So do I understand these freezer bags?

Yes, HERE is member Sarah Kirkconnell’s website on freezer bag cooking.

Or, throw food in pot after it's boiled. Maybe turn down to simmer and let it come back to boil for 15 seconds. Put on lid and let sit for 5 or 10 minutes. It'll dehydrate a little better because it starts out a little hotter. I don't like putting boiling water into plastic.

If you're uncomfortable using the freezer bags to rehydrate the food, you could freezer bag 3 out of every 4 meals and use the original foil bag repeatedly for a few days, rotating on to another foil bag because the first gets worn out or super skuzzy.

Going that route, you wouldn't even need the stuffy, heavier, more expensive freezer bags – you could use the lighter storage bags and be able to wiggle them into slightly tighter spots. Total weight and volume savings would be similar to, maybe a touch better than using heavier freezer bags for every meal.

I bet the foil bags have a plastic layer inside the foil : )

If you re-use the foil bag for several days, you'de have to wash it out. Tough to get it clean enough. Risk of bugs making you sick worse than risk of plastic. Just use your cooking water pot aluminum or titanium.

Don't need to de-rail thread about whether it's okay to put boiling water in plastic – no clear answer and different people have different opinions : )

The cozy containers from Antigravity Gear (www.antigravitygear.com) might be a good compromise solution. Easy to use, easy to clean. I have their 3-cup cozy, which doesn't seem to be available now, but the 4-cup is a good choice too. It provides a bit more room for larger meals.

How many high school students?

Yeah, for solo, in-the-pot works for me, and is a better aesthetic experience. (HA pot + little GSI scrapper and i can get it nearly pristine). But for managing a group of teenagers I see the virtue of in-the-bag cooking!

I make some of my own food and use freezer bags with boiling water. No problem at all.

I like to bring along the freezer bag and pour off half of a mtn house and use at another time.

I've used the ziploc freezer-size "storage" bags all summer after I picked up a load of them one day not realizing what I'd grabbed. I tested at home, and they seemed fine with boiling water, so I didn't want to waste them. They develop pinholes along the seams pretty quickly, after only a couple days in the canister. I've been rehydrating in the pot and simmering the last few trips, which makes me feel like a gourmet, but I hate dishes. I'm going back to "freezer" once this supply runs out.

you should be able to roll the mtn house or any ziplock bag closed so that there isn't much air inside. I always put the first days bag into the 2nd day after i finish, then 1-2 into day 3 etc so i never have to open dirty bags.

i usually do pasta sides in freezer bags and a reflectix cozy. saves fuel, no pot washing needed.

Btw…..did ya'all know there are silicone freezer bags now? Not kidding either!

silicone should handle boiling water better. Are they advertised for that?

>> Can I use the same approach to cooking? Boil water, pour in freezer bag and wait 10 minutes to eat?

Short answer is YES.

I use sandwich/quart size freezer bags. You may want to keep and take ONE of the foil bags to use as a "cozy"; put the freezer bagged item inside. Helps retain the heat and keep its shape (less chance of spill accidents when pouring in the boiling water.)

Also, I find it helpful to write basic instructions, like how much water to add, right on the bag with a sharpie.

Jerry, they are rated even for submerging them……

So in LA we have this place called The Boiling Crab. They take whatever seafood you order – lobster, grab, shrimp, etc. – and a spice – cajun, … the rest escape me so "etc.' – and boil it all in a gallon+ sized clear plastic bag. Served to your at your table in the very same bag… it's a messy, sloppy thing which is great for first dates ;) If it can handle crab and lobster shells, it can handle your pokey, dried pasta bits. I would investigate that as an avenue for reusable, durable rehydration bags.

I add boiling water straight to the bag, and have never had a problem with leaking or puncturing from food. However, do be careful with forks. If the bag is still quite hot, a stray fork could stab through the heat-weakened plastic. (Happened to me once; I've used a spoon since)

I used to not like freezer bag cooking due to the leftover food in the bag. Kind of nasty if you are on a longer hike where you can't dump trash. So, we would use a 2 cup Glad or Tupperware round tub to cook food in. It works real nice. Been doing that for a long time.

However, as my son was hiking the PCT this summer we started sending him his cooked meals in freezer bags (he didn't start cooking until he was almost out of California). I told him to try it out and he really liked it and it continued for the rest of the trip. He got his favorite home cooked meals right in the bag. He also bought a long titanium spoon so he could get in there without getting his hands dirty with food.

Last weekend I tried it out on a trip in the Sierra and liked it a lot. I like not having to have a round tub to pack in my pack. It is a bit awkward to know where to put it in the pack. If I have a canister it goes in there when it is not packed super tight with food.

I know I could also cook right in my pot, however, I like to have a bit of soup while I am waiting for my meal to rehydrate.
So, I like to put water in my freezer bag (with food in it!) and dump a soup packet in the remaining water. It's a nice way to wait for the food to rehydrate and get the old stomach ready for some food.

These are the only ones I could find: Lekue Fresh Bag. Amazon description says liter size, with volume marking, safe up to 220F. Weights 8oz per Amazon’s product dimensions.

Lekue Fresh Bag

I suppose freezer bags is a generic term, so it could mean anything, I've always related it to the very thin and flexible bags which I've never used but I've used the Snap Lock Bags.

These days I vacuum seal all my food, so for the nights meal, cut a hole in the bag, add water and let it cook while I'm drinking soup or hot chocolate out of the pot.

This is from the Kuchef brand (Aldi)

I repack the MH meals into these chicken sized oven bags:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005LKAK2W

Trim off the excess and tie a knot. Definitely saves a lot of space in the canister.

Then I bring a freezer ziploc for each person to use as a cozy.

"So do I understand these freezer bags?"

Am I the only one who keeps seeing this subject line and thinking: an incomprehensible ziploc puppet show?

(just me? OK)