Introduction
We live in a golden age of trail cuisine. Freeze-dried and dehydrated meals are better-tasting and more nutritious than ever before. Producers have responded to hikers’ needs by filling nearly every food niche and style. You can still get old standbys like chili-mac, but now you can get them vegetarian, vegan, organic, or gluten-free. You can eat American, Mexican, Indian, Italian, Asian, or any other style you like. Best of all, these meals actually taste good.
But not good enough. You can do better.

Breakfast on a cold October morning in the Lost Creek Wilderness: scrambled eggs with ham, cheese, and veggies.
And I very much mean “you”. My thesis is that the best backcountry meals are the ones you prepare yourself. In this article, I will tell you how to dehydrate food for backpacking.
Member's Only Content
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- Individual Taste and Quality Ingredients
- An Ingredient-centered Approach
- Fruit: Apples, Pineapples, Peaches, Cherries, Mango, Watermelon
- Meat: Spicy Beef Jerky Marinade
- Preparing Meals: Ground Meats, Chicken, Pork and Beef, Roasted Peppers, Roasted Corn, Chili, Dairy
- Keep Your Flavors
- Equipment and Techniques: Food Prep, Dehydrators, Storage and Packaging, On the Trail
- Knowledge
- Just Do It
Member's only version is 2,900 words and includes 11 photographs and/or illustrations.
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