Meal Pouches

[Nobody01]

I wanted to start making my own meals to save some money and eat a bit healthier while on the trail. I have found success in re-using some of the backpackers pantry or mountain house pouches but you can only get a few uses out of them and their kind a pain to get clean. What I am looking for is a bulk source of pouches as I want to prep meals for impromptu trips. So far I found found these: https://www.bushkaskitchen.com/collecti ... 0135792729

Not that it's terribly expensive but for what it is? Seems a bit much, I just recently started to look into this and that's what I have found. Any thoughts or discussion is appreciated.

[LindaAnn]

@DmN I think the price is similar, but this is the brand I use. Never had any issues with them.

https://www.packitgourmet.com/Storage.html

[chumley]

I've never had a problem with straight-up grocery store ziploc bags. They're perfectly fine for boiling water. Cheap, light, easy.

[trekkin_gecko]

Zip loc freezer bags

[Mountain_Rat]

Zip loc freezer bags

I've had great luck with these as well, but after trying other brands, I stick strictly to Zip loc & Freezer.
If you plan to do a lot, a $50 vacuum sealers, and rolls of 4, 6, 8 or 12" width vac plastic sleeve works well. This is some tough plastic that handles boiling water very nicely, and you can make your packages a couple of inches to 100 ft long. You don't have to vacuum the air out either, it's an optional step that greatly increases shelf life, but if you wanted to package delicate stuff, then you can skip the vacuum and just do the seal (you can also do partial vacuum).

And Wait! there's more - they also have preconfigured bags that have zip lock built in. I have not tried any of those as I tend to be largely concerned their volume, shape, stackability, weight...

And If You Call In The Next 15 Minutes - you might consider a lower end food dehydrator. When I do extended outings, food bulk, shape and weight become considerations. I have an LRP menu spreadsheet that makes sure I get 3,000, properly balanced cals per day at between 1.25 and 1.50 lbs per day (including packaging). I decide package configuration.

Of course the latter is not for everybody, but is my preference. I have nuts, dried meats, partially dried cheeses, cereal mixes, powdered milk, taters... All ready to go, weeks to months in advance. For those who just want to pack up a few items or want to package fresh fruits or the like, the Zip locs work just fine IMO.

[big_load]

Freezer bags, mostly store brand, sometimes Ziploc when I feel like a high roller.

[AZClaimjumper]

@chumley
I, too have prepared my own meals, weighed out a portion, put the food inside a 1QT FREEZER ziplock baggie & frozen the contents.

[te_wa]

ziplock freezer quart w/ expandable "stand up" bottom

[AZClaimjumper]

I like Freeze Dried Meals that you can buy that come in those foil pouches, however, I've Discovered there is too much food in a pouch for MEeee to consume at one time. Peak Refuel is my preferred brand.
I open the pouches at home, weigh out 2 equal portions & put them in 1QT Freezer bags.
When I'm hungry, I boil water in a 750ml Titanium cup, pour the freeze dried meal into my cup, then re-insert the cup into my own home made foil Koozie. The Koozie retains the heat & I'm able to enjoy a HOT HOT meal right down to the last sporkful. No long handled spork needed.
Here is a link to photos of my Koozie covered Titanium cups along with my Soto Windmaster Stove. https://www.flickr.com/photos/bc_az/alb ... 7283951098