View topic - How to pack freeze dried food

Hello.

What is the best way to pack homemade freeze-dried meals? Vacuum sealed? Mylar bags?

Is it ok to mix dehydrated materials with freeze-dried materials, or will that cause spoilage? How long will these last in the backcountry? E.g. will a vacuum-sealed freeze-dried meal with chicken in it last 3 weeks?

Also, does anyone have food ideas for space-saving and long term storage?

Thanks.

I've carried commercially made freeze-dried chicken on trips but I always have stored it in a separate freezer bag. I portion everything out by meal and because some of the dehydrated stuff doesn't re-hydrate at the same velocity as freeze dried I like to keep them separate for that reason. But never for spoilage reasons.

Since both are essentially dehydrated I don't imagine having them in one bag would cause spoilage. I mean as far as I know spoilage is largely moisture related? Maybe someone else has better knowledge that me.

My impression is that a vacuum sealed bag should be fine.

Thanks for the response! That is good to hear. By freezer bag do you mean ziploc? How long have you kept the freeze-dried chicken in a zip loc like that on the trail?

Yes ziploc freezer bag. I've had it on the trail for 7 days in some fairly hot weather.

Nowadays I carry them in a little vacuum sealed bag. I have a big can of freeze dried chicken I bought in the US and they say once it is open it only has a short shelf life like three weeks or something. So I wasn't able to use it on just one trip.

When I opened it I divided it all out into meal sized portions and using my vacuum sealer I sealed them all up and put them in my freezer. They've kept for a long while. Now I just take them out and pop them in my bear bag as needed.

So far no botulism!!!!

You are fortunate to have a home freeze drier. They are very expensive..
I have a home dehydrator. I pack in vacuum seal bags. Zip locs are not good as dehydrated or freeze dried food has sharp edges. The Food Saver bags are much tougher than Zip loc bags.

You will see the difference in a hot humid climate.. I used to put some stuff in ziplocs and mold was evident after two weeks in 90 degree heat and humidity.

There is a downside to vacuum bagging .. As once you break it open there is no good way to keep moisture and air out again you have to vacuum bag it in individual meal units.

Air is the big culprit for spoilage.

Thank you. Will your vacuum-sealed meals last 3 weeks in dry, hot weather?

I usually dehydrate ingredients so I can mix and match.
Sure they last three weeks.. We did eight weeks across country with our dehydrated food.. 10 days on the Green.. 5 days on the Upper Missouri both in sweltering heat. And of course over packed and brought some of it home and threw it in the closet.. My personal rule is use it within a year. Its the fatty meats that you have to worry about the most. Get all the fat out before dehydrating! Otherwise hello rancidity.

Do you really have a home freeze drier?
https://harvestright.com/product/home-f ... gI6OPD_BwE

Thanks! No I do not have a home freeze drier. By homemade I just meant assembling from bulk ingredients. Most of my meals will be dehydrated.