Best Freeze-Dried Meals

[Tortuga]

Every now and then I get the urge to try new backpacking food while off-trail, so I know what I want to take on-trail.

Freeze-Dried meals are a luxury in my opinion, with most costing $10-15 now. I'm a fan of taking tortillas, peanut butter, instant mashed potatoes, stuffing, etc. When I first started backpacking the options were pretty limited. Mountain House, AlpineAire, a few online specialty producers like Packit Gourmet and Outdoor Herbivore, but I can't believe the number of options available in the standard outfitter stores now.

My current favorite: Farm to Summit Green Chile Mac & Cheese. Follow the instructions by getting rid of as much soak water as possible before putting in the cheese packet, and I give it a solid 9/10.

What's in your rotation or what are you excited to try this year?

[RedLeg]

Peak Refuel meals are my go to for dehydrated pre-bagged meals, i get them for $11 ea

[Tortuga]

Peak Refuel meals are my go to for dehydrated pre-bagged meals, i get them for $11 ea

I think I have one of theirs in my current cache. I'm a vegetarian so looks like I have to skip out on 90% of what they have though. I'm just glad they are almost all better-tasting than the ancient surplus MREs I had when I was a kid.

[Ingo]

I started de-hydrating some of my own freezer bag meals. Things that have worked great include spaghetti, chili mac, and hash, as well as apples and strawberries. Also use de-hydrated ground turkey in "backpackers thanksgiving" (instant potatoes, stove top stuffing, cranberries, french onions, turkey). We've also been taking them on long distance road trips with our camper, both as an emergency supply or just 'cause we're lazy and don't feel like cooking. But still have a pretty good stash of MH, so will supplement with those for variety (although not as good).

https://www.backpackingchef.com/ is a great resource to get started if you're so inclined.

Being a sandwich guy, I've had good luck carrying Arnolds sandwich thins without destroying them (when I can find them). Usually with PB&J or tuna packets if not being overly weight conscious. But always like to start the trip with summer sausage and hard cheddar for lunch.

[Tortuga]

I started de-hydrating some of my own freezer bag meals. Things that have worked great include spaghetti, chili mac, and hash, as well as apples and strawberries. Also use de-hydrated ground turkey in "backpackers thanksgiving" (instant potatoes, stove top stuffing, cranberries, french onions, turkey). We've also been taking them on long distance road trips with our camper, both as an emergency supply or just 'cause we're lazy and don't feel like cooking. But still have a pretty good stash of MH, so will supplement with those for variety (although not as good).

https://www.backpackingchef.com/ is a great resource to get started if you're so inclined.

Being a sandwich guy, I've had good luck carrying Arnolds sandwich thins without destroying them (when I can find them). Usually with PB&J or tuna packets if not being overly weight conscious. But always like to start the trip with summer sausage and hard cheddar for lunch.

The "backpacker thanksgiving" sounds awesome. When I wasn't vegetarian I did canned chicken (never again), instant mashed potatoes, stuffing, and powdered brown gravy that was a sloppy, salty, delicious bag of food (aside from the canned chicken). Homemade would be much better.

[JerryB]

A few years ago, i started losing all appetite once on the trail. It got worse over the years. Thankfully, i seem to be over this now (lost a lot of weight and maybe that is what did it?). Anyway, i cobbled together a few dishes i could stomach, sometimes: Bone broth; a Snickers bar; PB and fritos; ramen and freeze-dried ground beef; and pancakes with fresh or freeze dried blueberries and syrup. As i was able to eat a bit more, last year, Packit Gourmet’s smash burger and tortilla was quite tasty.

[dcclark]

Peak Refuel meals are my go to for dehydrated pre-bagged meals, i get them for $11 ea

I think I have one of theirs in my current cache. I'm a vegetarian so looks like I have to skip out on 90% of what they have though. I'm just glad they are almost all better-tasting than the ancient surplus MREs I had when I was a kid.

Specifically vegetarian, the Backpacker's Pantry Pad Thai is fantastic, at about $10.

[Ingo]

I started de-hydrating some of my own freezer bag meals. Things that have worked great include spaghetti, chili mac, and hash, as well as apples and strawberries. Also use de-hydrated ground turkey in "backpackers thanksgiving" (instant potatoes, stove top stuffing, cranberries, french onions, turkey). We've also been taking them on long distance road trips with our camper, both as an emergency supply or just 'cause we're lazy and don't feel like cooking. But still have a pretty good stash of MH, so will supplement with those for variety (although not as good).

https://www.backpackingchef.com/ is a great resource to get started if you're so inclined.

Being a sandwich guy, I've had good luck carrying Arnolds sandwich thins without destroying them (when I can find them). Usually with PB&J or tuna packets if not being overly weight conscious. But always like to start the trip with summer sausage and hard cheddar for lunch.

The "backpacker thanksgiving" sounds awesome. When I wasn't vegetarian I did canned chicken (never again), instant mashed potatoes, stuffing, and powdered brown gravy that was a sloppy, salty, delicious bag of food (aside from the canned chicken). Homemade would be much better.

I've never found a packaged gravy I really liked, but it would make it a bit less "thick"--it does stick to your bones! I keep adding more dried cranberries each time for more zest.

[Tortuga]

A few years ago, i started losing all appetite once on the trail. It got worse over the years. Thankfully, i seem to be over this now (lost a lot of weight and maybe that is what did it?). Anyway, i cobbled together a few dishes i could stomach, sometimes: Bone broth; a Snickers bar; PB and fritos; ramen and freeze-dried ground beef; and pancakes with fresh or freeze dried blueberries and syrup. As i was able to eat a bit more, last year, Packit Gourmet’s smash burger and tortilla was quite tasty.

I've found that to be the case when I'm dehydrated, and it causes a bad news spiral. It happened on the Minong in 2018 when I got to Washington Harbor after a long day--absolutely no appetite and the thought of food made me sick. A Snickers is always a good treat. I loved the Packet Gourmet bean and cheese burrito with tortilla.

[JerryB]

A few years ago, i started losing all appetite once on the trail. It got worse over the years. Thankfully, i seem to be over this now (lost a lot of weight and maybe that is what did it?). Anyway, i cobbled together a few dishes i could stomach, sometimes: Bone broth; a Snickers bar; PB and fritos; ramen and freeze-dried ground beef; and pancakes with fresh or freeze dried blueberries and syrup. As i was able to eat a bit more, last year, Packit Gourmet’s smash burger and tortilla was quite tasty.

I've found that to be the case when I'm dehydrated, and it causes a bad news spiral. It happened on the Minong in 2018 when I got to Washington Harbor after a long day--absolutely no appetite and the thought of food made me sick. A Snickers is always a good treat. I loved the Packet Gourmet bean and cheese burrito with tortilla.

I wondered about dehydration, but in my case i don’t think it was a factor. I posted about this a couple of years ago and i was surprised by how common it was. Fingers crossed, it won’t repeat!

[torpified]

I'm one of those who's deficient at eating while hiking. It's worse in the Sierra, with altitude as an exacerbating factor. Often, all I can stomach is ramen. Although not a freeze-dried meal in their own right, these ramen enhancers---they're at least visually a decent approximation to the supporting case in a tokyo shoyu---make the all-ramen diet feel a little more mature:

https://theramenbae.com/?snowball=GRAIG ... l-9C37940A

[RedLeg]

I have no idea how people can backpack and live on that for more than a weekend. Now mind you, I've been so dehydrated I've woken up with stomach & leg cramps the next day. I just don't have issues forcing nutrition in to myself when the body is saying nope, but my mind knows better.

[Tortuga]

I'm one of those who's deficient at eating while hiking. It's worse in the Sierra, with altitude as an exacerbating factor. Often, all I can stomach is ramen. Although not a freeze-dried meal in their own right, these ramen enhancers---they're at least visually a decent approximation to the supporting case in a tokyo shoyu---make the all-ramen diet feel a little more mature:

https://theramenbae.com/?snowball=GRAIG ... l-9C37940A

I stocked up on "Ramen Rescue" from Packit Gourmet but these seem like a nice upgrade! I usually carry single-serve packets of Sriracha, Cholula, and olive oil on my trips but looks like I might get some ramen enhancers now.

I have no idea how people can backpack and live on that for more than a weekend. Now mind you, I've been so dehydrated I've woken up with stomach & leg cramps the next day. I just don't have issues forcing nutrition in to myself when the body is saying nope, but my mind knows better.

I had a day on the Superior Hiking Trail when I did a 20-mile day, and after preparing dinner (stovetop stuffing and instant mashed potatoes) I took two bites and nearly threw up. I couldn't force it down and ended up carrying that bag another two days until I got to a state park to toss the trash. I probably could have forced ramen down that day.

[RedLeg]

I love me some stuffing & shredded bacon bits for dinner but mashed & bits will do in a pinch. I'm also a bit fan of flaking some planked or grilled pike into my mashed while on the island.