Favorite brand of Freeze Dried meals??

[Mk7mmSTW]

I go through multiple cases of MH meals each year. I typically wait for the dream sale and get 1-2 years worth at a time so I have a large variety on hand to pick from trip to trip. I don’t have the stomach of a coyote like some so i have to watch my sodium/salt intake or I end up having the ass of a baboon when I’m on a long trip. This has led me to hunt for some more healthy options in the freeze dried world that don’t cost as much as a prime rib dinner at a steak house. I did a lot of digging online and didn’t come up with much so I thought I’d put it out there to see what’s your go to brand/meal.

 

[Jordan Budd]

Off Grid Food Co. and Humble Foods are going to change the game. Off Grid doesn't have any dinners out yet, but I believe they will later this year. Humble Foods also isn't available yet but I think this year they will be as well. I've been lucky to try both of their tester meals and I'm definitely going that route this year. As well as trying to throw some meals together myself with the dehydrator.

 

[NDGuy]

I liked bringing Pro bars and Paleo Meals to Go. PMTG are spendy but I was really impressed with how the food tasted. I had the Summit Savory Chicken and the Mountain Beef Stew. Both were really good and tasted like I made it at home.

 

[Gatorgrizz27]

What are the guidelines to follow when making your own meals and dehydrating them? I assume you can’t just cook salmon, rice, and broccoli like normal at home, dehydrate it and then add boiling water in the field and have it turn out well.

I remember trying to rehydrate some beef jerky on one trip. Thought I was going to have a steak but it ended up just being wet jerky.

 

[Mk7mmSTW]

Off Grid Food Co. and Humble Foods are going to change the game. Off Grid doesn't have any dinners out yet, but I believe they will later this year. Humble Foods also isn't available yet but I think this year they will be as well. I've been lucky to try both of their tester meals and I'm definitely going that route this year. As well as trying to throw some meals together myself with the dehydrator.

In my search this morning I think I found your old topic about healthy food that left me hanging for a brand! Good to hear they are up and running.

 

[Jordan Budd]

In my search this morning I think I found your old topic about healthy food that left me hanging for a brand! Good to hear they are up and running.

Oh gosh I know... sorry about that. That was for good to go meals and they were terrible. We ended up canceling a hunt I was going to test those on and then I forgot about the thread. My apologies, haha. These two brands are super good though!


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[Napperm4]

Packit Gourmet, yamnuska backcountry foods or peakeats


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[Hall256]

I liked bringing Pro bars and Paleo Meals to Go. PMTG are spendy but I was really impressed with how the food tasted. I had the Summit Savory Chicken and the Mountain Beef Stew. Both were really good and tasted like I made it at home.

Another fan of Paleo Meals to Go. Their beer stew is one of my go to favorites, I will bring it on every trip.

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[cfdjay]

Heathers Choice is an option as well. I haven't found a dinner I'm particularly fond of but their Packaroons and Breakfast are good. The fruit in the breakfast can be a little tart but I don't mind that.

 

[Mk7mmSTW]

Heathers Choice is an option as well. I haven't found a dinner I'm particularly fond of but their Packaroons and Breakfast are good. The fruit in the breakfast can be a little tart but I don't mind that.

Yeah I checked them out, but truthfully the dinner is the only sit down meal I eat. I checked out the Palio meals to go. Don’t know what half the things are they are selling but they look good. Not to sure about 3oz portions, probably need 3-4 meals to be full! Between not knowing what it is and little portions, I felt like I was at a French restaurant! They have a big sale but I’m not sure of the limits, going to play with it and might give them a try.

 

[Mk7mmSTW]

Oh gosh I know... sorry about that. That was for good to go meals and they were terrible. We ended up canceling a hunt I was going to test those on and then I forgot about the thread. My apologies, haha. These two brands are super good though!


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No worries, man if these guys offer a protein packed lower sodium option and offered a bulk price, they would sure have a edge on the market. I can’t believe you can’t go to these sites and build a 10,20,30 meal supply and get a discount. Also if shocks me all these places offer breakfast and lunch snacks when you can get that stuff everywhere, show me some fill me up dinners!

 

[Jordan Budd]

No worries, man if these guys offer a protein packed lower sodium option and offered a bulk price, they would sure have a edge on the market. I can’t believe you can’t go to these sites and build a 10,20,30 meal supply and get a discount. Also if shocks me all these places offer breakfast and lunch snacks when you can get that stuff everywhere, show me some fill me up dinners!

I’ll try and talk to them about the bulk orders. The problem with dinners is that they require actual cooking so they have to be FDA approved from my understanding. And that’s quite the process through the government it sounds like.. you have to have an approved kitchen and I think maybe even a commercial kitchen. Where as breakfasts and snacks he’s basically assembling and not really cooking. It’s weird.. but I know Off Grid is working on dinners!


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[nickstone]

Packit Gourmet

 

[Brightwhite]

Paleo meals to go, good stuff. For mountain house I avoid any of the meals with pasta. I stick mainly with beef stew or the chicken and mashed potatoes.

 

[Rockchuck]

Packit gourmet for me too! Havent found one i dislike yet. Easy on the gut too if you know what I mean!

 

[Hall256]

Yeah I checked them out, but truthfully the dinner is the only sit down meal I eat. I checked out the Palio meals to go. Don’t know what half the things are they are selling but they look good. Not to sure about 3oz portions, probably need 3-4 meals to be full! Between not knowing what it is and little portions, I felt like I was at a French restaurant! They have a big sale but I’m not sure of the limits, going to play with it and might give them a try.

They may have updated their menu, but their staples are their chicken chili, red rock chili, beef stew, and one other chicken dish (caldera something). You can not go wrong with those options.

As for the size, yes they are smaller in portion than Mountain House, but the ingredients they use seem to fill you up better (in my opinion).

Take a beef stew along with you on your next trip, you'll be glad you did.

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[Trial153]

They all suck.

 

[WV Mountaineer]

I've been using Wise packs. It ain't momma's but, it sure is good when you are hungry and hasn't been hard on my gut.

 

[Kevin Dill]

I would never be brand loyal to FD foods. I typically bring a rather wide range of dinner entrees I know I'll enjoy. Companies like Mountain House, Backpacker's Pantry, Alpine Aire and others all make the cut. But not every entrée is palatable to me, and that's why I almost always eat it once at home before it makes the cut.

An established name I haven't seen mentioned yet is Hawk Vittles. I recently bought 4 of their entrees to try. If I have it correct, HV is not a freeze-dried product, but a dehydrated one. They don't keep as long as FD foods, but are good for a year. The guy who makes them has a background of being a good chef, and the vast majority of reviews I've read give them superior ratings. I would have been trying them sooner but somehow I mistakenly believed the meals had to rehydrated and heated in a pan over a stove. I was wrong. Boil and add water. Rehydration is faster and no waiting up to 20 minutes to eat.

I'm waiting on Off Grid to release entrees. I hope they are good. Their breakfasts are superb to me. I like some of Heather's Choice offerings but I personally did not care at all for the taste of the entrees or breakfasts.

 

[Mk7mmSTW]

Hawk VittleS looks really appealing and if his portions are what he says, his prices aren’t bad. Definitely going to give him a try! Great website!