Three Reasons Why Buying a Dehydrator Changes your Backpacking Game
By Kieran Dunch
One of the most important aspects of planning for a backpacking trip is food. In my experience, having good meals will absolutely make or break your trip. Dehydrated meals are lightweight and easy to pack, making them a great option for backpacking trips where you need to carry all of your gear on your back. In this post, I will outline three reasons why buying a dehydrator is a game changer for your backpacking trips.
The Triangle of Meal Prep
Good meal prep for a backcountry trip involves a triangle of three critical elements: nutrition, weight, and taste. You need to make sure you are getting enough calories to fuel your body, that the food is light enough to carry on your back, and that it tastes good enough to keep you motivated to eat it. Good meal prep is about finding the right balancing act between these three elements. Having a dehydrator is not a necessary purchase, no, but it does eliminate one of the major elements of this triangle: weight.
Reason 1: Versatility
The first observations I made after using a dehydrator for meal prep was how versatile it is. You can dehydrate almost anything, from fruits and vegetables to meats and grains. This means you can create a wide variety of meals that are not only lightweight but also packed with nutrients. It feels like you can adapt almost any recipe to be dehydrated, which opens up so many new options for meals on the trail. For example, you can dehydrate your favorite chili recipe and then rehydrate it on the trail for a hearty meal.
In short form:
- Dehydrators are versatile and can be used to dehydrate a wide variety of foods.
- You can turn most meals you like at home into a backpacker-friendly version with a dehydrator
Reason 2: Convenience
Dehydrating your own meals at home is a great way to save time and effort on the trail. You can make your meals in advance and have them ready to go when you need them. You spend a lot less time meal figuring out ways to adapt your favourite meals, since you can just dehydrate them. This is especially helpful if you are going on a longer trip and need to pack multiple meals. You can also make larger batches of food and dehydrate them all at once, which saves time in the long run. Plus, dehydrated meals are easy to rehydrate on the trail, so you can have a hot meal ready in no time.
In short form:
- Dehydrated meals are lightweight and easy to pack.
- You can make your meals in advance and have them ready to go when you need them.
Reason 3: Savings
If you are one of those backpackers who can afford to buy ready-made hiker’s meals, I envy you! Even though those are high quality meals, they can cost a lot. A dehydrator allows you to create meals of the same quality at home, saving you money. Although a dehydrator can be an expensive purchase, it unlocks all sorts of ways to save money and preserve food, especially if you are a frequent backpacker. For example, you can buy bulk ingredients and dehydrate them yourself, which is often much cheaper than buying pre-packaged meals.
- If you are in the habit of buying freeze-dried meals, you know how expensive they can be. A dehydrator can save you money in the long run by allowing you to make your own meals at home.
- The cost of a dehydrator can be recouped in a few trips if you are a frequent backpacker.
In short form:
- Dehydrators can save you money in the long run by allowing you to make your own meals at home.
- The cost of a dehydrator can be recouped in a few trips if you are a frequent backpacker.
Conclusion
Buying a dehydrator is a game changer for your backpacking trips. It allows you to create lightweight, nutritious meals that are easy to pack and convenient to prepare. If you are serious about backpacking and want to take your meal prep to the next level, I highly recommend investing in a dehydrator.You can even buy one as a group gift with your friends to share the cost and the meals. I hope this post has helped you understand the benefits of using a dehydrator for your backpacking trips. I recommend Septree for a great dehydrator that is affordable and easy to use. Happy dehydrating!