New meal Pack list....

[25contender]

As I mentioned in a few other threads I'm a little older than most here and trying to update a few things this year the biggest thing is my food pack and trying to cut some of the food weight. So after reading a few threads and taking some advice from some on the forum I am finally putting together my 7 day food pack. Today I started with part of the mid morning snack, I did the trail mix part since it is all dried goods and I can vacuum seal it now. I am really tired of the old trail mix and not partial to peanuts so I cobbled together my own mix and figured the calorie count for each trail-mix pack.
The list of what is in the mix per day:

Crasins Original 20 grams 65.0 calories
Crasins Blueberry 10 grams 32.5 calories
Crasins Pomegranate 10 grams 32.5 calories
Granola 22 grams 92.0 calories
Pecans 20 grams 135.0 calories
Cashews 48 grams 274.0 calories
Dried Mango 12.1 grams 41.9 calories
Dried Apple 12.1 grams 41.9 calories
Total per day 4.97 ounces 714.8 calories

Cost per day $2.25

As I move along with my food pack I will add it to this thread.....Mark

Since I will be out for fourteen days I made up fourteen trailmix packs in case I have to reload after the first seven day pack in.

 

[marcusvdk]

Man this is a really good idea, They look really yummy and give you all the calories and nutrients you need.

thanks for sharing

 

[Ikeepitcold]

Yes great idea! Look forward to see what else you come up with

 

[Fink]

For only 5 ounces, that packs a pretty good punch! Tastes a heck of a lot better than a power bar too. I do something similar to that, except I load up on almonds and walnuts.

 

[25contender]

Im going to do some venison jerky this weekend to bring too. Trying to put some good eats together with a good calorie count but lightweight. Mark

 

[Calbuck]

Ditto on this.. I just packed up 7 individual packs of my own creation, 835 calories per day. I need a vacuum sealer!!

 

[25contender]

Ditto on this.. I just packed up 7 individual packs of my own creation, 835 calories per day. I need a vacuum sealer!!

I have a older Food Saver. I think it as a antique one of the first made but it still works grate and no frills!! Nice to be able to compress it all down for packing. Since most of the food is dried or freeze dried the vacuum sealer seems to be the way to go.

 

[JMSZ]

Good idea with that - I do like the idea of the vacuum sealer. What kind do you have and how much do you use it?

The thought of getting one has crossed my mind many times. Then I see the price plus the cost of the bags and start considering how much I'd actually use it and the thought generally fades pretty quick.

Have you done fresh vegatables with it? We've got our garden pretty well established now, has anybody here vacuum packed fresh vegetables and then forzen them? If so, does it make a real difference compared to just bagging them?

Mark - You mind if we throw some stuff on your thread?

I'm going to do a modified no-bake cookie recipe and once I have it dialed in, I'm going to put up here on the forum. It would be nice to have one list, if you're ok with somebody hijacking your thread to do it .

 

[25contender]

Add to the thread as you like!! Its nice to have some new ideas. I use my vacuum sealer a lot. Almost everything we kill and process we package using the vacuum sealer. Your game will last way way longer in the freezer in Vacuum sealed bags. I do all my wild game and fish as well as many vegetables from the garden. My wife blanches many vegetables and then we vacuum seal them to freeze.Cost on the bags is higher but the things you freeze in them last 10 times as long in the freezer. You can also wash the larger bags after use and reuse them if you want.

Post on up some good stuff for your food packs. Mark

Good idea with that - I do like the idea of the vacuum sealer. What kind do you have and how much do you use it?

The thought of getting one has crossed my mind many times. Then I see the price plus the cost of the bags and start considering how much I'd actually use it and the thought generally fades pretty quick.

Have you done fresh vegatables with it? We've got our garden pretty well established now, has anybody here vacuum packed fresh vegetables and then forzen them? If so, does it make a real difference compared to just bagging them?

Mark - You mind if we throw some stuff on your thread?

I'm going to do a modified no-bake cookie recipe and once I have it dialed in, I'm going to put up here on the forum. It would be nice to have one list, if you're ok with somebody hijacking your thread to do it .

 

[JMSZ]

Add to the thread as you like!! Its nice to have some new ideas. I use my vacuum sealer a lot. Almost everything we kill and process we package using the vacuum sealer. Your game will last way way longer in the freezer in Vacuum sealed bags. I do all my wild game and fish as well as many vegetables from the garden. My wife blanches many vegetables and then we vacuum seal them to freeze.Cost on the bags is higher but the things you freeze in them last 10 times as long in the freezer. You can also wash the larger bags after use and reuse them if you want.

Post on up some good stuff for your food packs. Mark

Thanks.

Question - Have you ever tried vacuum sealing a sandwich - like a peanut butter and bacon sandwich?

I was reading backpacking light again and they mentioned pre-cooked bacon that apparently holds up pretty well after it's opened and with no refrigeration.

That has me thinking...

Check this out - http://www.amazon.com/Case-Yoders-Premium-Canned-Bacon/dp/B005TCTQ54/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1375804922&sr=8-7&keywords=pre-cooked+bacon

Even better - https://www.cmmginc.com/product_p/13401ab.htm

I never knew this stuff existed...

 

[Fink]

Thanks.

Question - Have you ever tried vacuum sealing a sandwich - like a peanut butter and bacon sandwich?

I was reading backpacking light again and they mentioned pre-cooked bacon that apparently holds up pretty well after it's opened and with no refrigeration.

That has me thinking...

Check this out - http://www.amazon.com/Case-Yoders-Premium-Canned-Bacon/dp/B005TCTQ54/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1375804922&sr=8-7&keywords=pre-cooked+bacon

Even better - https://www.cmmginc.com/product_p/13401ab.htm

I never knew this stuff existed...

I vacuum sealed a bagel once... It was an epic fail. Squished it down to nothing, and pretty much turned it into a rock. I'd just go with the 'suck the air out of a zipock' method.

 

[25contender]

I vacuum sealed a bagel once... It was an epic fail. Squished it down to nothing, and pretty much turned it into a rock. I'd just go with the 'suck the air out of a zipock' method.

Yes that is right!! Anything with lots of air in it will be a no go. All the air will be suck out! I have done wraps with tortilla shells and that worked pretty good.nuts freeze dried goods and dried goods vacuum well.

 

[87TT]

I use the vac sealer for meat and love it. For backpacking the bags are heavier and they are harder to pack as they are stiff and have a lot of edges. I usually use a bear can but even if not space is always at a premium. I even repack comercial backpacking food in ziplocks. I guess if you are making it up way in advance the vac sealer would keep it fresh longer. Why not make up your big batch and seal it in a large bag and repack it in ziplocks just before you leave. As for the shelf stable bacon, you can find it just about anywhere. I got my last at Walmart. It was Oscar Meyer. After you open it , you have to keep it cool but will stay good for a couple of days unless real hot out. (warning; may atract critters)
http://www.kraftbrands.com/oscarmayer/bacon/fully-cooked.html

14 days of the same anything would kill me. I even alternate the stuff I love. I am sold on dehydrating too. Check out this site.
http://www.trailcooking.com/

 

[JMSZ]

Yes that is right!! Anything with lots of air in it will be a no go. All the air will be suck out! I have done wraps with tortilla shells and that worked pretty good.nuts freeze dried goods and dried goods vacuum well.

Makes sense irt the bread... so, peanut butter and bacon pita - more compact.

 

[25contender]

Makes sense irt the bread... so, peanut butter and bacon pita - more compact.

Dont put to much Peanut butter as it will be squeezed out!! You will smell like peanut butter!! All you would need is a really thin layer. I would put the PB, or other spread on after you opened it to eat.

 

[25contender]

14 days of the same anything would kill me. I even alternate the stuff I love. I am sold on dehydrating too. Check out this site.
http://www.trailcooking.com/

Above is just part of the Snack. I bring a variety for Breakfast lunch and dinner

 

[JMSZ]

I use the vac sealer for meat and love it. For backpacking the bags are heavier and they are harder to pack as they are stiff and have a lot of edges. I usually use a bear can but even if not space is always at a premium. I even repack comercial backpacking food in ziplocks. I guess if you are making it up way in advance the vac sealer would keep it fresh longer. Why not make up your big batch and seal it in a large bag and repack it in ziplocks just before you leave. As for the shelf stable bacon, you can find it just about anywhere. I got my last at Walmart. It was Oscar Meyer. After you open it , you have to keep it cool but will stay good for a couple of days unless real hot out. (warning; may atract critters)
http://www.kraftbrands.com/oscarmayer/bacon/fully-cooked.html

14 days of the same anything would kill me. I even alternate the stuff I love. I am sold on dehydrating too. Check out this site.
http://www.trailcooking.com/

Ah, you go to backpacking light too I thought about the variety, but I think this year I'm going to have to tough it out unless I can talk the wife into getting a vacuum sealer soon. I looked at Packit Gourmet and some others, but they are bloody expensive and a lot of them have a low calorie/weight ratio.

I've looked at some of that lady's recipes, they look really good and the concept is really good.

I'm not a fan of ziplocks, I've had too many incidents of a ziplock opening up and either dumping their contents or just letting whatever is inside get damp/dry (whatever it's not supposed to be). Granted, it's been with them in pockets where they're moving around more, but it's happened enough that I won't trust my food with them.

If I could find a way to secure them, it be a completely different matter. My wife had one of those bag sealers, I might see if she still knows where that is.

What kind of bear canister to you have? I was thinking about an Ursack, but I just read a post on BPL from a guy from back in 2010 about his Ursacks bear encounter...It held together, but the food was destroyed and the bear actually managed to make some punctures.

Bear slobber and carnation instant breakfast - YUM.

So, I'm stuck with a canister.

I may talk the wife into getting a vacuum sealer since we can use it for the garden, etc. We like to pick up stuff on sale and stick it in the freezer, so it sounds like it would be useful for that.

If I do that, I'll be more apt to do a bulk pack.

 

[25contender]

I actually use a bear bag. Well my own version. I use a larger water tight stuff bag. Throw a piece of cord over a limb 10-15 feet off the ground then run the end of cord you threw over the limb through a snap-link that holds the bag then toss the same end of cord over a limb about the same height on a close by tree. (Leaving the bag and with snap-link on the ground.) Then tie that end off to the trunk of the tree about six ft off the ground. All you do now is pull the sack up off the ground on the other end and tie it off. I leave a little slack in the line for wind and to make the sack self center in between the two trees. To let the bag down just untie and let it down. It has worked well over the past 20 years.

 

[JMSZ]

I actually use a bear bag. Well my own version. I use a larger water tight stuff bag. Throw a piece of cord over a limb 10-15 feet off the ground then run the end of cord you threw over the limb through a snap-link that holds the bag then toss the same end of cord over a limb about the same height on a close by tree. (Leaving the bag and with snap-link on the ground.) Then tie that end off to the trunk of the tree about six ft off the ground. All you do now is pull the sack up off the ground on the other end and tie it off. I leave a little slack in the line for wind and to make the sack self center in between the two trees. To let the bag down just untie and let it down. It has worked well over the past 20 years.

Yeah, that's what I'm used to, but where I'm going, you're required to have a bear canister, so I have to work around (or, within) that.

 

[87TT]

The bearicade is the gold standard but pricey. I have a Garcia(black) and a Bear vault (clear with black lid that screws on). If I had to pick between those, I would take the Bear Vault. It holds a little more and it's see through so you can find stuff at the bottom.