Like most of you, I've been mostly adding water to my freeze-dried (or home-prepared) meals, letting them rehydrate in the pouch, and then eating from the pouch. The advantages are obvious: no clean-up except licking your spoon; your pot/mug can be used for a hot beverage; no scorched food if you leave it in the pot on the stove. Also, you can use a bag cozy to keep it hot (though that's one more piece of gear to haul.)

Lately, I've been toying with the idea of rehydrating in my pot. I don't often drink a hot beverage with my meal. I've been noticing that eating from the bag is a bit messier (unless you cut off the top of the bag after it rehydrates) because you're pulling the food from the bottom of, well, a hole. You also end up with a wet, slimy, smelly piece of trash.

Any thoughts about which you'd rather have - no clean-up, or drier, tidier garbage?