Whenever you do the Camino de Santiago doubts arise regarding how to make a good diet, both when to eat and what to eat.
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In this post we will discuss these topics and give a few brief tips that we consider basic for a good daily diet while walking the different Jacobean routes.
FIRST MEAL TO FACE A STAGE OF THE SANTIAGO ROUTE
After a good night’s sleep, you will wake up with the excitement of putting on your boots and starting a new stage of your pilgrimage route.
Once you are ready, what will come to your mind is:
I need food, what can I put in my mouth, what should I prepare?
BREAKFAST, ABUNDING OR CONTAINED?
Several doubts arise when we consider the subject of breakfast on a daily basis, some people prefer to eat a lot to face the day with a lot of energy, while others prefer a light breakfast, as at certain times their stomachs are not prepared for certain quantities.
When it comes to the first meal of the day on the Camino de Santiago, things change.
When breakfast is designed for a pilgrim, our advice is what we could call, “a Galician advice”, neither too much nor too little, simply balanced. What do we mean? In the early hours of the day it is not advisable to eat a large amount of food, as just after that you are going to start a new stage of the road, although neither is the option of drinking a coffee and “come on to walk”.
Breakfast should contain the necessary amount of food to give you the energy you need to face the routes of the Camino. For this we recommend a balanced breakfast as follows:
- Just the right amount of carbohydrates (bread, toast, cereals, etc.).
- Plenty of protein (turkey slices, ham, yoghurt, cheese, etc.)
- Natural sugars (fruit, either as a piece or in juice)
- Foods with healthy fats (nuts, olive oil, etc.)
Some examples of quick and balanced breakfasts include:
- A handful of nuts, two or three slices of bread and a couple of slices of turkey.
- A glass of orange juice, a tub of cheese with yoghurt and a cereal bar.
- Toast with jam, coffee and biscuits.
These are just some examples of possible pilgrim breakfasts, what is considered essential is to eat before facing the preconceived kilometres for each of the days that will last the Camino de Santiago.
PLAN THE FOOD NEEDED TO COPE WITH THE DAILY STAGE
A further question that arises when dealing with the different stages is:
How many meals do I prepare for the day?
Our advice is that before you get your legs moving you need to get your mind working, i.e. before you start walking,plan your route for the day thoroughly , so that you know which sections are the most demanding and when it is most important to eat.
Ideally, during a day’s walk along the Camino de Santiago you should eat 5 meals, there will be days when you can and need to, and days when you can’t or you don’t have the necessary appetite.
Based on this, we will prepare the necessary food and load it into the backpacks that we will carry during the stage.
In addition, an unforeseen eventuality may arise and that is that you do not have the necessary food, but this is not a problem, as on all the routes you will find locations where you can stock up, simply plan your route around a place where you can fill your backpack and get ready to walk.
HOW TO FEED YOURSELF DURING THE CAMINO DE SANTIAGO
Previously we talked about the foods needed for a good breakfast, but for the rest of the day, will we eat the same, or will we change something?
WHAT TO EAT DURING THE JOURNEY?
We must bear in mind that a day’s walk is a demanding experience for any pilgrim, although it will always depend on how hard it is for us.
We should also bear in mind that backpacks will put extra weight on our bodies, so it is advisable not to carry too much food or heavy food, you should plan how to carry food that provides the necessary nutrients in smaller formats.
This can be a headache, but here are a few tips to make it easier and more comfortable to eat while walking:
- Nuts: Food that in small proportions provides a large amount of nutrients.
- Energy bars: You will need to know the difference between good bars and cereal bars that are high in quick-release sugars.
- Chocolate: It provides just the right amount of sugars to boost our energy.
- Sandwiches: A simple and light way of providing a large part of what our body needs when walking.
We must not forget that along the route we will find different places to eat: restaurants, bars, hostels, etc. We will talk in detail about the best places to eat later on.
IN REGARDS TO HYDRATION…
It is one of the most important things you should do during a stage on the Camino de Santiago, especially on the hottest days.
It is advisable to drink short sips of water, leaving an hour between sips.
There is a general misconception of waiting to be thirsty to drink or not hydrate well while exercising, during a stage on the pilgrimage route pilgrims make many kilometres, so you should make a process of abundant hydration, which is essential during the Camino.
You will need to be aware of every fountain or place with access to water so that you always have a full water bottle.
IN WHAT TYPE OF PLACES SHOULD WE EAT?
A route along the Camino de Santiago can take you to many different places, where you will find a multitude of different places to eat.
Our advice is to always look for a place that offers the necessary food to be able to resume the pilgrimage with your batteries recharged.
There is always the exception of one day eating “something different”, as in the areas along the Camino de Santiago, especially on its arrival in Galicia, there are many typical dishes that we are sure you will want to enjoy.
In addition, you will also find supermarkets where you can restock and buy food on the go, so you can control your food intake much better.
TIPS FOR PROPER PHYSICAL RECOVERY AFTER A DAY’S PILGRIMAGE
At the end of the stage, we settle into our accommodation (hostel, hotel, etc.) and get ready to have dinner and sleep to recover.
AMOUNT OF FOOD FOR DINNER
For dinner we recommend a substantial meal, as you need to recover from the hike, but not too much, as a full stomach will not allow you to get a good night’s sleep to recharge your batteries.
Our recommendation is that these foods contain a good amount of protein, and if there can be some pasta or vegetables, better, i.e. foods that are digested more quickly and do not cause heaviness, which will allow us to get a good night’s sleep to face another magical day on the Pilgrims’ Route to Santiago de Compostela.
We hope that these tips will help you to face the long-awaited achievement of reaching Santiago de Compostela and finally embrace the Apostle with energy.
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