Field Strip meals

[TOLeary]

I’m curious who field strips their meals, or any food, that you bring on a trip. If you do, what are the things that make the biggest difference in saving the most weight and/or bulk?

I was just going through some stuff in my garage and found a leftover freeze dried meal so I repackaged it in a vac seal bag to see the weight and bulk difference.

What I found was .4 ounce weight savings with 3.5 mil bag. Which cut to the length I did would cost 81 cents per ounce. Seems like a cheap way to save weight over a longer trip. Doesn’t seem worth it on a shorter trip. But I could see if you guys have other tips of repackaging other foods where the combination of saving weight on each thing would be worth it

 

[realunlucky]

I’m curious who field strips their meals, or any food, that you bring on a trip. If you do, what are the things that make the biggest difference in saving the most weight and/or bulk?

I was just going through some stuff in my garage and found a leftover freeze dried meal so I repackaged it in a vac seal bag to see the weight and bulk difference.

What I found was .4 ounce weight savings with 3.5 mil bag. Which cut to the length I did would cost 81 cents per ounce. Seems like a cheap way to save weight over a longer trip. Doesn’t seem worth it on a shorter trip. But I could see if you guys have other tips of repackaging other foods where the combination of saving weight on each thing would be worth it

Your new bag won't hold enough water to hydrate your meal so now you have to carry/clean something for that.

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[Odd1out]

Put your meal in quart freezer ziploc bag. Can hold enough water. Plus its not as bulky. Write on the bag with felt pen water amount.

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[TOLeary]

Your new bag won't hold enough water to hydrate your meal so now you have to carry/clean something for that.

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Only 8oz with this specific meal so it’ll be cut the short way and poured in that way

 

[TOLeary]

Put your meal in quart freezer ziploc bag. Can hold enough water. Plus its not as bulky. Write on the bag with felt pen water amount.

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Do you use a specific version that’s boil proof?

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

1: Space saving is significant.

2: You can add a xtra ingredients at time of repackaging. Ie. Spices, MCT powder, dehydrated meat etc.

 

[TOLeary]

1: Space saving is significant.

2: You can add a xtra ingredients at time of repackaging. Ie. Spices, MCT powder, dehydrated meat etc.

Do you find the majority of space saving is in the freeze dried meals or do you notice other foods that are good to repackage?

Great point, thank you.

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

Do you find the majority of space saving is in the freeze dried meals or do you notice other foods that are good to repackage?

Great point, thank you.

Yeah I was referencing freeze dried meals. I use quart freezer bags, though I might try to find a silicone bowl with a lid to rehydrate in. Last year I spent 50+ days in the field, pouring boiling water in plastic bags that I'm eating from. I would like to minimize the health factor of doing that.

 

[TOLeary]

Yeah I was referencing freeze dried meals. I use quart freezer bags, though I might try to find a silicone bowl with a lid to rehydrate in. Last year I spent 50+ days in the field, pouring boiling water in plastic bags that I'm eating from. I would like to minimize the health factor of doing that.

Got it, thanks. Yea that might be a good idea I’m not sure what the health implication for the bags I’m using are but they’re considered boil safe for 10 minutes and I know other bags have a better rating. I was also reading that Glad and Ziplock microwave safe bags are dioxin and BPA free but water should be below 195f. You might be good with what you’re using.

My only hesitancy with an extra bowl is using more water to clean it fully

 

[Odd1out]

Ziploc freezer bags. They soften with boiling hot water but never leak.

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[MountainTracker]

Do you find the majority of space saving is in the freeze dried meals or do you notice other foods that are good to repackage?

Great point, thank you.

I found there was just too much food in the pre packaged stuff for me so I was able to split one meal into two and then add spices as needed.

I will also take all the wrappers off any bars and then stack them together and rewrap in Saran Wrap.

Doing these two things really cut back on all the garbage.

I’ve been looking into making a few of my own meals this year still in the testing phase.


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[MT_Wyatt]

I repackage in quart freezer ziplocks. Not using the foil freeze dry bags saves a ton of space and a decent bit of weight. I don’t really repackage a ton of other stuff, but do use the little portion control bags to pack bulk bought food items in.