Food is an important thing on tour as it is the fuel that gets you from A to B and it also the fuel that will help to keep you warm if it is cold weather, therefore you need to eat a good and well balanced diet on tour.

Forget about any diets that you might be on and eat plenty. If you use an online calorie counter such as the one a Stevens Creek Software it is interesting to see how many calories it reckons you will burn cycling in a day. On a typical days touring with 5 hours of cycling it reckons an average cyclist will use approximately 4885 calories. Last year on a four week tour in Iceland we both lost a stone each and we didn't think that we particularly stinted on our food intake.

We can't stress how important eating regularly and the right types of food is on tour. If you find yourself flagging and lacking in energy then look at what you are eating. Begin to listen to what your body needs, it is amazing how just stopping for a small snack can pick you up and help you along.

Frank is not a great lover of having much for breakfast and I have to try and sneak some carbohydrates into her at some point as I know come mid morning she will be flagging if I don't.

Meals on Tour

Even though you are camping in a tent with only a single stove, there is no reason why you can't eat well. Unless we are touring in remote areas where there is no daily access to shops we try and eat freshly prepared meals rather than dehydrated or ready made meals.

We normally buy all our food on route, however we do carry our own supply of tea bags, some milk powder, herbs, stock cubes and condiments. Just in case we don't find a shop on our days route we carry a couple of dehydrated emergency meals.

What you eat on tour will depend entirely on your own personal tastes and likes. We have listed below the types of meals and food that we tend to eat on tour:

Breakfast - This starts with cereal (as Frank can't abide porridge) usually this is muesli, followed by something cooked. This could be something like a boiled egg & soldiers, fried bacon & beans or egg & bacon in a roll, eggy bread, cheese dreams or poor man's pizzas. Frank is not that keen on cereals or bread so she often eats scotch pancakes or drop scones.

Lunch - What we have for lunch very depends on where we are touring. If we are in the more remote areas this is normally a picnic type affair consisting of bread rolls with some sort of filling such as ham, cheese spread or pate made up on the spot, some fresh fruit such as apples, bananas, plums etc. and if it is hot weather and we have been sweating a lot, we sometimes have some crisps to help put back some salt. This is usually washed down with our usual brew up of tea.

If we are touring through an area where we pass through plenty of towns and villages we may stop at a cafe or restaurant for lunch. This gives us an opportunity to sample some of the local food. Sometimes if the food looks good or it looks like it might be bad weather later on we may have a main meal in a restaurant at lunch time so we don't have to cook when we get to the campsite.

Evening meal - This is usually a cooked meal with some form of protein and fresh vegetables and includes some form of carbohydrate to give us the energy we need for the next days cycle. This is followed by a fruit yogurt or fruit for afters. See below for some of our favourite evening meal recipes.

Drinks - It is important to drink plenty whilst cycling, particularly if it is warm weather. We usually have two cups of tea at breakfast, one at lunch time, two in the evening and sup water from our water bottles as we go a long. If we can get to a supermarket we have a light beer or juice with our meal.

We also carry a few snack bars and if there is a cafe or bakery on route we might stop for a pastry or something similar mid morning.

Food and cooking tips

Cooking on one stove

With a bit of forward planning it is easy to cook a good meal on one stove. If you are doing a pasta with sauce type meal it is easy. First boil the pasta water then add the pasta and bring back to the boil. Once it is boiling place the pasta pan to one side with the lid on. The pasta will continue to cook in the hot water while you use the stove to cook the sauce. When the sauce is cooked, test the pasta to see if it is cooked if it is not quite cooked you can swap it for the sauce to boil it for a little longer.

As most pan sets come with one pan smaller than the other you could use a stacking system with the larger pot on top of the smaller one thus keeping the larger one warm. But be careful this combination is not very stable and you would need to take great care not to knock it over. We prefer to use our Optimus Terra cookset which has an nylon/neoprene insulation bag that helps to retain the heat while things are cooking away from the stove.

Carrying Food

Here are a few tips on carrying food on bikes:

• Although we tend to buy fresh food on route each day we still end up carrying some bits and pieces of food, such as stuff for making butties at lunch time, breakfast cereals etc. therefore we have a Rackpack which we use solely for food. This keeps foods stuffs all together and also keeps it away from any other gear. The last thing you want is something leaking and getting on any clothing or sleeping bags etc.

• As we use butter for butties we therefore use it for cooking as it saves carrying oil as well. After a rather messy leak on a very hot day in Holland a few years ago, we now carry our butter in one of those 'Lock & Lock' plastic containers from Lakeland.

• We carry a small stainless steel flask which is useful to put any remaining milk in from breakfast which we then use for brews on route.

• Take a few plastic food bags and wire ties with you. These are useful for decanting such things as milk powder, herbs and spices into from their original plastic or glass containers in order to reduce weight.

Condiments like salt and pepper are often difficult to buy in small quantities, so we bring a couple of small light weight plastic pots which we fill before leaving home. If you add a few grains of rice to the salt it will stop it from getting damp.

Try and keep stove fuels well away from any food, as any leakages will contaminate food very easily. We carry the fuel bottle for our petrol stove in one of our water bottle cages. The cage holds it securely and makes it easily accessible for those lunch time brews.

We also keep the spare fuel in a sigg bottle carried on the down tube using a 'Bikebuddy', this also prevents any leakages into panniers.

Stove carried in bottle cage.

Eggs can easily be carried safely in their box within a cook set.

Here our some of our favourite camping recipes

All of these recipes can be easily cooked using a single stove.

Evening meals

Pasta Splodge

Ingredients

• 1 Onion
• 2 Cloves of Garlic
• Half a small Courgette
• Half a small red pepper
• 3 or 4 small Mushrooms
• 100g of Peppered Salami
• Tin of Plum Tomatoes
• A pinch of mixed herbs
• A little Tabasco sauce or chilli powder
• 1 Chicken stock cube
• Salt & Pepper
• 250g Dutch Edam or similar cheese

Method

Chop the onion into small pieces and start to fry it in a little oil or butter for a few minutes. Chop up the garlic, courgette, pepper, mushrooms and salami and add to the onions. Fry gently until the vegetables start to soften. Add the tinned tomatoes and break them up a bit. Then add a little of the stock cube, mixed herbs, Tabasco sauce, salt & pepper to taste. The amount of seasoning and stock will depend on how spicy the salami is, therefore you will need to taste and add accordingly.

Bring gently to the boil and simmer for 15 mins. While the sauce is simmering bring a pan of water with a pinch of salt in it to the boil and add the pasta. Cook the pasta for the time indicated on the packet. While the pasta is cooking chop up the cheese into small cubes, 2 minutes before the pasta is ready add it to the sauce so that it just starts to melt slightly. Strain the pasta serve on to plates and top with the sauce. Enjoy with a nice cool beer!

If you can't find salami, then any similar cured spicy sausage will do, we have also used smoky bacon.

For a vegetarian option, leave out the salami and just spice it up a bit more with a bit of chilli or more Tabasco.

Spicy Sausages

Ingredients - serves 2

• 4 Pork Sausages
• 1 Medium Onion
• Tin of Plum Tomatoes
• 3 or 4 small Mushrooms
• 2 Garlic cloves
• 1 Chicken stock cube
• Cajun spice 1 tsp
• Mixed herbs, a pinch
• Chilli powder 1 tsp
• Caraway seeds 1/2 tsp
• 200g Couscous
• 250ml water
• Knob of butter

Method

Start cooking the sausages in a little oil. Slice the onion and cook with the sausages. When the sausages are brown after about 5 minutes of cooking, remove and slice into about half inch slices and return back to the pan. Add the sliced cloves of garlic and cook for a few minutes. Add the Tomatoes, the chicken stock cube, Cajun spice, mixed herbs and chilli powder and stir in well. Add the chopped mushrooms, bring to the boil and then simmer for 15 minutes and then put to one side.

Put 250mls of water in a pan and add a little oil, bring to the boil. Put 200g of couscous in a bowl and add the boiling water, stir and leave for 5 - 10 or until the couscous has absorbed all the water. While waiting for the couscous, return the spicy sausages to the stove and reheat. Check that the couscous has absorbed all the water and add a knob of butter and fluff up with a fork. Spread out the couscous out on two plates and serve the spicy sausages on top. Enjoy with a nice cool beer!

Nevis Chicken

Ingredients - serves 2

• 200g Fresh chicken breast
• 1 Medium Onion
• Tin of Chopped Tomatoes
• 1 Chicken stock cube
• Cajun spice 2 tsp
• 1/2 Mug of rice
• 1 Mug of water
• pinch of salt

Method

Cut the chicken breast into bite-sized cubes and slice and dice the onion. Heat the pan and add some oil or butter, stir-fry the chicken on a high heat for a few moments and then add the onions, reduce the heat and cook for a few minutes until the onions start to soften. Add the chopped tomatoes, the chicken stock cube, add Cajun spice to taste and stir in well. You may have to add a little water depending on the amount of juice in the tomatoes. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 15 - 20 minutes and then put to one side.

Put 1 mug of water, a half mug of rice and a pinch of salt into a pan and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid and turn down to simmer and leave for 10 - 15 or until the rice has absorbed all the water. When the rice is cooked, return the Nevis Chicken to the stove and reheat. Check that the rice has absorbed all the water and fluff up with a fork. Serve out the rice onto two plates and serve the Nevis Chicken on top. Enjoy with a nice cool beer!

Quick Fish Pie

Ingredients - serves 2

• 1 piece of hot smoked salmon
• 1 packet of Smash (dried potato)
• 100g of green beans or other veg

Method

Measure out the correct amount of water for the Smash and place in a pan, cut the green beans or veg into small pieces and add to the pan with a pinch of salt and bring to the boil. Simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes to cook the veg, in the meantime place the Smash in another pan and remove the skin from the hot smoked salmon a flake into a plate. When the veg are cooked add the veg and the hot water to the Smash and whisk until the potato is fluffy. Fold in the flaked salmon to the potato to warm up the salmon and serve. For a creamier potato add some milk powder and a nob of butter.

If you are unable to get fresh hot smoked salmon and you are in either Norway or Iceland you can use dried Stock Fish. You will need to flake it and add it to the water and simmer it for 10 minutes before adding the veg.

Poached Smoked Haddock in cheese sauce

Ingredients - serves 2

• 1 piece of smoked haddock
• 2 - 3oz of mature cheddar cheese or similar cheese
• 1 packet of Smash (dried potato)
• Seasoning or fish stock cube
• Tin of garden peas or other veg

Method

Open the peas and place in a pan and quickly bring to the boil then place to one side preferably in an insulated jacket to keep warm. Cut the Haddock into two pieces and place in a pan, add enough milk to just cover the haddock, bring to the boil and then simmer for about 10 minutes to cook the haddock. While this is cooking cut up the cheese as small as you can, place the Smash in a bowl plate and measure out the water needed for the smash into a pan. When the haddock is cooked add the cheese to the milk to make a sauce and season with a little bit of fish stock cube to taste. Put the cooked haddock to one side. Quickly boil the water, add to the Smash and whisk until the potato is fluffy (for a creamier potato add some milk or milk powder and a nob of butter). While you are whisking the smash quickly reheat the haddock and peas before serving.

As you can guess from the method it takes good coordination from two people to get this meal prepared but it is fairly quick and certainly tasty. We have also done this meal with potatoes and fresh veg cooking them first and putting them into a insulated jacket to finish cooking whilst we cooked the haddock.

Chicken a la Frank

Ingredients - serves 2

• 2 Chicken breasts
• Potatoes for 2 people
• 2 vegetables such as Broccoli and Leeks
• Half a courgette
• 1 small onion
• 6 or so button mushrooms
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Chicken stock cube Milk
• A little corn flour Salt & pepper

Method

Peel the potatoes and prepare the veg place in a pan of water with a pinch of salt and bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Meanwhile slice the chicken breasts into chunks and slice the onion, courgette, mushrooms into small pieces and finally thinly slice the garlic. When the veg have finished simmering place to one side preferably in an insulated jacket to continue cooking.
Fry the onion and chicken in a little oil or butter until browned and add the courgette, garlic, mushrooms, and herbs to cooking gently for 15 minutes. When the chicken is cooked add a little milk, the crushed stock cube and a little corn flour to thicken the sauce and stir well to mix the stock and stop the milk from curdling, finally taste the sauce and add seasoning if required. Check the potatoes are cooked, if not put the chicken to one side and boil until they are cooked. While you are draining the veg place the chicken back on the stove to warm it quickly back up and serve with the veg.

Breakfast

Poor man's pizzas

Ingredients

• Ham (smoked ham is nice, you could also use salami or pepperoni)
• Mushrooms
• Cheese (preferable a type that melts such as cheddar or edam)
• Crusty rolls

Method

This is a very simple idea and can be done with salami or thin bacon instead of the ham. Firstly chop up the mushrooms, ham and cheese into small pieces. Fry the mushrooms first in a little butter over a moderate flame. While these are cooking slice the rolls in half and lightly butter them. When the mushrooms are slightly brown add the ham and fry for a few minutes. Turn the flame down to a low heat and add the cheese, just let it melt over the ham and mushrooms and then turn out onto the rolls as topping. Enjoy.

Cheese Dreams with ham

Ingredients

• Cheese (preferable a type that melts such as cheddar or edam)
• Ham (smoked ham is nice, you could also use thin salami or pepperoni)
• Slices of bread
• Butter

Method

This is again a very simple idea and can be done with salami or pepperoni instead of the ham. Firstly slice some cheese into thin slices. Butter the slices of bread generously and make a sandwich with the slices of ham in between the slices of cheese but with the buttered side on the outside. Fry the cheese dreams in a frying pan over a moderate to hot flame, after 2-3 minutes when you see the cheese start to melt on the bottom layer carefully turn them over and fry the other side. When the cheese starts to melt out and the bread is nicely golden brown on both sides they are done. Enjoy.

Eggy Bread

Ingredients

• 2 Eggs
• Salt & pepper
• Butter
• Slices of bread

Method

Firstly crack the eggs into a bowl or mug and add a little salt and pepper and whisk with a fork to mix the yolks into the whites. Butter the slices of bread and dip the bread into the mixture allowing it to soak in a bit, make sure that the bread is coated on both sides. Melt a knob of butter or some oil in a frying pan and fry the Eggy Bread over a moderate to hot flame for 2-3 minutes and carefully turn them over and fry the other side. When the Eggy Bread is nicely brown they are done. Enjoy.

If you want to spice this up a little, add some grated or crumbed cheese and/or a little chilli or Lea & Perrins sauce to the mix!

Eggy Bread Dreams

Method

This a combination of the Cheese Dreams and the Eggy Bread recipes above. Make the cheese and ham sandwiches but with the butter on the inside. Dip the sandwiches in the Eggy Bread mix coating each side and letting the mixture soak in a bit. Melt a knob of butter or some oil in a frying pan and fry the Eggy Bread Dreams over a moderate to hot flame for 2-3 minutes and carefully turn them over and fry the other side. When the Eggy Bread Dreams are nicely brown they are done. Enjoy.

Again if you want to spice this up a little, add some grated or crumbed cheese and/or a little chilli or Lea & Perrins sauce to the mix!