Kayhold

I'm looking for ideas on things I can take on the trail with me that won't spoil.

Basically, I have an autoimmune disease called Bechets and it affects my mouth, joints, mucous membranes, etc. I have constant mouth pain (and sores when I dont take prednisone daily) so I'm very limited in what I can eat that will also give me energy.

I can't do granola because it's too hard. I've tried basically everything I could get my hands on and they're all too dense or hard and they tear my mouth up. Nuts are out, too. Raw veggies, too. Imagine you've burned 100% of your mouth on a hot food and that's how I am all the time.
As it is, I have trouble consuming more than 800-1000 calories a day. I've lost 150 lbs since I got sick last year, but I would like to not lose too much more, ha.

That's the reason I started biking - I'm partially in remission now and low impact exercise is one of the best things I can do for Behcet's.

I also can not do sugar because it burns, so you can see I'm pretty limited.
If I could take mashed potatoes on the road, I'd be fine, but this isn't an option

If it helps my diet consists of mainly sautéed veggies, tofu based soups (Hot and Soup, Egg drop) and and pastas, but again, I can't take any of this on the trail.

I'm at a loss at finding soft foods with energy that are portable, but I'm hoping someone here can help. I know it's pretty limiting, but such is my life.

valygrl

God, that sounds awful!

I don't know I could make suggestions for specific foods, since you are so limited, but I would suggest that you re-think the constraints about how long food can last before it spoils. If you are riding for just a few hours, I don't see why you couldn't take mashed potatoes, sauteed veggies or pasta with you. You'll probably have to have a way to carry those foods, I can't see mashed potatoes in your jersey pocket but that's totally do-able. You could get a trunk rack or handlebar bag, put a tupperware of your normal food in there, bring a spoon along, and you're good to go! If your rides are longer, get one of those soft sided coolers and put that on the rack. Or, just put another water bottle cage on your bike, and fill a bike bottle with soft food of your choice.

Hammer Nutrition has a bunch of products for liquid nutrition - they are maltodextrin based, I have no idea if that would have the same problems as sugar, but you could look into it. They make 2 as meal replacements - Perpetuum and Sustained Energy.

Bananas? Peanut butter? Plain Yogurt?

damnable

I'd go with the bananas. Or other form of fruit if this doesn't suit.

You should manage the mashed potatos too. Mash em up, put them in a zip lock bag and away you go. Should fit into any type of pocket as will just freeform with it. Bring a plastic spoon or folk if required.

Another idea is too look up recipes online of home made energy bars - a lot contain mixtures of peanut butter, protein powder and some form of carbs. A lot of them will contain oats but first try soaking or boiling these in water before making the bars - or try just leaving them out.

Alternatively to make your own you can buy maltodextrin and make whatever energy goop you desire. Even to the point of being a drink to avoid any food problems.

Can you eat bread? Even if you cut the crusts off? You can try peanut butter and or jam (jelly) sandwiches. If bread is too hard you could replace it with a pancake or crepe type mixture which is softer. Mmmmmm pancakes with jam.

crbrown

Get a bowl. Combine a small portion of cooked oatmeal with a larger portion of flax meal. Combine this with hot water (or milk/soy/almond milk). Put in an ice-cream scoop worth of almond butter or peanut butter into the bowl. Maybe a little cinnamon, if you can take it. Heat it up in the microwave for a minute or two. Eat it hot or cold. It will be a soft, gelatinous texture. High fat, protein, calorie, tasty; carbohydrates adjustable based on percentage of oatmeal.

fdmsiv

I've had success with "refining" uncooked old fashion oatmeal in a food processor until it is somewhat in a powder form and adding different things to it. Usually I add 1 cup of oats and enough water to make a dough ball in the food processor. At that point I add some honey and protein powder, maybe 1/8 cup honey and 2 scoops of protein powder and more water until everything is homogeneous and somewhat dough like. Use a double boiler to melt some chocolate, add the chocolate while still hot. You can either spoon some out onto a cookie sheet and into the fridge or roll out between 2 pieces of wax paper and make bars. I'm not saying these are the best tasting creations in the world but I like them.

Carbonfiberboy 

Ensure and Ensure Plus don't work?

Zephyr11

If you can handle soft bread, go with a peanut butter sandwich. I'd assume you can't put jelly on it, but peanut butter will give you protein and fat, and bread will give you carbs. It's easily stashable in a jersey pocket.

Consider Allen Lim's rice cakes: https://bicycling.com/blogs/theleadin...-on-real-food/
Video is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UiuqIWGe_s
You can skip the bacon if it irritates your mouth (I usually skip it anyway), and I would think you can cook the rice until it's really soft, and if that doesn't work, maybe substitute orzo or something. It's a little messy though.

Also, you may be able to get away with putting food in gel flasks: https://www.trisports.com/ulgelflas.html

Don in Austin

Can't you take a backpack and pack it with the foods you can eat? Tupperware dish with your mashed potatoes?

Don in Austin

CbadRider

How long are you going to be out riding? If it's only a couple of hours, put some soup in an insulated water bottle or thermos that will fit in your bottle cages.

Can you drink V8 juice? A lot of distance riders use that for electrolytes and potassium.