One of the most common meals to pack on a hiking trip is freeze dry food for camping. You may have heard other campers or hikers talking about it but aren’t sure what it is.
Freeze dry food is non-perishable food that stays fresh in a sealed packaging container. To prepare it, you usually need water, which returns it from its freeze-dried state to normal.
Dry camping foods are one of the easiest foods to prepare and pack. Freeze dry food is especially useful if you do not have much gear to prepare meals, are going on a longer trip, and want to avoid packing perishable foods.
In this guide, I will explain what freeze-dried food is and how it works. Then I’ll discuss the benefits of freeze-dried foods, including the convenience of fireless cooking while camping, and provide some tips for bringing these easy camping meals on your next camping or hiking trip.
Benefits of Freeze Dry Foods for Camping:
- Easy to pack and carry
- Easy to prepare
- Long shelf life
- Lots of variety
What is Freeze Dry Food and How Does it Work?
Freeze dried food is a type of food that is prepared in a way that will make it last as long as it can. Freeze dry food is popular among hikers and camping enthusiasts because it has a long life and is easy to carry, thanks to its lightweight nature.
But how does freeze dry food work?
It’s a simple process that preserves food. First, the food is frozen, hence the name. It is frozen to well below freezing, around negative forty degrees.
Then, the food is placed into a vacuum-sealed container. When no air pressure surrounds the frozen food, the ice becomes vapor. The vapor dehydrates and preserves the food while helping to maintain essential vitamins and minerals present in the food. Freeze dried foods generally retain most of their original nutritional content and are typically free from additives and preservatives.
You can carry the compact, vacuum-sealed food container in your backpack or with your camping gear until you are ready to eat it. When you are ready to eat your freeze dry food, you must either cook it or add water to prepare it. When you add water and/or heat to your food, it will return to its state before it was frozen.
Benefits of Freeze Dry Food for Camping
There are a lot of benefits to using dry food as one of your main sources of nutrition when you are camping, which is why you will meet many outdoor enthusiasts who eat it.
# 1 – Easy to Pack and Carry
Freeze dry food is lightweight and compact, which makes it easy for hikers to pack in their bags. As a hiker, you will likely carry all the food for your trip in your bag.
If you are doing a multi-day camping or hiking trip, you will need a lot of food, which will take up a lot of space in your pack if you take anything too bulky. Luckily, freeze dried food is compact, and you can fit a lot of it in a small amount of space.
Furthermore, freeze dry food is lightweight, which any hiker knows is essential. Since you carry your food with you until you eat it, you want it to be lightweight to reduce weight in your pack.
Compared to other non-perishable foods like canned food or bulky protein foods, freeze dry food is compact, so you can easily carry it in your backpack on your camping trip without having to starve or sacrifice space for your other gear.
# 2 – Easy to Prepare
If you bring any perishable foods on your camping trip, you will need to pack pots and pans and other utensils to prepare the food. Cooking gear takes up a lot of valuable space, especially for hikers or car camping when you are trying to pack light and have limited space.
Dry camping foods are easy to prepare, and many only require water. Since you can likely find and filter water to use during your camping or backpacking trip, you won’t have to carry too much gear to prepare your meals.
Sometimes you need to heat the water or the food, too, so make sure you will either have a fire or only pack dry foods that do not require heat.
# 3 – Long Shelf Life
Another reason why you should use freeze dry food for camping is because it has a long shelf life. It is non-perishable, so no matter how long you are camping or hiking, you don’t have to worry about your freeze dried food going bad on your trip.
And, even if you buy meals in bulk or end up with extra after a camping trip, you can still save it to eat for a long while after your purchase. Freeze dried food can last 25 years or longer, so you can stock up on your favorites for many camping trips. You can even store freeze dried food in your car if you want it for car camping trips or an emergency. The food can stay in your vehicle for years without needing to be replaced. However, you should be aware that freeze dried food remains best in cool temperatures, so it might not be best to leave it in your car for too long in hot weather.
# 4 – Lots of Variety
Finally, there are a lot of options for freeze dried food. More and more hikers and camping enthusiasts are including freeze dry food on their outdoor adventures. Recognizing the growing demand, manufacturers have expanded their offerings to provide various meal varieties and options.
You will be able to find types of freeze-dried food you like. And if you are not a picky eater, you will discover many different options, from quick and easy meals to more gourmet options. You will appreciate the variety if you hike and go camping often. We cover more easy camping dinner options in a separate article.
Tips for Using Freeze Dry Food for Camping and Hiking
Now you know what freeze dry food is and why it benefits hikers and campers. Check out the tips below to help improve your freeze-dried food.
- Choose freeze dried foods that you like: There are a lot of freeze dry food options out there, thanks to their increasing popularity. You don’t have to eat any food you do not like, and you are sure to find an option that suits your taste. You can always try a variety of meals until you find the ones you like the best.
- Read the instructions carefully: Make sure you read the directions carefully before you start preparing your freeze dry food. Each type will have different instructions; you do not want to do something wrong and waste your food. Unless you have extra room in your bag, you might not have extra food for mistakes, so be careful if you want edible food.
- Add extra flavors: Freeze dried food can get tiresome, especially if you are on a long expedition and eat it often. If you can, bring some hot sauce or a packet of seasoning to improve the taste of your food. If you are going on a multi-day hiking trip, you might get tired of your fast food, so plan something to improve your food.
- Do not rely solely on freeze dried food: make sure you bring some other food available for your backpacking trips, like fruit, protein bars, or trail mix. These other foods will add more nutritional value to your diet. Good nutrition is essential if you are going on an intense hike or a more extended backpacking trip where you exert a lot of energy.
Freeze Dried Food FAQs
Are freeze-dry foods healthy?
Freeze dried foods are as healthy as the un-freeze-dried version. So, if you are eating freeze dried fruit, it is healthy. But if you are eating freeze dried food that has a lot of sugar and chemicals, it is not healthy.
What are the disadvantages of freeze-dried food?
There are a few disadvantages to freeze dried food:
- You need at least water to make it edible
- The taste might not be as good as the regular version of the same food
- You cannot save the food, as the containers are not reusable
How long will freeze-dried food last?
In general, freeze dry food lasts 25 years, but it could be more depending on the specific food or dish. To best store freeze dried food, please keep it in a cool, dry place. Even though it can last 25 years or longer, eating it before 25 years comes is always best.
Where can I buy freeze dried food?
Freeze dried food can be purchased from dedicated outdoor retail shops such as BCF and Tentworld. Freeze dried food is also convenient and easy to buy from online stores like Survival Supplies Australia, My Deal, and Campers Pantry.
Conclusion
Dry camping foods are great to pack for hiking, camping, and remote area travel, and once you start using freeze dry foods, you will understand why.
These are the main reasons why you should consider freeze dry food for backpacking:
- Easy to pack and carry
- Easy to prepare
- Long shelf life
- Lots of variety
You can enhance your freeze-dried food with seasoning. But, also make sure you supplement your freeze dry food for camping with other foods like protein bars and granola. So now you can enjoy the outdoors with hassle-free and easy camping meals – freeze dry foods!
Andrea is a seasoned hiker and camping enthusiast who relishes spending quality time with her loved ones in the outdoors. Whether hiking through the remote mountains or camping in nature, Andrea enjoys every moment spent outdoors.
Andrea Warner – Survival Topic – Explore with Confidence.
