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Dehydrated meals

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Lostsheep
09/05/2012 at 02:35
I am looking for some tasty dehydrated meals. Evening meals only as I have breakfast sorted. Any ideas ?
Montgomery Wick
09/05/2012 at 04:08
DIY savoury rice, mixed in with e.g. dried peas. Bring to boil with garlic/chilli/ginger/curry/5 spice powder, add whatever's to hand (tin tuna, jerky, smoked sausage, dried mushrooms), put in pot cosy for 15 minutes. If you're nearer a shop, zing it up by first frying some veg (onion, green beans) in olive oil before adding water and rice mix. The Ainsley Harriot Thai savoury rice is a good base, as is the Batchelors Mexican one (add extra diced sun-dried tomatoes). Much cheaper and better tasting than most 'proper' outdoors food, with at least the same amount of Kcal.
StoneHuggingHippy
09/05/2012 at 04:56
I'd need to double my pack weight to be able to cook that. 

Include a little history in your walks. Pecsaetan - Ancient Derbyshire, Staffordshire and South Yorkshire - http://pecsaetan.weebly.com/

Kelvin
09/05/2012 at 06:31
Very expensive but Real Turmat are a cut above the rest.
Glynn09
09/05/2012 at 15:58
Fuzion Freeze Dried Food.  Used them for the first time last week whilst doing the Anglesey coastal path and really enjoyed them. 
Genaa
09/05/2012 at 16:06
reasonably easy to dehydrate your own meals at home, even if you don't have a dedicated dehydrator - best way of getting a good range of affordable and tasty nutritious dining
paul baggett
09/05/2012 at 16:47
i tent to use

pasta pots from asda 2 - 3 for main meal, they only take 2 mins to rehydrate, usually stick some cheese in it and pepper, pretty cheap

also the instant mash pots with crutons and onion in it again from asda, reasy in maybe 2 mins 2 - 3 pots again, put it all in a boil bag and get rid of the packaging aswell.

just go to the supermarket and get creative, there are literally hundreds of freeze dried meals avalible in supermarkets for pence each.
huskyman
09/05/2012 at 19:15

Same as MW, savoury rice with, pepperami/salami, smoked sausage, herbs, spices, etc.

 I get the rice from Lidl, cheap, @59p a packet, and large portions. Bigger than Batchelors IMO. Cooks in 5min or so.

 1pkt does me for a meal.

Peebz
10/05/2012 at 17:43

cous cous (ainsley harriot ones are good)+ sachet of john west pre-prepared tuna (lemon and papper) 

beanfeast (half packet) and cous cous

cook in a pour and store bag with pot cosy if required. All done in 15 mins

loads of brands of 'just add water' risotto in the supermarket, loads of calories and super satisfying. 

instant custard and value short bread for pud

I find the instant pasta varierties abit too artificial tasting.

Bedouin
10/05/2012 at 17:56
I think the best advice that can be offered is that you try any meals you want to take before you go. Many people will say that X brand/flavour is best but you'll then get an equal number of people saying that that brand/flavour is vile.

I pretty much love Mountain House but the Jamaican chicken and rice nearly had me in tears as on the day I was so hungry and that was all I had and found it utterly revolting.

Its also worth bearing in mind that made up meals are quite expensive so if your relying on them for days worth of food its gonna be expensive. As some have suggested above 'do it yourself' meals are a good option i.e. cous cous and packet soup.
Major Cynic
10/05/2012 at 18:03
I've tried a lot over the past few years. Turmat o.k. but not so tasty. Fuizon meals to me had a horrible aftertaste that was very chemical in flavour (petrolly, anti-freeze?). IMHO Mountain House and MX3 are the best. Moutain House's Pasta with Lasagne Sauce is tasty enough to serve in a restaurant and has an oily finish reminiscent of the best bolognese sauces. Some dishes re-hydrate providing loads of rice and not much else. Trek 'n Eat do a pretty good Venison Stew and a very good Chilli if you can get hold of their stuff.
Major Cynic
10/05/2012 at 18:06
Bedouin's advice is good. I take re-hydrated meals out on day walks when I'm staying in a B&B and I've been caught out once or twice having stopped for lunch only to find that what I'd made was barely edible. 
Crag Scrambler
10/05/2012 at 21:15

Also have to agree with Bedouin and MC in that you should try before you...erm...trek,

IMHO each manufacturer have strong and weak dishes, I got caught out with a mountain house salmon and potatoes in dill sauce (shudder) its possibly the worst thing I have ever eaten but I just took it as granted it would be good after eating the utterly delicious MH spag bol and lasagne.

American Military RCW (ration cold weather) is a dehydrated meal made by the american mountain house team, I did manage to snag a couple a few years back and they do pop up on ebay from time to time, they have different menu's to MH meals, but the same quality. 

Real turmat have some good dishes but are an aquired taste, wolf fish casserole anyone? no? how about reindeer stew then? on the other hand their chicken in herbal sauce is great (chicken pasta). at £9 per pop they are not the cheapest but the calorie count is top notch.

If you scan Ebay or order direct from Drytech you can find their REAL Field Meal which is a ration pack designed for the Swedish army and is a bit cheaper, has a few more menus and the rather delicious  Real chocolate.

Fuizion foods as MC said have a strange chemical after taste in some of their dishes altho their chocolate orange rice pudding was fine, the dishes also seems to have larger chunks of meat / veg in them that dont allways rehydrate properly again this is only my experience.

Expedition foods / be well / pack n go - are the same dehydrated meals you get in the british army PCR (Patrol climate ration) designed as a lightweight ration for cold and tropical environments they are quite similar to mountain house but with more british orientated menus, lamb hot pot, shepards pie ect ect, pretty good their army packaged variants are super rare but can be found on ebay and come with those strange carbo jelly bars that taste great (similar to clif bars shot blox).

I have only limited experience with Trek n Eat, it was some kind of spicy beef noodles, reminded me a lot of a pot noodle tbh, not in a  bad way.

No experience of MX3, bla band or adventure foods yet.

And of course you can make your own packs, tho it may turn into a full time hobby in itself, get a de hydrator and have a go, theres lots of videos on you tube on how to make them, tho i mainly did the noodles / rice combo mixed with dried veg and beef mince (bought the beef mince from mountain house btw) one favorite was a pack of Asda roasted onion mash, hand full of mixed veg and mince and an oxo lol   they turned out allright.

All are "cooked" with my trusty jetboil and eaten with my spork

Edited: 10/05/2012 at 21:26
Neil C
10/05/2012 at 21:50

Quick and simple Bangers and Mash?

Take one zip-close freezer bag (or similar). Add required portion amount of Smash plus Bisto Cheese granules to taste.

Add required amount of boiled water (allow it to cool a bit first) and gently kneed till mixed.

Open up and enjoy sheesy mash with mini Peperami's! Surprisingly tasty!

Best of all there's no washing up or excess packaging to carry out.

For a different take on this, boil your pasta in a pot and then either put in a cosy while fresh water is boiled or use some of the water to add to cheese granules in a bag. Add pasta, shake, squish etc et voila - Maccaroni cheese! No washing up or mess to deal with again!!

peter dixon 2
10/05/2012 at 21:51
not read your replies but for me .... mountain house are tasty and light..try phoning vesty foods and ask for them dont think there on there shop page but ive been buying them off them for past 15 mths ask for neil prest good price too
StoneHuggingHippy
10/05/2012 at 22:01
Crag Scrambler wrote (see)

 (bought the beef mince from mountain house btw)

Do you have a link to that. ?

I've had a look and can't find it. 

Include a little history in your walks. Pecsaetan - Ancient Derbyshire, Staffordshire and South Yorkshire - http://pecsaetan.weebly.com/

Crag Scrambler
10/05/2012 at 22:02
peter dixon 2 wrote (see)
not read your replies but for me .... mountain house are tasty and light..try phoning vesty foods and ask for them dont think there on there shop page but ive been buying them off them for past 15 mths ask for neil prest good price too
 I think the links for them are under the vesty foods > Other Products link, and yeah they are a lot cheaper from vestey.
Crag Scrambler
10/05/2012 at 22:03
twiglegs wrote (see)
Crag Scrambler wrote (see)

 (bought the beef mince from mountain house btw)

Do you have a link to that. ?

I've had a look and can't find it. 

http://www.mountainhouse.eu/emergency-food/tins-4/mountain-house-minced-beef

The chicken isnt bad either, I usually add half a pouch to a knorr super chicken noodle soup for "super chunky chicken noodle soup" lol

Edited: 10/05/2012 at 22:06
StoneHuggingHippy
10/05/2012 at 22:06
Crag Scrambler wrote (see)
twiglegs wrote (see)
Crag Scrambler wrote (see)

 (bought the beef mince from mountain house btw)

Do you have a link to that. ?

I've had a look and can't find it. 

http://www.mountainhouse.eu/emergency-food/tins-4/mountain-house-minced-beef

Cheers for that, bloody expensive though.

Include a little history in your walks. Pecsaetan - Ancient Derbyshire, Staffordshire and South Yorkshire - http://pecsaetan.weebly.com/

Crag Scrambler
10/05/2012 at 22:12

Yeah it was a lot cheaper a month or so ago, they added an extra £5 to everything I think.

Thats about 25 servings mind, I did try doing it myself in a dehydrator, I thought it was fine till i tried some and spent a day pebble dashing the loo

they used to do the beef in pouches of 120g but stopped not sure why.

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