Gluten Free Survival Pack - 1Mnth On The Run

[something37]

Can anyone recommend a total meal replacement option? Preferably a powder or something that only requires water, yet still offers full nutrition for heavy activity. Or a good resource to making my own? Must be light, compact, and not spoil in dry heat.

I know that clearly this isn't the best way to go health wise, but I'm coming up on a month of work where I will be away from stores and need to find a way to eat without relying on anyone. I need to travel relatively light, and won't have prep time, cooking access, or refrigerated storage. Initially I was planning on using Soylent, but since I first checked out their product, they have announced - cross contamination. 

 

Any leads or suggestions? Or anyone else have experience with giving up on solids for an extended period of time? I'll be physically active, and moving heavy objects. Hopefully one of us has experience, or even a zombie apocalypse scenario saved somewhere

[LauraTX]

Welcome to the forum!

If you are truly going to be away from any way of purchasing any type of food product, I know a lady who makes and dehydrates her own gluten-free food for backpacking trips.  There are a lot of websites dedicated to that craft, so those may help and if you are in this situation in the future, investing in a dehydrator and foodsaver may be a good choice.  If you will be able to cook there, bring a bunch of beans and rice along with an electric skillet or something to cook them in?  Either way, I do not recommend going off solids for a whole month unless it is medically indicated and completely unavoidable.  Your employer may also be required to provide accommodations to you under the Americans with disabilities act, in that if they are controlling where you will be stuck for a month, they will need to make sure you have access to adequate, allergen-free nourishment.  So this may be the time to ask for accommodations through your HR department.  Obviously there are many variables affecting that, but if you haven't gone to someone official and mentioned your need for allergen free accommodations I highly recommend trying that first.  If the company has a way to get real food for others out there, they really should be able to ship food for you out there.

 

If your situation is so unique that you truly don't have any of those options, I do recommend looking into making and dehydrating your own food, and also re-evaluating your employment situation since your health is worth more than anything.

[kareng]

There are gluten-free dehydrated backpacking meals & jerky. There are crackers, seeds, dried fruits, protein powders and bars. Just google them.

What do non gluten-free people eat in these circumstances? Maybe you could eat some of that? You can't be the only person out there in the dessert pushing boulders around?

[something37]

Thank you both for the advice it's really good to know there is a community out there. 

I looked up dehydrating and will be buying one for the next gig. Thank you, it wasn't even on my radar before. The backpacker's food supply - granola bars, and dried foods, is a good option for this project, but moving forward I will continue to investigate some sort of powder/nutrient mix for long term situations. If I can make something like that, that doesn't spoil it would be good to have as an emergency kit even on normal jobs, I think it is necessary to have. 

And you are right, access to food is required, but generally at work, the "gluten free options" are generally a big deli tin of coleslaw, or cross contaminated foods cooked by a well intending caterer. While they are solid foods, they are not that healthy. On this gig I won't be able to eat with the rest because it does have extenuating circumstances, so I'll find a way to cary more.

 

By no mean is this a healthy job, that's part of the deal, just trying to make the most out of the situation. Hopefully moving forward I can pack a good lightweight, water only needed emergency packet that won't do damage over weeks.  When I do I'll shoot it out, and see if anyone else has suggestions, or would like to try it. Thank you both!

[Nikki2777]

If this is a Peace Corps or that type thing (MSF?) there may be some way of Divisional HQ getting in periodic supplies. Maybe you could arrange with them? Also, perhaps you will be in a country that really doesn't cook with gluten ingredients indigenously so entirely gluten-free?

[LauraTX]

If they are serving any type of food that has to be prepared, at the minimum can you arrange to get some raw veggies from the cafeteria?  Like carrots, other stuff that you can rinse off well?