If today’s industry has anything to say about it, the foods you like will be very expensive bits of sugary goodness that, while very tasty, immolate themselves immediately upon consumption, so that in approximately ten minutes you need another hit of sugar gel, sugar nuggets, fancy expensive wafers (which are actually just cookies), or some other type of food usually only found in nature by hummingbirds or maybe honey bees. Now, I like those little snacks, like Gu gels or Honey Stinger cookies, just as much as anyone else does, but I don’t like spending $2 per every 100 calories that I stuff in my craw when I’m working so hard that I can’t remember the taste of anything I eat. Personally, I don’t like spending that much on food that is basically just fuel, and I really balk at it when I know there are other alternatives that don’t break my wallet.

I know there are those for whom Honey Stinger waffle boxes flow like water without requiring a second mortage, but for the rest of us, here are my suggestions for inexpensive and tasty treats to keep you fueled on your adventures:

1. Nutella Delivery System

This is something I invented myself. Now, I’m never one to tell you that a chocolatey, sugary, fatty confection like Nutella is healthy, no, not at all. I think we’d all do well to note that many of the so-called “nutritious” energy foods are just sugar and fat anyway. They aren’t “good for you” either. Still, while it’s not healthy, Nutella is calories, and a LOT of them. I had thought Nutella would be a no-brainer energy food, but that didn’t work at first. Eating Nutella straight didn’t help me much; it just gave me a tummy ache. Loathe to give up such a good source of pure caloric intake, though, I randomly spread a giant glop of Nutella on a flour tortilla and the NDS was born. For some reason this snack; Nutella on a folded tortilla, gives me hours worth of energy without the accompanying gut ache. Maybe some nutrition person can tell me why. In the meantime, I find this a great snack for skiing, cycling, mountaineering, and basically anything that calls for endless calories. If you are lucky enough to have a Costco in your community, you can get the Nutella fairly cheap, making this a great endurance fuel alternative.

2. Fig Newmans

I got a tip on Twitter that Fig Newtons were the original energy food. I was disappointed to find, though, that Fig Newtons contain all manner of nasty stuff. For instance, they contain not only regular old corn syrup, but also High Fructose Corn Syrup, a revolting substance that is a total dealbreaker for me for any food at all, especially food which is intended to give me energy. Just in case you are confused about this stuff, lab rats fed HFCS instead of table sugar gained significantly more fat than rats supplied with the same amount of calories via table sugar. If you care about your body, don’t purchase or eat anything with HFCS in it, seriously. I credit removal of this substance from my diet for allowing me to eat pretty much anything I want without getting fat – everything I eat is useable for my body. I put zero amount of this particular poison into my own earthly temple (everything else = fair game, lest you think I’m no fun at all).

So anyway, Fig Newtons were out. Not only are they made with poison, but they also seem to go stale in about five minutes. Lame! So, while looking for snacks the other day, my other half made mention of the organic, Paul Newman-endorsed version, Fig Newmans. We went to fetch them in the fancy expensive section of the grocery store, and I was hooked. They not only taste better, with less overly gooey sweetness, no nasty additives, and no tendency to go stale in thirty seconds. At 140 calories per two Fig Newmans, they are a perfect snack for mountain biking, hiking, or climbing. Not that they ever make it in my house long enough to be taken out on the trail or anything.

3. Pitted Dates

Admittedly these are new to my energy food lexicon. I was wandering around Costco, looking for a sugary, calorie-full snack that wasn’t also full of HFCS and other garbage. Sadly, my search wasn’t too productive until I realized I was standing right next to a display full of bags of pitted dates. Dates are great food. They are full of simple carbs and are high calorie. not so different than any expensive “energy snack” eh? The difference is that they are whole foods without additives and, you know, poison. I tested a few by eating them, and of course they taste good. I fueled a long ride today on pure dates, with great success. They are sweet and tasty enough to want to eat, but not cloying. They don’t coat your mouth with sticky residue like energy gels and chews and the taste doesn’t come back to haunt you after a few gut-wrenching hill climbs. It takes about 5 or 6 dates to put down about 200 calories, which to me is just right.

Dates aren’t cheap, but they’re way cheaper than individual packets of processed, flavored molded sugar goo. They aren’t vile for your body and what other whole food can you think of that is this great for endurance sports?

4. Super Cereal Snacks

I have no idea what to call these. I didn’t invent the recipe. It was in a kid’s cookbook I had when I was a wee lass. The recipes were simple, sweet, and easy to make, just the thing for a child under nine years old – and just the thing for a 37 year old woman who doesn’t cook. Somehow this recipe stuck with me; or rather, I think it’s a combination of two recipes that I merged to form one of my favorite high energy snacks. This is how you make it (roughly):

1 part honey
1 part peanut butter (errr, maybe like 2/3 part peanut butter, I dunno…just experiment)
1 part powdered milk
A whole bunch of Multi-Grain Cheerios. Or regular Cheerios if you don’t like the extra sweet flavor.

Mix it all together (not all that easy, I’ll warn you) and then smash it all in a pan, as tight as you can make it. Then chill it for at least an hour. Then cut up into delicious, tasty chunks and inhale. My recommendation is to do this right before a very, very long mountain bike trip, because these little calorie bombs are not to be messed with. If you need the energy, they do the trick, and they taste awesome, if you ask me. Perhaps I have the culinary tastes of a nine year old, but whatevs. You won’t be lacking for calories with these things.

5. Trader Joe’s bag o’ waffles

OK, listen, if you seriously can’t live without those Honey Stinger waffle cookies but you can only afford to buy one per week, then try this bag of the EXACT SAME THING from Trader Joe’s, in a big bag purchaseable for a few dollars. Those same few dollars would purchase maybe 1.5 Honey Stinger waffle cookies (yes, they are cookies. Not a health food. Cookies. I like cookies, I’m all for cookies, but let’s call a spade a spade, and while we’re doing that, let’s not go broke over cookies you can get for 1/8 the price at Trader Joe’s).

The thing about this item is that there is actually no Trader Joe’s in Alaska, so I can’t read the ingredients on the package and tell you what’s in it. Maybe one of my readers can? If there’s any nasty stuff in them, I’ll take them off the list. But I have it on good authority that my impression of them being identical in taste, nutrition, and appearance to Honey Stinger waffles is right on (extra points to readers who send me a bag of these instead of just the nutrition information).

So there you have it, my favorite ways to feed myself in the backcountry while still being able to afford the gas to drive to the trailhead. I hope you enjoy some of these snacks and, most importantly, have plenty of fun to justify eating them!

Above photo credit to Iceman. Nice shot, dude! This review is a collaboration between Ice and his wife, who runs marathons. Last time I tried to call her he said “oh, she has fifteen more miles to run.” I’m a little afraid of her sometimes. Anyway, I’ve tried all of the products below and inserted my comments as well; Ice just did a better job determining which bars provide needed energy. I just shove them greedily in my mouth and decide if they taste good or not. I don’t eat soy if I can possibly help it so many of Clif’s products are off-limits for me, except when it comes to the REALLY TASTY seasonal flavors. Those I just go ahead and eat, and deal with the consequences later. Maybe someday they’ll make a soy-free version of the classic Clif bar, and if they make it in the Gingerbread flavor I will buy every single one of them. -HG

Thank you Jill at http://geargals.net for giving me the opportunity to write a review on an assorted box of CLIF bar products. [You are very welcome! -HG] I opened the box and wow was I surprised with the variety. I dug through the box pulling out the original CLIF bars, CLIF Builder’s, CLIF Shot Bloks, CLIF Shot Roks, and even CLIF Kid ZBar and CLIF Twisted Fruit. There were more products and all types of flavors. I knew I was in for a treat and several weeks of taste testing.

Eating protein bars or granola bars and taking shot roks or energy gel is not something I do everyday. I work in law enforcement and I am a volunteer firefighter. I work out daily and enjoy outdoor activates regularly. So with all this in mind I know there are times when a person needs a quick snack, a protein bar after a strenuous workout or when you get that early morning hunger after a foot pursuit [ah yes, I know that well. -HG] or a short fire call. My work was cut out for me. [See? Gear reviewing is tough. -HG]

So with the kid still in me my first test was the CLIF Kid Twisted Fruit Strawberry. If I had to describe with one word it would be AWESOME! The package was small and could easily be slipped into a pocket or purse to pull out later for a quick snack. I opened the package and there was one big rope that could be pulled into four smaller ropes. The size was close to a large pen. I pulled the rope out and noticed it to be a little sticky, but what kid doesn’t like to get all dirty. I pulled the four small ropes apart with ease. I could smell the strawberry and the taste was great. The texture and flavor reminded me of real strawberries. The ropes were soft and chewy and I did not have any problem getting stuck in my teeth. I would recommend this 100% fruit rope over any sugar candy bar. Later in my taste testing was the mixed berry. Again, AWESOME snack reminding me of real mixed berry flavor. Overall- quick, compact and nutritious!

CLIF MoJo Honey Roasted Peanut Bar not so awesome. This bar did not have the honey roasted peanut flavor I was thinking of. A low glycemic bar with a nutty flavor that is only 70% organic. Geared for a person on the run I threw this bar in my pocket while taking my dog for a walk. Halfway through the walk I snacked on this bar thinking I may get a little extra energy to pull through before lunch. I found that was not going to happen. This bar was bland and did not fill me up.

CLIF Mojo Dipped Chocolate Peanut; though, now we are talking. Again like all CLIF products compact on the go size. Just like it says on the wrapper; a sweet and salty trail mix bar. This bar was crunchy and flavorful. “Dipped in chocolate” is just what a bar needs. The crunchy salty bar and the rich chocolate flavor is great sweet snack for the on the go. Like eating a candy bar without the guilt.

CLIF C Apple, really CLIF stooping to this level [ha! I love a good insult, but I actually loved this bar. -HG]. This bar was gross. I ate this bar about a week into my taste testing. I opened the package and noticed there was a nut crust and some nuts sprinkled on top and not integrated into the bar. The bar is fruit filled with apple and again 70% organic. The bar was small and gooey and did not appear filling at all. The bar was bland with a slight apple flavor. I did not like the texture or these bars. [So from now on, the Clif C bars go to me, because I LOVE them. I tried apple and raspberry, and thought they were both delicious. They are soy free and I find them really tasty. They are very small; only 100 calories, which is a bit of a bummer because I'd like a little more of a substantial snack, but I do love the taste and the ingredient list is straightforward: fruit and nuts. -HG]

CLIF Bar Crunch Chocolate Chip is an appetite appeaser. Crunch is CLIF’s granola bar line. I found out the hard way how to pack these bars. After bouncing around in my lunch pail I opened the package to find two partially deformed bars. At one point there were two bars stacked on one another. I took a bite of one of the larger pieces and noticed it to be much softer than other brands like CLIF’s competition Nature Valley. The flavor and texture was great. There was an oat flavor along with rice crisp and the chocolate chips were not overpowering but just enough to give a nice sweet taste. I snacked on this bar while working night shift and like I stated above this bar was an appetite appeaser [I hope you didn't get crumbs all over your cop uniform. -HG]. Made with all natural ingredients I felt a short recharge and my appetite was satisfied. Be careful where you pack these, instead of eating a bar you may be pouring granola into your mouth. [I can live with that. -HG]

CLIF Bar White Chocolate Macadamia Nut was my favorite from the CLIF Crunch line. [Mine, too! -HG] The only difference in this bar was the rich white chocolate flavor with a nutty macadamia crunch that pretty much melted in my mouth. This bar should be packed on every trip!

CLIF Builder’s Peanut Butter has a balanced flavor of crunchy peanut butter coated with creamy chocolate and is one of my favorites from the CLIF Builder’s line. After my workout I grabbed this bar and new there was potential of getting filled up just by the size. 2.4 ounces per bar and 20 grams of protein, this could be a meal replacement especially if you are on the go. This bar is all natural with no artificial color, flavor or preservatives which are important to someone after a workout. The bar had a soft texture and had a rich smooth flavor. Compared to other bars this really tasted like peanut butter and rich chocolate not cardboard. The bar was sweet but not sweet like a candy bar and there was no syrupy taste like other bars loaded with high fructose corn syrup – the natural sweetened is far superior. This bar was very effective in satisfying my hunger and lasted for several hours before I needed to eat a meal. This bar is not intended to be a diet bar. This bar is for men and women that work hard and use lots of energy throughout the day or during workouts. I would not recommend leaving this bar in you gym bag for long periods of time as it may get too soft or start to melt. CLIF Builder’s are a delicious protein packed bar with great texture and great taste, they are real treat! I can’t wait to try CLIF Builder’s Chocolate Mint and CLIF Builder’s Chocolate!

CLIF Shot Roks Chocolate and CLIF Shot Roks Peanut Butter are roking the post workout recovery. I pulled out a package of Roks which are in a small sized pouch that can easily fit in a gym bag pocket or pant pocket. About 30 minutes after my workout I was feeling the need for a quick snack before training. The Roks were about the size of a large grape and in a protective non sticky shell. The Rok tasted great with a hard crunchy shell and a cake like inside. Another CLIF product that tasted like what the package advertised, chocolate. After my strenuous workout I ended up eating the whole package, 20 grams of protein and no high fructose corn syrup. If you eat a protein bar everyday then eating the Roks is something different, plus each Rok is 2 grams of protein so you can decide how much you want to eat. I felt satisfied for about 3 hours. I ate the peanut butter another day and after another great workout, again extremely satisfied. Hard crunchy shell and a cake like peanut butter inside. Neither flavor did I feel was too sugary or protein tasting. This is a great product that can be eaten before during or after workout, you can even share with your friends. CLIF Shot Roks rock! [I didn't care for these - the soy protein aftertaste is not my favorite. At first bite I loved them but then the aftertaste kicked in. That's a personal preference though; protein bars usually taste yuck to me. -HG]

There are a ton of energy bars and protein products on the market today. Of the brands I have tried, CLIF hands down is at the top of the list. Some of the products reviewed above are quick nutritious snacks and some are a post recovery pick me up or even a meal replacement for those of us on the go. With such a variety of CLIF products available you will find what you like and the flavor you like and you can count on it to be made with quality ingredients.

The blog never suffers for lack of testers. You’d be amazed at how many people willingly accept gear samples, even though they have to actually wear and use the gear and then tell what they think about it. You’d think that the obligation would drive people off, but the Geargals are dedicated to our mission and will dutifully accept what comes along with it, even if it’s gear samples from the best outdoor gear manufacturers around. It’s touching, really, our commitment to this blog. We know that our willingness to take one for the team helps other women figure out what gear they need.

Our latest venture was to find out whether or not women need sardines. I have to give it to Verde PR out of Durango, Colorado for shamelessly inserting a few cans of Bela sardines into one of their gear shipments to us. As if we’re going to let gear go untested, even if it is tiny, intact fish stuffed into a can with only marginal relevance to our blog mission. And test we did, gathering around with crackers and our highly toned palates to have what one Geargal called a “perfect balance of carbs, fat and protein” (note: that includes the crackers).

We sampled several flavors: the Sardines in Tomato Sauce, the Sardines in Olive Oil, and the Boneless Skinless Sardines in Olive Oil. You will note that there is one constant in all of the above flavors: SARDINES! If you don’t like sardines, you won’t like these sardines. Fair enough, right? But even if you think you don’t like sardines, you might like the boneless skinless version of them, which are really quite tasty and allow the eater to avoid unsettling glimpses of spines and other bony structures. They kind of taste like packaged tuna, only better. See what I mean about highly toned palates? Sometimes it all just comes down to “no icky bones in this kind!”

Even if you love sardines, the downside to taking them on trips is that they’re accompanied by an aluminum can that, once opened, will undoubtedly a) smell like fish for the rest of the trip and b) have to be packed back out. It would also be difficult to carry around leftover sardines since the can isn’t resealable, so you’d have to eat them all in one go. And that might be a chore, because sardines are not as little as I thought they would be. Who knew? People who have tried sardines, that’s who. Anyway, after giving it a little thought, I realized that these little packets of sea life have their uses beyond mere nutrition. You can bring them along on backcountry trips with overamorous partners and not have to worry about ways to repel them – your sardine breath will take care of that. If you really dislike your partner you can stuff the half-empty can into his backpack and just make sure to run faster than he can, or at least get him in between you and the next bear. Just kidding about the bear thing. But after having been on a few trips with that type of partner, I am starting to think that sardines belong in my emergency kit. Unless anyone out there has a “How To Pick Non-Sleazy Backcountry Partners” manual we can review.