Freeze Dried and Stomach Issues

[Hackleback]

I'd start by trying other brands of freeze dried meals. If you cant do any of them, the box pasta/ rice (Knor, Rice-a-roni,...) or instant mashers with a foil pack of chicken or other protein is an option,. These are cheaper and don't take up as much room, but can take more time to cook. There are a lot of backpack food ideas on the internet such as youtubbe. Most through hikers are no subsisting on freeze dried meals for extended periods.

Oh, I would only eat one MH per day and find other things for morning and mid-day eating.

 

[butcherboy]

Freeze dried meals can wreak havoc on me as well. I turned more to making normal meals at home and then dehydrating them. Takes a little longer to rehydrate but it’s the same food I eat at home. Sometimes I rehydrate in a small backpacking pot with a lid and that seems to do better than rehydrating in a bag.

 

[DAD]

I've had plain freeze dried strawberries absolutely tear me up. I never have had a problem with fresh or frozen strawberries though.

Whats the deal?

 

[Kanbe1]

I'm a low carber, I used Nextmile freezdried meals on an Elk hunt this year. They were excellent and I had no digestive issues at all. Not cheap, but for me they were worth it. the meals with beef in them are my favorites.

 

[Cameron.25]

You might try stowaway gourmet and gastro gnome. They seem to have pretty clean ingredients but are still really tasty

 

[taskswap]

It might be the soy. Most Mountain House meals really pack it in and I'm allergic to it so it bloats me like a... something bad.

Try Peak Refuel or some other brands that don't cram soy or dairy into their products. You'll do better.

 

[madscientist]

if its cold enough out, I like to take frozen cooked meals. A big stanley thermos full of frozen soup/broth/stew, etc can last me a few days with other meals thrown in. I cant do the freeze dried meals very often either. id rather eat MRE's

 

[bpurtz]

I just turned 58, but don't identify with "older".

Prior to this year I would eat MH or Backpacker's Pantry for 20+ days straight during archery season. I never had a digestive problem. I know some guys that have said that freeze dried meals often cause them to be constipated, but I have not experienced that.

One of my buddies bought various freeze dried meats and mixed that with other ingredients (rice, pasta, etc) and basically made his own freeze dried meals - his meals were really tasty but they were more expensive than buying the commercial freeze dried meals plus it took time to test a blend and more time to pack it up.

If you want to take it to the next level, you might consider buying a freeze dryer from Harvest Right and making your own. Guacamole, Hummus, Chili, Stew...

 

[Alaska92]

https://www.heatherschoice.com/

Good alternative.

 

[flathead#2]

I have to keep the freeze dried stuff to a minimum. Maybe once or twice a week.
Stuff with tomato paste/sauce really screws with me. I dont do Italian.

 

[Breigham]

I’ve had similar stomach issues after eating certain freeze-dried meals on backpacking trips. The intense bloating and gas always hit me within a couple of hours, and if I wasn’t careful, diarrhea followed. Staying hydrated and packing some probiotics helped a bit, but I eventually had to switch to different brands with simpler ingredients.

Digestive trouble like this often comes down to how your gut reacts to processed or unfamiliar foods. If it's an ongoing issue, adjusting your diet before trips and looking into functional approaches might help. I’ve learned a lot about diarrhoea treatment ways from holistic health resources that focus on root causes, not just symptom relief.

 

[shtrbc]

I'm 55 years old and have experienced similar issues. For me, it backs me up. For my hunting partner, it goes through him like a goose. Both bloated and just not feeling great. After my last elk hunting trip that we used MH for middle of the day meal, I began experimenting with other stuff when I got home. Google "Ramen Bomb". I've basically switched to this style meal. WAY less sodium and I just feel better in general after eating them for multiple days in a row. I switch up the protein between pepperoni, chicken in a pouch, and tuna fish in a pouch. I also ordered a variety of freeze dried veggies off Amazon. Another tip I was given was using powdered butter or powdered milk to add some variety and what doesn't taste better with butter on it? The little condiment packets from a variety of fast food places helps pep things up a bit too. Hope you find something that works for YOU...

 

[RWT]

Wow after reviewing some of the meals from these vendors, I’ll figure out how to make my own. Most of the ingredients sound terrible and are meals I would never consider eating. When did backpackers become the “California” diet. Most of the entrees I wouldn’t feed my dog.

 

[mudslinger021485]

You should experiment more with your meals before a big trip. I don’t take any meal on a longer trip that I haven’t eaten recently. I’ll test out new meals and revisit proven ones on weekend trips and shorter backpacking trips. I also drink a “greens” mixture daily on longer trips to keep the gut Ph balance in check.

That and I don’t eat anything from Mountain House, but that’s just me. Could be a number of potential culprits here ranging from MH won’t work for you to a sudden, dramatic and sustained change in your diet wrecked your gut.

This! The last thing I want is to be fighting a preventable stomach issue in the woods. Hell it's bad enough at home when the wife cooks.