Best emergency meals.

[Ad Astra]

I hate MREs.

80% of them taste lousy, and why should I carry food with water in it?

Have put away a few Mountain House meals; which I think are acceptable. Backpacker's Pantry also has some good ones.

Just had this one for lunch. Covid-cooking of whatever I can find can find only goes so far. (Tuna. No mayo? Try bleu cheese dressing. No, don't.)

It was actually decent. Spicy enough and good until 2050 - or today, anyways.

What are some good freeze-dried (or other) emergency meals you've found?

The Backpacker's Pantry Pho was so good, I, ah, don't have them any more.


AA

 

[martym]

I just keep Vienna sausages and the pouches of tuna.
I am pretty sure there are cans of Spam too.
We are blessed and have all the mesquite for firewood we want and deer and hogs to eat.
Oh! Cactus pads and cactus fruit (tunas) also.

 

[MrSpeedy]

If you are looking to upgrade your backpacking meals, definitely check out Packit Gourmet. Taste fantastic, reasonably priced (IMO), and made in Austin. I also like Heather's Choice, but they are more expensive (partly because they are based in Alaska) and not as much variety.

Alternately, you can dehydrate your own meals. The wife and I have started doing that for our backpacking trips. The last trip we took was 5 days and our food weight was only 7 pounds.

 

[Mr. Bonney]

Van Camps Pork 'n Beans and a Spork! Yum!

I can live for a long time on tuna and peanut butter - separately, that is. Peafish and tun-nut just aren't edible!

 

[Doc4]

What are some good freeze-dried (or other) emergency meals you've found?

Dunno what your criteria are exactly but ...

... I like the Onnit "elk bar" (or the "Warrior Bar").

Snacking | Onnit

Providing the best in natural supplements and fitness equipment. Home of our flagship nootropic, Alpha BRAIN.

www.onnit.com

Have one or two of those, and toss in one of their protein bars (or the protein bites), and you have a meal right there! Plus, no cooking, no dishes!

 

[DoctorShavegood]

If you are looking to upgrade your backpacking meals, definitely check out Packit Gourmet. Taste fantastic, reasonably priced (IMO), and made in Austin. I also like Heather's Choice, but they are more expensive (partly because they are based in Alaska) and not as much variety.

Alternately, you can dehydrate your own meals. The wife and I have started doing that for our backpacking trips. The last trip we took was 5 days and our food weight was only 7 pounds.

Your smart.

 

[Merle]

Since the madness started I've hated how it seems MtnHouse is just so dang expensive. (Or, maybe it's more like I hate I can't spend that kind of money no more?)

 

[OkieStubble]

What are some good freeze-dried (or other) emergency meals you've found?

Ever hear of Chef Tess Meals In A Jar?

Look her up on YouTube.

 

[Whisky]

I bought a large supply of Mtn House stuff pre-Covid. My family does a lot of backpacking so they get eaten pretty regularly and I replace them with newer stock as I eat them. There have only been a few over the years that I wouldn’t eat again. My only issue with freeze dried meals is that you have to have potable water or a way to boil water to eat them. The get home bag in my truck had a couple of Sopacko MRE’s in it because well, they’re “ready to eat.” I haven’t tried one yet, but if they’re like the others I’ve had they’ll be edible but bland. The larger bug out bags in the house have a combination of MRE’s and freeze dried. I’m also pretty well stocked on canned goods and I can fresh veggies each spring/summer.

Oh! Cactus pads and cactus fruit (tunas) also.

Man I miss Texas. Jelly made with prickly pear fruit on fresh buttermilk biscuits is heaven on a plate.

 

[Ad Astra]

Ever hear of Chef Tess Meals In A Jar?

Look her up on YouTube.

She's got a book, too.

Amazon.com: The Meals in a Jar Handbook: Gourmet Food Storage Made Easy eBook : Petersen, Stephanie: Kindle Store

Amazon.com: The Meals in a Jar Handbook: Gourmet Food Storage Made Easy eBook : Petersen, Stephanie: Kindle Store

www.amazon.com

 

[Ad Astra]

If you are looking to upgrade your backpacking meals, definitely check out Packit Gourmet. Taste fantastic, reasonably priced (IMO), and made in Austin. I also like Heather's Choice, but they are more expensive (partly because they are based in Alaska) and not as much variety.

Alternately, you can dehydrate your own meals. The wife and I have started doing that for our backpacking trips. The last trip we took was 5 days and our food weight was only 7 pounds.

Got it!

Gourmet Backpacking Meals & Camp Groceries | Packit Gourmet

Gourmet backpacking meals and quality shelf-stable groceries for campers, backpackers and adventurers!

www.packitgourmet.com

AA

 

[Whisky]

The Pack it Gourmet meals are really good. One or two of them usually find their way into our gear on camping trips.

 

[Rrose Sélavy]

I hate MREs.

80% of them taste lousy, and why should I carry food with water in it?

Have put away a few Mountain House meals; which I think are acceptable. Backpacker's Pantry also has some good ones.

Just had this one for lunch. Covid-cooking of whatever I can find can find only goes so far. (Tuna. No mayo? Try bleu cheese dressing. No, don't.)

It was actually decent. Spicy enough and good until 2050 - or today, anyways.

What are some good freeze-dried (or other) emergency meals you've found?

The Backpacker's Pantry Pho was so good, I, ah, don't have them any more.


AA

Spicy Southwest Skillet is my favorite Mountain House by a pretty large margin. Backpacker's Pantry meals are REALLY good, but they often require additional cooking utensils. That said, I do recall a Backpacker's Pantry that I absolutely LOVED. It was like salmon and bean salad. SOOOOOO good! There's a good brand (or three) that has a 10+ year shelf-life, but comes in a pouch that can be burned in the campfire when empty, but I can't think of the name...

 

[Rushman2112]

NATO 24HR RATION PACK

24 hour wet ration pack.Contents (may vary, please check):- Chocolate drink- Tea bags- Coffee sachet- Creamer sachets- Sugar sachets- Salt sachets- Tinned fruit- Cereal bar- Tin of tuna- Kendal mint cake- Tissues (pack of 10)- Knife, fork and spoon- Handy fresheners- Can opener- Breakfast pouch-...

www.silvermans.co.uk

Back in the very dim and distant past, I was in the Army Cadets from 13yo. Whenever we went for a weekend camp or "Ard Trog" which was hiking in the Peak District or the Brecon Beacons, we got these. The contents are slightly different now by the looks of it but there was always Kendall Mint Cake and a tube of condensed milk which I just squirted directly into my mouth as I was yomping along. Happy days.

 

[OkieStubble]

She's got a book, too.

Amazon.com: The Meals in a Jar Handbook: Gourmet Food Storage Made Easy eBook : Petersen, Stephanie: Kindle Store

Amazon.com: The Meals in a Jar Handbook: Gourmet Food Storage Made Easy eBook : Petersen, Stephanie: Kindle Store

www.amazon.com

Yep. I would think instead of a jar, you could make em' up and then throw it in a mylar bag with an oxygen packet to suck out all the air and vacuum pack those babies! I have seen on youtube where they seal mylar bags with a clothes iron.

I think making freeze dried meals yourself, you would get a whole lot more, with a better quality of food for less?

 

[Ad Astra]

NATO 24HR RATION PACK

24 hour wet ration pack.Contents (may vary, please check):- Chocolate drink- Tea bags- Coffee sachet- Creamer sachets- Sugar sachets- Salt sachets- Tinned fruit- Cereal bar- Tin of tuna- Kendal mint cake- Tissues (pack of 10)- Knife, fork and spoon- Handy fresheners- Can opener- Breakfast pouch-...

www.silvermans.co.uk

Back in the very dim and distant past, I was in the Army Cadets from 13yo. Whenever we went for a weekend camp or "Ard Trog" which was hiking in the Peak District or the Brecon Beacons, we got these. The contents are slightly different now by the looks of it but there was always Kendall Mint Cake and a tube of condensed milk which I just squirted directly into my mouth as I was yomping along. Happy days.

Interesting look at a Euro-MRE. Lot of packaging... But we'll always agree on Rush 2112 for proof-testing a set of speakers! I should crank up "Hemispheres" today.

AA

 

[Ad Astra]

Yep. I would think instead of a jar, you could make em' up and then throw it in a mylar bag with an oxygen packet to suck out all the air and vacuum pack those babies! I have seen on youtube where they seal mylar bags with a clothes iron.

I think making freeze dried meals yourself, you would get a whole lot more, with a better quality of food for less?

Wife and I agree we need one of those seal-a-meal things, but we never actually buy it. Do have a good dehydrator and use it on vegetables and jerky.

AA

 

[OkieStubble]

Wife and I agree we need one of those seal-a-meal things, but we never actually buy it. Do have a good dehydrator and use it on vegetables and jerky.

AA

I would watch the commercials where, the vacuum packing machine would suck the air out of a mason jar right thru with the lid already screwed on top? I always wondered, how in the heck do they do that?

 

[OldSchoolYoungin]

Epic bars and Outright bars are some of the better meal bars without too many fillers, etc. They center around whole food.

Outside of that...sardines, cheese, jerky, pemmican, nuts. There are now also what are called 'keto bricks' if on a low carb diet, but in my opinion they pack entirely too many calories that most just don't need, plus they're not cheap at all

 

[woodwzrd]

When we backpack we usually do freezer back meals. I will by freeze dried in bulk to assemble meals in quart freezer bags or dehydrate stuff to assemble the meals. I also like to use Lipton noodles or rice and foil pack tuna or chicken. Just add water and tuck the bag in a Reflectix cozy for 15-20 minutes and you're good to go. We are in the process of planning a Boundary Waters trip for late August and I am going to get some heavy vacuum seal zip top bags to try. In theory if I can start assembling meals now and vacuum seal them they will stay fresh a lot longer.