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#198385 - 05/27/17 06:34 PM longevity of freezed dry meals with a twist
the-gr8t-waldo Offline
member

Registered: 01/16/11
Posts: 180
Loc: Tacoma, Washington
the twist is I want to open about three to four days worth of meals before hitting the trailhead. the plan is to save weight and still eat well. Reclosing the inner plastic bag with a short section of scotch tape and all packed into a modest size plastic bag( should be "relatively" sealed from moisture as the ome bag was( and for the record I'll be removing the lil descant bag and tossing them as well). that is if the meals are wholesome enough to consume after 3>4days packed in this manor. any thoughts?

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#198393 - 05/29/17 11:22 AM Re: longevity of freezed dry meals with a twist [Re: the-gr8t-waldo]
balzaccom Offline
member

Registered: 04/06/09
Posts: 2232
Loc: Napa, CA
We do this all the time. It's standard procedure everywhere bear canisters are required, because it saves so much space.

We taken meals on a weeklong trip and had them left over. We then took them same meal on a trip weeks later. Still good.

One suggestion:leave the dessicant packet in the bag. It absorbs moisture, and moister is the only real potential problem.
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#198394 - 05/29/17 02:07 PM Re: longevity of freezed dry meals with a twist [Re: balzaccom]
the-gr8t-waldo Offline
member

Registered: 01/16/11
Posts: 180
Loc: Tacoma, Washington
thanks Balzaccom. this has sat unanswered ( or even poked fun at) for awhile. I was starting to think it was so outlandish an idea that readers musta thought the answer was apparent, and me the only one not in on it. lol. thanks I will try this, only I'll go for 7days.. and one descant pillow inside of the combined package.......of course, I'll report back after the hike


Edited by the-gr8t-waldo (05/29/17 06:36 PM)

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#198400 - 05/30/17 04:58 PM Re: longevity of freezed dry meals with a twist [Re: the-gr8t-waldo]
BZH Offline
member

Registered: 01/26/11
Posts: 1189
Loc: Madison, AL
I've been thinking about this kind of thing lately with the Mountain House #10 cans. Once I open a can how long do I have to use it? (Also, how do make sure you get the proper mix from the fist to last meal scooped out of the can?) I think I found somewhere that MH recommends consuming within a week of opening. They report that some customers do things to make them last longer, but they haven't verified those options (vacuum seal, put in the freezer). I am thinking maybe I can purchase the desiccants separately to help keep them dry.

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#198403 - 05/30/17 08:42 PM Re: longevity of freezed dry meals with a twist [Re: the-gr8t-waldo]
wgiles Offline
member

Registered: 05/19/14
Posts: 182
Loc: Central Illinois near Springfi...
The little packets inside the cans or packages are not necessarily desiccants. They are more likely Oxygen absorbers.

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#198434 - 06/07/17 10:01 AM Re: longevity of freezed dry meals with a twist [Re: the-gr8t-waldo]
HPD Offline
member

Registered: 12/22/16
Posts: 75
Loc: Colorado High Plains
I've got a twist on this twist and I have a related question.
I have repackaged before and noticed no difference, but on those occasions I used it within a couple weeks of repackaging.
Almost 2 years ago I repackaged a weeks worth of MH food shortly before a scheduled trip, making single servings. Each serving was put in a freezer zip-lock bag with 1 oxygen/dessicant pack included. When I didn't end up going, I put in all in a bear canister and figured I might be able to use it next time.
As it turns out (so far!), the next time will be in July and I'm wondering if the stuff is still good! I'm planning on trying a sample before I head out but thought, like waldo, that I'd post it to see if anybody else has experience with this issue.
I plan to post a follow-up on my results but am interested to hear your thoughts!!

Thanks!
Bill

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#198439 - 06/07/17 02:37 PM Re: longevity of freezed dry meals with a twist [Re: HPD]
OregonMouse Online   content
member

Registered: 02/03/06
Posts: 6799
Loc: Gateway to Columbia Gorge
I don't eat commercial freeze-dried meals because of all the crud that's in there (the labels read like a chemistry set!). I cannot digest commercial freeze dried meals even when fresh! I have, however, used some bulk freeze-dried ingredients (meat, veggies) in the meals I have made up.

I have kept both these bulk ingredients and home-dehydrated food for a couple of years by storing the individual meal packages (in freezer bags) in the freezer, double-bagged (i.e. the individual meal packages stuffed into a gallon freezer bag. I haven't gotten sick, but I have noticed a loss of flavor in the ones kept two years! I therefore don't keep them more than a year. I also would be very dubious about repackaged food kept at room temperature. I'd suggest a lot of googling about storage of repackaged freeze-dried foods before even testing. Of course I suspect that there are enough preservatives in the meals to prevent serious contamination.

Testing meals at home is always a good idea! I've mentioned in the past my adventure with home-dehydrated peas (still like shotgun pellets after the rest of the meal had cooked to a mush)!
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#198516 - 06/20/17 09:40 AM Re: longevity of freezed dry meals with a twist [Re: the-gr8t-waldo]
HPD Offline
member

Registered: 12/22/16
Posts: 75
Loc: Colorado High Plains
I tried out 1 of my repackaged meals and while it was edible and didn't make me sick it tasted, as you said Mouse, stale. I will replace all I have with new.
Thanks for your input, Mouse!
Bill

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