Backpacking food bars

[Jessi]

Ingredients:
• Protein Powder
• Glutinous Rice Flour (may have to hunt through local Asian grocery to find)
• Dried fruit (I used raisins)
• Nuts (I used walnuts)
• Peanut butter
• Sweetened condensed  milk
• Water

Directions here: http://www.instructables.com/id/Backpacking-Food-Bars-20/?ALLSTEPS

Here's the tidbit that made me want to put it on this forum, though:

The purpose of these bars is to provide a concentrated form of nutrition (specifically calories, carbohydrates, and protein) in a low weight, low volume package that’s easy to carry and stable across a wide range of temperature and moisture conditions.

This new version of the bars has 25% more calories, 52% more carbohydrates and 7% more protein per cup.  This is thanks to a more streamlined ingredients list and the inclusion of the glutinous rice flour. The glutinous rice flour was an important addition to the bars.  It offers over 1500 calories per cup and despite the name I don’t think it actually contains any gluten, in case you are allergic like a couple of my friends.

Once again I didn’t give much attention to vitamin, mineral, or fiber content, all of which are very important if you’re going to be on the trail for any length of time.  I’m still looking for ingredients to make up this deficit.  Wheat germ and quinoa have been suggested to me as possible candidates.

So what are some other things that could be added to these bars to pack even more punch in the nutrition department?

[SurvivalBlog.org]

That looks like a great recipe!

Have you made any? How do they taste? Would love to have you make them and write a guest post on my blog if you have the time.

Personally, I tend to buy these types of bars instead of making them.

I found some good ones that last up to 5 years, and they're relatively cheap. http://survivalblog.org/bug-out-bag-contents/ has a couple of these types of emergency bars listed.

The way I see it, people smarter than I am have spent way more time than I'm willing to spend making these bars - and even making them somewhat palatable.

[Jessi]

Whoops, I just now saw your reply, Survival! I'd love to try them out and review them. I've gotta hunt down that glutinous rice flour first, though. I don't have an Asian market where I am currently and my regular stores don't carry it.

[Sarge]

Apparently these are now available through civilian outlets.

http://www.defense.gov/transformation/articles/2005-04/ta042905a.html