Freeze Dried Meals

[Deleted member 52098]

What’s the best backpacking food when it’s hot AF?

Highly recommend tailwind and spring energy (like baby food, not the yucky gels). Got me through a few ultra marathons without any cramping and very little soreness after. Liquids are your friend when its really hot, solids can sometime be a detriment - especially if you're huffing uphills. Good way to rehydrate and get base calories back in your system. Tailwind also makes a great post activity shake that has a bump of protein too.

 

[mdeerjunkie]

I like the peak chicken Alfredo and beef marina. I like some MH too. As long as it has noodles in it is usually pretty good IMO.

 

[Bambistew]

Costco here usually has MH boxes with 10 meals 2 breakfast and a desert for $60ish. I buy a few each year and choke my way through them. When you're hungry even chicken teriyaki is edible. Crazy how expensive they are now, and they are 20% smaller than they were 4-5 years ago.

 

[Wallydeuce]

Gnome meal instructions say to add boiling water to the water line. Doesn't say how much. 1 cup? 2? More? Not helpful when you're rationing water.

 

[NDGuy]

Peak has good stuff but with them being $12 a piece (they just announced a price increase too) I can't justify them.

I tried Hawk Vittles last year and enjoyed most of them. Only thing is they are dehydrated not freeze dried so shelf life is like 1 year.

Tried a new backpacking meal brand, Hawk Vittles

Just wanted to share. Tried this brand out after hearing about them in the past. I enjoyed most of the meals, some were pretty spicey but good flavor and tasted more like a meal vs hot mush. Really enjoyed all the breakfasts but the beef/bison meals were fantastic as well. Highly recommend and...

www.hunttalk.com

 

[Irrelevant]

Costco here usually has MH boxes with 10 meals 2 breakfast and a desert for $60ish. I buy a few each year and choke my way through them. When you're hungry even chicken teriyaki is edible. Crazy how expensive they are now, and they are 20% smaller than they were 4-5 years ago.

are they really? I haven't noticed. But I may or may not still be working my way through a pile of MH from the early 2000s. Thankfully I off-loaded the last of the beef strokin'-off; so gross.

 

[Shangobango]

I like most of the Mountain House and Peak stuff. My fav is the MH chicken and mashed potatoes and the Peak chicken alfredo. I have tried several Heather’s Choice but so far me and Heather don’t jive on our seasoning selection.

 

[Bambistew]

are they really? I haven't noticed. But I may or may not still be working my way through a pile of MH from the early 2000s. Thankfully I off-loaded the last of the beef strokin'-off; so gross.

2 granola and 11 meals. I just looked at the box. I bought one 2 months ago for 60 bucks. Should grab another 2 or 3 if they still have them.

I make a bunch of taco meat and dehydrate it. Mix with dehydrated refried beans (can buy it already dehydrated) add instant rice and some spices and make burritos. A little hard cheese and taco sauce, a and a small head of cabbage and I'm in fat kid heaven. Add some fresh meat cooked in a little bacon grease, and I'm not going home... on a 10 day hunt I eat burritos 4-5 days. Have to boil the meat for about 7-10 min.

 

[BenInMT]

Pinnacle Foods if you are interested in supporting small and local. Local to me anyway

 

[Mighty Mouse]

Mountain House chili mac is my old standby and typically comprises about half of my rations on any given trip. The other half is chosen from an assortment of Peak Refuel and Alpine Aire meals that I've accumulated over the years. I usually buy a Peak Refuel "weekender" bundle from Black Ovis once or twice a year when they're running a sale.

 

[Redman]

I like Mt House Biscuits and Gravy, beef stew, and chicken Alfredo. If I even look at a package of the beef stroganoff I puke! I also take top Ramen but don't use their seasoning, I put smoked salmon in it with olive oil. I bring granola with vanilla protein powder and add water to it. Make my own jerky. I like Honey Stinger products and have enjoyed Green Belly meal bars. When I have time I make my own protein/power bars and like them better than what I can buy.

 

[PrairieHunter]

If you like light weight easy to make food consider some of the powdered meal replacements. They can be a good way to sub in extra calories and protein plus they are easy to digest. They are more in the $2-$4 range.

 

[DouglasR]

Highly recommend tailwind and spring energy (like baby food, not the yucky gels). Got me through a few ultra marathons without any cramping and very little soreness after. Liquids are your friend when its really hot, solids can sometime be a detriment - especially if you're huffing uphills. Good way to rehydrate and get base calories back in your system. Tailwind also makes a great post activity shake that has a bump of protein too.

I might actually snag a couple of these bruh.
Thanks

 

[WapitiBob]

Peak has good stuff but with them being $12 a piece (they just announced a price increase too) I can't justify them.

I tried Hawk Vittles last year and enjoyed most of them. Only thing is they are dehydrated not freeze dried so shelf life is like 1 year.

Tried a new backpacking meal brand, Hawk Vittles

Just wanted to share. Tried this brand out after hearing about them in the past. I enjoyed most of the meals, some were pretty spicey but good flavor and tasted more like a meal vs hot mush. Really enjoyed all the breakfasts but the beef/bison meals were fantastic as well. Highly recommend and...

www.hunttalk.com

Why would you pay $12$

 

[dk88]

I am fortunate to have a friend that makes dehydrated meals he lets me use most of the time. When I am buying store bought ones, my go to is always mountain house lasagna and then peak refuel granola for breakfast.

 

[NDGuy]

Why would you pay $12$

Because that's what they cost barring a sale? ha

 

[LuketheDog]

Finally! Someone ponied up a HH

smh...I'd rather tell you where I shot my last elk than my Peak Refuel spot...

 

[old270hunter]

When I camp, I typically am alone, so I rely heavily on the freeze dried stuff for simplicity of packing and cooking for just me when I'm worn out from fishing or hunting. I like the Mountain House pad thai, spaghetti with meat sauce. The Peak Refuels I like are, the biscuits n gravy, breakfast skillet, stroganoff, pesto chicken. I do the Backpackers Pantry lasagna and mac n cheese too. I have had others, but these are the ones I seem to go for nowadays. I carry packs of Tapatio, a container of Parm cheese, and a salt n pepper packs in addition. Works for me just fine and I really don't have any complaints on the above.

 

[WapitiBob]

MH lasagna cheese doesn't stick to a long red DQ spoon ....

 

[Festus]

MH lasagna cheese doesn't stick to a long red DQ spoon ....