Boost

[smokingman]

I know there are many survival foods that offer nutrition and low weight.We have been putting some thought into reducing the weight of our BOBs.

I have an uncle with cerebral Palsy(sp?) who has survived for many years on nothing more than Boost plus and Boost nutrition.Nutritional supplement - BOOST, a nutritional energy drink He is and will be for the remainder of his life on a liquid diet.

They sell the powder form and liquid form at most big box stores.We have purchased the powder form for BOBs.It breaks down to 2 oz per meal.1.5 OZ of boost and .5 oz of powdered milk.So for one pound you have an equivalent of 8 meals.We will not be getting rid of the mountain house,but replacing drink mixes with it.

Left in the original container it also has a decent shelf life for you long term storage.There is also a version for diabetics.

 

[thefinnnwi]

I like boost a lot. I carry at least one with me to work every day just in case I have to skip a meal.

 

[shibumiseeker]

The simple fact of the matter is that you can't get around that carbs and proteins give a little over 4 Calories per gram and fats give about 9 Calories per gram. So no matter what a food is, it'll weigh similarly for similar caloric values in the same ratio of carbs/protein to fats.

Cheese, sausage, and crackers, peanut butter, and similar items give you your best weight to volume to Calorie ratios. A pound of Boost powder is only giving you around 2500 Calories, which is not even enough for one day if you are working hard. The biggest advantage to things like that are the nutritional supplements they contain, and it'll give you a little variety which is important when you're in a stress situation. While I think it's a good additive to a meal plan, it's not energy dense and light weight. I would consider 3 of your 2 oz dry servings as a meal, not one 2oz.

I'm not speaking out of my butt either, I do multi-day trips in caves where resupply is not possible and you are working hard for 15 hours a day. One trip I took a combination of trail mix, power bars, clif bars, electrolyte powder (gatorade) and chocolate bars. It made the most compact, energy dense, reasonably nutritionally balanced meals I could have, and I budgeted 4k Calories a day. We were in for 5 days and I came out with only a little left over and I lost weight.

One 3 day road trip I decided to try Ensure and Boost as my sole meal source. Bricks were shat a couple days later. I do usually have a few cans of one of them in the vehicles for quick snack if I'm getting ready to do something strenuous while I am out since they provide hydration and calories at the same time, and I do have a couple of cans of them in my BOBs for the same reason, but they'll go first. Most people grossly underestimate how much food it takes to feed someone doing strenuous work and not lose weight. In a bugout situation you'll want to stay well fed as long as you need to escape and evade.

 

[IndianaResident]

^Why do you go on cave trips?

 

[shibumiseeker]

^Why do you go on cave trips?

Because it's not there.