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Post by Deleted on Jun 7, 2016 18:03:32 GMT -8
For the past few years I worked a month on/month off rotation in Africa. The food where I stayed was not good, and I had little opportunity to prepare meals or eat out. Having some digestive issues (not being able to eat gluten), it was a challenge for me to bring enough snacks and dehydrated food to last a month. This experience got me to thinking about food, nutrition, and how awful our diets really are.
Trying to figure out a better way to bring enough food to last a month, I started to consider having a meal in capsules. After considerable research and a whole bunch of trial and error, I've come up with a recipe/formula for an encapsulated meal. My target was a 1,000 calorie meal. I've managed to get it into ~250 gelatin capsules. Yup, that's right...250 capsules. Seems like a lot, eh?
So that's my idea for a new product...a meal that comes in a capsule (well, a whole bunch of capsules). It's a very calorie dense meal that is gluten free, high in fat/energy and weighs about 200 grams. No cooking or rehydrating is needed. One meal provides just about 100% of the recommended daily intake for vitamins and nutrients. The meal provides the energy you need along with all the other good stuff that commercial products lack.
Sorry if this is all coming off as spam. The reason I'm posting here is to get feedback. My wife thinks me & the idea are nuts. She says there's no way in hell she'd eat 250 capsules for a meal. I'm a bit more pragmatic myself. I'd rather get up in the morning, pack up camp and start popping down some capsules while on the trail. Do this for breakfast and lunch and then have a hot meal for dinner?
Am I nuts? If this product was available on the market at a price point comparable to the commercial dehydrated meals, would you purchase it?
Thanks for any and all honest feedback!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 7, 2016 18:55:46 GMT -8
After some thought on the idea, I would not purchase 'it.'
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grace
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Post by grace on Jun 8, 2016 10:03:37 GMT -8
nope.
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Post by llamero on Jun 8, 2016 11:21:03 GMT -8
I can understand the attraction of not preparing meals while hiking, but unwrapping an energy bar of some sort is quick enough for me. Maybe if I were a through hiker I would think otherwise. I'm in no hurry and enjoying a good meal is one of life's pleasures. Your wife may be onto something though.  |
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crawford
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Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.--Edison
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Post by crawford on Jun 8, 2016 11:26:10 GMT -8
Not something I'd be interested in for backpacking. Being able to sit and eat something can be extremely enjoyable, especially with excellent company and scenery. Sitting on a beautiful overlook while I toss back a few "meal supplement pills" doesn't quite do it for me.
As part of a disaster/emergency prep pack it might have some value, but not to my treks.
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Post by desertsp on Jun 8, 2016 14:42:15 GMT -8
I'm sure a good marketer could sell it.
It's a neat concept, having tiny bite-sized amounts that you eat along the way. Maybe instead package it into little chewy bites or mini bars? Like dog treat sized. Capsules just seems like a lot of work to dispense and eat.
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zeke
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Post by zeke on Jun 8, 2016 15:03:33 GMT -8
1. I need about 5000 calories per day, just so I don't lose so much weight on a 7 day trip that my clothes no longer fit.
2. I can't think of much worse than trying to wash down 125 capsules for either breakfast or lunch. Even if I was swallowing them while walking, it would get old in a hurry. That's about 1 per every 2 minute walking during the day. (30 per hour, 8 hours of walking per day)
3. I can provide 500 cal for B or L for about $4 from my local grocery store, and it is appealing to eat. Nothing appeals to me about your scheme.
4. 200 grams is just over 7 ounces. I can make my B & L weigh less than that, and be tasty.
5. I agree with your wife.
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bp2go
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Post by bp2go on Jun 8, 2016 15:07:35 GMT -8
a meal that comes in a capsule (well, a whole bunch of capsules). It's a very calorie dense meal that is gluten free, high in fat/energy and weighs about 200 grams. No cooking or rehydrating is needed. I read that and thought you were overlooking an obvious solution: actual Spam! Small container, cheap, no cooking, tasty I dunno, sounded good to me. |
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zeke
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Post by zeke on Jun 8, 2016 15:09:33 GMT -8
Single serving SPAM is a BPers friend. Just eat it before it is 5 years past expiration date. Don't ask.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 8, 2016 15:51:54 GMT -8
Bacon SPAM.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Jun 8, 2016 20:15:13 GMT -8
Can't say I have any interest in replacing food with pills. I like eating. I can see why your mind is running that way, but not for me. Why, sometimes I eat just because I really like to eat. To enjoy the tastes and textures of food.
For backpacking, I can get it simple enough with Freezer Bag Cooking (and, I admit, a lot of prep beforehand). I'm not a high-mileage hiker (well, on any given day. There are those who would argue that by this point I have rather high mileage on me, and it's starting to show...), so a bit of time fixing and eating a meal is seldom a problem.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 9, 2016 5:57:01 GMT -8
Thanks for the replies! It's pretty much the response I was expecting. My wife is always right...something I've known for a long time.
One thing to consider...when encapsulating food you have the ability to disregard taste and cherry pick ingredients based entirely on their nutritional value. Sure, you can dehydrate food from the grocery store and come up with a 500 calorie meal. You can also pack a few cans of Spam, if that's your thing. However, I will guarantee that those meals do not stack up on a nutritional basis. Is the reason you are wore out at the end of the day and needing a hot meal due to the fact that you are not eating properly throughout the day? Something to chew on (haha!)...
A bit more insight on my thoughts...fishing, photography, and general exploring nature are things I like to do when I hike. When we hike, it's generally places that are an escape from the boring Florida panhandle landscape. Unfortunately, we don't get to do this as often as we wish. When we do get to go, I'd rather spend my evenings on a trout stream, photographing a pretty sunset, or stalking a field for wildlife. If I can streamline or make more efficient other parts of the trip, such as eating, to allow more of these types of activities, I would choose to do so.
Again, thanks for the replies. By no means am I trying to start an argument on why this should be considered. I realize my opinion does not follow mainstream.
Here's the nutritional info for a 1,000 calorie serving:
grams 194
Calories 1000
Total Fat g 60.67
Sat Fat g 6.84
Trans Fat 0
Cholesterol mg 0
Sodium mg 224.37
Total Carb g 78.96
Fiber g 40.94
Sugars g 6.7
Protein g 55.8
Vit A IU 7460.9
Vit C mg 45.5
Vit E 4.7
Vit K mcg
Thiamin mg 2.5
Riboflavin mg 1.71
Niacin mg 12.1
Vit B6 mg 1.0
Folate mcg 267.6
Vit B12 mcg 13.8
Pant Acid mg 2.6
Choline 123.9
Betaine 211.1
Calcium mg 629.9
Iron mg 37.1
Phosph. mg 1043.4
Pot mg 2116.9
Zinc mg 22.3
Copper mg 3.79
Manganese mg 4.4
Selenium mcg 33.6
Fluoride 1.026
Water g 12.756
Ash g 9.881
Omega 3 mg 20052.54
Omega 6 mg 14821.67
Calories from Carb 306.429
Calories from Fat 488.064
Calories from Protein 180.433
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Post by ecocentric on Jun 9, 2016 12:22:32 GMT -8
What wines and beers pair with those? |
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Westy
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Post by Westy on Jun 9, 2016 16:47:20 GMT -8
I quit taking pills when Owsley ceased production of Orange Sunshine and Purple Haze.
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BigLoad
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Post by BigLoad on Jun 9, 2016 19:39:36 GMT -8
I'd probably eat dirt before swallowing pills to get my calories. It's hard enough to get down an aspirin or two when I really need it. Somewhere in the process of trying to down 250 gelcaps, I'd surely choke to death. I'd be pretty surprised if you didn't feel the same way after the first 100 or so, but I guess we'll find out.
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