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A100man
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PostPosted: 15:40 - 20 Feb 2023    Post subject: DIY boil in bag meals Reply with quote

..more thinking of foot-slogging trips than bikes but has anyone tried to use one of those vacuum sealing bag gizmos to make ready-meals for on the go..
Think spag/bol, curry/rice etc..

How long would they last at ambient? a few days??

The army issue rations like these are obviously viable years but I'm guessing they're also stuffed with preservatives, not just cook-chill-vacuum.
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ThunderGuts
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PostPosted: 16:01 - 20 Feb 2023    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'd see a few issues; the plastic would both have to be food safe at boiling water temperature (as opposed to just a room temperatures) and food spoilage will be an issue unless you can pasteurise the contents (which is probably what whoever produces the army rations does). Tinned fruit is a perfect environment for mould but because it's pasteurised inside the sealed tin, there's nothing in there to grow.

If you're on about carrying it on your back, it does get trickier I think as a lot of the obviously heat-proof containers you could attempt to do the same thing with (e.g. glass jars) are also heavy. Then again, hydrated food is already heavy to lug about (I remember "Wayfarer" meals many years ago and they were expensive and looked like posh dog food).

If you're boiling in the bag type thing, you're going to have a stove, pan and water . . . why not instead focus on efficient to carry foods which are easy to prepare? E.g. there's a quick cook pasta we use for the toddler because it takes 5 mins to cook. There are jarred pesto which will probably last a good few days once opened at least and are concentrated so pack size and weight relatively low. Boil the pasta, strain off the water and throw in a few teaspoons of pesto. Not quite Heston, but it'll fill a hole. There are various instant (or near instant) pasta mixes about in sachets which contain both the pasta and some powdered sauce, but they generally strike me as being a bit repulsive, but if you can stomach them they're probably quite effective too.
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A100man
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PostPosted: 16:14 - 20 Feb 2023    Post subject: Reply with quote

ThunderGuts wrote:
I'd see a few issues; the plastic would both have to be food safe at boiling water temperature (as opposed to just a room temperatures) and food spoilage will be an issue unless you can pasteurise the contents (which is probably what whoever produces the army rations does). Tinned fruit is a perfect environment for mould but because it's pasteurised inside the sealed tin, there's nothing in there to grow.

If you're on about carrying it on your back, it does get trickier I think as a lot of the obviously heat-proof containers you could attempt to do the same thing with (e.g. glass jars) are also heavy. Then again, hydrated food is already heavy to lug about (I remember "Wayfarer" meals many years ago and they were expensive and looked like posh dog food).

If you're boiling in the bag type thing, you're going to have a stove, pan and water . . . why not instead focus on efficient to carry foods which are easy to prepare? E.g. there's a quick cook pasta we use for the toddler because it takes 5 mins to cook. There are jarred pesto which will probably last a good few days once opened at least and are concentrated so pack size and weight relatively low. Boil the pasta, strain off the water and throw in a few teaspoons of pesto. Not quite Heston, but it'll fill a hole. There are various instant (or near instant) pasta mixes about in sachets which contain both the pasta and some powdered sauce, but they generally strike me as being a bit repulsive, but if you can stomach them they're probably quite effective too.


Thanks. The boil in bag thing is optional I guess - not too much messier to squirt it out of the bag into a pan. The question I suppose boils down* to how much longer the vacuum packing preserve the food over a tupperware box?

Pesto a thoughtful option but never quite saw the point of it.

* see what I did there?
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The Artist
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PostPosted: 16:24 - 20 Feb 2023    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sous vide bags are of course safe to use for this application.

Spoilage would be your biggest issue and I am sure there are guides online as to what foods work best for 2+ days storage at ambient.
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to v or not to v
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PostPosted: 19:42 - 20 Feb 2023    Post subject: Reply with quote

just live on super noodles Mr. Green
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stinkwheel
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PostPosted: 19:48 - 20 Feb 2023    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wrong gadget. Dehydration is the way to go for trekking food. Super light, super small pack size, add boiling water, allow to soak and you're good to go. I rehydrate things in one of those insulated coffee mugs but others use a wide neck thermos.

High fat things don't dehydrate very well and don't keep well and if you're making stews, curries etc, it's best to cook and dehydrate the meat seperately to the base. Baked beans and stagg veggie chilli are like black magic and those microwave pouch curry sauces go down to nothing. Keeps for weeks/months at ambient depending on what it is.

There are many blogs and youtubes on the subject.

Dehydrate then vacuum seal and you're ready for WW3.

Cous-cous and powdered mash potato are ready to rock anyway. Microwave pouches of rice are effectively boil in the bag.
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Kawasaki Jimbo
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PostPosted: 19:51 - 20 Feb 2023    Post subject: Re: DIY boil in bag meals Reply with quote

A100man wrote:
The army issue rations like these are obviously viable years but I'm guessing they're also stuffed with preservatives, not just cook-chill-vacuum.

Possibly include ‘irradiate’ too. And aluminium bags are more protective than plastic.
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A100man
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PostPosted: 21:27 - 20 Feb 2023    Post subject: Reply with quote

stinkwheel wrote:
Wrong gadget. Dehydration is the way to go for trekking food. Super light, super small pack size, add boiling water, allow to soak and you're good to go. I rehydrate things in one of those insulated coffee mugs but others use a wide neck thermos.

High fat things don't dehydrate very well and don't keep well and if you're making stews, curries etc, it's best to cook and dehydrate the meat seperately to the base. Baked beans and stagg veggie chilli are like black magic and those microwave pouch curry sauces go down to nothing. Keeps for weeks/months at ambient depending on what it is.

There are many blogs and youtubes on the subject.

Dehydrate then vacuum seal and you're ready for WW3.

Cous-cous and powdered mash potato are ready to rock anyway. Microwave pouches of rice are effectively boil in the bag.


Gotcha.. like this then..

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Oypla-Electrical-Dehydrator-Machine-Thermostat/dp/B00KB9494S/

could be a new hobby Wink
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grr666
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PostPosted: 23:19 - 20 Feb 2023    Post subject: Reply with quote

My niece is a very fussy eater. She likes spag bol, but only the way my sister cooks it for her. Sis makes a huge pot
and portions up the sauce into lots of those vacuum bag thingies for the freezer. When my niece is attending a meal at
a family gathering where she simply won't eat whats on offer sis takes a bag of her sauce along and lobs in into the
same water as the pasta is cooking in so it's all done in one pan. Works for her.
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stinkwheel
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PostPosted: 00:29 - 21 Feb 2023    Post subject: Reply with quote

A100man wrote:


Yes, like that. Get silicone mats for in it too (or cut them out of over liner) so you can put sloppy stuff like bolognaise sauce in it.

Also good for preserving fruit and veg, herbs etc.

The downside is the whole house smells of food for ages.
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A100man
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PostPosted: 10:44 - 21 Feb 2023    Post subject: Reply with quote

stinkwheel wrote:

The downside is the whole house smells of food for ages.


Like the inside of a Vesta factory..
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MCN
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PostPosted: 05:51 - 25 Mar 2023    Post subject: Reply with quote

stinkwheel wrote:
Wrong gadget. Dehydration is the way to go for trekking food. Super light, super small pack size, add boiling water, allow to soak and you're good to go. I rehydrate things in one of those insulated coffee mugs but others use a wide neck thermos.

High fat things don't dehydrate very well and don't keep well and if you're making stews, curries etc, it's best to cook and dehydrate the meat seperately to the base. Baked beans and stagg veggie chilli are like black magic and those microwave pouch curry sauces go down to nothing. Keeps for weeks/months at ambient depending on what it is.

There are many blogs and youtubes on the subject.

Dehydrate then vacuum seal and you're ready for WW3.

Cous-cous and powdered mash potato are ready to rock anyway. Microwave pouches of rice are effectively boil in the bag.


On the powdered mash front, look for Idaho Instant Mash. Tesco £1 a pop.
Add to boiled water, taste like the best creamed potato. Idaho is in America so they're pronounced 'potato'.

They have butter and cheese.
Both good.

Pot noodles. Keep one in the cup. Open and bag others.
£1 a pop.

Tesco et al do their versions of snack foods too. A bit cheaper but can be a bit miserable if your after a bit of cheer from the meal.
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that_impulse_guy
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PostPosted: 09:34 - 25 Mar 2023    Post subject: Reply with quote

mug shots/cup shots..theyre a naked pot noodle thing... I can recommend the macaroni types...good enough to eat type of meal which weighs nothing in little sachets. Just put contents in a mug with boiling water and wait a bit..

If youre camping...well...depends on the situation...you can do sous vide stuff inside a cooler box...some hot water from the fire, some cold water...get it to 60deg or whatever, stick your food into the bag and stick in cooler box with lid on and wait. I realise this is a bit posh for camping...but think of it like a slow cooker.

Also, find a university student..theyre world famous for answering questions like this about food thats quick to make with little hassle and cheap
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Fat Angry Scotsman
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PostPosted: 14:14 - 26 Mar 2023    Post subject: Reply with quote

Surely I can't be the only one here who thinks just buying MREs is the way to go? Laughing they don't taste half bag either.

If you have the space I actually really like the self-heating meals you get, when I was much fitter (and younger) and did trekking and camping I would take the self heating meals and a bottles of water (or just a bottle with filter if I knew there was burns, streams or a loch at the stop locations ahead of time and used the water from there).
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stinkwheel
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PostPosted: 14:53 - 26 Mar 2023    Post subject: Reply with quote

Expensive though. You can do your own for much cheapness.
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MCN
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PostPosted: 17:34 - 26 Mar 2023    Post subject: Reply with quote

stinkwheel wrote:
Expensive though. You can do your own for much cheapness.


Cheese and Ham Toast Toastados on the Zost. Cool
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A100man
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PostPosted: 11:51 - 27 Mar 2023    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fat Angry Scotsman wrote:
..when I was much fitter (and younger) and did trekking and camping


..once upon a time 'Thin Active Scotsman' who knew?
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beatts
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PostPosted: 15:27 - 05 Oct 2023    Post subject: Reply with quote

I do this.

I bought a load of zip lock Mylar bags about the same size as the Wayfarer ones and also a heatsealer (£20),

I make Curries, Lentil dhals, chilli, beef casserole etc and once cooled put it into the mylar bag. Squeeze as much air out as possible then ziploc it and heat seal it. fill the bag to 2/3 full.

I then whack them in the freezer and because they are quite flat, you can get loads in.

When I go camping or out for a day trip I take em out of the freezer in tbe morning and they don't take more than a few hours to defrost before heating them up in my Jetboil.
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