Chocolate in the heat

UtahBrian

UtahBrian

God bless America. Let's save some of it.
Joined
Feb 15, 2018
Messages
54
I like to carry Trader Joes dark chocolate peanut butter cups when I'm backpacking. They're too rich to eat at home, if I want to remain healthy at my age, but they're perfect for long hiking days. They're denser in calories than my typical backpacking food (150 calories per ounce instead of 80-120) and lots of fun to eat.

But when the temperature rises above 80ºF, there's a problem. They all melt together.

For half the year, that's not much of a problem, but in the canyon country last week with 100ºF weather, it was impossible to bring them. I tried hazelnut M&Ms instead. The result of that experiment was disappointing. Most of the little blobs were fine encased in their sugar shells, but just a few crunched and leaked their fluids all over the inside of the bag making every blob sticky and messy so that I couldn't easily pour them out for munching.

So I wonder if anyone here has experience with chocolate in warm weather. Or has suggestions about other high quality, high calorie sweet treats that could substitute for chocolate in warm weather.
 
The problem with most high calorie foods is that they have high fat (9 cal/g vs 4 for protein and carb). Fat doesn't last in heat and if exposed to air and moisture will become inedible. Vacuum packing will avoid this, but you're stuck mostly with syrups and goo. Mixing with dry food like GORP or cereals has worked for me.

One of the tastiest combos I've had are the Skippy peanut butter balls distributed in GORP+choc chips. It likely only reached 75-80 on a portion of that trip. Just enough to melt the mix. With all the GORP, it wasn't too bad to handle even in the heat, but when temps cooled at night, it made a great fast breakfast treat. So good, it all got eaten well before going bad!

With high cholesterol levels, this isn't something I should have been eating (along with chocolate covered coffee beans), but... figure it's only a short period.
 
I mix plenty of M&M Peanuts into the trail mix and they do well in the higher temps. When it becomes too hot (well it kills me more than the chocolate, but I digress), I keep the trail mix stored deeper in my pack and they last better that way. It takes a few seconds longer to dig out, but it's worth it.
 
Peanut M&Ms are a favorite of mine while backpacking. They seem to do OK in the heat, but generally speaking I try to avoid backpacking in hot weather. Other than that... I'll admit to eating melted Snickers bars on the trail regularly... you cut one end of the wrapper off and squeeze it out... it's not really something you want others to see you eating... melted Snickers being squeezed out of a tube look quite disgusting.
 
Have no idea of how they hold up to high temps, but these homemade cocoa energy bars are a staple of ours for outdoor snacks. We wrap squares individually in foil and they last just fine on multi-week summer kayak or camping trips. They harden up quite a bit in winter temps-careful for your fillings!
 
Packets of chocolate runner goo. Cliff shots, Gu, etc.
 
I carry chocolate in warm weather frequently. I find that it's not the temperatures that melts it, it's the exposure to sunlight. Generally it gets cool enough during the night that it hardens up, and then in the day it's right in the middle of my pack, insulated by all my other gear. Then when eating, I just throw my puffy on top of my food bag to keep it out of the sun.
 
Chocolate Twizzlers - not the same as real chocolate, but that's my go-to in hot weather.
 
I'm one of those lucky people who hate chocolate. But caramel, yum, but it doesn't matter if it melts. I actually think it might be genetic, because my mom and brother are the same way.
 
UtahBrian said:
Clif Shots gel?

With a narrow nozzle so they can also be used as suppositories. Energy for when you need both hands.
Click to expand...

It's so when they find your chocolate covered, bear ravaged corpse they see the gu packs laying around and assume you were a badass triathlon athlete instead of some hangry hiker who got taken out during a snickers moment

:p
 
I’ll take your Energy Shots & raise you one.... F Bombs
Chocolate & Macadamia. Might be the most delicious & nutritious thing
you eat on your next trip. They’re 200+ calories an ounce.

Ive recommended them to others who didn’t care for them, mostly
because of their texture. I think they’re great!
 
Last edited:
DrNed said:
I’ll take your Energy Shots & raise you one.... F Bombs
Chocolate & Macadamia. Might be the most delicious & nutritious thing
you eat on your next trip. They’re 200+ calories an ounce.

Ive recommended them to others who didn’t care for them, mostly
because of their texture. I think they’re great!
Click to expand...
Gotta be better than energy shots
 
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