.

[Gaiter]

how much peanut butter? well how much do you like peanut butter?
how big of a jar? see above answer

some hike with jars, some with individual servings, I used to be a fan of the jiff to go, until i found out about the quaility of it, i don't like peanut butter enough to carry a jar, but i have found 'justin's nut butter' they have individual packets of their different flavors, and they are high quaility and the company is very environmentally friendly, even working on compostable squeeze packs!! I do give warning, their plain nut butters are just that, if you want something with some sweetness, go with one of their other choices... and they recommend squeezing the packs before opening, i recommend that too...

[garlic08]

I only carry peanut butter when it's too hot for cheese, which isn't very often. I only eat PB on a long hike--I can't stand the stuff at home. I usually resupply every four or five days on a thru hike and what used to be a standard 18 oz jar is just right. A little junk food a few times a year hasn't killed me yet, but I agree, I wouldn't make a habit of consuming the stuff daily. I suppose supermarket cheese isn't all that much better, anyway.

[Sarcasm the elf]

I say eat what you like. Most of those people saying peanut butter is crap will pop a Reece's Pieces in a heartbeat anyway....

I never had a problem with candy being made of crap and will gladly eat a reeces peanut butter cup once in a blue moon, everyone knows candy isn't good for you if you eat too much of it. The problem is when manufacturers started putting these artificial ingredients and adulterants into supposedly wholesome staple foods. The garbage in a pack of peanut butter cups probably isn't enough to worry about, but I go through a pound of peanut butter every week or two and at that quantity the artificial stuff gets scary.

[Spokes]

Not me. They don't call it junk food for nothing. .....

Dude, the only thing that isn't junk food is water and mangos.

Give the guy a break. He asked about peanut butt and obviously wants to eat it. Instead he gets a health food shakedown. Before you know it we'll have a mandate to post the calorie breakdowns of the hiker food in all the shelters.....

[Gaiter]

ooh also, if you are hiking in cold weather with a peanut butter jar, be sure that you don't have a plastic spoon/spork/fork, damn things will break in cold peanut butter, left me begging on the skyline for a utensil so i could cook a hot dinner (ps wendy's spoons are great in a pinch, long and fairly heat resistant)

[sbhikes]

To answer the question of "how much"...What I found on my hike was that the whole thing became my lifestyle. Just like at home I don't carefully measure out every item I'm going to eat for the week, I stopped doing that on the trail. I brought a small plastic jar of peanut butter and refilled it when it was empty. My food bag became like a pantry after a while. Fill up the empty stuff when it was empty and don't sweat if you have too much (but try not to ever have too little.)

Try almond butter if you can. It's way better than peanut butter.

[Ewker]

nutella

nutella.jpg

[Ewker]

peanut butter and jelly

smuckers_goober_grape.jpg

[WingedMonkey]

Here's another way to carry peanut butter---make it into homemade "fudge"---
** Mix in bowl a good amount of peanut butter (or cashew or almond).
** Add a generous amount of rice syrup, like Lundberg's.
** Throw in some carob powder---a chocolate substitute.
** Sprinkle in some shredded coconut.
** Knead repeatedly until mixed.
** Transfer into double ziplocs and put in fridge until trip.

My version is 1/3 each of peanut butter, honey and carob powder. Roll into balls, coat in cocoanut or chopped nuts if desired.

[Slo-go'en]

peanut butter and jelly

smuckers_goober_grape.jpg

I found that stuff grows mold in a hurry in hot weather. I've learned to keep my PB and Jelly seperate until needed.

Back in 08, Bone Lady and Wild Oats found a 3 pound jar of PB at the Springer Mt shelter. They decide to take it. I belive it lasted all the way through NC.

[swjohnsey]

I use peanut butter (cheaper the better) as a staple and a 18 oz jar last me about five days. It is something you can find a most resupply points

[ChrisJackson]

Well...this thread has inspired me to try to make my own peanut butter. A quick look on the internet for recipes has revealed some incredibly simple recipes and methods. I'll try it out and test shelf life after I get the taste right...then determine if my homemade version is pack-able for a hike....I can't imagine why it wouldn't be?

[Papa D]

I get my peanut butter and almond butter from a natural foods store (Earth Fare) that grinds it right there -- I also agree with Tipi about not eating Hydrogenated oils as a general practice -- I take the same care with all of my food and food that I prepare for others but I'm not crazy scared of food because the next big scare might not be peanut butter - it might be - who knows? - killer honey or a bad batch of coffee or whatever - so, I'm reasonably watchful but but if someone gives me a spoonful of grocery store peanut butter or a honey bun, I'm probably not going to turn it down.

[Odd Man Out]

I went to the store on the way home to get a few things so I stopped buy the PB aisle to see what was up with the ingredients. This was a very large supermarket in west MI. There was a large selection of PB with no hydrogenated veg oil. Some were made by small companies I had never heard of. Others were national brands that specialize in healthy options (Smart Balance), and others were well major PB brands (like Skippy, or the store brand) that had special lines marketed for health conscience shoppers. They were variously labeled as "organic" or "all natural" or other such things. Some were made with just peanuts and could be easily identified by the layer of oil on the top. Others had added sugar and fats which help emulsify the blend so the oil doesn't separate. These were advertised on the label as "no stirring necessary". I would guess that the marketers have determined that there are a group of buyers who want healthier options, but don't like the layer of oil that forms on the top of PB made from 100% peanuts. Some listed "rich in omega-3 fats" and had natural additives such as flax seed or anchovies (yum). There was a "low fat" version that had supplemental protein added.

Some of the "regular" brands (Skippy, store brand, etc) did indeed list "hydrogenated vegetable oil" as an ingredient. The term "hydrogenated" is ambiguous and is probably used to obscure the use of "partially hydrogenated" oils, which will be the source of the trans fats that we are told to avoid. All listed the amount of trans fat as zero on the nutritional label, but this only means there is less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving. The PHVO is added as an emulsifier, so there is only a small amount, but with "hydrogenated" in the ingredients, I would assume there is some trans fat in there.

Interestingly, I noticed that there were several brands that listed "fully hydrogenated vegetable oil" as an ingredient, including regular Jiff. These can't be advertised as all natural as this is not a natural ingredient, but a fully hydrogenated fat would chemically be no different from a natural saturated fat (such a palm oil, used in many of the natural brands). The advantage here is that this would provide a healthier option without having to pay the premium price they stick on the lines marketed as healthier.

P.S. I also checked the Pop Tarts - The store brand had trans fat, but the name brand doesn't have hydrogenated veg oil. Yea - Pop Tarts are a heath food!

[swjohnsey]

Do you think you are gonna find "natural" peanut butter in one of the convience stores along the AT?

[ChinMusic]

Do you think you are gonna find "natural" peanut butter in one of the convience stores along the AT?

You don't have an organic section in your local Casey's?

[LDog]

This was a very large supermarket in west MI.

Where you at? I'm in Holland.