I beg to differ with you, Lori--I call it "Minute Cardboard"!

To dehydrate rice I generally cook it in vegetable broth. It really improves the taste, I've found.

I just finished William L. Sullivan's "Listening for Coyote" in which he backpacked across Oregon connecting most of its wilderness areas (with a 50-60 lb. pack, horrors!). In his food list, he has a footnote: "After twenty days I used surplus emergency rations to increase the quantities in all menus 50 percent, and I poured the potato flakes into gopher holes."

It all depends on what food you like. I'd recommend starting by dehydrating small amounts and reconstituting a serving at home. It's not too smart to get out there and, after simmering home-dehydrated peas for 20 minutes, finding that they were still the consistency of buckshot, while the rest of the chicken casserole was mush! Get freeze-dried peas (Lori has the sources) instead.

Variety is important. Too much of one thing, even if it's a big treat at home, and you'll also want to pour it down gopher holes!