Food during touring?

Question

A problem with this kind of tasty food here is that you become depended on it, usually having no such luxuries so a more spartan question.

I use a lot of vitamin supplements for B, C, D and Calcium. B, D and Calcium require oil to absorb so they are in green containers like in the picture. C is water-soluble so it is in blue container, good after tiresome touring to get them fast. I use different sized containers such as this large one and this small here but use these ones here for color-coding. You cannot use permanent marker on the aluminium surface because it gets away fast, I used scissors to do the markings. The black one is for emergency, details here.

Then, I use a lot of dry things such as soy powder (protein), muesli(good to have in pocket, just because I like it), salt(essential to get after long riding) and sucker (good to get energy fast). They don't weigh much. Then, I just throw random things I can pick during journey like vegetables and fruits. What about your food during touring? How do you eat during touring? I am interested in a self-sustainable way of living that guarantee necessary intake of important vitamins-calories-and-such-things. I have no idea whether soy powder, for example, is available everywhere so perhaps you must substitute its protein with something else in different locations. So what is your touring food?

Something about Protein sources

1. How to cook insects?
2. Cheap sources of protein?

Answer 1

I take almost the opposite approach - I eat almost all natural foods when I'm touring. I prefer rice + milk + sultanas + sugar for breakfast so I boil the rice the night before and it slow cooks overnight. The rest of the day I eat fresh fruit and veges when I can, bread and cheese or peanut better etc. I eat a bit of road kill when I can, and buy hot chips if they smell good enough. For dinner I eat a lot of pasta and noodles, usually the fast cook sort (not very natural :) I do self-contained touring, and generally free camp.

My diet is determined largely by listening to my body, which amounts to "eat what I feel like eating" or "eat what smells good". And lots of carbs. In hot weather this can mean hot, salty chips every day for the salt and calories, but also usually means a lot of whatever seasonal fruit and vegetables are available.

I ride a recumbent when touring, and the slightly odd bike generates a lot of interest from people when I stop, so I get invited to eat with locals a lot as well. So often my evening meal is whatever I'm offered.

When I can't get fresh fruit and veges I eat a fair bit of dried fruit, especially dried bananas. Also dried vegetables. In the dry parts of Australia food is trucked in, and is generally service station/roadhouse/corner shop type food (and expensive too). The local water is often heavily mineralized, usually to the point where long term consumption is not recommended. So I get dried camping type food posted to me and buy as much bottled water as I feel I can afford (usually 20%-40% of my consumption).

Answer 2

I have no idea whether soy powder, for example, is available everywhere so perhaps you must substitute its protein with something else in different locations.

Even if you can't "find soy everywhere", other legumes/pulses too are sources of protein (Wikipedia says they're nicknamed "vegetarian's meat"): including beans (of all kinds), peas, lentils, chick-peas, peanuts.

Dried beans/lentils might therefore be worth considering: light-weight (because they're dried) and don't need refridgeration.

Also, nuts (but these are more expensive, and fatty/high calorie).

[I don't tour, so I'm not speaking from experience of touring; though I am vegetarian.]