Fart Free - Dehydrated Meals

[mallardsx2]

Love the mountain house flavors. But they make me fart really bad. Ya...I know...but seriously they do.

Maybe its just the elevation. I dunno. Maybe I need to eat some Gas-X. lol

I have tried alternatives. Looking for something new with as little salt as possible.

Trying to gear up for my hunts this fall and I need something different but edible this go-round.

The last elk trip I found myself eating 2 mountain house meals per day. That is 4 servings is my math is right...and I was still hungry and I lost about 10 pounds while hiking the mountains.

Anything new hitting the market these days?

If you have a link can you please share.

Thanks

 

[kidoggy]

not seeing the downside.


beans ,beans ,good for your heart the more you eat the more you fart. the more you fart the better you feel ,so ? eat beans for every meal!!

besides … there is a certain satisfaction that comes from being the guy who clears out the tent.


beef jerky time??

 

[Bonecollector]

There are 2-3 big companies out there that produce and sell dehydrated meals. Unfortunately, they are all high in salt.
Perhaps a mix of 1 meal and something you can produce yourself to take along.

Trail mix (heavy on the nuts) is great for snacks (high protein and essential fats) and really fills you up, but is heavy if packing enough for 6-7 days into the backcountry. I usually take 3-4 snack bags and eat them in the first few days as I'm roaming around like Moses in the modern-day wilderness.

 

[RICMIC]

Never had that reaction from freeze-dried or dehydrated food. Stay away from the beans, and it might work out better for you. On the weight loss issue, if you read Mt. House or the other backpack food labels you will see that there aren't many calories per serving, and even if you double up you are at a deficit for all the work you are doing. You can make up your own meals out of bulk dried foods, and spend some time reading labels to boost up the calorie count. Rice over pasta, add nuts, brown sugar, etc. to your oatmeal, olive oil, jerky, raw venison liver (just kidding.) Instead of commercial granola bars, my wife makes "Hudson's Bay Bread" (you can find several recipes on the internet, then bring some peanut butter and/or Nutella to frost it before chowing down. Yeah PB is heavy, but a 28 oz. plastic jar has 5,000 calories.

 

[Bonecollector]

I agree with some of Ricmic's points.

I am a health nut, but I do focus more on caloric intake during my time in the mountains. Not to say that I don't try to keep it healthy, but what is paramount for me is ensuring that my caloric intake is high and that I am getting enough water.
I generally only lose 2-3 pounds over a week long hunt.

 

[mallardsx2]

Thanks for the ideas. I am not a health nut so I really dont know anything other than what I have been eating doesn't fill me up and I loose too much weight while in the back country for over a week.

I'm looking into peanut-butter options. Now I'll have to bring a goat and milk the thing to be able to swallow the peanut-butter lol

Nanny's only.....

 

[JimP]

They are not cheap but look into military MRE's. They are not bad and are designed to replace a lot of calories lost by a active soldier.

Back when I was doing a lot of hiking and spending a week at a time in the back country I would make up my own and supplement it with what I could find out in the woods.

 

[ScottR]

Off Grid, Basekamp, Peak Refuel, and Heather?s Choice are all better in that regard.

 

[ScottR]

I agree with some of Ricmic's points.

I am a health nut, but I do focus more on caloric intake during my time in the mountains. Not to say that I don't try to keep it healthy, but what is paramount for me is ensuring that my caloric intake is high and that I am getting enough water.
I generally only lose 2-3 pounds over a week long hunt.

I spend a lot of time in the backcountry, 30 days in the fall minimum. At worst will lose 10lbs, but I do my best to pack in 3500 calories per day minimum, and I force myself to eat.

Dromedary bags that carry a ton of water have also made a huge difference in water consumption for me.


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[dirtclod Az.]

I've heard that Peak Refuel is good stuff.haven't had
a chance to try them yet.

 

[ScottR]

I've heard that Peak Refuel is good stuff.haven't had
a chance to try them yet.

Just tested some turkey hunting, was a good meal!

 

[Team Kabob]

Just carry bean-o! [emoji23]


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[mallardsx2]

Just carry bean-o! [emoji23]


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I was actually considering this for real. lol

 

[Slugz]

https://backcountryfuelbox.com/

I'm a big fan of the above. Really educates to new stuff out there and provides options to choose from.

 

[Apstore]

Backpackers Pantry has been a good change up in flavors from the mountain house. I cant speak for their level on the fart scale though....

https://www.backpackerspantry.com/freeze-dried-food/all-meal-kits

 

[ScottR]

The biggest reason that I listed the brands that I did is they are hunter friendly. I have nothing negative to say about Backpacker's pantry, however supporting hunting oriented brands where we can is important. For me that may mean a few less flavors but supporting brands that are likeminded.

 

[CODAK]

Check out Meal 2 Go and pro bars. Tuna packets and powder proteins/pb/etc and fbomb butters are some high calorie/protein/weight things that work well for me. Powdered electros for camp drinking. Don't need to go the dehydrated meal route all the time. 1-2 a week is plenty and generally a waste of space and weight

 

[DanPickar]

I don't see the downside to farting but I guess over the years I narrowed it what works for me and what doesn't. One year in college about 10 years ago I ate Mountain House Chilly Mac for the first time and I farted all night long. The worst farts of my life. The problem was my sleeping bag was a cheapo from ebay and it got extra cold that night so I had to stay completely enclosed in my sleeping bag to stay somewhat comfortably warm. As I was dutch ovening myself all night I had to have a little crack in the bag so I could breathe. I didn't get much sleep that night...The good news is I killed a bull that day so I was headed out in the morning... I haven't ate Chilly Mac since.

 

[Timr245]

I think with all the healthy protein / energy bars available as well as tuna / salmon packets & trail mixes I’d stay away from the dehydrated goods personally.

 

[mcseal2]

I haven't had the gas issue but the guy I hunt with did on one trip. He had all Mountain House that trip.

I agree with ScottR about supporting pro hunting companies, I didn't know which those were until this thread.

Here are my top 5 favorites I've tried from my file on freeze dried/dehydrated meals. I write a little review on every one I try on the computer so I have it saved for planning my menu on longer trips. I have to like the ones I pack to keep my calorie intake up on the longer hunts like the AK moose hunt. I like a little variety. I like a couple of these as an evening meal over Idahoan loaded baked potatos

Top 5 camp meals (HV = Hawk Vittles, BP = Backpackers Pantry, MH = Mountain House)
1-HV Shrimp campanili
2-BP Fettuchini alfredo with chicken
3-HV Cowboy pasta (good over mashed taters)
4-MH Chicken & noodles (especially over mashed taters)
5-BP Cincinnati style chili with beef

Other MH meals I thought were average to good
Chicken breast w/ rib meat
-biscuits and gravy (quick rehydration at 9 min)
-SW breakfast hash
-breakfast skillet (especially with tortillas)

Might not work for you, but the HV Bacon baked beans is another favorite. The only reason it didn't make my top 5 is that I will only usually eat it once a trip, not a couple times like the others.

Some of my options are probably on the heavy side. My longest trips are the drop camp hunts in Alaska. I have a base camp and don't have to carry it all everywhere I go.

I try to eat only 1-2 meals per day of dehydrated or freeze dried stuff. I like to mix in Ramen noodles, jerky, peanuts, payday bars, Sweet & Salty packets, Jack Links beef & cheese sticks, lots of other stuff. I don't eat healthy on hunts for sure. I eat things I enjoy with lots of calories. Stuff I don't eat at home but that has always agreed with my gut on hunts. If I try to pack things that are good for me but less tasty I don't get them ate and don't get the calories I need. It's probably not the right way to do it, but it works for me.