Caving Snacks

[i think it goes]

Hi all, I've recently decided to (attempt to) give up chocolate/sweets under some funny notion that its bad for me... This would be fine but my main caving snack has always been the 'insert supermarket here' knock off brand of snikers, or mars if I'm feeling a change. What are your go-to snacks? Looking for something that can fit into an oversuit pocket ideally. I'm a big fan of a malt loaf in a daren drum but that takes more effort to get out than just pulling something out of your pocket. All ideas welcome!

 

[Babyhagrid]

I have seen someone pull a GÜ pudding, complete with glass pot and spoon , out in a cave.
However on a more sensible note. Dried fruit like mango is always nice

 

[PeteHall]

Pork scratchings or salted peanuts for me.

 

[tomferry]

Pork scratching”s & fridge raiders for me ! Or go all out and stick a slice of pizza in ya lid above the straps

 

[Mr Mike]

Don't know if this is a mine explorer thing as I get the impression cavers like to go light or just us as a group, but we always have sandwiches, crisps and something sweet. From time to time soup in a stumpy thermos food flask that fits into a small daren drum (always with heavily buttered bread to dip in). A hip flask of port also sometimes makes an appearance. Also not unknown to take a pocket rocket and cook.

 

[mikem]

Nuts! (cashew or pistacchio preferred)

 

[PeteHall]

Don't know if this is a mine explorer thing as I get the impression cavers like to go light or just us as a group, but we always have sandwiches, crisps and something sweet. From time to time soup in a stumpy thermos food flask that fits into a small daren drum (always with heavily buttered bread to dip in). A hip flask of port also sometimes makes an appearance. Also not unknown to take a pocket rocket and cook.

Your lunches are famous Mike!

I have been known to take a leaf out of your book and bring a drum for food and/or flask (Monday was a small BDH with two pork pies, chilli peanuts, various chocolate bars and rehydration salts for a Charterhouse trip), however the OP did ask about things that fit in a pocket.

You do have a rival for underground lunching though, with Maxwell's House (the restaurant at the edge of the abyss) in Wookey 22. Not sure what's on the menu for Saturday, but I'll report back.

 

[paul]

Mars Bar or Snickers for me. Oddest snack was when a fellow caver pulled out a slice of pizza wrapped in aluminium foil she had been carrying in her helmet.

 

[i think it goes]

I have seen someone pull a GÜ pudding, complete with glass pot and spoon , out in a cave.
However on a more sensible note. Dried fruit like mango is always nice

Woah when I said I wanted to be more healthy I didn't mean actually eating fruit! Gu pudding sounds amazing tho, will have to add dried mango to the list : )

 

[i think it goes]

Pork scratching”s & fridge raiders for me ! Or go all out and stick a slice of pizza in ya lid above the straps

Mars Bar or Snickers for me. Oddest snack was when a fellow caver pulled out a slice of pizza wrapped in aluminium foil she had been carrying in her helmet.

You know, I quite like this idea!! Will try it at the weekend and get back to you. Time for the foil blanket to go and pizza to move in

 

[mikem]

Wrap the pizza in the foil blanket...

 

[i think it goes]

Don't know if this is a mine explorer thing as I get the impression cavers like to go light or just us as a group, but we always have sandwiches, crisps and something sweet. From time to time soup in a stumpy thermos food flask that fits into a small daren drum (always with heavily buttered bread to dip in). A hip flask of port also sometimes makes an appearance. Also not unknown to take a pocket rocket and cook.

I have been known to take a whole baguette filled with cheese and meats but on the more thrutching and aqueous trips they tend to not do so well

I have been known to take a leaf out of your book and bring a drum for food and/or flask (Monday was a small BDH with two pork pies, chilli peanuts, various chocolate bars and rehydration salts for a Charterhouse trip), however the OP did ask about things that fit in a pocket.

Peanuts are a good idea as well! Though difficult if someone has an allergy to them as i found on a recent trip, oops. Pork pies can also make their way onto the list

 

[andrewmcleod]

The EUSS favourite is the chocolate orange - perhaps better suited to a tackle sack than a pocket, but extremely robust.

That said, a loaf of Soreen once saved the life of an Exeter caver, or so the legend goes, after they clutched and plummeted down a pitch. They landed heavily on their back, where they were wearing their tackle sack with the Soreen contained within, but were miraculously unharmed. Examination of the noble Soreen within revealed it had been crushed flat - absorbing the impact of the fall and saving them from injury.

We recently took an entire Colin the Caterpillar (the real one, I believe) down the the Trident in OFD for someone's birthday.

In terms of pocket snacks, I tend to favour those little Cadbury's brunch bars.

 

[Pitlamp]

I was once persuaded to free dive through the Rowten sumps whilst not very suitably clad, by a certain person in a wetsuit. When we spluttered our way into the airbell between the two longer sumps he produced two pork pies (both dry and in perfect condition) - slapped one into my hand, grinned and said "Ere, get this down yer neck!"

Incidentally, many years ago there was a large inflatable shark moored in that airbell.

But I digress; I like a small plastic bottle of jelly babies, for "little and often" nibbling (for steady energy release). And if it's the sort of trip where they're likely to survive, a flapjack or two (Dorset Flapjacks company, which are my all time favourites as there are many varieties.) Again, oats are good for steady energy release.

 

[Alex]

Peperamis! I switched to them due to dental work meaning I could not eat sugary food for a while. Compact so you can fit a few in your pocket, foil sealed, I don't think I have ever had them break even in flat out crawls. Slow release energy, too sugar and sweets wear off too quickly and you crash, the energy from these last much longer. I have been able to go on quite long trips with nothing but these in my pocket.

If your a veggie, I have heard of veggie versions but no idea what they are like.

 

[Alex]

Thanks to Brexit I can no longer take these wondrous things to Spain with me, I have not found anything similar there at least that comes in compact foil sealed packages

 

[Babyhagrid]

A hip flask of port

A plastic bottle of port is always quite nice to have , especially down cold wet trips. As long as you bring water too.

 

[aricooperdavis]

And if it's the sort of trip where they're likely to survive, a flapjack or two (Dorset Flapjacks company, which are my all time favourites as there are many varieties.) Again, oats are good for steady energy release.

Flapjack all the way - if you carry it in a robust poly bag then even if it gets mangled you can pour it into your mouth 😁

 

[Ian Ball]

kendal mint cake ;-)

 

[mikem]

Thanks to Brexit I can no longer take these wondrous things to Spain with me, I have not found anything similar there at least that comes in compact foil sealed packages

Peperami are made in Germany, & owned by Americans. But they make proper salamis in Spain:

8 Best Sausages and Salamis in Spain

List includes: Fuet, Chorizo Riojano, Sobrasada de Mallorca, Chorizo de Cantimpalos, Caña de Lomo.

www.tasteatlas.com