What to eat on the Camino de Santiago

One of the most important aspects to consider when planning your pilgrimage to Compostela is everything related to food, since it is not enough that you know how to eat. what to eat on the Camino de Santiago, but also how, where and when. This way you can make sure you take care of your body and reduce the likelihood of food problems on your journey.

Food tips on the Camino de Santiago

During the Camino de Santiago It is recommended that you eat at least three meals: a hearty breakfast, a good lunch and a simple, light dinner. In addition, you can eat nuts or some fruit if you get hungry during the walk.

Top tips on what to eat on the Camino de Santiago are set out below:

Breakfast

As for this food on the Camino de Santiago, it is recommended to eat a balanced breakfast, making sure it includes the following nutrients:

• Protein, such as dairy or sausages.
• Carbohydrates, this can be a piece of bread, cereal or toast.
• Sugars from fruit or natural juices.
• Healthy fatty foods, such as nuts and olive oil.

These elements can be combined, but you should make sure that they are all present at breakfast in order to tackle the first kilometres of the day.

Don't eat breakfast in a place that is too far from your accommodation, as it is advisable to travel as little as possible without anything in your stomach. It is advisable to know what time the establishments open in the morning so that you don't have to wait too long on an empty stomach.

Many pilgrims make the mistake of starting their journey very early in the morning and without having had breakfast. This decision can lead to dizziness or stomach pain, which can cause delays on the route.

In cases where bars in the area are open later than you plan to start your stage, it is recommended that you carry cereal bars or fruit in your backpack that you can eat until you reach a bar where you can have a proper breakfast.

Food

It is necessary to plan very well the stage you are going to pass through in the Way to Santiago to decide the best time to stop for a meal based on the effort you have made. Although you will usually always find places to eat, it is very important that you always plan what you are going to eat and when, so that you can plan your meal in advance.

It is suggested to carry some food in your backpack for the period between breakfast and the midday meal. These foods should not represent too much additional weight, such as fruit, cereal bars, nuts, chocolate or even a small snack.

Another important aspect is hydration, as you have to replenish the liquid you sweat during the ride, and if you don't hydrate you may end up feeling sick and even lose consciousness.

At this point it is recommended to take a drink of water every hour to ensure constant hydration. As a rule, it is stipulated not to go for more than three hours without having eaten anything.

In terms of food, a balanced diet with plenty of protein and carbohydrates should be maintained in order to burn energy and without overdoing it with fats.

In many of the sites in the Way of St. James, offer the pilgrim's menu at an economical price. There is also the option of buying food in the supermarkets located along the way, so you can control what you eat and what you spend.

Dinner

The recommendation is to eat dinner so that you recover the energy lost from the day's walk, but not too heavy, as you may have trouble sleeping.

The food should contain protein such as eggs or sausages, accompanied by vegetables and pasta. This diet will satiate you, but you will be able to digest quickly and you will not feel heavy in your stomach when you go to bed or wake up.

Plan the food needed at each stage

Before setting out on a walk, the route for the day should be planned, so that it is possible to define the most strenuous stretches and when it is most important to eat.

The ideal number of meals for a Camino de Santiago Day is five. Accordingly, it is necessary to prepare only the food that is needed and load it into the backpacks that are carried during the stage.

It may also happen that you don't have enough food. Bear in mind that there are food supply points available on all routes, so just head for a place to fill up your rucksack and keep walking.

Traditional food on the Camino de Santiago

By taking care of what to eat on the Camino de Santiago You should not fail to enjoy the typical gastronomy of the region, just do it at the right time according to the type of dish.

Some of the traditional dishes for each of the routes are as follows:

• French Way. Soups, stews and broths. Cheese, rabbit, partridge, trout and sweets such as chocolates and fillings.
• Roads of the North. Cheese, cod, anchovies, fabada (bean stew).
• Galician ways. Seafood, pies, cheeses, veal and pastries.

Bring your own food

For many pilgrims who do not want to spend a lot of money on food, the best solution is to bring their own food. The downside of this solution is that you have to carry a heavier backpack, which is not recommended.

What you could bring are cereals, nuts or some fruit to eat between meals, but this excess baggage is not going to be a very significant saving on the cost of your trip. budget of your Camino de Santiago.

You may find yourself on routes without restaurants or bars, but there will always be a place to eat at the overnight site. Everything the Way of St. James The city has a good selection of restaurants and bars.

There are hostels that offer breakfast or dinner, or even both, but it is not good to count on this and it is advisable to always have a plan to cover both meals. If it is offered, it is better. It is always better to carry a fruit or energy bar for longer than to suddenly find yourself with nothing to eat for breakfast or dinner.

If at the end of your pilgrimage in Santiago de Compostela there are too many visitors and the prices are high, it is recommended to walk a little further north to Cape Finisterre, to the town of Fisterra.

Here, you can enjoy delicious fresh fish, a large number of open restaurants and numerous pilgrims enjoying having reached the end of the road while delighting in the sea.