I use paydays backpacking in desert heat and they do not melt.

I was gonna suggest those, only I can't eat them in the heat of the day, they are just a little too rich.

Hmmm... Mojo bar from Cliff is a good choice. I buy these in bulk ever since REI sent me a free sample...

http://www.clifbar.com/eat/eat.cfm?location=mojo

It tastes much better than any health food/energy snack. It has its own uniqe flavor that will either win you from the first bite or you will hate it forever. It is priced better than anything yet not as cheap as granola bars.

Another thing is power-jel in bannana-strawberry flavor. That goo really tastes good and can be molded (while still in the packaging) to fit into any free space you have left in your bag.

Matt

The Mainstay bars aren't too bad, kind of like lemon cookie dough. I ate a 3600 calorie pack for lunch/snacks over a week's time to see whether they would keep me going. For me, they are just about perfect: cheap, good source of sustained energy and palitable but not so tasty that I would be tempted to break open a pack because I wanted a snack. I always carry a couple packs in my BOB and car. One less thing to worry about, since I know they'll work for me. YMMV, of course <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

the better bars to pack don't have chocolate that could melt.

1-Cliff Bars!

2-PowerBars

3-Boulder Bars

4-many Granola bars that don't have chocolate coatings

5-peanuts

6-pretzels

7-beef jerky

7-hard candies (Atomic Fire Balls, my favorite!)

...this was a short list of items I take, eat, and like...and they keep well in the heat.

I highly reccomend Clif Bars. Unlike other 'energy' bars out there, it is actually made of and tastes like real food. And unlike candy bars, it's actually pretty healthy. It's got good amounts of protein, complex carbs, fat, fiber, vitamins, and not too much sugar. If the bars are reallly old or in cold temperatures, they can be hard, but I'd take a stale Clif bar over a fresh bar of another brand any day.

If you're looking for a purely survival food, where volume is limited and caloric density is the main concern, they may not be the best choice, since a bar only has about 240 Calories. But if you want something convenient and healthy that makes a descent substitute for a meal, that you'll actually want to eat, give them a try.

If you shop around you can find them for $12 a box, which is $1 per bar.

II have a Maxpedition Jumbo and the smallest Lock and Lock fits in the front pocket easily and a larger one would most likely fit in the main compartment, though I haven't tried it.

I usually stick some MRE crackers and peanut butter in the bag and they do okay.

Target has the cliff bars for 97 cents. There in the pharmecy section with the diets bars.

I tried some of the cliff bars over the weekend, I guess in a total emergency, they are edible, but not preferrable. Given them or bugs, I guess I would do cliff bars, but wouldn't look forward to it. Think I will stay with payday bars or bagged nuts or beef jerky.

I tried the chocolate hooah bar over the weekend too, but didn't think much of that one either.