When in the campsite, a lot of you may be worried about getting hungry or eating food that tastes lame. The latter is actually one of the reasons why there are many people who dread camping. To make sure that your appetite will be in for a treat, freeze-dried foods will offer the perfect solution for a filling meal, which is also easy to prepare.
If you are searching for the best freeze-dried food to purchase, keep on reading the rest of this post and we will extend a helping hand. We will start by giving you some tips on how to choose, and later on, we will also tackle five of the best products that will provide the best bang for the buck.
What is Freeze-Dried Food?
Freeze drying is a process of preserving food. It is believed to be a practice that has been around since the ancient times
How exactly is food freeze-dried? It all starts with freezing the food. With the use of a vacuum pump, water will be removed from the food, which is the process of drying. It will also be placed in a heat source. The latter will aid in the removal of ice crystals.
A lot of people might think that since water is taken out from the source, there is no health value at all. Truth is, more than 98% of the nutrients from the raw ingredients, which will make it still capable of providing the best for your health.
The short video below will show you more about freeze drying:
Benefits of Freeze-Dried Foods
Still not convinced that freeze-dried foods are great? Below are some of the things that can provide you with compelling reasons to buy a pack or two now:
- Nutritional Value: One of the best things about freeze-dried food is that nutrients are not lost. Regardless of the process that it has been through, the food will still have the vitamins and minerals that you can find from the raw ingredients that have been used.
- Weight Reduction: This benefit is primarily because of the elimination of water. This makes freeze-dried food portable and easy to transport. With this, there is no wonder why it is a common choice for backpackers and campers.
- Easy to Prepare: When you are camping or hiking, you surely do not have the luxury of time and effort. With this, freeze dried food is great because it can be prepared in a few minutes. You do not have to wait for a long time before your food is ready.
- Tastes Great: If you are picky with what you eat, freeze-dried food will be great. They are available in a variety of flavors and they are also palatable. Whether you want something that is sweet or salty, this will make a great choice.
- Long-Lasting: Most of the freeze-dried products will have a shelf life that is 15 to 20 years. This means that even after a long time of being left untouched and unopened, your food can still be eaten without worrying of poisoning.
Choosing the Best Freeze-Dried Foods
To make it easier for you to come up with the right choice, below are some of the most important things that you need to take into consideration:
- Reviews: Start your search by consulting with the opinions of other people, specifically in the form of online reviews. Pay attention to their insights and personal experiences, which you can use as a way to differentiate the possibilities that are available in the market.
- Taste: Just like in the case of buying any other food item, you need to consider how it tastes like. Taste is personal. With this, it is impossible for others to dictate which one tastes good and which one is awful. Consider the foods that you normally want to eat, and from here, you will have an idea on which freeze-dried foods will be the best choice.
- Packaging: If you intend to bring the freeze-dried foods when camping or hiking, it is better to choose one that is packaged in a pouch as they are more portable. On the other hand, if you intend to keep it longer, those in cans are good since they can resist external elements that could possibly damage the quality of the food.
- Calories: For people who are health-conscious, it is also important to consider the caloric content of the freeze-dried food. Keep in mind as well that you need one that has high calories if you will be doing a lot of physical activities for the day. This will provide you with more energy.
- Protein: Similar to calories, protein is also important to have the energy that you will need for all the tasks that you have to complete. Protein is also essential because it helps the fibers in the muscles to repair themselves. This means that you will be able to recover quicker from a physical activity.
- Sodium: According to health experts, you only need 2,300 milligrams of sodium in a day. With this, choose freeze-dried foods with low sodium content, while also considering the sodium levels in other foods that you will be eating throughout the day.
- Ease of Preparation: Especially if you intend to bring the freeze-dried food in the campsite, see to it that preparing the food will be quick and effortless. Some are ready to eat while others will require you to add hot water.
Top Picks for the Best Freeze-Dried Food
Still unsure on which one makes a great choice? Below are the brands and models that I personally believe will be worth your attention.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of 2020-11-30 at 22:47 PST - Details/Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
- Tender beef, noodles, and mushrooms smothered in a rich sour cream sauce.
- Just Add Water. Plan Easier. Travel Lighter. Eat Heartier.
- Two and a Half 1-Cup servings
- Allergens: Milk, Soy, Wheat, Egg
- 30 Year Taste Guarantee
Product prices and availability are accurate as of 2020-04-12 at 11:57 PST - Details/Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
- DELICIOUS MEAL! Perfectly seasoned rice and chicken in a savory sauce accented with pimentos. Freeze-dried to lock in nutrients and freshness. No refrigeration needed.
- NO ARTIFICIAL ANYTHING - Made with no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. Plus, certified gluten-free by GFCO! Can contains 9 total servings. Great for feeding a family or a large group.
- QUICK PREP - Just add hot water to the can & eat in less than 10 minutes or scoop out individual servings and just add hot water. Power outage? No problem. Can be made with room temperature water, just double the hydration time.
- ANYTIME, ANYWHERE - Comforting, delicious food perfect for emergency food storage, survival, camping trips or RV expeditions.
- SHELF STABLE - Longest proven shelf life in the industry! Backed by a 30-Year Taste .
- Sport Type: Outdoor Lifestyle
Product prices and availability are accurate as of 2020-04-12 at 11:57 PST - Details/Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
- DELICIOUS MEAL! Tender beef, noodles, and mushrooms smothered in a rich sour cream sauce. Freeze-dried to lock in nutrients and freshness. No refrigeration needed.
- NO ARTIFICIAL COLORS OR FLAVORS - Made with no artificial flavors or colors. Can contains ten total servings. Great for one hungry backpacker, or share it with your camping or backpacking buddy.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of 2020-11-30 at 11:08 PST - Details/Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
- ⭐️ PREMIUM GOURMET FIGS: A marriage of the fertile soils and unique climate in Izmir, Turkey creates the most perfect, nutrient-rich, ORGANIC & VEGAN, Turkish Dried Figs on earth.
- 🌱 SUPER NUTRITION: Meticulously sun-dried for ideal sweetness, these figs are nutrient rich in Fiber, Antioxidants, Potassium and Magnesium. NO added sulfers, sugars or syrups. In order to avoid the use of preservatives and harmful chemicals, our figs are rehydrated and lightly pasteurized to ensure a tender and juicy texture!
- ⭐️ PORTION CONTROL PACKS: Our snack packs provide convenience, giving you a healthy on-the-go option to satisfy your sweet tooth! While kids don't normally read nutrition labels, they vote with their taste buds and these Figs are a true lunchbox winner!
- 🍴 CREATIVE USES: Our tender and juicy Dried Figs make for a delicious and nutritious addition to a cheese platter, gift baskets, mix with granola & yogurt, add to your smoothies, bake, or like us, eat them straight out of the bag!
- ⭐️SATISFACTION GUARANTEED: Packing at the source assures you consummate quality control and freshness. Absolutely LOVE our Sunny Fruit dried fruits even more than we enjoy creating them, or you'll get your money back with no questions asked.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of 2020-11-30 at 22:47 PST - Details/Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
- Micro Ingredients Organic Lemon Juice Concentrate, 10 Ounces, Non GMO and Vegan Friendly.
- Rich in Organic Vitamin C (Immune Vitamin) and Antioxidants for Overall Well-being and Great Flavor for Drinks, Smoothies, Beverages and Baking.
- No GMOs, No Additives, No Preservatives, No Artificial Colors, No Flavors, No Soy, No Fillers and No Gluten.
- Scoop included to get the measurement every time. Take it daily with or between meals by adding it to a shake or smoothie, and see what the most nutrient dense food on the planet is all about.
- Powder lover? Take it naturally in powder for higher concentration, quicker absorption, easier on the stomach, and more ways to have fun!
Product prices and availability are accurate as of 2020-11-30 at 22:47 PST - Details/Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Conclusion
Choosing the best freeze-fried food will not be an easy task, given the fact that there will be endless options in the market. Nonetheless, this is not one thing that you should do in haste. Consider the factors that we have earlier mentioned and make sure that you decide not only on the basis of price, but also of quality.
If there is one product that I can personally recommend, it would be the Mountain House Beef Stroganoff with Noodles. Whether in can or in pouch, you will be happy with the way it tastes, providing you with a flavorful and filling snack even without the comforts of a fully-equipped kitchen.
