I don’t like Freezer Bag Cooking

[Kattt]

Actually what I really don't like is Freezer Bag eating. I have tried it and it's just not for me. Must sound like blasphemy on this forum…
I love to cook and make my food taste and look good, which is rare on the trail anyway. I end up making mashed potatoes, ramen, dried black beans, dried corn chowder etc.
It's the eating out of the bag, fishing out my food while I still wonder" how can this plastic not be leaching something into my food….."
I like to hold my little pot, spoon out something from this side where there is more olive oil, spoon some potatoes with a bit of the chili on top.
As for doing dishes, I just use one corner of my bandana and a bit of water and that is just fine with me.

[Roger Caffin]

> what I really don't like is Freezer Bag eating.
Agree.

> make my food taste and look good, which is rare on the trail anyway
Very rare!

Cheers

[BlackHatGuy]

Not blasphemy at all. But can't you just reconstitute in your pot instead of the bag? I even have a reflectix cozy for my pot.

[Kattt]

That's what I do. Also made a cozy. It's just the bag thing…

[BlackHatGuy]

You could pretty easily make 'pouches' out of waxed paper and carry your dehydrated food that way instead of baggies. Shouldn't add too much weight. Could even reuse them, I should think.

[Kattt]

Oh, Douglas, I love ziplock bags, I think they are awesome and I use them to carry food in. No problem there. I just dislike to both look at my poor food in there, and to fish it out to eat it. Plus I think the jury is still out on wether the plastic leaches or not.

[BlackHatGuy]

Okay, I'll shut up now.

(Of course, we all know that won't last long…… ;-)

[Chris Benson]

"That's what I do. Also made a cozy. It's just the bag thing…"

FBC meals = yes! Reconstitute & eat in bag = not for me.

[W I S N E R !]

I hear you, I've tried it and it's not for me.

What I don't like:
-Eating out of floppy, half-melted plastic pouches. It just kills it for me. I also think it's more of a pain. Washing my pot after dinner (or not) has never been an issue. Wipe the walls, swish around some water, drink. Repeat. Get them leftovers!

-Plastic trash. I don't like buying ziplocks to dispose of after a single use. On a long trip, you could easily use 2-5 per day (I've done it and don't like it). For repackaging food when plastic is needed, I prefer grocery bags- cut off the excess, tie them shut. One bag can package two-three portions if cut up. If you don't get plastic bags yourself (I avoid them), get extras from someone who does (my mom). I also like paper for packaging (especially if you're going somewhere you can have fires- tinder after dinner!). On my last backpacking trip in Joshua Tree I packaged my food in envelopes folded from my son's old homework :) I used primarily paper for the whole JMT as well- it works fine. For GORP a ziplock is great; I've used the same 1 gallon bag for at least 6 months now. There's enough plastic in this world, I try my best not to generate more.

-Carrying around wet, food residue bags for days as trash.

[Sarah Kirkconnell]

In most cases wax bags are made with oil. It is parafin based, so if you are concerned it isn't any better.

As for recipes, nothing stop a person from adding the dry ingredients into boiling water in your pot. I can tell you that when I write FBC recipes I do 3 ways: FBC, one pot and insulated mug.

[John S.]

I tried eating out of plastic bags and it was okay. I too tired of it and went back to eating out of a 400 or 600 ml mug.

[Ken Helwig]

I'm with Kat, I would much rather use my pot. Bags just get to be a pain to eat out of. Sarah, you have fantastic recipies BTW! Thank you!

[Jeffs Eleven]

What is happening here?

"I carry 30 lbs of crap on my back up and down crazy hills in the snow and rain; but eating out of those floppy bags… that's just too much!"

;) I love you guys- cyber hug!

FWIW- to me, doing dishes is worse than 'floppy bags' IMO.

[Joe L]

To all, do what suits you.

[Scott S]

I switched from FBC to cooking/eating out of my pot, and I'll never go back. The biggest advantage is that I don't have to feel guilty about all the freezer bags I'm wasting. And even though I need a bigger pot to cook in (since it has to fit my food + the water), I think the weight is made up for by not having to carry all those extra bags.

[Tim Zen]

Regardless of how you rehydrate it, the texture of dehydrated food is pretty dull, almost like baby food.
I rehydrate and then fry to give food some crunch.

As to FBC, at least use bags designed for boiling water.

[Laurie Ann March]

I have to disagree about the texture of dehydrated food… you just aren't using the right recipes and techniques if it is like baby food.

Here is are photographic examples of our typical fare…

While I do rehydrate in bags on occasion, I really detest eating out of a bag and prefer a proper bowl instead. Food is such a personal thing that there is no right or wrong way and the hiker merely has to find what works best for them.

[Kattt]

Thanks for the input. And that food looks delicious indeed!

[Jeffs Eleven]

Dang- I'm sorry if I came off condescending- I wasn't trying to be.

I found it humorous about bags being bothersome- I'm usually just happy with something hot- regardless of flavor. I scarf down whatever we brought whether its done cooking or not. I really dont even look at the bag- I just eat whatever I happened to grab. More than once I have been dreaming of a hearty meal just to find a breakfast in my pack!

Anyway- sorry if it sounded like I was hosin y'all…

[Laurie Ann March]

Thanks Katharina… I come from a different food philosophy in that I want to enjoy every part of my hike including the food and I am really picky about food. After all, it is our vacation. Sure it means a little effort at home but ever single one of the things I posted only requires rehydration on the trail.

The fact that I had an entire University semester of Mr. Noodle might be why I prefer to do things my way…. lol… it was a long semester.

[Tim Zen]

Laurie Ann — I have your book and enjoy the recipes.

Getting back on topic. Eating out of a bag is no way to enjoy a meal.

[Peter Sustr]

I don't have a problem eating out of the bag. Its easy to eat out of because I use the long handled spoon which is very convenient, nothing to clean up and no wasting my water or using bad LNT principles to clean up and I just roll it up like toothpaste to get every last bit and then seal it up and in my trash bag it goes. I can reuse the bag to hold other trash such as wrappers from bars or other things instead of bringing a designated bag and I can hold about 5 empties in one.

Its not for everyone but, I find it convenient, easy and conducive to my after dinner laziness! :)

[Laurie Ann March]

Peter… actually LNT principles state… "To wash yourself or your dishes, carry water 200 feet away from streams or lakes and use small amounts of biodegradable soap. Scatter strained dishwater."

http://www.lnt.org

Do you bathe and brush your teeth on a trip? Are you packing your fecal matter out? (Don't answer that as I was just making a point). Everything you do out there leaves an impact. I won't even get into the fact that those baggies are a petroleum product – so while you are presuming to save the environment you are still creating an impact by using so many freezer bags – just in a different way. Laziness I totally get but touting the environmental bit about dishes in the backcountry isn't exactly as cut and dry as people make it.

[Laurie Ann March]

thanks Timothy… and for those who choose to – many of my recipes convert to fbc decently. I tried to keep that in mind because not everyone is like me and wanting for a bowl/plate in the backcountry.

[Steve S]

as many know I have an ongoing gig here in Idaho where I do recreational articles for a local paper. I also have been starting to do a weekly blog for them as well. Most of the stuff will have some kind of local or outdoor recreational slant to it. This past week I did a quick blog that mentioned our friends Sara and Teresa's books along with some meal stuff… here's the link. Laurie, I apologize for not getting your's in. I wasn't in a spot to access it, but I had the books in hand. I'll make sure to get it in in an upcoming spot!

http://www.boiseweekly.com/Cobweb/archives/2011/01/03/when-kitchen-appliances-become-outdoor-gear

its fun to get the word out on UL hiking. It seems to almost always promote some very interesting conversations!

As for the bag or the pot… I'm still undecided… :)

[Author]

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