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ebb
02-14-2011, 01:49 PM
Reconstituting an envelope of dried food FOR A MEAL or a snack can be a disappointment.

However there is a brand of 2 cup soups that never has been a disappointment to me.
DR McDOUGALL's Western Big Cups ("two servings") come in 11 types.
Each soup is a stand alone recipe.
If there is an art to dry soup recipe formulation these are by far the best I've ever eaten.

Minestrone $ Pasta
Split Pea & Barley
Hot & Sour & Org Noodles
Pad Thai (with wide rice noodles)
Vegetarian Chichen flavor Ramen
Miso & Org Noodles
Black Bean & Lime
Pilaf, Vegetarian Chicken Fl
Curry & Brown Rice & Fruite
Tamale & Baked Tortilla Chips.

Each comes inside a twocup 'bowl' container with an aluminumized powder packet you open and stir into the dried noodles, pasta, beans, whatever. This sealed flavor packet (let's call it) really makes the soups fresh and delicious. You pour hot water into the cup and let it sit the required minutes. Usually more because it's hot. Each soup is really good. And special enough to be a meal. I'm partial to the noodle soups. An easy lunch at home.

The packaging isn't very compact or easy to stow - each 2cup portion being put up in a half empty pint paper cup. But at $1.50 to 1.79 in Whole Foods or about $2 online, it will be the best boiled water snack you can experience.

McDougall also makes ready to heat soups in pint brick boxes. They are far better then what Pacific Foods or Imagine offer. Packaged wet and ready to heat, they would require less fiddling with and are more like home made than the dry. They might even pack better in the boat's lockers - but ofcourse weigh more. They are thicker soups. I sometimes prefer the broth style of the noodle soups. These cardboard brick containor soups are better than any canned soup imco.

This brand doesn't advertise anywhere I visit or read. Maybe in health mags?
But it seems to be a healthy growing company.
They have just launched an asian noodle entree package, in all your favorite flovors, that also looks promising to take cruising/camping. It's the right-on flavor recipes that makes tese so special.
Worth a try, imco.

And I'm not connected with this outfit in any way.
I've emailed them to ask if they package dry soups up in a more compact form, like for the armed forces. They don't.


Anybody else have some stand out camping foods they want to share?

carl291
02-15-2011, 09:20 AM
ebb, Can we assume you are preparing to wet the hull of Little Gull in the Pacific this Spring??

Ariel 109
02-16-2011, 01:56 AM
This stuff is pricey but looks delicious. I recall seeing somewhere else bulk bags of freeze dried food available for feeding a crew during ocean races. As with most processed foods beware of likely high sodium levels.

https://www.fuizionfreezedriedfood.com/default.aspx

The old timers liked to heat up an open can of soup in a double boiler, eat out of the can and finally throw the can overboard.

ebb
02-16-2011, 07:53 AM
A couple gallons boiling water might RECONSTITUTE Litlgull at this point.
Get stuck on details along the overhaul - and the UPHILL slog has lost its romance - at times.....


Ahduno Ben, Beef n Ale stew one of my favorites.
Anyway, took a look at the REI site to see if they had Fuzion Freeze Dry.
NOPE. They do have old stand by Mountain House and Natural High. And a couple I haven't tried in the years since trekking: Backpacker's Pantry and MaryJane's Farm.

They're all between $6 and $8 an envelope - two servings.
Never had a problem eating two servings.
[Never had a problem deconstituting the water right back out again either -
by golly those chilly nights getting out of a snug sleeping bag.....]
The Brit product is more expensive and more sophisticated - like beef n ale.
If imported here it probably would be twice Mountain House
Very interesting menu, tho. Like beef n ale.

The REI site lists maybe 60 packets with REVIEWS that rate contents from 'Absolutely Disgusting' to 'Great'. So if we're going to shell out for these backpacking treats we should heed the advice 'to try them at home first.'.
Rather than opening something disgusting 3 days out.
Certainly try the McDougal at home first. They get my 5 stars for taste good! And they have another important quality of LOOKING GOOD.


For serious long term voyaging I will also visit doomsday websites for bulkfood - usually beans and rice stuff. And packing this food on a boat requires another mindset, and certainly actual cooking.
There's also sprouting seeds - for fresh food - wonder if anybody here does THAT?

I think of cup soups and heating envelopes as treats and boredom busters.

There are other cheapies, usually oriental, like AmyChung's bowls that require some steeping with hot water befor being RESTORED to edible.
Just wondering what y'all stow in the pantry camping aboard the little ship.:D


These single serving packages create a lot of trash. Easy to handle for a weekend. But if you are staying longer in the beyond, packing the garbage back out or back in to the marina might take some thought.
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later edit
google> Fuizion Freeze Dried Food
youtube tester tastes 4 gloppy Fuizion meals for us. Reviews.
But not the steak n ale stew. Dang!