1/29/24. Bought one 4 or 5 yrs ago when they went on sale at local Big Box store. Ditto all the accoutrements needed to do it all correctly. Nothing mechanical has broken down but maybe me.
Dehydrated commercial pouches pricey and loaded with very cheap, usually high, high salt, sugar and other fillers–read label—unhealthy for me, additives. Those retail pouches also have a peculiar taste, and odor probably the MSG, which I really dislike and if it’s MSG, I have an inflammatory reaction). Plus, I am a vegetarian. It’s almost impossible to purchase worthy products. Those pouches are about 8 bucks per. One can DYI for pennies.Pennies!
Caution: All food MUST, MUST absolutely MUST be completely dried out, or Professor Bacteria and other toxic microbes will visit and make you really ill or kill you. You must also haul your trash out of your camp-site.
Better yet: Bring dehydrated products and cook, fresh your meals and LNT. Why not?
If you opt for the Food Saver, you ALSO MUST 100% seal your bags. If you live in a rather humid area, you must also purchase de-humidifyer, non-consumable, Oxygen ( O2 ) -zapping thingies you seal also in bag.
Preparing food and processing is very time consuming. Sanitation also incredibly important.
I drain, and wash and dry canned beans, then process.
You also may want to consider a high quality (very high quality) dehydrator. Have to plan carefully and consider ingredients. In the end, having your own food for camping with no additives, really good investment and not at all limiting. Lotsa work though, but end product so much tastier, much lighter, uber healthier and much less expensive.
You can also just carry dehydrated ingredients and cook later if you want. (this is something you have to plan, obtain, and research good recipies….worth doing.)
You can research on-line vendors who dehydrate, sell and ship to you veggies you may not want to dice.
Many vegetables are from 65% to 90% water. Why schlepp water-loaded, fresh stuff?
We have 3-4 other hikers or end-of-world-ers who time share our stuff. We buy in bulk and the final product is super light, less salty and keeps well.
Considering electrons, time, buying food, necessary items, and vacuum sealer were in the long run MUCH cheaper than those pricey pouches and limited the amount of trash you have to pack out. Get a really, really good knife and cutting board.
However, one must be very disciplined to prepare foods and cook. Those pricey, salty usually stale pouches are for emergencies only.
I found boiling water and popping the prepared Food Saver super light, bag in the boiling water pot a good way to heat my meals. I then open the bag using some of the boiled, now sanitized water to rehydrate meal. NEVER leave your cooking and oversight!
The hot water was sanitized for other purposes. I made some spread-sheets comparing costs 4 yrs ago for ALL efforts: food, time; stuff needed, products. It was WAY cheaper to DIY.
Good crappy weather activity. Using Food Saver or dehydrating for your upcoming camping trip makes you productive and really helps you nutritionally.
Humidity affects process. Plan your meals for correct ratios of nutrients or consult a registered dietician.
Winter usually has less humidity. Suggest using Food-Saving then, after holiday sales. Suggest buying planned packaged dry ingredients on sale, or food club, storing items for Food Saver processing time. Also suggest being prepared and doing a LOT of food at one time, limiting food exposure.
When our electricity went out, had good food here. There are some on-line vendors who sell dehydrated vegetables or dried foods for your work too. If done correctly food very light and keeps for years. Easy to pack.
Food Saver bags can only be used once, so you have to re-purchase. The Food Saver is a simple machine and has worked this far. Your big investment, is a good (please do not go cheap on this) is the food saver machine. If you go cheap, you WILL be sorry.
I made a lot of cooked pasta, complete -with- sauce spaghetti, soups; dried fruits, nuts, sandwiches, medicines, herbs; everything, and portioned into Food Saver bags stacked in a gear closet. It’s easy to process the food.
One must be very organized to make full use of this technology. I gotta photo somewhere, but when I’m not using my Food Saver, I store everything on top of my ‘fridge. When finished, food and packet flat, light; easy to carry.
It all makes a good x mas gifts or the “what can we buy you?” question well meaning folks ask. If you have a garden, this is also for you.
Practice, practice at home first, please!
