Freeze Dried Foods
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Moxadox
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Yes. Good stuff! Just freeze dried single ingredients, very clean.
The Dire Wolfess
The Dire Wolfess
I haven’t, but love certain freeze dried foods.
My favorite source is an Amish bulk food store, where every imaginable food item is available at very reasonable prices.
You may not have those in the western states, but should you get this direction they are a wonderful resource.
My favorite source is an Amish bulk food store, where every imaginable food item is available at very reasonable prices.
You may not have those in the western states, but should you get this direction they are a wonderful resource.
Moxadox
Well-known member
Those look yummy. I can't eat a lot of the ingredients, so I'll wait to hear how you like them. I'm being attracted by the berries....there is a berry sampler that makes my mouth water, but in huge quantities, with a corresponding price.
The Dire Wolfess
The Dire Wolfess
Anhedonic
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I haven't tried Harmony House, but a while back I caught a Woot deal on a week of freeze dried foods from a place called "Patriot Pantry." They bill themselves as "meals for self-reliant patriots." Still for $30 for a week, it seemed like a good idea.
On my recent trip I tried some of it. While it did work as promised, I'm guessing "self-reliant patriots" are not much into flavor because the "creamy stroganoff" was the blandest food I've ever eaten. After that I kind of relegated dehydrated prepper foods to the emergencies-only category.
On my recent trip I tried some of it. While it did work as promised, I'm guessing "self-reliant patriots" are not much into flavor because the "creamy stroganoff" was the blandest food I've ever eaten. After that I kind of relegated dehydrated prepper foods to the emergencies-only category.
B and C
Well-known member
I haven't tried any freeze dried foods since the eighties. They weren't very good then. I found that a little bit of seasoning helped quite a bit. At least it made it palatable.
RoamerRV428
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never tried harmony house.
love mountain house and backpackers pantry and ones I have used for when I hiked like a maniac and needed light food on the go. harmony is like #8 on the best 10 list of what backpackers want to carry light and eat good....no clue on it truly as I can't rate, but there are great freeze dried options out there, yet pricey but sure give great convenience when required!
love mountain house and backpackers pantry and ones I have used for when I hiked like a maniac and needed light food on the go. harmony is like #8 on the best 10 list of what backpackers want to carry light and eat good....no clue on it truly as I can't rate, but there are great freeze dried options out there, yet pricey but sure give great convenience when required!
Freeze dried, cubed potatoes are especially great to toss into a soup or chowder.
I’ve not so much done freeze dried meals as kept a few dried fruits and vegetables.
They’re not the same as fresh, of course, but can save a last minute trip to the grocery store.
I’ve not so much done freeze dried meals as kept a few dried fruits and vegetables.
They’re not the same as fresh, of course, but can save a last minute trip to the grocery store.
highdesertranger
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you must know how to cook with this type of food. it's not like most food you are used too. some of them have no additives some of them have way to many additives. I use certain freeze dried and dehydrated food. but I have learned over the years how and when to use them.
you can buy a lot of them in regular stores. potatoes are a good example and many soups now come that way. just read the ingredients. so you know what you are getting. you are seeing more and more "sun dried" foods which is just a type of dehydration.
most non processed food needs seasoning so don't use that as a criteria. the exception would be fruits and vegetables.
I like and use Honeyville and Thrive brands but there are many good ones out there. I have never been real excited about Harmony House(never used) because of the packaging. see through plastic packaging just doesn't seem to go with long term shelf stable food.
highdesertranger
you can buy a lot of them in regular stores. potatoes are a good example and many soups now come that way. just read the ingredients. so you know what you are getting. you are seeing more and more "sun dried" foods which is just a type of dehydration.
most non processed food needs seasoning so don't use that as a criteria. the exception would be fruits and vegetables.
I like and use Honeyville and Thrive brands but there are many good ones out there. I have never been real excited about Harmony House(never used) because of the packaging. see through plastic packaging just doesn't seem to go with long term shelf stable food.
highdesertranger
Moxadox
Well-known member
Harmony House is not purposed for backpacking. It's for off grid and preppers. For those who live with minimal refrigeration, yet want nutritious single ingredients that can be used as is, or added to fresh ingredients. They do have some prepared mixes, but that's not what I go there for. I'm into the freeze dried fruits and veggies. Trying to get myself excited about TVP, but haven't got there yet ;-) MH and BP are way too expensive to eat on a daily basis, for me anyway.RoamerRV428 said:
The Dire Wolfess
I have reconstituted TVP and then substituted it for part of the ground meat in meat loaf and meat balls.
It takes on the flavor of whatever it is cooked with, and is very difficult to identify for someone who doesn’t know it is there.
It takes on the flavor of whatever it is cooked with, and is very difficult to identify for someone who doesn’t know it is there.
skyl4rk
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I have tried most of the dehydrated vegetables from Harmony House. The ones that I still use are garlic, leek and jalopno peppers. I think the dehydrated foods work better as spice or flavoring than as a vegetable. The leek flakes add a lot of flavor, they are excellent.
One item that I am interested in is dried precooked beans. I have used small amounts to thicken soups and chilis, but I heard that through hikers are cold soaking the dried precooked beans with some chili flavoring mix and eating it as their main food.
One item that I am interested in is dried precooked beans. I have used small amounts to thicken soups and chilis, but I heard that through hikers are cold soaking the dried precooked beans with some chili flavoring mix and eating it as their main food.
highdesertranger
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dehydrated garlic, Jalapenos, and beans can all be bought at a regular store at a fraction of what the freeze dried places get. highdesertranger
Moxadox
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The dried beans are excellent. I bought a bag of freeze dried black beans and they made terrific refritos (refried beans).
The Dire Wolfess
The Dire Wolfess
skyl4rk
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I got dried precooked beans at Gordon Foods. They are about twice as expensive as canned beans for the finished product, so they are only useful if you need lightweight food.
Here is a video of a backpacker showing how he prepares them:
Here is a video of a backpacker showing how he prepares them:
On the "Tiny House Prepper" YT channel they use a lot of Thrive food products and Elizabeth will do a cooking demonstartion with them. I checked into a sale Thrive was having and the sale prices were more than I wanted to spend just to try something out.
After spending 6 days without electricity one winter when KY was declared a national disaster area I started making sure that I have plenty of canned meats and peanut butter on hand and also bottled water. Also a heat source for cooking. I always keep extra canned fruits and veggies plus seasonings on hand.
In Hartford AL there is a big surplus outlet called Tates where I can get 20oz cans of pork for $2.00. It's really good and makes great B-B-Q or pork with gravy over rice or noodles. They also have those really big cans of corned beef for about $10 to $12. They carry MREs of various kinds and a case is somewhere between $20 to $30 if I remember correctly.
JewellAnn
After spending 6 days without electricity one winter when KY was declared a national disaster area I started making sure that I have plenty of canned meats and peanut butter on hand and also bottled water. Also a heat source for cooking. I always keep extra canned fruits and veggies plus seasonings on hand.
In Hartford AL there is a big surplus outlet called Tates where I can get 20oz cans of pork for $2.00. It's really good and makes great B-B-Q or pork with gravy over rice or noodles. They also have those really big cans of corned beef for about $10 to $12. They carry MREs of various kinds and a case is somewhere between $20 to $30 if I remember correctly.
JewellAnn
