Backpacking meals update – taste tests

Terran.  Thats why I prefer Pinnacle.  Taste + calories.  As a generla rule I ignore sodium on a backpack trip.  Im usually sweting and busting it up inclines.  The extra sodium is of little consequence in that scenerio.  Home on the couch – then its an issue.

Philip Tschersich.  Agree about the extra water.  I totally ignore the instructions, esp time to rehydrate.  IF it says 15 minutes I do 30 minutes, and then add some more boiling water.  The one brother at Pinnacle is a chef/backpacker.  They are a garage run business.  I have some Luxefly coming.  Will report.  NOT buying the $28 Stroganoff =^)

My own take on salt:

Commercial companies add lots of salt to make the food more ‘tasty’. One could argue that the salt is to cover up the cheap yuk taste, but ‘de gustibus non est disputandum’ (Author disputed). What does concern me is that the Western diet is too highly loaded with salt, to the detriment of one’s health.

After some years on a deliberately very limited salt intake (while remaining in good health), we find that many common commercial packages contain an amount of salt we find just yuk. Our ancestors did not eat nearly as much salt as today; they did not have as many heart problems either.

YMMV
Cheers

The difference for me is how I eat on the trail is not how I eat off trail. So its not really a 10,000ft assessment of my diet.  I am a sweater, and last trip on the Rae Lakes loop, I crank thru the mineral depletion.  Temporary high sodiuk intake in that content is a moot point IMO (unless you have a know hypertension issue).  But even then, I bet you are a bit sal deficinet after a day of packing.  I go back to my original intent for this thread.  A simple assessment of contemporary back meals, esp with so many new ones comig out (that arent that good).  After hoofing it to top of a mountain, I persoanly dont care if its the salt, MSG, whatever that makes that meal taste like a restaurant entree.  All I care is if it tastes like a restaurant entree and make my smile.  IF I had someone make me awesome homemade meals and freeze dry them for me I would, of course, use them.  In the absence of that, I have no issue with the salt calories splurge after a a 3000ft elevation day.  =^)  And when I get off mountain, my diet is fairly healthy so a backpack meal is a one off.  Someone here send me some of thier freeze dried meals to try!!!

I eat chocolate, cheese and beef jerky separate from rehydrated food : )

I either use my Breville toaster oven or my oven on it’s lowest setting, 170F, to dehydrate  the beans.  The only problem is first starting out, there’s a lot of water, and with the oven at such a low temperature, the evaporated water condenses inside the stove which doesn’t really like that.  Maybe I’ll start at 200F.

As I get older, I am more sensitive to electrolyte loss for some reason, so I add salt to my food, especially in the summer.

Then I started taking a diuretic which means I have to add even more salt.  I could skip the diuretic, or half dose, but then I have high blood pressure in the morning until I’ve hiked a few miles, but that works too.

Jerry raises a good point.  Your Mileage May Vary, and need to be aware of your current physiology.  I think I am more sensitve to electrolyte loss as well these days (just turned 60).  HAve you ever been able to take your BP in the AM backpacking?  Would be interesting to monitor your BP on trial during these fluctuations, to determine if they are modestly elevated or concerningly elevated.  All very good points.

I’ve been off of diuretics since I changed doctors around 15 years ago. Confirmed by my last two doctors and random BP checks on my own. Of course that’s not always the case.

What differentiates primary care physicians who predominantly prescribe diuretics for treating mild to moderate hypertension from those who do not? A comparative qualitative study

For decades I remember occasionally getting severe leg cramps at night.  Which I now think was electrolyte loss on hot days.  So, I should have occasionally used electrolyte.

Then, maybe age 60, I noticed sometimes I would hit the wall sometimes.  I normally do 2 MPH but I was dropping to 1 MPH.  I just figured maybe it’s old age.

Then, a few years ago I started taking hydrochlorothiazide diuretic.  First hike – horrible leg cramps and hitting the wall.  I didn’t take the diuretic the rest of that trip.

Then, I took my blood pressure meter.  I noticed that when I hit the wall, my BP was 90/60.

When I didn’t take the diuretic at all, my BP would be 140/90 for a few hours in the morning – not that big a deal but not optimum.

So, now I take diuretic normally, first thing in morning.  If my shirt gets fairly wet from sweat during the day I’ll take 300 mg each of sodium and potassium (1/4 teaspoon of lite salt) in the pint of drinking water.  If it’s really hot and I’m sweatier, I’ll take another dose or two.  Then, in the morning my BP will be 120/80 and may go down to 100/70 during the day but I can still hike normally.

If I get behind on my electrolytes, I know the feeling of getting tired is because of that and will take a dose of electrolyte.  If I get mild leg cramps at night I’ll take a little more electrolyte the next day.  Severe leg cramps I won’t take the electrolyte that day.

I now know that what I should have been doing before the diuretic, was on hot days take one dose of electrolyte and then I wouldn’t have had leg cramps at night.  And, since age 60, I would have avoided hitting the wall.

The food I normally eat doesn’t have that much sodium in it so, when it’s hot, I’ll put 1/4 teaspoon of lite salt in my oatmeal in the morning, in my lunch snack, and in my dehydrated food at night.  If I was eating those commercial dehydrated meals they come with plenty of salt.

I’ve been thru all the usual “backpacking meals” like Mary Jane’s and Outdoor Herbivore and Hawk Vittles and Good to Go and all the rest.  Even spent years pulling home dehydration.  On my last trip I had a revelation—just take a bag of cream of wheat and a bag of oatmeal and a plastic jug of organic peanut butter and that’s my cooked meals for the trip—complete protein too.  I add organic butter to taste and for my fats.  Good system for us vegetarians out there.  Augmented of course with snacks—granola bars, dried fruit, rice cakes with peanut butter and jelly etc.  Plus I need to keep my salt consumption low.

I cooked some dried black beans. Dehydrated them and had dried black beans. They did cook up a little faster the second time. Not what I’d consider fast.

I make a high protein nut butter using Red Palm Oil but end up eating it up ahead of time.

Red palm oil.

I think there are two distinct camps here, wiht a third hovering in both worlds.  A set like me who the reward of an awesome meal end of trail day his kind of a cherry on top.  The other group places less emphasis on that, so whatever os in thier pack to eat is just fine.  No right or wrong answer, just a preference.  Once I had a few of the newer good meals it became a great treat at end of the day.  I would note that of all the MANY new meals out there I only have felt about 20% worth purchasing.

Jerry’s post is important if sodium intake may be an issue, or other know health issue.  You have to be your own champion, know the state of your health, BP, glucose, etc and any conditions you have, and how they interact.  And consulting with your PCP important.  The 140/90 not the worst, esp with current BP guidleines but would definitely push toward the new 130/80 of course.  Sometimes in older people the 110/70 can be an issue under effort.  I had a period where I was about stage 1 (140/88) and was on a low dose antihypertensive for a year or so.  Then I lost a little weight, 10 pounds.  I wasnt overweight but had a few pounds to lose.  Then I noticed a little light headedness esp with extra effort backpacking.  When I got back my BP was 108/70.  That small amount of weight loss had dramatic BP effects.  And because I was was on a low dose BP med I was actually over treated and was lowering my BP too much.  I no longer needed the antihypertensive.  The moral: know you body, monitor your body, and work with your healthcare provider regularly.  BP concerns?  Get a good home monitor and regularly check  (int he proper rested BP position). Especially getting older, set it an forget it, check back with doctir in a year, is not ideal.

CAMP15 for 15% off Luxefly

That might be at the height of $$$. If she can sell it, then good for her.

It’s cheaper than flying Roger over.

Lol, there is that.

Did my first FCoundation Outdoors meal:  Chicken Pot Pie.  Wasnt bad at all, give it a 7.  Lots of flavor.  B etter than the Packit Gourmet Pot Pie IMO.  HAve a breakfast skillet to try as well.
https://www.foundation-outdoors.com/collections/shop-all-outdooor-meals/products/chicken-pot-pie

Just tried the Luxefly Beef Barbacoa.  This ones trick.  Im going 7.5 (8 if I have a lot off add ins like cheese, hot sauce, etc)
Pros:
Real chunks of good meat
Plenty of meat, great meat texture
I could only eat hlf beause it was filling!
Pretty good flavor
Looks like its pictures

Cons (kind of):
It didnt really taste like it had any Mexican flavor
It tasted more like a beef stew (not a bad thing necessarily)
You will proabbly want hot sauce, cheese, onions, etc to bring it to MExican
You might not be able to eat it in one sitting not a bad thing, but may need to share or eat later that night)

https://luxeflybasecamp.com/products/beef-barbacoa-taco

The Luxefly sounds promising. I took advantage of the one time 15% discount and bought enough to get free shipping. I haven’t tried any yet. Kind of hoping I don’t like them. I don’t want to pay full price if I do. Thanks for the review.

Just tried Luxefly Biscuits and Gravy.  It was very good.  I base things not on at home on my couch per se, but on having hiked all day and hungry in the wilderness.  This was very flavorful and satisfying.  It rivals my beloved Pinnacle Foods version.  Only knitpick is that the “biscuits” are too few, and never really get soft.  They are added after main rehydrate, butI left them fo a ehile and still pretty crispy.  But heres the thing, it wasnt necessarily bad, it just wasnt the softer chew of a Pnnacle biscuit chunk.  Id give this a 4.5 and will be purchasing a gain.  Comes with some hot sauce.  Its a keeper in my book.  750 calorirs, dont care about sodium.  I usually add a little more water than suggetsed so image a little soupy than intended, but thats how I like it. Satisfying.

Added a little cracked pepper. enjoyed it and would eat it again. The breadcrumbs were really good. It was a little dull without them. Lots of meat. Bits of bacon.  It rehydrated nicely. More than I would say for the few other freeze dried meals that I’ve tried. I would rate it a 7 for overall enjoyment compared to traditional food. I probably used a little extra water. Nothing I carry accurately measures 12 ounces of water. Filled me up and kept me satisfied. Good quality. Overall I would recommend it though the price makes me a bit hesitant. However I didn’t feel ripped off.

Thanks for the update. Barbaocawas like that – needs some extras like chesse, onions, etc, but good.   Im getting a several of the veggie varietues for my wife to try.

For some reason, it reminded me of clam chowder. Not the kind in the can. The kind you make after an early morning of wading waist deep in the waters of Pismo.