Dehydrating Your Own Meals for the Trail

Commercial freeze-dried meals cost $8–15 each and often taste like salted cardboard. With a $40 dehydrator and a few hours of prep, you can make better meals for a fraction of the cost.

Equipment

Dehydrator

• Budget: Presto Dehydro ($40) — gets the job done
• Mid-range: Nesco Gardenmaster ($80) — adjustable temperature, expandable
• Premium: Excalibur 9-Tray ($200) — the gold standard, even drying, large capacity

Other Supplies

• Parchment paper or silicone sheets for the trays (prevents sticking)
• Vacuum sealer (optional but extends shelf life to 6+ months)
• Ziplock bags for storage
• Oxygen absorbers for long-term storage

Recommended products to consider:

• GSI Outdoors Glacier Camp Stove ($30, 167 g)
• Camp Chef Pro 30 Camp Stove ($135, 9.5 kg)
• Camp Chef Explorer 3X Camp Stove ($260, 19.5 kg)
• Jetboil HalfGen Base Camp Stove ($250, 1.6 kg)
• GSI Outdoors Selkirk 460 Camp Stove ($110, 3.7 kg)
• Snow Peak Trek 1400 Titanium Cookset ($76, 210 g)
• Primus Large Stainless Steel CampFire Cookset ($120, 729 g)
• iKamper Camp Cookset ($165, 4536.0 lbs)

Basic Technique

Vegetables

1. Wash, peel, and slice thin (1/8 to 1/4 inch)
2. Blanch in boiling water for 1–3 minutes (preserves color and speeds rehydration)
3. Spread in a single layer on trays
4. Dehydrate at 125°F for 6–12 hours until brittle

Meat

1. Cook thoroughly first (never dehydrate raw meat)
2. Use lean meats — fat goes rancid
3. Crumble or slice thin
4. Dehydrate at 155°F for 6–10 hours until hard and dry

Fruit

1. Slice thin
2. Optional: dip in lemon juice to prevent browning
3. Dehydrate at 135°F for 8–12 hours until leathery or crisp

Cooked Meals

1. Cook the meal normally but use lean ingredients
2. Spread on parchment-lined trays in a thin layer
3. Dehydrate at 135°F for 8–14 hours
4. Break into chunks and bag

Proven Recipes

Backpacker Chili (2 servings)

At home: Cook and dehydrate: 1 lb lean ground turkey, 1 can black beans (rinsed), 1 can diced tomatoes, 1 diced onion, chili seasoning. Spread thin, dehydrate 10–12 hours. On trail: Add 2 cups boiling water, stir, wait 15 minutes. Top with crushed tortilla chips.

Thai Peanut Noodles (2 servings)

At home: Dehydrate separately: diced cooked chicken, shredded carrots, diced bell pepper. Pack with instant ramen, 2 Tbsp peanut butter powder, soy sauce packet, sriracha packet. On trail: Boil ramen, drain most water, stir in dehydrated veggies and chicken with a splash of hot water, add peanut butter powder, soy, and sriracha.

Breakfast Scramble (1 serving)

At home: Dehydrate: scrambled eggs (cook first), diced bell pepper, onion, shredded cheese. On trail: Add 1 cup boiling water, wait 10 minutes, stir. Wrap in a tortilla.

Rehydration Tips

• Use boiling water for best results
• Seal the bag/pot and insulate with a cozy or puffy jacket
• Wait 15–20 minutes (longer than you think needed)
• Stir halfway through rehydration
• Thin slices and small pieces rehydrate faster than large chunks

Storage

• Ziplock bags: 1–3 month shelf life
• Vacuum sealed: 6–12 month shelf life
• Vacuum sealed with oxygen absorber: 1–2 year shelf life
• Store in a cool, dark place
• Label every bag with contents and date

Cost Comparison

	Commercial FD Meal	Home Dehydrated
Cost per serving	$8–15	$2–4
Taste	Adequate	Customizable and often superior
Prep time	None	30 min cooking + 8–12 hrs dehydrating
Shelf life	5–30 years	6–24 months
Weight	4–6 oz	4–6 oz