Kudos to you for making serious preparations. Many snowmobilers don't seem to realize how fast they can get into deep, deep trouble.

Hot liquids, quickly, get you back on the right track. Instant soups and such provide core heat, electrolytes, and hydration. Not to mention the psychological boost. I have broken up some of those instant Ramen-type noodles and added them to instant soup to get a quick carb hit. A small, hot stove would certainly be a blessing in some situations.

For sheer blowtorch calories, SPAM probably isn't a bad choice provided you can get it down. A jar of peanut butter would also pack a punch. Match one of these up with some dense crackers and you'll get through. (IMO you'll be highly motivated to avoid being stranded if SPAM is your primary food source.)

Freeze-dried backpacker meals are a little more fussy since they need liquid water. Note that they will rehydrate, somewhat, with cold water though they won't be nearly as pleasant to eat. The light weight makes them easy to take along though, and that's important.

Let us know what you decide on.

Things to think about for a snow machine kit: groupings--

1) route finding
2) fuel
3) repair tools, parts, knowledge
4) warmth making
5) communication

My favorite long driving food supply was a heavy, homemade oatmeal/raisin/peanut butter/chocolate chip cookie. Granola bars are an easier, but not as good, substitute.

Another option is pop-tarts and summer sausage. They keep for a very long time, and are tasty.

Years ago, I read an article that oat meal binds with fat, making
the fat less available for energy. This leaves a question for me.

I would take the same things that you guys have suggested.

I would add, tea bags, instant coffee packet, bullion cubes
(double wrapped). Drinking water is important for health and
tasty water is good for morale. Also I would add individual
packets of jam, sugar, honey.

Put all these in tin cup, for protection.

Jay,
I just realized you are in Idaho: Bear Country in Spring and
Fall. So, be aware when cooking, and also when the survival
event is over and you are packing or unpacking. Bears can smell
those food wrappers. Maybe my suggestion (packets of honey and
jam) are not such a good idea. Sugar only, might be better.

You may be at higher altitudes than you are used to; indigestion
nausea etc. could be a problem. Foods that are too spicy or too
fatty make it even worse. So for a Spam type foods, eat slowly,
with liquids; save some for later. Or mix small amount of Spam
with Asian instant noodle package. In the pasta section, I have
seen some very small diameter Italian noodles.

Why not try ordinary super market cookies?

Cambell's Chunky Soup, I friggin' love the stuff. It comes in a bunch of flavors and is pre-cooked. Warming up a can takes just a few minutes (in a pinch you can eat it cold) and it's very filling.

In the winter, food is not luxury - it is a survival necessity. Fast and slow carbs and fat will boost your metabolism, and you need that boost to fight off cold. Go hungry = go cold. And - those every day dietary considerations go out the window... Your diet now is looking for a mixture of fast (sugary) and slow (such as oatmeal) carbohydrates. And fat. And water - plenty of water. Warm drinks are best, but any water is better than no water.


+1 on anything hot and liquid. You have means to heat water / melt snow, so use it. Oh, and if you can find liquid water, use it - it takes A LOT of energy and time to melt snow.

A snickers bar is a winner. Anything instant (add warm water, let it sit for a while) is a superb winner. You have chocolate drinks, soup, dried food that you add warm water to, ... If you can make it without letting it stir on the stove it is a great plus. (Believe me, heating water for cocoa in the same pot that you just used to make tomato soup is not very appealing. And cleaning tomato soup out of that pot in the winter with your bare hands is not particular fun...).


If ever stuck, the heat of the engine is also of use for a limited time. With the appropriate container, you could melt snow and heat water or food under the hood for maybe the first 10 minutes after stopping. I've heated frozen apple pie under the hood while snowmobiling... the next stop 10 minutes later with coffee, cacao and warm apple pie was really something to remember. Use that heat while you have it....

How about adding a 1lb loaf of velveta cheese that stuff lasts forever until you open the pk. Winter storage should not be a problem.
What kind of heat source will you be using, I agree fire is a must have. Esbit and a soup can stove might be my choice for a winter emergency use.

I recommend that you bring instant Jell-O (NOT the sugar free kind)

After Years of research and studying the US Government discovered that the best drink to help recover someone from hypothermia is Warmed Jell-O drank, kind of like hot coco.

While having 3 or 4 packets of this on hand won't be a huge meal, when someone start to show the "umbles" (you know, Stumble, Grumble, Fumble, Tumble) This is when you can warm and dissolve the JELLO in Warm Water.


This is a trick I learned in my Wilderness EMT class

I dont have much more to add to the food discussion, other than to say why dont you try and find an arctic ration pack/MRE. I will suggest carrying a thermos flask, as well as a water bottle.
There is very little point in melting snow just to have the excess freeze again. Also getting snow melting at 3.30AM for a warming brew is a complete pain in the ass. (personal experience)