While freeze dried camping meals continue to gain popularity, many have misconceptions about such food. To help customers gain the right information about freeze dried camping food, we’re debunking 7 myths about freeze dried food! Check them out!
1. Freeze dried camping food lacks nutrition
Freeze dried food retains approximately 98% of the ingredients’ nutritional value. Other preservation approaches such as dehydration and canning only contain 60% and 40% of the ingredients’ original nutritional content, respectively.
The high nutritional value preserved in freeze dried camping food means that each freeze dried food package is fully filled with incredible and nutritional elements that every hiker or camper needs to replenish their body. For example, our popular Real Turmat Pulled Pork with Rice, which has a dry weight of 121g, is full of high nutritional content from healthy ingredients such as rice, pulled pork, brown sugar, tomato, onion, bell pepper, leek, and rapeseed oil.
2. Freeze dried camping food lacks taste and flavour
The freeze drying process not only preserves ingredients’ nutritional value but also their texture and taste. Unlike dehydrated food which is often hard or crunchy, freeze dried food is fresh and resembles the texture and flavour of the original ingredient.
Freeze dried meals are also full of flavour and true to taste. For example, our Real Turmat (Field Meal) Pasta Bolognese uses fresh beef meatloaf and the freeze dried beef meatloaf resembles the vibrant and scrumptious taste and flavour of beef!
3. Cooking freeze dried camping food requires pots and pans
Freeze dried food is brilliantly easy to cook. All you need to do is add hot or cold water (depending on the type of food package) into the food package and the food will be cooked and ready to eat within 10 to 15 minutes. For example, to cook Expedition Foods Chicken Tikka with Rice (High Energy), simply take the following steps:
- Remove the oxygen absorber from the inside pouch
- Add boiling water to internal fill 5 (440ml)
- Stir the contents and then close the bag
- Wait for five to eight minutes for the food to re-hydrate
- Bon appetit!
4. Freeze dried camping food is expensive
Our freeze dried meals are absolutely affordable!. For example, our popular and scrumptious TentMeals Almond Jalfrezi main meal is only £4.90 and it offers an array of marvelous nutritious ingredients such as:
- Enriched long grain rice (rice, niacin, iron, thiamin, folic acid)
- Almonds
- Coconut milk powder (coconut milk, maltodextrin, modified food starch)
- Coconut flakes
- Red peppers
- Green peppers
- Jalfrezi spice blend
- Tomato
- Paprika
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Salt
- Lemon.
We also have bigger portion main meals that accommodate most budgets. For example, we have the delicious Expedition Foods Chilli Con Carne with Rice (High Energy) for £7.99. The Expedition Foods Chilli Con Carne with Rice (High Energy) is packed with fibre, protein, carbohydrates, sugar, saturated fat, and other nutritious ingredients your body needs to replenish after an adventurous day of outdoor activities.
5. Freeze dried camping food spoils easily
Not at all. Freeze dried food hardly spoils because 90% - 95% of the water and moisture in the ingredients are removed using a vacuum during the freeze drying process and water and moisture are the top factors for food spoilage. By removing water and moisture from the ingredients, freeze dried food can last without spoilage for up to 7 years! Amazing!
6. Freeze dried camping food needs to be refrigerated
The removal of water in ingredients and the air tight sealing of freeze dried food prevent freeze dried food from reabsorption of moisture. These steps allow freeze dried food to be stored at room temperature without refrigeration and become protected against spoilage for many years.