Just realized I wasted $200 on fancy backpacking food pouches

I loaded up on those freeze dried meals from a well known brand for a 5 day trip in the Smokies last month. Thought they'd be lighter and easier than cooking real food. Turns out the pouches are bulky, expensive, and the taste is just okay. My buddy brought a bag of rice, some beans, and a small pot. He ate better than me for a fraction of the cost and weight. Has anyone else switched back to basic ingredients after buying into the hype on prepackaged trail meals?

2 comments

2 Comments

blakem8229d ago

But isn't the convenience of not needing to cook or clean worth paying extra for on a long hike?

tylermason28d ago

Consider how much time you actually spend cooking on the trail. Boiling water for rice takes the same amount of time as boiling water for those pouches. I wash one pot and one spoon, not a big deal. The cleanup argument never made sense to me because I'm already washing something either way. Plus, I can actually season and cook my own food to taste good instead of eating whatever mystery sauce they put in those bags. You save weight, money, and you end up eating way better. Have you tried just doing simple one-pot meals with real food yet?