While my emergency kits include filters and water purification tablets, my earlier comment presumes an unfair assumption of knowledge of local conditions. Trust me, Southern NM (where I mentioned my camping in Boy Scouts) has limited if any water access if you aren’t camping along the Rio Grande. None of the areas we went (including an amazing overnight about 3 hours hike deep into White Sands!) had the option.
@Common_Tater touches on this later, but this is one of the main reason all of our camps were in the 30-48 hour range, just too much effort to carry enough water to make it work, not to mention us all being junior high / high school students with limited time.
The cheap ones do. The high-quality brands - like Mountain House - do NOT have any preservatives or chemicals. They don’t need them because the company actually knows how to freeze-dry foods and package them. I keep some as emergency stores, but they’re also handy for camping. A lot to be said for something that only takes the time to boil water + 5-10 minutes to provide a hot meal.
But it’s not the only option - I’ve done fresh stir-fry over campfires, baked cherry cobbler in coals with a dutch oven, and so on.
When you have been so poor or homeless you have been FORCED to live out of your car and/or sleep outside -there really is no appeal to camping EVEN after you have crawled out of THAT hole
Me and my friends typically make do with sausages that we roast on the campfire, but will also take beef or pork/chicken steaks when we feel up to it and barbecue it on a grill put above the fire (this is in the Czech Republic where setting up unauthorized - but tolerated - camps and even cabins in the forest is a thing. The grill is normally already there, provided by the often anonymous people who built the camp. A form of wild camping, colloquially referred to as “tramping” is very popular here). Instant soup (which may be improved with fresh ingredients like onions), and bread will likely also be included in the meal. And beer.
There’s this one friend who grows his own chillis. It’s always a boon when he comes along - he brings a bit of his excellent hot chili powder and seasons the meat with it.
As an expediency, I will often pack some lunchmeat, ham, salami, or a herring tin.
Just a sidenote to the thread - with the exception of the past year (exceptionally wet) here in Colorado we find ourselves in no burn / no flame weather far too often. And with current weather patterns, seems likely to be a more serious, and more frequent issue in many camping areas. So, for people who are looking to the thread for ideas, PLEASE check your local conditions for restrictions prior to lighting up.
And/or plan on a meal plan that doesn’t require an open flame. Which brings us back to lot of freeze dried, out of hand eating food.
I view my camping experience - aside from the fun parts - as training just in case I have to rough it due to emergency or Unfortunate Occurrence. I don’t want to be homeless or poor, but I feel I am equipped to survive the experience should it occur.
Meanwhile, this coming week is an excuse to spend time with friends and spend some time in nature. The fact that it is voluntary on my part is part of what makes it pleasurable.
Take another look at the ingredient list when you get a chance. Trust me, they got lots of sodium, way more than is necessary, plus lots of carbs and/or refined sugar. The nutrient mix is not optimal, the reasons for this are both cost (protein being relatively expensive) and due to fat generally not suitable for freeze-drying due to becoming rancid. They are heavy on pasta and other items that are available at the grocery store. I looked at the “Serves 2” as a humorous suggestion, and cracking barely 600 calories and decided they don’t really add up, never mind the price. The “sameness” flavor I’m not too sure about. Part of it is probably the characteristic “freezer burn” inherent to vacuum sublimation, but there is almost a hives-inducing kind of allergy thing going on, maybe it’s hydrolized yeast extract or some other common ingredient to the meals.
When i was a kid we went camping with dehydrated food. I’m not sure what chemicals were in it, but there was something in there i could taste that noone else could. Like Comet bathroom cleaner had been poured into my chicken noodle dinner. I lived seven days on kool-aid and Quaker 100% natural cereal.
Since that horrendous experience i have never agreed to camp more than two nights in a row. I get a few apples, instant coffee, a jar of peanut butter, some homemade trailmix, and a pan for boiling water, and i’m set to go.
My primary advice is learn to dig a rocket stove, and save yourself a ton of weight and trouble.
Here’s the list for Mountain House beef Stroganoff with noodles:
Beef (beef, rosemary extract, salt)
Corn Starch
Sunflower oil
Sour Cream (cultured milk, cream, skim milk, enzymes)
Nonfat dry milk
Onion
Sea salt
Beef flavor (yeast extract, salt)
Mushroom
Brown sugar (cane sugar, cane syrup)
Yeast extract
White pepper
Lemon juice (lemon juice concentrate, lemon oil, potassium metabisulfite)
Garlic powder
Durum semolina
Whole egg
Here’s the macaroni and cheese:
Enriched macaroni (durum semolina flour, niacin, iron, thiamine, riboflavin, folic acid)
Cheddar cheese blend (cheddar cheese (milk, salt, cheese cultures, enzymes), whey, buttermilk, salt, natural flavor, annatto extract (for color, like a lot of yellow cheeses), lactic acid)
Nonfat dry milk
Corn starch
Sunflower oil
White pepper
I agree that for someone highly active - like someone actually backpacking - one package is laughably small. When backpacking I’d easily eat entire package myself, but then I was doing stuff like walking 12-20 miles in a day with 70 pounds on my back so I actually needed the calories, and the carbs were fine for providing energy. Their meals are not intended for couch potatoes. These days, given that this upcoming trip does not involve such strenuous activities, I’m not going to be eating nearly that much.
They are not intended to be your daily diet, they’re for a limited time, and they tend to focus on the sort of camping where you’re exerting yourself. I don’t have an issue with salt (my last blood pressure reading was taken July 5th, it was 100/60 despite my being nearly 60 years old), I don’t have a problem with carbs (no diabetes - my blood sugar is also excellent) and for a couple of days they aren’t harmful barring certain medical issues, none of which I have.
Compared to a lot of processed food, not to mention fast-food burgers, they are arguably healthier for you. Also better for you than some of the prepackaged rice or noodle mixes you can pick up for a $1.25. Definitely better than a lot of the instant oatmeal out there which has a lot of extraneously crap in it.
Also, one of the things I like about the brand is that they list all their ingredients on both the packages and their website. Given that I have some serious food allergies that’s important to me. Unfortunately, not all brands are so considerate.
Part of what you’re paying for with them is convenience. Unlike store-bought pasta, these meals take only boiling water and (for the Stroganoff) 9 minutes for a hot meal. Your store-bought pasta is going to take at least 15, then there is combining all the other ingredients. Can you do that? Sure - day-to-day I’m cooking from scratch. But this isn’t for day-to-day. This is either for camping where weight is a consideration, the type of camp meal where you’ve been traveling all day and are tired and don’t want to fuss with putting dinner together, or as something you have for emergencies when you can’t manage more than boiling a cup or two of water. I have a friend that does competitive sailboat racing and they like these because you can get a hot meal quickly, almost nothing is needed to make them (you can pour the water into the pouch, so basically you just need a spoon), and the packaging is damp-resistant. Also, they have an amazing shelf life.
Well, if you’re sensitive to yeast then by all means stay away from them. I don’t have that issue so it’s not a problem for me. Meanwhile, a lot of the chilies and stews other campers seem to rely on are off-limits for me due to my own food allergies. Your mileage may vary and all that. You might want to stay away from some of the entrees (like the Stroganoff) and stick to mac’n’cheese or the breakfast fare if you find yourself stranded on an island with no other alternative.
No one is required to purchase and/or eat any thing like that, it’s just what I have found convenient for my needs. You do you.
There are some brands of freeze-dried food that are that horrible. Which is why I’ll pay more for a brand I know doesn’t take like crap. Actual freeze-dried food does not need chemicals and preservatives in it, the very low moisture levels are what preserves the food. So packaging is important, too, it has to have a certain thickness for a long shelf life, or else it’s like the Quaker instant oatmeal, which is also freeze-dried but not in packaging that provides a good barrier between the food and moisture and light and, in addition to frequent flavorings, has a bunch of “chemicals” in it.
If it makes you happy, I borrow a friend’s dehydrator when I have a surplus so I have dried mushrooms (bella and shiitake), carrots, celery, and parsley I use for an “instant” soup mix, which isn’t really that instant but some broth, boiled noodles, and a handful of those makes for a quick meal, too. Guarantee the broth and noodles I use have an even more deplorable nutritional profile from the standpoint of salt content.
Usually camping in the desert here. For car camping I usually have milk, eggs and bacon or sausage in the cooler for the first few days, but don’t try to stretch it longer than that. Lots of canned “heat and eat” stuff. Hard bread rolls don’t crush or grow mold as easy as a cut loaf. Carry 10-15 gallons of water. If going solo I tend to get things I can heat up in the can, then eat out of the can.
Aspire to being able to bake in the dutch oven, but so rarely camp where a campfire is allowed (due to fire danger here in the west) haven’t had the chance to get good at it. Keep meaning to practice at home, but end up just using my regular oven.
Cleaning up is a hassle, try to mostly wipe with paper towels and throw them away. When away from prepared campground don’t have a place to discard wash water. Do sometimes use the fire ring.
For backpacking MREs are easy, can eat them cold if don’t want to make a fire. Also recommend the Mountain House freeze dried meals. Don’t know about the nutrition, but the flavor is much better than the cheap stuff. Have made my own freeze dried meals using ingredients from the local preparedness store. Instant rice or mashed potatoes with various flavors. Instant ramen is also easy and light.
For food on the go always carry nuts, jerky (make my own, cheaper and can choose my own flavors) and parched corn (grow this varity for parching). Chocolate is great in the winter but will melt in the desert summer.
When backpacking always carry at least three liters of water, have gone to five when the supply looked questionable. Have at least three ways to purify: filter, tablet or boil.
Well, insulin, needles, glucose rescue kits. Medication I take daily.
Camping’s not really in my wheelhouse. But I do pack a decent bag of snacks. Protein bars, protein shakes. Electrolyte water. Sugar cubes. A fresh fruit or two.
I think I might last a day and half in the wilderness.
Well, we have an RV which alleviates a lot of tough choices but, I am out there to kayak, hike and relax. I use my crockpot a lot. I also bring things that be cooked outdoors with little clean up and a lot less heat inside. I plan meals and snacks before we go so that I can grocery shop beforehand and dont have to leave the campground. Some things, basics, I keep in the RV all the time in the refrigerator so they don’t attract mice or bugs.
People keep mentioning the “cheap” freeze-dried meals, and how Mountain House is a cut above. What are some examples of the cheap brands? They all look pretty spendy to me on a per calorie basis.
It is true that hiking day after day is high exertion and carbs are a good thing in these situations, but only to a point. All those carbs and snacks and candy don’t lend themselves to muscle maintenance, and cause wide swings in blood sugar. When I first started hiking I didn’t pay attention to the nutrient ratios, and also had an iron stomach, or thought I did. We used to carry dairy butter or margarine to improve the flavor and calories in cold weather particularly. Freeze-dried being especially lean. Protein, at a target of around 100gms daily for adult males is where the trail meals fall way short. Looking at my avatar pic, I’m reminded that Fletcher consumed over 4 pounds of refined sugar per week in various forms, in addition to dried foods and the rest of it, on his California walk in 1958. He was hitting 20 to 30 miles a day with 50 to 60 pound pack. In later years he disavowed this type of diet, having fell under the spell of “low fat” dietary quackery and spirulina tablets. He did live in California, after all.
I’m just suggesting that much tastier and nutritionally balanced meals are the way to go wherever and whenever possible, eating freeze-dried pasta and rice at a drive-in campsite on a regular basis is just silly. They are convenient, that is true, but eating good food and enjoyable meals is a big part of the experience, long haul deep woods hiking is a different animal. Even then I’d prefer more traditional fare.
Well, I don’t look specifically for bad food, but Augason farms has a bad rep of being bland carbs and salt with almost nothing else. I’ve heard it referred to as “technically” food.
If you don’t need a 30 year shelf life, that is, you’re buying something just before the trip and just need it to last less than a month you could go with ramen noodles as an example of terrible camp food. Or those boxes of pasta “meals” you can get at the grocery store. Or those “sides” that are mostly rice or noodles and some flavoring.
Some of the folks offering “emergency” food, or “survival” food, which categories overlap with “camping” food also budget under 1200 calories a day for an adult which is just… stupid. It’s creative portion definitions.
There are two reasons for that.
First, some of these foods really do have a 20-30 year shelf life. That means if you open a package a quarter century old it will still retain the taste and nutrition it did on the day it was made. The packaging also has to be protective of what’s inside and not cheap cellophane. That costs money, but if you’re looking for a long shelf life that’s what you gotta do.
Second, there are profiteers out there who sell sub-standard crap in sub-standard packing at a tidy profit because some people look just at price and do no other research, or some people are taken in by slick advertising appealing to emotion (fear or patriotism seem to be the big two).
As two examples:
Mountain House is expensive because they not only assemble actual (if not perfect) food but process it and package it to truly last 30 years on the shelf, as well as the packaging being tough enough take take on the trail. They have done the research (that is, holding back some product for decades then testing it - their shelf life is based on actual experience, not just theory) and that costs money.
4Patriots, on the other hand, does not actually produce anything other than advertising. They source their products from whomever they decide to buy it from, repackage it (sometimes - sometimes not, so your 4Patriots bucket might be full of product that is clearly from someone else) and apparently send you e-mails/texts with DIRE WARNINGS! encouraging you to buy more stuff from them. So yeah, you’ll get food from them, but it’s going to be hit-or-miss at best.
If you don’t need the long shelf life or the convenience of true no-cooking then there are cheaper alternatives.
Well… a lot depends on the person’s choices. More below.
First, let’s talk about actual nutritional needs.
There are a lot of ways to “camp”. The nutritional needs of a person car or RV camping mostly by sitting in a wooded (or other scenic) area reading a book, playing cards with friends, noodling on a guitar, with the occasional 1 or 2 mile hike on easy trails is far, far different than someone engaged in backwoods backpacking covering an average of 10-15 miles a day, which are again different than a special-ops dude engaged in whatever secret mission he’s been assigned this week.
Too much protein is not a good thing either.
For the average American they need 40-60 g/day protein for adult women and 50-60 g/day for adult men. Not 100 g/day. IF you’re doing the heavy-exercise sort of camping or otherwise engaged in heavy activity yes, then you’re flirting with 100 g/day. The truth is that in the developed world protein deficiency is vanishingly rare, sort of like scurvy is almost never seen, either. They’re possible, but unlikely unless you’re subsisting for weeks or months on such a diet. Most people do not spend weeks or months camping.
I’m not digging out my stash again this morning but most of the Mountain House meals are 8-11 g protein per serving. As I noted in a previous post, during heavy-activity camping I was eating 2 servings at a sitting, so 48-66 g/day of protein. This was supplemented by things like “bacon bars” (which contained an only slightly less than lethal amount of salt), beef jerky, and nuts which supplied additional protein. I didn’t lack either protein or calories.
In addition, you can get freeze-dried meat and beans which you can add into your camp meals. And by “freeze-dried meat” I mean exactly that - unseasoned, unsalted, freeze-dried bits of meat intended to be used as an ingredient. Or beans or TVP. Also powdered egg, powdered milk, powdered protein powder… No one is being forced to eat just freeze dried meal packets and nothing else.
You also have to consider that some choices like MRE’s which are higher in protein and calories (being designed to be consumed by young men in combat zones) may be too high in those things for more sedentary campers. Also, they lack fiber, leading to them being called “meals reluctant to exit”. This can also be a problem for the freeze-dried meals, too, to be honest.
As noted, not all freeze-dried meals are created equal. As noted, some are little more than carbs and salt. Others actually do have protein and vegetables in the mix. Read the labels. The more nutritionally sound ones are going to cost more, but still read the labels because there is some crap out there being sold at premium prices.
And, again, no one is saying eat exclusively X, Y, or Z. When I was backpacking and weight was a prime consideration freeze-dried was king because it’s so very light weight. As I mentioned in a prior post, when camping these days I don’t depend exclusively on them but rather have them for those days when you’re exhausted and need something quick with minimal fuss (and minimal clean-up). If you’ve just spent 12 hours traveling and are now setting up camp in the twilight or dark because your scheduled plans went down the toilet having an easy and relatively quick hot meal is a great thing.
If we’ve got camp set up mid-day or early afternoon and I have energy and time then sure, let’s get more elaborate. One of my fellow campers caught some fish? Great - it’s grilled fish for dinner with a side or two and having to scale and gut the fish, or at least gut it, means it will take longer than cooking at home (but not that much longer). No fresh protein? How about chicken stew with chicken and veg from cans with some regular store-bought pasta? Potatoes wrapped in foil and baked in a campfire. I’ve done stir-fry at campsites using fresh meat and veg and rice cooked in a pot over the fire. Scrambled eggs and bacon with fresh pancakes for breakfast. There’s a wide range of “camp food”. With car camping I can enjoy the entire range.
Just don’t ask me to survive on hot dogs impaled on a stick and burned over a fire and stack of s’mores, which I’m sure is what some people think when you say “camping food”.
Be careful of the that overlap you’re laying out in the first line. Because while you’re correct that some campers treat it that way, most emergency / prepper types don’t. A common component in a 72 hour kit are various iterations of the SOS bar - which is honestly a barely fortified shortbread style cookie with a pile of fat and carbs. Not what I’d want in terms of balanced nutrition. And they do the 1200 calorie per day expectations. But they’re based on an assumption of life-raft survival. You’re going to be minimally active, and they’re comparatively low in sodium to cut water cravings compared to most survival food.
For a 72 hour kit, makes sense. Given eating habits of the average American, with 1200 kCal a day to suppress the rumbling stomach, it’s going to make 3 days of a survivable emergency or evacuation tolerable. Using it in terms of true prepping or survival situations? Not so much, other than in the ‘far better than nothing at all’.
Using it for camping? Not unless you are seriously weight restricted or using it as a high calorie dessert option while being extremely active, at which point, there are worse choices.
Well, yeah, if you’re literally on a liferaft you aren’t likely to be exerting yourself much, and if you are (you’re trying to row to safety or something) then you could, if you had to, go three days without food and survive the experience. More important would be having water.
There’s quite a range of preppers out there, and you’re correct there are those that will throw a package of SOS bars into their “go-bag” and have fantasies of heading out to live in the woods… but I question just how ready they are. Anyhow, there’s stuff like SOS bars that is basically more chewable/palatable hardtack. But IMO actual emergencies/events where that would be the most sensible choice are some of the least likely. But hey, what do I know? I’m not an ex-Green Beret or Navy Seal or whatever bring legitimacy to those circles.
But several of the brands I see over and over, like Nutrient Survival, 4Patriots, Valley Food Storage, and My Patriot Supply are aiming for people who want to eat meals and/or something like the food they’re used to rather than protein bars, and even Mountain House does some marketing towards the prepper market. I think some of the change in focus is because when covid happened we didn’t have to all head out to the wilds and we didn’t lose power and water and so on. Turns out not all emergencies are the same. That, and I think a lot of people have figured out that if you have a “grid down” situation everyone will be happier with a meal cooked up with boiled water rather than chewing on glorified candy bars, and boiling water isn’t that hard even if an emergency makes it slightly more difficult than using your kitchen microwave.
There are also survivalists/preppers whose idea of emergency food is a hunting rifle and a fishing line because they have a notion of “living off the land”. While there are people who have those skills I think a lot of folks seriously underestimate the learning curve. Ditto for those planning to forage - our ancestors would spend years learning what they could and couldn’t eat in their local area, including at times elaborate methods to de-toxify wild foods. A guidebook in your go-bag just isn’t going to cut it.
Now, hunting, fishing, and/or foraging can be part of a camping trip, but aren’t typical. Hiking the Appalachian Trail isn’t that typical, either. There’s a wide range of what might called “camping”.
Like I said, though, there is a very wide range of food than comes under “camping food”. Some folks don’t want to bother with cooking at all and just live off granola bars. Others happily bake bread in coals and do some rather elaborate stuff with a lot of kitchen gear. I wouldn’t exclude any of them from this discussion which is a pretty broad topic.
If you crunch the numbers, they are all that way, that’s my point. Very high in sodium, carbs, refined sugars and low in fat (rancidity issues) and protein ($$$).
There are lately some smaller entrants to the field that advertise better quality ingredients and larger, more realistic portion sizes and adequate protein.
Another problem in recent years is the excessive packaging results in a lot of wasted air space, which balloons even further at higher elevations. Weight is naturally a big consideration on hiking trips, but so is bulk.
Right, this is exactly what I mean by the nutrient ratios being way off. Carbs are the easy part on any hike, you have to go out of your way not to choose foods high in carbs. Everybody already has their stash of trail mix, oatmeal bars, candy, drink mix, cocoa, pogue bait, fritos etc. And heavy exertion is where carbs come into their own. But only to a point. They cause wild swings in blood glucose levels. Leading to “hunger” - for more carbs!
So you start slamming freeze dried meals - you’re already snacked out, adding yet another carb bomb, except this time with about 2 or 3 grams of sodium and still only 50% of the recommended protein level, and you’re out 40 bucks for the day. Salt is good on the trail - super important in fact, but I like to have control over that.
Fuck, for that kind of scratch I’ll just make Waygu Pemmican.
