UKC

I'm someone who struggles to eat a big breakfast first thing, which means by the time I get to the crag after the approach i'm not exactly bursting with energy. 

I go through phases but mostly I just don't feel like eating very much when i'm out climbing, which I know isn't great when food=fuel. 

Has anyone got any top tips on high cal high energy crag snacks?? Or feels the same but has a better system than I do? I'm in a van a lot of the time with limited fridge space, so if anyone has any van-freindly meal prep ideas i'd love to hear them! 

I also suck at this. Tend to eat lots of dried fruit and nuts (the Lidl cashew cranberry mix is great) and recently started bringing bottles of ready to drink huel with me, which is incredibly dull but does give you 400cal of easy to consume sludge and some protein. 

Cold sausage sandwiches

My top tip would be practice eating big breakfasts first thing in the morning 🙂

Your body should adjust to it in a couple of months.

High calorie snacking is not a good substitute for a solid all day fuelling strategy IMO, as it causes peaks and troughs in your blood sugar (and hence peaks and troughs in performance throughout the day, as well as not being ideal for your long term health). 

Better to keep the high calorie snacks for refuelling during particularly sustained high intensity exercise such as cycling, rowing or running - where you actually need them to maintain blood sugar levels - and "emergency" situations where your primary fuelling strategy has failed on a long day of lower intensity exercise (always have a Kendal mint cake in your hillwalking rucksack).

Once at the crag, I find it's good to eat "proper" food little and often, to avoid feeling bloated on a climb. 

For sport climbing, I like to eat something as soon as I come off a route and while my partner is tying in - it's a good cue to remind you and gives your stomach time to settle before you go again.

Trad climbing, I would usually try to fit in a lunch break.

Overnight oats in a Tupperware.

Works every time

I tend to feel better eating little or even nothing. Haven't noticed any difference in performance either.

Another +1 for fruit and nut. Take a huge bag whenever I'm out. You can eat very small amounts at a time pretty consistently without feeling full/sluggish but still replenish.

Sam

Nut mix is a good shout - I always feel like eating sugary snacks but I know that isn't the healthiest option. Huel is good, i drink it before work every morning but I feel like its the reason why i've got so rubbish at eating actual food over the weekend. My body is out of the habit 

You're probably right. I want to want a full fry up but its just not there!!

My partner is great and eats an egg sandwhich every morning we are out but its the last thing I fancy sometimes. 

That's a good tip, thank you 

Good shout 

eat from a tub of peanut butter throughout the day? It has a good amount of protien / fat / carbs and is quite energy dense

For all outdoor situations the 30-40p flapjacks from home bargains come in at about 500 calories a bar (120g).  Two of those and you’re halfway there for the day tbh 

Ah, I was going to suggest boiled eggs. Still, they might appeal to you more than egg sandwiches. They stave off hunger for ages and come with their own packaging. They last for days too. I do wish there was a way to get salt and pepper inside their shell, though.

If you want fast energy, just go jelly babies

Malt loaf is your friend. Tasty, not dry, quite high in calories, doesn't sit heavily in your stomach, and best of all it makes no difference how much it gets crushed in your sack! I always preferred the supermarket own brand versions to the Soreen brand, strangely because they're less malty!

I have malt loaf in virtually every packed lunch. It has to have butter spread on it to achieve perfection.

I tend to fast on climbing days:

Balll up all that burning anguish in your stomach and use the hunger to melt away the fear so you can focus on the climbing.

Take sips of water.

Eat junk food on the way home.

Not healthy but works for me.

I think I'd agree with Ciro, try and train yourself to eat at least a small breakfast to get things kick started- appreciate it's not the advice you were looking for but if you want to fuel a day's climbing..

Failing that home-made flapjack crammed with nuts and dried fruit usually works pretty well and you can make it as high calorie as you need. 

Or better, do both ;p

Absolutely fine when exercising, not great if sitting around on the couch. 

Carbs are your friend, it's the most available source of energy for your body. Pre cooked rice packets, Malt loaf, Wraps, flapjacks, bananas, pasta, boiled new potatoes can all make good quick snacks that digest quickly. If you eat enough you will recover much faster and won't be so sore the next day. It will also help your progression. Most climbers don't eat enough at the crag so go for it with the food!

Raisins, cashews, and (as someone suggested above) 2 boiled eggs 

I’m terrible for eating in the morning too.

I get the breakfast biscuits with a jam centre. Usually as a fallback.

the main goal being porridge, which I’m lucky as our group often does a big pan for everyone.

snacks for the day I now usually get a pack of pepperami. And have one in my day pack. I now have a bag of nuts and raisins, only nuts can be a bit too dry for me. 
 

I also tried some energy chews when doing long hikes in to the crag. Which help me stave off leg cramps and general exhaustion. 
 

all my climbing partners have great food lunch game. So I’m still learning

 

Thanks Emile, good shout on the pepperami! Once I get going I really like those. 

Haha fair enough if it works for you! 

Good suggestions, thank you 

Its something I haven't tried but might give it a go. Forever finding people's egg shells at the crag though... 

Eat lard, climb hard.

Is that an established fact?

I similarly struggle to eat a big breakfast in the morning and have done for years despite my best efforts....the best solution I've found so far is whatever you're having for lunch (sandwiches, cold pasta, leftovers etc....) just take double/a bit more.

That way when you walk into the crag, get there and feel a bit crap and hungry, just crack out lunch number one at whatever time you choose fit! 

Personally I find this works well as it's actually a decent amount of food and I can eat savory better than sweet normally! (Obviously everyone is different tho....)

I'm partial to a snack box; nuts, olives, dried dates, ham and cheese. Maybe a banana for good measure and a tin of sardines or mackerel in case of emergency.

My top tip is to peel the (boiled) eggs before leaving the house. Requires a container to keep them in, though. 
Cheers. Al

my go to crag scran, zero prep required:

buy a bag of bagels (I prefer the New York Bakery style ones)

buy a tub of Philadelphia cream cheese (again, various options here for flavours etc)

tear your bagel in half, then use to scoop out a good dollop of cream cheese. bite, chew, enjoy, -repeat until your bagel disappears or cream cheese runs out. 

remember: hand-sanitiser before handling bagels & attempt to keep your cream cheese in the shade. remain vigilant in the presence of seagulls. 

Yes. And orange peel. And banana skins. Etc.

Whoever it is: please take your shit home!

Whatever I can find at a random petrol station on the way

Usually some assortment of Ginsters', McVities biscuits, Lucozade sport, sugar free redbull (sugar free because I don't want to be unhealthy do I?) flapjack etc

But I don't leave ANY litter EVER

'Oh, but it'll rot away' is the usual fookwitted response

Ooo love me a bagel. Good tip. I'll report back on how I manage to keep the cream cheese cool up at Pavey this weekend Hopefully no seaguls to contend with 

Yeah, it comes with its own packaging, but you need something to take the shell in. There's always a reason to take a plastic bag to the crash though

Last time I was at tremadog it had a fuel station across the road.

Sorry 😐     

Pre-sliced bagels and primula cheese in a tube. Minimum prep.

I follow the Harrer Plan - one little bottle of heart drops and some glucose lozenges and I'm tippity top for a couple of days at least.

Eating late in the evening usually stops you eating a big breakfast. Best to wake up hungry.

Sainsbury's sells block of Christmas cake all year round, with icing and marzipan.  I cut it up into thumb sized blocks and wrap it in grease proof paper.  Moist and easy to eat.  About £3 or so.