Powdered potatoes and other back country staples???

[BroodBuster]

A few weeks ago I stayed at my buddies cabin for a little scouting. He brought chops from home but pulled out some powdered instant potatoes out of the pantry to go with it. I was surprised at how tasty they where. Once I commented on it he was stunned that as a hiker it wasn't a staple in my backpack. He mentioned that they are very popular with ultralight thru hikers as their calorie to weight ratio is excellent. Not to mention they would go great with any grouse or rabbit taken while on a back country hunt. He also mentioned that a lot of folks use them as a thickener for their MH meals.

Makes sense!

So anyone here carry instant potatoes as a staple and if so what's your favorite use for them. My last scouting/conditioning trip is next weekend and am thinking of bringing some to play around with.

I also know that many folks carry Bisquick for biscuits and whatnot so I'm also interested in any other versatile staples that folks may carry with them into the wilds and their associated recipes.

Thanks and Happy Hunting!

 

[Daniel_M]

Yes. The Idaho Loaded poato packs are legit.

I also buy packaged tuna/chicken to mix with pasta sides. Linguini, Alfredo etc beats the norm of MH meals.

Chicken is good to add to MH meals for more protein.

 

[Renoit24]

I like to make instant potatoes with dehydrated ground turkey and mixed vegetables. Kinda like a backcountry Thanksgiving dinner.

 

[mtmiller]

Garlic/Parm Baby Reds. I had a few of these this week with fresh cutts and brookies. Big fan.

 

[sk1]

don't you normally mix these with milk? you guys just use water instead?

 

[Rizzy]

I like to split a bag of Idahoan into 2 ziplocks. Then just add warm water, if you add boiling water it takes along time to cool down. Then I bite a hole in the corner of the ziplock and squeeze into my mouth, no need for a fork.

 

[larryschwartz]

I think that Daniel_M was talking about Idahoan instant potatoes, and yes they are very good and easy to make. All you have to do it heat/boil water then add the potatoes to it, let it sit for five minutes and you are ready to go. They have a number of different "flavors" to choose from. I also like Stovetop Stuffing mixes since all you have to do with them is add hot/boiling water too; they may require some butter or oil but that could be left out or you can bring some in a little bottle or pick up some olive oil in packets at some restaurants.

 

[blb078]

Yep the Idahoan are great. MY gf has been serving them for dinner for a couple years now, told her when I go on this hunt it'll be like eating at home. You can also look at the StarKist tuna salad packets, still trying to find a chicken salad one. There are some various seafood, tuna, chicken salads by Bumble Bee but they're in a small can not a packet(around 3.5 total oz). Walmart also has a few pasta salads under their Great Value brand but I think some of them might take a bit of time to make which if you use a Jetboil might be ok. Other than that, I'm kind of open to ideas myself for some of these instant type foods.

 

[littlebuf]

snickers=back country staples

 

[fillthefreezer]

snickers=back country staples

i dont ever eat them when im home but started eating them in the woods last season. just picked up a bunch today in fact

 

[Backpack Hunter]

Instant potatoes, tuna, salmon, chicken (all no refr. needed) find their way into my pack on most trips. Quite a few quick flavored noodle meals as well.

 

[a3dhunter]

snickers=back country staples

Had one for breakfast on top of the continental divide while watching two different herds of elk this morning.


I tried the potato route last year, they hit me like a ton of bricks and didn't taste as good on the mountain. I ended up ditching them in the end.

 

[orionsbrother]

You can have quite a variety of spices for only an ounce or two of weight. Improves any freeze dried meal.

 

[Curtis C]

Do you guys heat/cook them in the bag they came in or do you transfer them to a different bag? I've been thinking about dehydrating some ground beef cooked in mushroom gravy to add to the instant taters. Anybody tried it?

 

[unm1136]

Quart size freezer ziplock... add your ground beef and go. Also works with jerky. Dehydrate a bag of IQF veggies and you get a pretty decent stew out of it, with a lot of nutrition. For a bit more fat, slivered summer sausage will cover you, and is also largely self stable.

pat

 

[Rizzy]

I use the quart freezer bags also. I have a vacuum sealer, but the quart freezer bags are faster and easier to pack. Also more convenient to use in the field. Recently I have been repackaging everything into quart freezer bags, this allows me to control the portions. I like to eat little and often instead of 3 large meals, I find it works better. This tactic uses more fuel though because now I'm heating water 3 times a day instead of 1. Every time I'm at a water source I refill or top off my water and eat. This lessens the amount of water I have to carry uphill to cook with at camp.

Also to note: the Idahoans and cup noodles work fine with cold water, it just takes a little longer to saturate. I tested this in case I run out of fuel
If there was a ziplock that was black on one side and clear on the other it would probably work great as a solar heater for the potatoes during the warmer months.

 

[Hunt'nFish]

Yes I'm a Idahoan lover as well. Add some hard salami and I'm all good. But I'll add them to other dishes just to pop the cal count. I also like the pasta bags w/ foil pack chicken as well. Usually eat them first though as the chicken weighs a fair bit. But sure is tastey. As for cooking them, I use those Foodsaver stand-up bags with the ziplock. I try not to make a mess in my Jetboil if at all possible. Waste of water cleaning it. But if I can wipe it clean w/ nothing more than a paper towel, I'm fine w/ it then.
This last weekend my buddy took his goats, so we had elk steak and cold Hamm Sandwiches (the liquid kind).
Hunt'nFish

 

[Brandon Pattison]

Had one for breakfast on top of the continental divide while watching two different herds of elk this morning.


I tried the potato route last year, they hit me like a ton of bricks and didn't taste as good on the mountain. I ended up ditching them in the end.

^^^ What he said. I was very disappointed that I had carried them in. I replaced a meal with them and after about half way through the meal I was ready to puke. I bet they would be good with dehydrated gravy and turkey and stuffing but I was hoping for more.

cold Hamm Sandwiches (the liquid kind).
Hunt'nFish

That is what I call them! Pretty tasty for being so cheap.

 

[Wood Trekker]

Instant mashed potatoes (I've used several brands now) are one of my main backpacking foods. They have great weight to calorie ratio, and require just adding hot water. I premix mine with powdered gravy of different kinds to add more flavor. It packs small. I also use Stove Top stuffing in the same way, but even though it is just as calorie dense for the weight, it doesn't pack down as small.

 

[Slim Jim]

This

With the spam

Ridiculous good! For only about $3.20 and 600 calories its hard to beat. Lightweight too