Best freeze dried food for overnighters?

atom · 07-02-2009

Looking for input on the best Freeze dried or dehydrated food for overnight kayaking trips. I've tried a few but want some input on which are best and which truly suck. Just want info on the kind you add hot water and eat out of the bag. Don't mind spending a little extra to get the better stuff either. Beers, Atom..

Dana23 · 07-02-2009

It doesn't seem to make as much difference which brand to me as which meal. I had a Backpacker's Pantry Pad Thai that was godawful, but their other stuff tasted fine. Experimentation and asking the salespeople...
One thing that seems to help is to add just a little bit of fresh food in - like some fresh onion or garlic which wieghs little.

lmyers · 07-02-2009

Mountain House is the only one I like that I have tried and I only like the beef stew and chicken and rice, available at Walmart for 6.50-8.50 each, I think they have like 700-900 carlories per bag, and weigh very little.

Berger · 07-02-2009

I usually look for the ones that pack the most calories. Mountain House's lasagna is my favorite by far and it does pack quite a few calories. The chili mac is also good. I don't really care for Backpackers Pantry meals.

jbowler116 · 07-02-2009

zatarains red beans and rice...mmmm

stonefly · 07-02-2009

Exceptional freeze dried food in endless variety. And organic. And delicious. I prefer the Chili Mac and Nick's Orgainc Couch Potatoes, but check out the web site and start trying it. The real beauty is that you can buy it in 3# and 5# bags. (depends on kind) Packing so much less packaging into the backcountry is a very nice benefit.
The stuff is expensive, but you may not get another chance to be on that river again... Might as well enjoy the hell out of it.
www.maryjanesfarm.org - you won't regret it.
dave

lhowemt · 07-02-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by stonefly

Exceptional freeze dried food in endless variety. And organic. And delicious. I prefer the Chili Mac and Nick's Orgainc Couch Potatoes, but check out the web site and start trying it. The real beauty is that you can buy it in 3# and 5# bags. (depends on kind) Packing so much less packaging into the backcountry is a very nice benefit.
The stuff is expensive, but you may not get another chance to be on that river again... Might as well enjoy the hell out of it.
www.maryjanesfarm.org - you won't regret it.
dave

She's "making it" as an organic farmer on the Palouse in Northern Idaho. Local for me, just plain good home made food for everyone else. Nothing in it except FOOD.

nightingale · 07-03-2009

If you go out and get a dehydrator, you can make a world of stuff for a lot cheaper than what you pay for the packaged stuff. I bought one for $50 at REI years ago and it's great! I just came back from backpacking in Alaska and dehydrated a bunch of stuff before I left. I make sauces, chilis, etc and just add water on the trail. I also make my own fruit leathers (a honey pumpkin for fall is my fave).

I'm also a BIG fan of Tasty Bites (if you live near a Trader Joes, even better! They have their own version). That's the best because it's good Indian food that you boil in a pouch. No clean up and you have hot water for chai!

Chicken of the Sea also makes seasoned chicken fillets that are in a sealed pouch (they have tuna steaks too).

I through these out because after years of backpacking, I found the stuff that I could just make myself was way better than what I bought. Takes a little more effort, but I felt it was worth it.

jeffsssmith · 07-03-2009

Seems like there's differing opinions on brands but Quantity is important to me. Backpackers Pantry meals are meant to serve 2 but I always eat the whole bag for one meal and its enough for me while some brands are for one serving and they leave me wanting more.

Backpackers Pantry Lasagna is my favorite.

Dana23 · 07-03-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by nightingale

If you go out and get a dehydrator, you can make a world of stuff for a lot cheaper than what you pay for the packaged stuff. I bought one for $50 at REI years ago and it's great! I just came back from backpacking in Alaska and dehydrated a bunch of stuff before I left. I make sauces, chilis, etc and just add water on the trail. I also make my own fruit leathers (a honey pumpkin for fall is my fave).

This could be a separate thread in itself. Maybe I'm getting older and more spoiled, but I do like to eat well in the backcountry. I even carried in a very small boxed container of French Rabbit Merlot the last time I hiked into the Na Pali coast. Tasted awesome out there!!

So you're talking about one of those standard dehydrators for drying out fruits and veggies, right? You started cooking up whole meals and what?... putting them in a shallow pan on one of the trays to dry out? I imagine some stuff comes out well and some not so well...? Sauces would probably do OK, but anything too bulky would probably be a disaster I'm guessing. A freeze dry process allows for bulky food to get processed or other stuff that would get destroyed in a straight drying process.
Did you come across some sort of dehydrator cookbook for ideas? Or just experimentation?